We're Stuck With White People

[Tom Rinaldo]

63. The headline is unfortunately accurate.

The almost mindless reflexive acceptance by most whites of racism against people of color is appalling. I know whites. I've spent a lifetime in their company because 1) there are so many of them and 2) I am white - and whites tend to live and hang with other whites (not so surprisingly).

When I say the headline is accurate I mean exactly that: We are stuck with white people. Given the mind set of most whites in regards to other races (among other things) I look forward to a day when whites can no longer hide behind their superior numbers (majority status) to dismiss the daily reality of non whites in America, and the world. But roughly 200 million white people (no I didn't google the actual number but you get my drift) aren't going to simple disappear.

I'm 69 and have come to believe that most human beings harbor some degree of at least latent "suspicions" about those who they in some way consider "other" to them. I think that reality crosses all racial, ethnic, religious, national, etc, lines. Those suspicions, that lack of intuitive comfort with folks who are not your own kith and kin, exist like a latent gene inside virtually all of us. By latent I mean that they may slumber like some virus in some back corner of our bodies not doing a whole lot to effect our behavior, until something triggers it into more overt activity. In the worst instance that virus becomes weaponized and holy hell breaks loose.

In some ways I think overall American society will be better served, much like our U.S. government, by robust checks and balances. By that I mean the lack of concentrated power dominated by members of a single (in our case white) race. Let me hasten to add that I am very open to considering the possibility that predominantly white culture, for whatever set of reasons at this point in human history, is more susceptible to the latent virus of racial animus than some other racial majorities might be, but there are still plenty of examples world wide that prove that no race is free of potentially lording it over others should they be dealt a winning local hand. A truly multi-cultural society with no one group overwhelmingly dominant provides for checks and balances. That is one reason why Democrats generally do better with white voters in urban, culturally diverse areas than they do with white voters in rural areas.

What can we do about racism right now though? I think the key lies with the term "latent". A latent virus is very difficult to totally eradicate but it causes far less harm in its latent state then it does if it is activated and "weaponized". Trump is exhibit A for how to weaponize racist tendencies within the white population of America. When prejudices remain for the most part latent they still do significant harm, but much like treating the AIDS epidemic, with concerted and effective management that virus can be held mostly at bay.

We can not elect a government dedicated to social justice without the votes of a significant number of whites. When racism reverts back to a more recessive gene mind set, then other concerns can motivate significant numbers of white voters to seek common cause in political coalitions with voters of other races. History provides ample evidence of that also. Changing society is a challenge that exists on many fronts. That which can be changed through political means is accomplished by creating coalitions that control a majority of the electorate at any given time, in any given jurisdiction. The Democratic Party is our vehicle for doing that. Goal one for us is to build and sustain a strong multi-racial coalition within the Democratic Party. I see encouraging signs that we are doing so.