Combatting racism: not as simple as calling it out

The IU student body seems to have a keen eye for any spurts of racial intolerance on campus.

It takes good intentions to denounce others who use offensive words, tell racial jokes or subscribe to racist ideologies.

However, even if it was possible to change peoples’ minds and phase out words and jokes, it isn’t necessarily going to help those being marginalized.

The current inequalities associated with people’s ethnicity are, for the most, not products of hate. They are reflective of the institutional flaws in our socioeconomic structure.

We are living in a socially stratified country that has approached a neo-feudalistic system where people of any color born into a non-ideal or underprivileged socioeconomic status find it difficult to successfully compete in schools or the workforce.

This structure keeps those individuals financially stressed and dependent on government power, commonly finding themselves in cages for taking alternate routes in their pursuit of happiness.

It is wholehearted to be considerate of other people’s feelings, but calling out and spreading awareness of racism doesn’t address this core problem. It is sometimes inconsistent.

This new period of political correctness centered on racial paranoia can inadvertently promote racial division.

It was perplexing to see how quickly people took to the streets against George Zimmerman’s sketchy decision to shoot Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman became the face of hostility toward blacks as the web exploded with people openly expressing their racist attitudes toward whites and Hispanics.

In July, MSNBC host Chris Matthews apologized on behalf of all white people for discrimination against minorities in America, wrongfully assuming that the white population is collectively guilty for racial inequality.

This bewilders me because I would expect reporters like Chris Matthews to decry more disturbing news, such that, since Roe v. Wade, 16 million black people have been denied their chance at life because of abortions.

This translates into more than 1,000 abortions each day, which is far more than any other ethnic group.

I would expect more people to get angry over the fact that under President Obama in 2011, the black unemployment rate surged to its highest since 1984.

This approach to fighting racial discrimination is beginning to conflict with our rights.

Last month a Missouri State Fair rodeo clown wore an Obama mask during his performance and drew enough criticism to get him fired. Now, all other rodeo clowns are required to take expensive sensitivity training.

Last time I checked we were free to ridicule our president.

But I’m not saying we should ignore racism.

I agree we must stand against bellicose intolerance, but attacking our First Amendment and regularly accusing each other will not make the difference.

We must realize discrimination runs deeper than a couple of jokes, and it’s far more complicated than the few individuals or organizations who gain media attention for their words or actions.

Racism is larger than Zimmerman, the Ku Klux Klan or groups like the Traditionalist Youth Network at IU.

The American people, regardless of their ancestry, must quit childishly pointing at one
another, and, in unity, request repairs to our decadent socioeconomic structure that victimizes everyone regardless of race.

­— edharo@indiana.edu
Follow columnist Edgar Haro on Twitter @edharodude.