I point this out mostly because I don't think racism is an either/or thing -- I don't think you (meaning the greater "you") stop being racist once you've learned some stuff and talked to some people. I think being truly anti-racist requires constant growth, thoughtfulness, and self-awareness. It's something you do more than something that you are.
*nodding* I think one of the first parts of become truly anti-racist (or at least, working towards become truly anti-racist; as you say, it's a process) involves accepting that you-plural have been surrounded by, and have internalized, racism from the day you were born, and that no matter how good your intentions are and how hard you try, you will fail sometimes. So I'd change "People who are not racist are not afraid of being called racist" to something "People who truly want to be anti-racist are much more afraid of inadvertently hurting others by saying or doing something racist that of being accused of racism." Pretty much everyone is going to fail at some point, but anyone who is more concerned with being called on that fail than with the hurt they cause others when they do--and every time anyone has a discussion of this type, it's monumentally clear that many, many people fall into that category--is just wallowing in their own privilege.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-06-23 06:49 pm (UTC)*nodding* I think one of the first parts of become truly anti-racist (or at least, working towards become truly anti-racist; as you say, it's a process) involves accepting that you-plural have been surrounded by, and have internalized, racism from the day you were born, and that no matter how good your intentions are and how hard you try, you will fail sometimes. So I'd change "People who are not racist are not afraid of being called racist" to something "People who truly want to be anti-racist are much more afraid of inadvertently hurting others by saying or doing something racist that of being accused of racism." Pretty much everyone is going to fail at some point, but anyone who is more concerned with being called on that fail than with the hurt they cause others when they do--and every time anyone has a discussion of this type, it's monumentally clear that many, many people fall into that category--is just wallowing in their own privilege.