AmeriKKKA

Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I’m in Indiana – and that’s a good thing. With just about every amenity available at our fingertips, it’s hard to believe that we go to school in the middle of nowhere. And then, at other times, I just want to forget. Like when I read that the Ku Klux Klan was planning a springtime march in Bloomington. \nWhile I am somewhat perplexed by the choice of location, I am curious to ascertain the theme of the protest. The slogan “Kill the Jews” only works for so long. \nWhile people may be quick to hurl moral condemnation at KKK members, it might be helpful to remember that we’re all a little bit racist. Yes, this includes us minorities. \nI can personally recall incidents where members of my community have made statements that would have qualified as racist if spoken by a white person. However, conventional wisdom has dictated that racism equals prejudice and power. Thus, a community that does not possess institutional power cannot oppress another group, since it lacks the means to do so. While I would agree that racism is propagated through power structures in our society, I am certain that it is not the source. \nPerhaps more mystifying is the white person who declares, with certainty, that she is not a racist. The hope is, if you say it often enough, it will become true. In reality though, this is not the case. People carry with them some presupposed notions of race, most likely learned from their family, which is important to acknowledge. It is actually healthier to identify one’s biases and understand their origins instead of pretending they don’t exist. I should also highlight that declaring oneself a racist doesn’t devolve into membership in the neighborhood KKK chapter. There is a clear difference between those who merely accept their racist misgivings as opposed to individuals who act on them. \nThe truth is, we don’t live in a colorblind society. More importantly, we shouldn’t have to. We don’t have to pretend that race is immaterial to us, we must only make sure that people are judged negatively on the basis of it. \nBut this is easier said then done. For instance, a 2006 poll conducted by CNN found that 43 percent of whites and 48 percent of blacks knew someone racist. However, only 13 percent of whites and 12 percent of blacks considered themselves racially biased. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the numbers don’t add up. If people don’t accept themselves as racist, they probably won’t recognize when they are involved in discriminatory acts.\nIn a bid to be more politically correct, we have devolved into a society that practices self-censorship. Accordingly, there are some topics that are strictly taboo. More often than not, racism has its roots in ignorance. In reality, preventing an honest and open dialog is tantamount to encouraging the spread of racism.