Let me start by saying that what happened to Gates outside of his own home was despicable. The officer did indeed act "stupidly". (To continue to suspect a man for Breaking & Entering after he showed you a Driver's License and another form of ID is stupid.) Although it was a terrible incident, I appreciate that people seemed to care.
However, I cannot help but wonder if there would have been this media hoopla if Gates wasn't so white. Let me explain. I am aware that Gates is an African American. What I mean is that Gates has a PhD, is a Harvard Professor, and is very wealthy - ranks usually held by white males. Therefore, Gates' status, for better or for worse, makes him whiter, and this is why this incident attracted so much attention and so much outrage.
Racial profiling is a disease that plagues every police force. Incidents like this occur daily, yet we never hear about them. If Gates was a postal worker or a gas station attendant, or if Gates didn't live in such a white place - nearly 70% of Cambridge's population is white - this story may have been buried in the back pages of the newspaper, but there would be no CNN and there certainly would not have been beer at the White House.But Gates is a "model" African American. He worked hard and made the most of his opportunities and realized the American dream ( I really wish the powers that be would create a sarcasm font). And the incident did generate hours of media coverage which in turn did "spark a national debate." Or so they say. Pundits claimed the White House happy hour was a giant step in advancing the discussion of race in America. But was it really? It has been over a month and, save the week after the beer-talk, has there been any discussion? The fact remains that incidents like this (ie. DWB - Driving While Black)
happen more than most anyone in white America know, but we are not outraged until is happens to a whiter African American. Furthermore, the outrage is short-lived and it isn't long before we return to the status-quo.We cannot make any real progress if we huff, puff and discuss isolated incidents. Progress cannot happen until we look at the real issue at hand: systemic racism. Sure, stereotypes and ignorance are hurtful and backwards, but they are only bits of the quagmire, and until we are able to realize the scale of racism, well then we are stuck.
1 comment:
JT -
Insightful as always, I hadn't considered the 'whiteness' aspect of the incident.
My counterpoint to this - while we may have a black president, he too is 'white' and this will only incrementally improve race relations as compared to a typical Caucasian candidate (D or R). This is because the issue of race is inexorably intertwined with the issue of class.
The problems of the poor and the problems of minorities, and in the case of many Latinos and Blacks, are often one and the same.
Ask a black person what race he is, and he will proudly say African American. Ask a poor person what class they are, and he will proudly tell you, "middle class."
While it would be unrealistic that President Obama use the bully pulpit to push a radical discussion of race (necessary, but up to the rest of us as well), his position can do much to address the issues of class in this country. Health care is a start, the climate bill somewhat, but we need to stop propagandizing the green jobs aspect and tell people what is at stake without sugarcoating it.
The poor lost a champion with the passing of Teddy Kennedy last week. Our only hope is that Obama and other leaders in Washington (b they Democrat or Republican) take the mantle and advance the agenda of the poor and the middle class, who often have the weakest voice in the halls of power.
Speaking of race, did you feel your experience with 'the campaign' did much in terms of addressing systemic racism? Ha ha, I know that's a trick question.
Hope all is well. One of these days I'll make my jail break from DC!
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