Reading: Barack Obama as the post racial candidate for a post racial America: perspectives from Asian America and Hawaii
This article proved to be enlightening to me for many reasons. To create the phrase "post-racial" or "post-racist" seems absolutely absurd to me. To even suggest the idea seems completely irresponsible and thoughtless to me. I see no reason for people to believe in America being "post-racist" in the 90s, and find it demeaning to the racial struggles people have and continue to experience. To gloss over the decades and generations of racism that's embedded in our society's foundations, simply because a man of color became president seems unprecedented. The roots of racism grip the foundations of our society so strong that people who aren't racist are always afraid of seeming racist, and unable to appreciate or learn about other cultures due to this reason. The article mentions that "whites, at least neo-conservatives, had been telling themselves and racial minorities that same message since the passage of civil rights legislation in the 1960s; and, furthermore, Obama’s post-racial candidacy was far more pragmatic than idealistic." It seems like these neo-conservatives recognize the content but not the context, nor the bigger picture. Just because people are fighting for equality before and after Civil Rights Laws were passed, does mean they're asking for too much, or that they're argument is invalid. Just because there has been progress towards racial equality since the 60s, doesn't mean such justice has been achieved. People are simply asking for equality now, not even asking for compensation of the horrible treatment they received in the past, which would be more just. It seems like any comment about race, gender, sexual orientation etc. would be considered offensive. I believe all these aspects should not define a person, nor diminish any person's rights, but should also not be overlooked. I cannot encourage ideas like being color-blind to race, as I believe race and ethnicity is something to be recognized and celebrated. Rather than being progressive, I believe ideas like not-seeing-color prevents and prohibits solidarity. Instead, people should look at each other the way people look at their pets or other animals, in which fur color does not prevent any animal from being adopted, and all colors are loved and celebrated. One may particularly like a certain color of fur, but the person would love all colors and find all animals beautiful.
Question:
Is it possible that new progressive movements like being color-blind, politically correct or not cultural appropriating are phenomenons that divide people further, which is why Corporate powers are not fazed by the new waves of "racial equality"?
Work Cited:
Raychel Justice, Anna Louie, Veronica Luke, Lucy Ashton. (March 27, 2017). "Post-Racial" America: The Vision, the Reality, and Origins. Retrieved from: http://scalar.usc.edu/works/the-fragility-of-post-racial-ideology-in-american-visual-culture/post-racial-america-the-vision-the-reality-and-origins
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