President Biden in TODAY exclusive: 'I don't think the American people are racist'

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

President Joe Biden has responded to comments made by Republican Sen. Tim Scott by saying he doesn't think America is racist, but there is still work to be done to address racial issues.

Scott, who is the nation's lone Black Republican senator, touched on the national conversation around systemic racism while giving the GOP's rebuttal to Biden's speech before Congress on Wednesday night.

-snip-

"No, I don't think the American people are racist," Biden said. "But I think after 400 years African Americans have been left in a position where they're so far behind the eight ball in terms of education, health, in terms of opportunity."

Biden has frequently employed the term systemic racism, which is used to describe when cultural institutions and systems reflect individual racism.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/president-biden-in-today-exclusive-i-dont-think-the-american-people-are-racist/ar-BB1gcgrx

[Fiendish Thingy]

1. Um, Joe, systemic racism can't exist without racist people. Nt

[StarfishSaver]

6. Actually, systemic racism can indeed exist without individual evil or animus

That's the point of systemic racism - it continues in perpetuates itself without anyone needing to take active steps to perpetuate it. It moves forward unless it is recognized, identified and action is taken to disrupt it.

A perfect example is America's transportation system - especially highways, but other modes as well. Read up on Robert Moses and look at what Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is saying and doing in this area. That may help you better understand the nature of systemic racism and how it works.

[Claire Oh Nette]

10. If you didn't see freeways as racist

you know now. Same with BART trains in San Mateo County when they were originally voted for developed and expanded. NIMBY.

Partly to keep property values up in affluent neighborhoods, and to keep those East Bay people (Black) out of Menlo Park and Burlingame.

Know better, do better.

[ibegurpard]

2. Of course he's going to say that

I don't know if he truly believes it but i like the steps he's taking to try and do something about the fact that, yes, this is a racist country.

[maxsolomon]

3. Good job, Senator Scott. The Media took the bait, and now this is the story.

Derail any momentum coming out of that speech with a stupid Binary Opposition.

[ananda]

4. *This*

Yes, many Americans are downright racist,
and system racism exists throughout the
whole damm country.

It doesn't mean we can't heal our racism,
but the truth is still the truth. We are not
there yet.

[Evergreen Emerald]

5. There is a difference

There is a difference between saying "America is racist" and saying "there is racism in America." We can all agree that there is systematic racism in our societal foundations. Many, most, citizens may not be racist. But, there is definitely some work that needs to be done to fix the problems that cause minorities to fall behind in our society.

I don't understand why the press is so ignorant. They are just looking for sensationalism, without thinking through the republican lies and distortions.

[JohnSJ]

7. It is a media gotcha trap, and Biden didn't take the bait. His actions and proposals tell us

what he feels

[ismnotwasm]

8. Yes, they are.

[stillcool]

9. Joe is not going to say any people

of any one geographical area are all the same, not even Florida. Scott Stump should read up on what systemic racism is, but then what would he write about?

https://news.stanford.edu/2021/02/16/examining-systemic-racism-advancing-racial-equity/