Written by: Winston Chow Defining reverse racism Reverse racism typically is the discrimination against white people, generally in the form of programs meant to help and benefit ethnic minorities. Anti-racism activists in the world have said that this is not possible, as the structure of society is there to benefit whites. They argue that the meaning and definition of racism isn't just one's belief that a certain race is superior to others, but that racism is also institutional oppression. "When a group of people has little or no power over you institutionally, they don't get to define the terms of your existence, they can't limit your opportunities, and you needn't worry much about the use of a slur to describe you and yours, since, in all likelihood, the slur is as far as it's going to go. What are they going to do next: deny you a bank loan? Yeah, right."- Tim Wise, an anti-racism activist. In the southern parts of America during when Jim Crow was in power, police officers, bus drivers, and everyone worked together to oppress those of colour. People of colour probably hated whites, but they couldn't do anything to affect their lives. While the lives of people of colour lay in the balance of the institutions that have historically discriminated against them. That explains why people of colour are likely to receive a much greater punishment for the same crime than a white person. What makes white racism special? Since institutions in North America haven't been historically anti-white, the notion that whites are deeply affected by reverse racism is hard to justify. The declaration that reverse racism exists in our society is still something that has persisted since the 1900s. In the mid-1990s, a group of people said that people with dark skin are more superior and humane than light-skinned people. That idea of one group is superior to one another based on skin colour fits the dictionary definition of racism. However, that group of people has no institutional power to spread their message and discriminate against lighter-skinned people. Their message was primarily spread among black people, so few white people likely heard this, let alone suffered from it. When institutions put minorities over whites If we include the institutional power that is involved in racism in its definition, reverse racism can't exist. As institutions try to compensate ethnic minorities for the racism they have faced in the past through affirmative action programs and such, governments have found that whites have experienced racism. Not all whites who were excluded fell victimized. Legal scholar Stanley Fish described being ruled out of an administrative position at a university because he was not a minority. "Although I was disappointed, I did not conclude that the situation was ‘unfair,’ because the policy was obviously… not intended to disenfranchise white males. Rather, the policy was driven by other considerations, and it was only as a by-product of those considerations—not as the main goal—that white males like me were rejected. Given that the institution in question has a high percentage of minority students, a very low percentage of minority faculty, and an even lower percentage of minority administrators, it made perfect sense to focus on women and minority candidates, and within that sense, not as the result of prejudice, my whiteness and maleness became disqualifications." Works Cited CC0-Photographers. “Free Images : Structure, City, Crowd, Downtown, Bean, Plaza, Landmark, Chicago, Stadium, Artwork, Arena, Mirror, Town Square, Dome, Human Settlement, Sport Venue 4928x3264.” Pxhere.Com, 2017, pxhere.com/en/photo/499334. Accessed 23 July 2020. https://www.facebook.com/thoughtcodotcom. “Does Reverse Racism Exist?” ThoughtCo, 2019, www.thoughtco.com/does-reverse-racism-exist-2834942. Accessed 23 July 2020. *Please put blog URL as website when commenting*
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About this BlogThis blog aims create thoughtful content on racial injustice related issues and encourage anti-Racism. It is a space open for respectful debate, discussion and ideas on race and Racism-related issues in North America and in our world. If you wish to submit an article for this blog, please contact the founder for details. Winston ChowI want to make change regarding racial injustice in our world. Categories |