Wednesday, September 16, 2009

THEIR NEGRO PROBLEM -- AND OURS. I'll be honest with you. I don't think racism is the biggest problem in the country. Of course I'm inclined to feel that way, since I'm white, but I've also made the judgment that it's the manipulation of racism that makes much of the trouble that we attribute to the thing itself.

The provenance of the outrage applied to the Belleville West High School incident is obvious if you've been alive for more than a couple of years. Normal people know that in different situations, black kids will victimize white kids and white kids will victimize black kids, and it's part of the sad but slowly improving situation of the United States. I knew it when I was younger and things were much worse. (I saw a little of both sides, too -- I don't mean figuratively, but with my eyes.)

Normal people work through such resentments as these incidents bestir in them as best they can. A certain type of person tries instead to work them.

To a certain extent, playing with that particular kind of fire doesn't have to come out badly. New York City is a pretty good example. There are lines, albeit thin ones, between solidarity and isolation and between righteous indignation and rage. When it goes wrong, you get the Draft Riots, "Irish confetti," the 60s riots, Crown Heights, etc. When it goes right, you get political clubs and affinity groups, which do business with other clubs and groups and get deals done to their mutual benefit.

One of the reasons conservatives classically hate New York is because we have mostly worked out our ethnic tensions this way, in informal power sharing arrangements. That angers them because it reveals something they don't like to face about racism -- that it has to do with power, and that cooling its tensions may require that grievances be addressed and redressed. Maybe some jobs have to be shoveled toward ethnically distinct neighborhoods that don't have many of them, and maybe the mayor won't always line up with the cops when a member of a minority group is killed under suspicious circumstances.

It ain't always pretty but it more or less works. You may prefer that men be angels and rise above this sort of thing, but that sort of liberal utopianism is beyond me. I do notice that people of different races seem to get along here pretty well -- certainly better than they did 30 years ago -- so maybe the incremental approach, assisted by liberal applications of grease, will get us to Valhalla anyway, albeit slowly.

Members of white majority parties resist this thinking because it suggests that they may have to give something up. So they concentrate on ways in which they can portray white people as victims of some sort of black hegemony, and adopt the prerogatives of grievance themselves. You'll remember that conservatives originally tried to get at ACORN by suggesting that it was redirecting wealth unfairly to black people. (It was only when that failed to inflame the public imagination that they turned to child prostitution stings.) The clear message of the Belleville uproar is that people of color are getting away with something, and simple justice demands that white people hold the line.

Robert Crumb explained this better than I have. I will add that I am in some sympathy with Jimmy Carter's remarks -- is it really so controversial to observe that a lot of people can't accept the idea of a black president? -- but I think he may be missing the angle shot. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that the people who are stirring the shit up at present aren't casual racists at all. (Some of them certainly go out of their way to give the impression that they're cool with black people.) But they know what racism can accomplish with a little help.

UPDATE. I found part two of the Crumb thing, which is also worth your while.

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:41 AM

    This is very interesting, You're a very skilled blogger. I have joined your feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post. Also, I have shared your site in my social networks!

    Also visit my web site :: Cheap Jerseys

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous9:21 AM

    I am actually grateful to the owner of this site who has shared
    this enormous piece of writing at here.

    Also visit my page ... Gafas Oakley Baratas

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous9:21 AM

    I am actually grateful to the owner of this site who has shared this enormous piece of writing at here.


    Feel free to surf to my page :: Gafas Oakley Baratas

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous4:57 PM

    Your means of explaining the whole thing in this paragraph is truly pleasant,
    all be able to without difficulty be aware of it, Thanks a lot.


    Here is my blog: additional info

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1:38 AM

    Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading?
    I'm trying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it's the blog.
    Any responses would be greatly appreciated.

    Visit my blog post Read Full Article

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous5:02 AM

    bookmarked!!, I like your blog!

    My web site ... Christian Louboutin

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:56 PM

    This site definitely has all the information I wanted about this subject and didn't know who to ask.

    Here is my page Air Max Sale

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous11:11 PM

    Thanks , I've just been searching for information about this subject for a while and yours is the best I have discovered so far. But, what about the conclusion? Are you certain concerning the supply?

    Also visit my web blog ... Sac Louis Vuitton

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:26 AM

    If some one desires to be updated with hottest technologies after that
    he must be go to see this website and be up to date every day.


    Visit my web page :: Nike Air Jordan

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous11:53 PM

    Hi there would you mind letting me know which web
    host you're utilizing? I've loaded your blog in 3 different web browsers and I must say this blog
    loads a lot faster then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price?
    Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!

    Check out my page :: Air Max Pas Cher

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous12:03 PM

    It's really a great and useful piece of information. I am satisfied that you shared this useful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.

    Here is my weblog - Kevin Durant 5 Shoes

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous7:45 AM

    Hey there exceptional website! Does running a blog similar to
    this take a lot of work? I've virtually no knowledge of programming but I was hoping to start my own blog in the near future. Anyway, should you have any recommendations or tips for new blog owners please share. I understand this is off subject nevertheless I just wanted to ask. Thank you!

    Feel free to visit my web-site :: LeBron James 9

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous3:10 PM

    Hi, just wanted to say, I loved this post. It was funny.
    Keep on posting!

    Also visit my website; Sac Louis Vuitton Pas Cher

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous3:57 AM

    It's hard to find well-informed people in this particular topic, but you sound like you know what you're talking
    about! Thanks

    my webpage :: New Kobe Shoes

    ReplyDelete