Column: Do your own diversity research
Published April 23, 2010
Last week, Jordan Paul wrote a column on diversity, responding to the criticism he received from student diversity activists on his previous column on the subject.
Full disclosure: I was one of these activists.
I felt his March 5 column unfairly put the onus of education at the feet of those working in diversity organizations, rather than those who need to do the learning, and I e-mailed him about it. Unfortunately, though I wish I could say I agreed with his rebuttal, I'm going to have to come for it again.
Let me be clear: I do not think people of color spoon-feeding anti-racist theory to well-meaning white people in a way that doesn't make said white people uncomfortable or upset does anything to disrupt the infrastructure of problematic race politics in this country. In fact, I believe it serves to reinforce this structure.
Servile person of color? Check.
Attempting to assuage well-meaning person's guilt and/or curiosity while maintaining said person's maximum comfort? Check. Yeah, not progressive.
So though Paul's concern about what he views a backlash against diversity is touching, his argument that no one will fight for it except diversity student groups is, at best, frustrating.
To me it is all about initiative. I'd like my allies to have the ability to question and find information on their own. I was not born reading feminist and anti-racist theory. I found it on my own.
If you are confused about the reasoning behind policies like affirmative action, if it seems unfair to you, look it up.
We are on a college campus. There are almost unlimited resources at our disposals. If you can't figure out a library catalogue, JSTOR or Google, well, damn.
In fact, I'm feeling a bit helpful. Looking for resources? I'd look into Tim Wise, Cornel West, bell hooks, Audre Lorde.
Not into books? Well, blogs, such as Racialicious, can feed you anti-racist theory in bite size morsels. Not into reading? Different diversity organizations on campus are constantly throwing events and lectures. You are more than welcome to attend.
This information is not new. We, as diversity advocates on this campus, did not invent the theories of white privilege, institutional racism or sociological definitions of racism.
Paul's theory also operates on the foundation that people's ignorance is largely well-meaning. That might be true, but it doesn't mean dealing with the same well-meaning ignorance doesn't get frustrating or tiring or just depressing. Or just because I explain my opinions makes even the most voracious detractors into polite opponents rather than aggressive ones. I explain my opinions every week and the comment sections on my articles can tell you that's not true.
So if well-meaning-curious-about-race students feel attacked, they've probably asked a question that's offensive in its premise or could easily be searched and read about. Maybe they've offered the same detractions, and arguments that are constantly disproven and constantly proffered as if they're brand new. Maybe they should check out the arguments in the soft world of literature first. Books will never yell at you.
Intentions don't matter. If I step on your foot, I don't roll my eyes and go "Too bad, I didn't mean to." I say sorry, I watch where I'm going and I try to do better. Conversations about a variety of -isms (racism, classism, sexism, heteronormism, ableism, etc.) are like that.
I'm not saying that I, or most of us working in diversity organizations, am unwilling to have these discussions. That's strictly untrue, but I'm unwilling to spoon-feed you racism 101.
If you want me to be your guide into the magical and scary world of affirmative action, I've get better things to do.
But if you've laid the groundwork, you've read the arguments and still aren't convinced or are confused? Come at me politely, and sure we'll talk. But it's not my job.
12:20 a.m., April 28, 2010
Macy Pruitt said:
The use of "servile" to describe African Americans teaching anything to whites is self-defeating. I understand you don't want to be a private tutor obligated to inform every white person about their privilege or of diversity issues, but to cast the relationship between blacks informing whites in the light of slavery isn't fair. It also devalues initiatives taken by blacks to inform their peers. Do blacks have perspectives that are valuable to whites? Do women have perspectives that are valuable to men? Of course. Should their history of subordination prevent them from informing others? Is it possible to do so in a way that doesn't offend the uninformed listener and deaden the impact of the message? That is certainly a challenge. The difficulty of shifting humankind's paradigm is monumental. We must all play a part in talking openly about issues of race, gender and class. If you get mad when someone is uneducated and don't attempt to broaden their perspective, how valuable is your contribution to the cause you identify yourself with? It is easy to surround ourselves with people that agree with us. It is harder to change the shallow perceptions of our peers that do exist. I appreciate that you try to do that with your articles. Please don't let the ignorance of others frustrate you to the point that you don't want to speak to the uninformed.