Is Racism Dead? Meditations on “The Color Of Fear”
Just got back from Journey to Mosaic, a 4-day long bus-trip visiting sites of (needing) racial reconciliation in the Northwest. The film “The Color of Fear” started the dialogue on the Seattle – Prescott leg of the journey and right away it plunged us headlong into the question, “Is racism dead?”
So here are some meditations on “The Color of Fear” (and pretty much all of J2M):
- Racism: Dead or very much alive? Kicking and screaming, or holding on to last gasps in a politically correct age?
- White privilege: is it a myth? Something we minorities use as leverage, and when flustered, a card to use to mask reverse racism?
- Systemic racialization – is it a cop-out to blame it on the system? Is racism embedded into the way society and culture works?
- Liberation Theology: Is a “black theology” legit? (Or Latino, for that matter). Why are many “orthodox” seminaries dismissive of liberation theology? In my school it has been placed in the “unorthodox” category. Why? (note: there are very few blacks and Latinos represented @ forementioned school).
- Illegal immigration: Cmon. Do you really think these Mexicans are terrorists? Can somebody say “scapegoat”. This is the Japanese “internment” camps happening all over again.
- Victimization Mentality and Reverse Racism: this was not brought up at all @ the J2M – BUT I wanna see the other side. Is all this talk just a victim mentality for minorities and an attempt to scapegoat the white man?
Dang this is a lot to chew on – each point deserving a post of its’ own. More to come.
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Looking forward to you expanding this out!
All good questions. Interestingly, I just posted about the need to address our conceptions of “race.” It was prompted by historian Niall Ferguson’s work as he has presented a new framework, or lens, for understanding the 20th century historical narrative. He explores the origin of racial theory and social Darwinism and asserts that these ideas have had a more profound impact than has been realized and acknowledged. You’d probably enjoy Ferguson’s work… hi to Ashley and Austin!
Glad to hear your doing well (via ‘church matters’)!
color of fear is quite intense. soc. professor uses that video in class. If you get the chance, check out Lee Mun Wah’s Last Chance for Eden. It covers race as well as gender.
L.C.4.E… That sounds really familiar, perhaps maybe I’v eseen it…
Ferguson: haven’t heard much from his viewpoint but interested in hearing more!
I saw the color of fear several months ago and was trying to remember part of the dialougue. It’s the point where I think some understanding actually starts.
Lee asks (the outspoken white guy) to consider what if it is true. What if what (the impassioned black guy) feels is true.
I can’t remember the names of the people. But do you have the exact wording of the dialougue? I am trying to remember how Lee worded the question to the white guys so that he actually heard it.
I’m sorry; I don’t have a transcript…
David, the White guy, talks about his daughters now have a disadvantage applying to college b/c they are White… that points are ‘taken away’ for their race. Lee then asks him about what it would feel like if someone invalidated his feeling that his daughters have a disadvantage… and how that is similar to his own invalidation of the plight of people of color. David notes that he would be sad for all parties if it were true, but he does not believe it is true. Lee challenges him to ‘just imagine’ it was true, now how would he feel. Then David begins to crack…
yes, that was quite a powerful moment…
Okay I’m way behind. Is ‘The color of Fear’ a movie, training video? I would like to see it. We are reviewing ‘The Face of Race’ at the YWCA. That is a training video done last year in Minnesota.
Hey Pastor Jay
Color of Fear is an educational video of an interview between several men, all of different race, addressing race and racialization. it’s powerful and examines questions of privilege. I do recommend it. It should be an easy find also if you check out the library @ WWU or even online at Amazon…