Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Post-Racial America is a Myth

November 8, 2011, 1:48 pm - New York Times

No Such Place as ‘Post-Racial’ America

TOURé
Dear America,
Please, I beg you, stop using the bankrupt and meaningless term “post-racial!” There’s no such thing as “post-racial.” There’s no place that fits the description “post-racial America.” There’s no “post-racial era.” It’s a term for a concept that does not exist. There’s no there there.

We are not a nation devoid of racial discrimination nor are we a nation where race does not matter. Race and racism are still critical factors in determining what happens and who gets ahead in America. The election of Barack Obama ushered in this silly term and now that he’s begun running for re-election, I’m here to brusquely escort it out of the party called American English because it’s a con man of a term, selling you a concept that doesn’t exist.

“Post-racial” is a mythical idea that should be as painful to the mind’s ear as fingernails on the chalkboard are to the outer ear. It’s an intellectual Loch Ness monster. It is indeed a monster because it’s dangerous. What people seem to mean by “post-racial” is: nowadays race no longer matters and anyone can accomplish anything because racism is behind us. All of that is false. But widespread use of the term lends credence to the idea that all of that is true—I mean, why would we have a term for an idea that’s not real? In that way the lie becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and thus feeds the notion that it’s O.K. to be somnambulant about race or even aggressively dismissive of it...MORE

1 comment:

Defensores de Democracia said...

VIDEO : Raquel Teran from Promise Arizona, Pro Jerry Lewis Activist, went door to door and almost bed to bed to wake up people ! - These activists will work for President Obama in November 2012, door to door and bed to bed
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Russell Pearce recalled with help from Latino youth : The future of Arizona, as seen in the latest US Census numbers, will be a youth that is minority, mostly Latino. Today they are working with Republicans, Democrats, and Progressives to ensure a better future for Arizona by helping to recall Russell Pearce!


Uploaded by WhatABCs on Nov 9, 2011



Russell Pearce recalled with help from Latino youth



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zKl2UiOAKs


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