| |
Anybody
who is familiar with semantics related to issues of race is familiar
with the idea of using what has now come to be called “the N word”
in various contexts of power. Some believe that by using the word
excessively, it becomes so meaningless as to eliminate its power.
Others argue that because there is such a vile history associated
with the word, there is no way the demeaning nature of the word
can be diminished. Still others argue that it depends on who is
saying it and in what context. In short, none of it amounts to
much of anything because there is no agreement. Just as in the
past, some may use it out of habit for no particular reason, while
others may use it out of a sense of entitlement. Perhaps the simplest
rule is that blacks can say it and the rest of us cannot. Fair
or unfair, correct or not, why provoke an unnecessary fight?
The
same issue of the power of a word can be related to the very term
“racist” itself. And again, I would say, why provoke a fight, unless
there are legitimate grounds for the fight? Some define racism as
a form of power over others, granted merely by one's association
with one ethnic group or another. I am using a broader definition,
where racism is a tendency to judge others based on superficial
qualities. On any given day, boxes appear in our mental filing system
related to a variety of things: is a person smarter than us? better
dressed than us? better looking? in better shape? wealthier? happier?
or can we easily place ourselves above them in these and many other
categories? Hence, the title of this series of articles. The word
“racist” has been tossed around so much that it has lost most of
its power and meaning. Any thought toward a person of an ethnic
group different than one's own, that does not clearly evaluate that
person as an individual, free from stereotypes, can be labeled as
a racist thought. And even that overly inclusive definition of racist
is much more clear and straightforward than many people have thought
out in their casual use of the word.
In general,
it is hard for a person of any race to feel completely open to people
of other races because of the climate that has been manufactured
in America: a climate where everyone is blamed for everyone else's
behavior, and where accusations and insults are hurled around as
casually as dodge balls, but with the same intent of taking somebody
out of the game. In other words, even if one had no prejudice against
people of other races, one cannot assume that other people do not
feel that they are justified in prejudice against one; and one will
not always see the ball coming, even if one is cautious and fair.
Part
of the reason I began writing this series of articles is because
of an incident that occurred at the graduation party of a friend--in
fact one half of a mixed-race couple that was largely responsible
for my wife and I getting together in our own multi-ethnic marriage.
At this party, a rather belligerent guest accused me of being racist
on essentially undefined grounds. In the haze of free-flowing alcohol,
loud music, and a rapid change in the mood of our conversation,
I was not sure exactly where the accusation came from or what it
was based on. Essentially, we were making small talk about his school,
my work, and our mutual friend.
To the
best of my recollection, all that happened was that I was uncomfortable
with the accuser's concept of personal space, which was decidedly
different from mine. Of course, I am not sure if his chummy behavior
was cultural, or just the effect of a lot of drinking. At any rate,
he apparently decided that my discomfort toward him had more to
do with his being non-white than with my general aversion to physical
contact, and my desire for a speaking distance between others and
myself that does not cause me to go cross-eyed.
Once
the accusation was uttered, I appealed to the fact that my own wife
was not white as a proof that I was not racist: a weak defense,
I know. Still, having little idea where his accusation was coming
from, I had no means of adequately defending myself, or even arguing
one way or the other about the validity of his point. It was a bit
Kafkaesque.
He repeated
the accusation louder, and probably several times, as a friend of
his stood by his side, laughing hysterically as if witnessing a
great comedy routine. Shortly, the hostess appeared, and coaxed
the accuser away from me. Nobody who witnessed the occurrence had
any idea what I had done or said that set him off. Then again, most
of the other people in the immediate vicinity (from multiple ethnic
groups) were at least somewhat accustomed to my nervous ticks, and
what can delicately be described as my communication/verbal peculiarities.
I was
disturbed that somebody would launch into accusations of racism
over an absolute non-incident. I would have understood if I had
made some off-color comment, or clearly said something that had
even the thinnest connection to a racist remark. As it is, the only
way I can justify his accusation is to assume he misinterpreted
something I said. Still, his willingness to jump to conclusions,
and to use powerful labels where they are unwarranted is the same
kind of casual approach to language that drains it of its meaning--much
as those who argued for extensive use of “the N word” hoped they
could bring about. But just as the experiment to make “the N word”
impotent has largely failed, it becomes damaging to serious efforts
at bettering race relations to lob accusations of racism at things
that barely qualify as background, much less targets. The strongest
of words should be reserved for the most important of situations,
not used just to get attention.
Copyright
© 2001 Jonathan Schildbach. All Rights Reserved.
Jonathan Schildbach is a serial columnist for *spark-online.
Serialistly!
comment?
discuss this article on our
discussion
board
|
