We have explored the fact that there is little evidence that white racism is much of a factor in black under-achievement. So why do SJWs apparently believe that white racism is holding back the progress of black people?
According to Shelby Steele, author of White Guilt: How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era, “Blacks… are very quick to see racism in situations, even many where it’s not there, because racism is our power over whites. And so we tend to embrace it and see it. And if you want to make many of our black leaders angry, just tell them that racism is not the number [one] problem that black Americans face.
“Because racism is the very essence of black power at this point; it’s the power we have that comes to us from the moral capital of our history.”
And I think most white SJWs see themselves as allies of the oppressed. That’s where they get their absolution from guilt and the stigma of racism. They will probably not agree to this description of them; nevertheless I think this fits the evidence. It is standard in SJW circles to see white people who are not in agreement with SJ dogma as racist, and in some cases they see all white people as racist, even themselves.
Their behavior appears very similar to that of individuals with a hand-washing compulsion, who feel they have to wash their hands to clean them, but the hands never stay clean so they are constantly back at the sink. Only in the case of the SJWs, they are trying to “wash off” the stigma and guilt of racism, through allying with the “oppressed”. However, because racism is in our DNA (according to Obama) it never washes out, so it requires constant efforts at removal, however ineffective.
By the way, on the question of whether white racism is a barrier, Steele says, “I absolutely, 100 percent believe that if you want to do something in American society, whatever it may be–I’m not saying you will not encounter any racism, but racism will not stop you. When I grew up in segregation, racism cruelly constricted our lives and our opportunities, and you could not do things that might want to do.
“Today, that’s over. One of the most remarkable things is how little we’ve appreciated the degree of freedom we have as blacks.”
Many conservatives believe that today’s universities have become leftist indoctrination camps. And indeed, it appears that blacks are convinced they are victims of racism during their time in college.
According to Pew polling: “Blacks with at least some college experience (81%) are much more likely than blacks who never attended college (59%) to say they have been discriminated against because of their race….
“There is a sharp educational divide among blacks on the overall impact their race has had on their ability to succeed. Fully 55% of blacks with a four-year college degree say their race has made it harder for them to succeed in life. Some 45% of blacks who attended college but did not receive a bachelor’s degree say the same. Among blacks with a high school education or less, a far lower share (29%) say their race has made it harder for them to succeed. A majority of this group (60%) say their race hasn’t made a difference.”
Since we know that even back in 1998, blacks were paid 9% more than whites who had the same cognitive skills, maybe it’s time to give up on the idea that white racism is a major obstacle to black success. And if our colleges are teaching otherwise, then our higher education system needs some major revamping.
Now, despite everything I have presented, some SJWs will doggedly insist “but you haven’t conclusively disproven that blacks aren’t held back by racism.” If you encounter one like this, Part 6 will help you turn the tables on the SJW. Click below on the right….