Staff
Racism has been brought to the forefront with the recent rulings in the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases, but why does this issue still exist in society today and what can be done to move toward change?
David Brooks, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, stated his own views based on recent events in his article “Class Prejudice Resurgence”: “the nature of racism has changed. There has been a migration away from prejudice based on genetics to prejudice based on class.”
However, racism often stems from previously developed stereotypes, but are stereotypes truly based on class and not race?
Pitchfork journalists sought to find out the answer with GHS students from all grade levels and backgrounds. The table in the document below presents perceived stereotypes based on specifically identified ethnic groups; the side of the table outlines the ethnic group responding.
Racism has been brought to the forefront with the recent rulings in the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases, but why does this issue still exist in society today and what can be done to move toward change?
David Brooks, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, stated his own views based on recent events in his article “Class Prejudice Resurgence”: “the nature of racism has changed. There has been a migration away from prejudice based on genetics to prejudice based on class.”
However, racism often stems from previously developed stereotypes, but are stereotypes truly based on class and not race?
Pitchfork journalists sought to find out the answer with GHS students from all grade levels and backgrounds. The table in the document below presents perceived stereotypes based on specifically identified ethnic groups; the side of the table outlines the ethnic group responding.
What these findings seem to reveal is that many times different groups develop the same perceptions; however, some groups seem to have developed their own positive and negative impressions of other ethnicities. Apart from the ethnicity alone, class also plays a part in the perceived stereotypes, especially in the case of white perception of themselves.
According to all groups responding, whites were at some point labeled “rich” or “privileged’ with only a few references to intellectual capacity; however, Asians, Middle Easterners and Indians were often labeled “smart” by most of the respondents without any references based on class.
The perceived view of blacks differed often depending on the ethnicity responding, ranging from “ghetto,” answered by many groups, to “independent” as stated by some white responders, also begging a new question: is racism just black and white?
For some the question lies deeper than basic race; it’s the bias that often indirectly accompanies racism. As the perceptions above indicate, most already have heard or actually follow these biases, which then can impact other decisions.
In a CNN report by John Blake titled “The new threat: ‘Racism without racists,’ ” Blake exposes multiple studies where bias altered outcomes; however, he is quick to point out that “some people are suspicious of focusing on the word bias. They prefer invoking the term racism because they say it leaves bruises. People claiming bias can admit they may have acted in racially insensitive ways but were unaware of their subconscious motivations.”
Whether subconscious or event taught, how can these biases, which often result in racism, be eliminated?*
One problem with overcoming racism involves perception being viewed by some as reality even within the same race or ethnicity.
Senior Krysten Robinson pointed out her feelings about her own race, which seem to match some of the perceptions relayed by the students.
“I feel we can do better. We always complain about how we are degraded but we put ourselves in this position. A majority of my race doesn’t try to do better,” Robinson said.
Of course, the problem begins by even labeling groups based on actions of some within that one group.
“There are groups like Hamas that try to make a better image [of Arabs], but then groups like ISIS try to take that down and that makes people in America think that all Arabs are terrorists,” sophomore Noor Jaber said. “They’re not looking at the bigger picture; they’re just looking at one group. There’s a whole community.”
This collective attitude often shapes these subconscious biases. Nevertheless, as many respondents answered to perceptions of different races, each ethnicity was labeled as “human” or “people” to acknowledge the fact that these groups shouldn’t be referenced collectively at all.
Despite the presence of these preconceived biases, many felt that times are able to change.
“The newer generation is more open,” Robinson said.
One way this new attitude is reflected regards their current views of interracial dating.
“I think it [interracial dating] would bring upon new frontiers and new cultures unprecedented before,” senior Nadir Noordin said.
This same view was held by several others.
“It shouldn’t matter your race when it comes to finding a partner,” sophomore Maggie Lathem stated.
However, while students responded with positive views of dating someone of another race or ethnicity, the root of some problems with race relations today revealed itself.
“Oh yeah, my parents are against it. We have this big Indian community and when the word goes around that so and so is dating a white girl, everyone says that he’s become so Americanized. It’s against the strict, cultural norms of what an Indian should be,” junior Deepu Karri said.
Whether based on class, stereotypes, or race, addressing racism is part of the problem; finding a solution seems to be the other. Cameron Barr, national editor of The Washington Post, stated in an article by Frank Denton in The Florida Times-Union what he feels a key issue is: “The real story here is inside people’s heads. Getting people to talk about race is closely held material.”
Talking seems to be one part of the process of helping race relations.
“It can be changed by people not judging others by what they hear but how other people act toward them and how they see other people acting,” junior Brooklyn Bates said.
This article serves as the first step to begin the talks, the real talks, to end the stereotypes, to begin ultimate change.
If interested in becoming part of the dialogue about race, contact The Pitchfork via Twitter (@GHSPitchfork) to start the conversation.
*If you want to see your own biases, go to the following website:
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
According to all groups responding, whites were at some point labeled “rich” or “privileged’ with only a few references to intellectual capacity; however, Asians, Middle Easterners and Indians were often labeled “smart” by most of the respondents without any references based on class.
The perceived view of blacks differed often depending on the ethnicity responding, ranging from “ghetto,” answered by many groups, to “independent” as stated by some white responders, also begging a new question: is racism just black and white?
For some the question lies deeper than basic race; it’s the bias that often indirectly accompanies racism. As the perceptions above indicate, most already have heard or actually follow these biases, which then can impact other decisions.
In a CNN report by John Blake titled “The new threat: ‘Racism without racists,’ ” Blake exposes multiple studies where bias altered outcomes; however, he is quick to point out that “some people are suspicious of focusing on the word bias. They prefer invoking the term racism because they say it leaves bruises. People claiming bias can admit they may have acted in racially insensitive ways but were unaware of their subconscious motivations.”
Whether subconscious or event taught, how can these biases, which often result in racism, be eliminated?*
One problem with overcoming racism involves perception being viewed by some as reality even within the same race or ethnicity.
Senior Krysten Robinson pointed out her feelings about her own race, which seem to match some of the perceptions relayed by the students.
“I feel we can do better. We always complain about how we are degraded but we put ourselves in this position. A majority of my race doesn’t try to do better,” Robinson said.
Of course, the problem begins by even labeling groups based on actions of some within that one group.
“There are groups like Hamas that try to make a better image [of Arabs], but then groups like ISIS try to take that down and that makes people in America think that all Arabs are terrorists,” sophomore Noor Jaber said. “They’re not looking at the bigger picture; they’re just looking at one group. There’s a whole community.”
This collective attitude often shapes these subconscious biases. Nevertheless, as many respondents answered to perceptions of different races, each ethnicity was labeled as “human” or “people” to acknowledge the fact that these groups shouldn’t be referenced collectively at all.
Despite the presence of these preconceived biases, many felt that times are able to change.
“The newer generation is more open,” Robinson said.
One way this new attitude is reflected regards their current views of interracial dating.
“I think it [interracial dating] would bring upon new frontiers and new cultures unprecedented before,” senior Nadir Noordin said.
This same view was held by several others.
“It shouldn’t matter your race when it comes to finding a partner,” sophomore Maggie Lathem stated.
However, while students responded with positive views of dating someone of another race or ethnicity, the root of some problems with race relations today revealed itself.
“Oh yeah, my parents are against it. We have this big Indian community and when the word goes around that so and so is dating a white girl, everyone says that he’s become so Americanized. It’s against the strict, cultural norms of what an Indian should be,” junior Deepu Karri said.
Whether based on class, stereotypes, or race, addressing racism is part of the problem; finding a solution seems to be the other. Cameron Barr, national editor of The Washington Post, stated in an article by Frank Denton in The Florida Times-Union what he feels a key issue is: “The real story here is inside people’s heads. Getting people to talk about race is closely held material.”
Talking seems to be one part of the process of helping race relations.
“It can be changed by people not judging others by what they hear but how other people act toward them and how they see other people acting,” junior Brooklyn Bates said.
This article serves as the first step to begin the talks, the real talks, to end the stereotypes, to begin ultimate change.
If interested in becoming part of the dialogue about race, contact The Pitchfork via Twitter (@GHSPitchfork) to start the conversation.
*If you want to see your own biases, go to the following website:
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html