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When Whites Just Don’t Get It
After Ferguson, Race Deserves More Attention, Not Less
By Nicholas Kristof
Aug. 30, 2014
MANY white Americans say they are fed up with the coverage of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. A plurality of whites in a recent Pew survey said that the issue of race is getting more attention than it deserves.
Bill O’Reilly of Fox News reflected that weariness, saying: “All you hear is grievance, grievance, grievance, money, money, money.”
Indeed, a 2011 study by scholars at Harvard and Tufts found that whites, on average, believed that anti-white racism was a bigger problem than anti-black racism.
Yes, you read that right!
So let me push back at what I see as smug white delusion. Here are a few reasons race relations deserve more attention, not less:
• Black students are significantly less likely to attend schools offering advanced math and science courses than white students. They are three times as likely to be suspended and expelled, setting them up for educational failure.• A black boy born today in the United States has a life expectancy five years shorter than that of a white boy.
• Because of the catastrophic experiment in mass incarceration, black men in their 20s without a high school diploma are more likely to be incarcerated today than employed, according to a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Nearly 70 percent of middle-aged black men who never graduated from high school have been imprisoned.
All these constitute not a black problem or a white problem, but an American problem. When so much talent is underemployed and overincarcerated, the entire country suffers.
Some straight people have gradually changed their attitudes toward gays after realizing that their friends — or children — were gay. Researchers have found that male judges are more sympathetic to women’s rights when they have daughters. Yet because of the de facto segregation of America, whites are unlikely to have many black friends: A study from the Public Religion Research Institute suggests that in a network of 100 friends, a white person, on average, has one black friend.
That’s unfortunate, because friends open our eyes. I was shaken after a well-known black woman told me about looking out her front window and seeing that police officers had her teenage son down on the ground after he had stepped out of their upscale house because they thought he was a prowler. “Thank God he didn’t run,” she said.
One black friend tells me that he freaked out when his white fiancée purchased an item in a store and promptly threw the receipt away. “What are you doing?” he protested to her. He is a highly successful and well-educated professional but would never dream of tossing a receipt for fear of being accused of shoplifting.
Some readers will protest that the stereotype is rooted in reality: Young black men are disproportionately likely to be criminals.
That’s true — and complicated. “There’s nothing more painful to me,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson once said, “than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery — then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”
All this should be part of the national conversation on race, as well, and prompt a drive to help young black men end up in jobs and stable families rather than in crime or jail. We have policies with a robust record of creating opportunity: home visitation programs like Nurse-Family Partnership; early education initiatives like Educare and Head Start; programs for troubled adolescents like Youth Villages; anti-gang and anti-crime initiatives likeBecoming a Man; efforts to prevent teen pregnancies like the Carrera curriculum; job training like Career Academies; and job incentives like the earned-income tax credit.
The best escalator to opportunity may be education, but that escalator is broken for black boys growing up in neighborhoods with broken schools. We fail those boys before they fail us.
So a starting point is for those of us in white America to wipe away any self-satisfaction about racial progress. Yes, the progress is real, but so are the challenges. The gaps demand a wrenching, soul-searching excavation of our national soul, and the first step is to acknowledge that the central race challenge in America today is not the suffering of whites.
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Kristof, N (2014, August 30). When Whites Just Don't Get It. New York Times, pp. SR11. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-after-ferguson-race-deserves-more-attention-not-less.html.
Indeed, a 2011 study by scholars at Harvard and Tufts found that whites, on average, believed that anti-white racism was a bigger problem than anti-black racism.
Yes, you read that right!
So let me push back at what I see as smug white delusion. Here are a few reasons race relations deserve more attention, not less:
• Black students are significantly less likely to attend schools offering advanced math and science courses than white students. They are three times as likely to be suspended and expelled, setting them up for educational failure.• A black boy born today in the United States has a life expectancy five years shorter than that of a white boy.
• Because of the catastrophic experiment in mass incarceration, black men in their 20s without a high school diploma are more likely to be incarcerated today than employed, according to a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Nearly 70 percent of middle-aged black men who never graduated from high school have been imprisoned.
All these constitute not a black problem or a white problem, but an American problem. When so much talent is underemployed and overincarcerated, the entire country suffers.
Some straight people have gradually changed their attitudes toward gays after realizing that their friends — or children — were gay. Researchers have found that male judges are more sympathetic to women’s rights when they have daughters. Yet because of the de facto segregation of America, whites are unlikely to have many black friends: A study from the Public Religion Research Institute suggests that in a network of 100 friends, a white person, on average, has one black friend.
That’s unfortunate, because friends open our eyes. I was shaken after a well-known black woman told me about looking out her front window and seeing that police officers had her teenage son down on the ground after he had stepped out of their upscale house because they thought he was a prowler. “Thank God he didn’t run,” she said.
One black friend tells me that he freaked out when his white fiancée purchased an item in a store and promptly threw the receipt away. “What are you doing?” he protested to her. He is a highly successful and well-educated professional but would never dream of tossing a receipt for fear of being accused of shoplifting.
Some readers will protest that the stereotype is rooted in reality: Young black men are disproportionately likely to be criminals.
That’s true — and complicated. “There’s nothing more painful to me,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson once said, “than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery — then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”
All this should be part of the national conversation on race, as well, and prompt a drive to help young black men end up in jobs and stable families rather than in crime or jail. We have policies with a robust record of creating opportunity: home visitation programs like Nurse-Family Partnership; early education initiatives like Educare and Head Start; programs for troubled adolescents like Youth Villages; anti-gang and anti-crime initiatives likeBecoming a Man; efforts to prevent teen pregnancies like the Carrera curriculum; job training like Career Academies; and job incentives like the earned-income tax credit.
The best escalator to opportunity may be education, but that escalator is broken for black boys growing up in neighborhoods with broken schools. We fail those boys before they fail us.
So a starting point is for those of us in white America to wipe away any self-satisfaction about racial progress. Yes, the progress is real, but so are the challenges. The gaps demand a wrenching, soul-searching excavation of our national soul, and the first step is to acknowledge that the central race challenge in America today is not the suffering of whites.
_____________________
Kristof, N (2014, August 30). When Whites Just Don't Get It. New York Times, pp. SR11. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/31/opinion/sunday/nicholas-kristof-after-ferguson-race-deserves-more-attention-not-less.html.
This article reminds me of the kind of accounts we read about in our Multicultural Counseling textbook for class. The statistics presented in the article were very eye-opening. Specifically, the piece from the Public Religion Research Institute really rang true for me. I definitely agree that there are very people I've known with close friends of different racial groups in their social network. I especially agree with the stat about how Blacks have no Asian friends in their social network. On a personal note, I feel that there is a great deal of tension between the two racial groups. I wish it weren't so, but it feel very real to me. I have tried many times and failed to make Asian friends in my life. The fact remains that some people will just refuse to leave their comfort zones, abandon old stereotypes and cross cultural divides. But, on another note, I also noticed that Asian Americans were not included in the main racial groups for this study. That raised my eyebrow a bit. Nonetheless, the facts given in the beginning about Black men also rang true for me. It is sad to see and realize. The line that read, " We fail those boys before they fail us" struck me. It is a powerful message. I can tell that the author is very passionate about this topic. I feel that these kinds of messages are always more effective when they are delivered from someone from a socially dominant group. Social and educational changes would definitely go a long way towards making improvement in this area. Also, the empathy expressed in this article is another takeaway. If more people showed this level of empathy for others, in general, the world would be a much better place to live in.
ReplyDelete-Ricky Green
Totally agree Ricky. This author, Kristof has written some amazing pieces for the Times. I originally came across his work when researching child slavery/prostitution in Cambodia.
DeleteI love that this article points out a very important fact: "All these constitute not a black problem or a white problem, but an American problem." Much of the institutionalized racism that has continued to perpetuate well after the civil rights movement blinds people to the notion that we are all, in fact, one nation. There is still so much of a divide between blacks and whites in politics and the media that we become divided as a nation which is really hindering our progress and speaks to our lack of acceptance of our fellow citizens. The statistics that they mention about education and incarceration are ones that remain due to the systemic racism that will continue to exist unless we all become aware of what's actually been happening. I think it's very easy for whites to come to the conclusion that racism is dead since being white means having privilege and not having to experience the ways in which our society still perpetuates racism with it's policies and practices. As the article points out, the justice and education systems are two of the biggest areas of concern where disproportionate numbers of blacks are being both oppressed and denied access to opportunity. As whites with wealth or power, this statistic can become meaningless since they have not experienced or had exposure to getting a poor education in an overcrowded school or being subject to policies such as "stop and frisk." But the best way that we can address these inequalities is by becoming more aware ourselves. I think many white people are resistant to this process since it would mean, as the dominant group, relinquishing power. However, until this happens, racism will continue. We are at a spot now where the only way things will change is if people in positions of power actually change the policies and practices that allow the vicious cycle of institutionalized racism to perpetuate. I think we just need to ask ourselves, as a nation, are we ready to do that? I know I am.
ReplyDelete-Sarah Czar
Totally agree Sara- but until we put pressure on our local and state politicians to change the status quo, I don't think it will change or even become a talking point.
DeleteYour level of social awareness is apparent from the language you use in your response. It is difficult to change the minds of those with privilege to give some of it to others. However, I do agree that it is the only way change will truly come about. We must all strive to be well-educated in the experiences of multiple social categories: Race, Gender, Sexuality, Religion, Ability, etc. Increasing our own social awareness will make us more effective school counselors in whatever district we eventually serve.
DeleteI have mixed feelings about this blog. I didn't like the author's tone, at first, nor the capitalization of the first word of MANY. Why did he capitalize it? Did he really mean ALL? He seems to be spitting the words on the page. Quoting Bill O'Reilly is not only slightly offensive as a voice for MANY white people, it is inaccurate to think O'Reilly represents anything more then the ultraconservative minority white population that Fox News is solely directed to. The author's message, however, is compelling. The racial intolerance and discrimination in this country is not a black/white issue (or any other race NOT mentioned in this blog), but an AMERICAN issue. The statistics stated are disturbing yet sadly true. More needs to be done. As counselors, we have much sociopolitical work to do. I don't know what the answer is to correct this national problem. I do think that perceptions are slowly changing through the youth of America. They are now living in a much more diverse world then I grew up in. They have been taught over and over to appreciate differences, accept others, and judge people by who they are inside not out. Children don't understand the great significance of Obama being our first African-American president- they just think he is another boring president. Race relations are far from being solved in this country- despite what Fox News wants us to think. The overall message of this blog is powerful. MUCH work needs to be done in this country to fix the path we are on now. I am ready to do my part.
ReplyDeleteMelissa Szawlewicz
This blog is eye opening and heartbreaking. Racial groups is and I think always will be a topic that some are uncomfortable and have heavy judgements on. Personally I don't believe in this and I think that as future school counselors it is extremely important to keep our views on track. People having such a strong opinion about others and their viewpoints is what hurts the society and impacts the younger generation. They are the future and it is important to help them succeed and keep them on track. Them losing faith in their selves is so awful and education is where we are there to help. There needs to be a change and I think that we all try to do our part.
ReplyDeleteThis article sparked a spirited conversation between my husband and I. Kristof raises some interesting points. It made me think of our area of Southern New Jersey, in particular Camden vs. Cherry Hill. Living in such close proximity to the city of Camden and viewing the city’s triumphs and tribulations through the various news outlets, I often find myself wondering why so little is being done to truly help. I brought up this idea to my husband, admitting that while I possess the concern for the city; I lack the follow through. “Who do we look to?” I asked. “Our local government?” No one seems to care, I thought. Yet, it was my husband’s perspective that if the governor decided that Camden City schools were going to close and those students were to be absorbed by the surrounding, better performing schools, people, (white people) would simply go nuts. Isn’t that what was done during the period of desegregation? Wasn’t the goal equality in education? Now, like then, for many black students, a huge disparity in education remains.
ReplyDeleteThe author brought up a thought-provoking concept of the impact of a friend outside your racial type. It made me immediately contemplate my own friendships. I have three black friends and each of them has had a profound influence on my views of race. One friend recently shared about her upbringing in Alabama. We both graduated high-school in 1991. For her, that year her school held two proms, one white and one black. This amazed me. Having lived my whole life in the Northeast, I think I tend to view the rest of the country as having the same open-mindedness.
As counselors in training, we are in a position to affect change. This is where our leadership and political savvy has to come in though. Unfortunately, I have been in schools where students of color are the majority and there was still an emphasis on college planning. If you weren’t headed to college, you were frequently ignored. School climate is a big part of this, knowing the key players in affecting change is crucial. Counselors are the best people to address student issues but often have to tread lightly.
Jennifer Stopek
The point you brought up about Camden vs Cherry Hill reminds me of the Equity workshop I took with Kara Ieva. We discussed those two cities as examples of that educational segregation you alluded to. It is true that children from Camden would not be accepted by Cherry Hill schools with open arms. In fact, our workshop class taught us that it is already an issue in the present! Schools in Cherry Hill are not willingly sharing their resources with Camden children. It is ridiculous to think that these issues could be going on between schools so close in distance. The difference in the resources available to either city for children is unnerving. But yes, the south is often much worse on these issues. It does not shock me that much about the racially segregated proms. It is still a shame though. As school counselors, it will be up to us to advocate for our children to have a safe and beneficial educational experience. Race will be one of the issues we confront in this process, no matter where we are, I presume.
DeleteRacism in our country is a putrid, festering gaping wound on our collective national skins and national conscience. The events in Ferguson are just another tragic hash mark on the continuum of the African-American experience in America. Institutionalized racism abounds in every major facet of the pillars of our country – government, education, economic systems, etc. As an African-American who served in the military, I have experienced racism while serving this country – from people who wore the uniform and from the citizens outside the gates of the military installation. I was on business for the military, staying at a very nice hotel and had on my uniform (name tag, ribbons, and military insignia). I was on the elevator and an elderly White woman stepped in on the elevator, but she made no effort to conceal her entering as far away from me as she could while tightly grabbing her purse. I told her good morning, but her very feeble reply and squinty eyes betrayed the utterance and her reply of good morning. I’ve been followed in stores. I’ve been followed in Rite Aid and Nordstrom’s in Cherry Hill. My husband has been followed by police and subsequently stopped one block from our house. It’s not a new occurrence. You never get “used to it,” or the nuances of conversation or actions that someone tries to let you know you are “less than.”
ReplyDeleteThere is still so much disparity in our educational systems. I just read an article in nea Today (winter, 2015) titled “The School to Prison Pipeline.” It stated that the Department of Justice ordered school districts to respond to student misbehavior in “fair, non-discriminatory, and effective ways.” It stated Black students are suspended at a rate three times than white students, while Black and Latino students account for 70% of police referrals. I make every effort to encourage all of our nieces, Godchildren, nephews, etc. and to contribute to their self-esteem. I tell them they are wonderful, they have worth, they are articulate, smart and have possibilities. But, when Travon Martin is killed, or Mike Brown, or any other incident where African-Americans are killed like their life has no value no meaning – how can you prepare anyone for that? It is a fact of life that when you have discussions about the birds and the bees, that you tell your children (especially black males) how to deal with law enforcement to try and prevent confrontations or worse. It is heart-breaking that it is 2015 and we are still having conversations about race, disparity and the racial divide. It is there. It is past the big “pink elephant in the room.”
So yes, we need to have continued discussions about the ugly, cancerous subject of race. We need action to illuminate people’s hearts and minds about what it means to be Black in America. From personal experience, no, some people still don’t get it. We all have to get on the same page, or it will have deleterious results for our country – from an economic impact to every other system that keeps this country running. More than that, every person has worth and needs to realize their potential. Racism takes that away, and imparts the exact opposite. We’ve got to get it together because our collective future depends on it.