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BEING BLACK IN AMERICA Racism, despite our everyday use of the word, is a concept rather ambiguous and, in essence, problematic. We may commonly use it to refer to the distinction of certain population group with another group. The terms African-American and Latinos are an example of such delineation. Generally, we associate race and racism with the commonalities and differences of inherent physical and genetic characteristics manifested by visible human traits such as an individuals skin color and distinct facial features.
These differences in outlook, ever since, have been a great source of controversy and as Andrew Hacker posits, will continue to beset society in the future. In no uncertain terms, Andrew Hacker in his essay on Being Black in America looks at the issue of racism on other angles than the ones usually discussed. For one, he dwells on the attitude of most whites who see their country as beset with racial problems they feel are not of their making. They seem distantiated from the issue as they believe that it is not of their own making. The authors emphasis on the belief that they bear neither responsibility nor blame for the conditions of the blacks and that neither they nor their forebears ever owned slaves is another look at todays current thinking on racism. Mr.
Hacker takes a refreshingly radical opinion that most white Americans believe that for at least the last generation blacks have been given more than a fair chance and at least equal opportunity, if not outright advantages. Hacker questions why race remains to be Americas deepest division? He notes the fact that all efforts have been done to increase understanding and expand opportunities, yet the blacks and the whites continue to be poles apart, leading separate lives. The issue of race and racism in American society is not likely to be resolved soon. The history of racism, instituted in civil society and in the state, has still considerable effects in our lives.
With the growing multicultural make-up of our society, understanding the concept of race and racism is a task almost impossible to grasp. The notion of viewing the issues at hand through the context of cultural and political forces is, highly constructive to the democratization of civil society. In this writing of Hacker, he explains and digs into the reasons why racial disparities persist. He attempts to define racism and the many ramifications it entails, examining the theories on superiority and equality as well as the more subtle forces of guilt and sexual fears.
He does this with an almost mathematical accuracy as he cites facts and updated statistical data to demonstrate the cruel picture of racial inequality. He peppers his essay with voices of African Americans giving an insightful look into how race influences the behavior of all Americans. He illustrates Black experiences as a subordinate caste despite all its pain and problems, still provides whites with some solace in a stressful world. Still, being Black in America bears the mark of slavery. Even after emancipation blacks continued to be seen as an inferior species, not only unsuited for equality but not even meriting a chance to show their worth There remains an unarticulated suspicion: might there be something about the black race that suited them for slavery? Overall, Hacker takes the view that being white is the greatest privilege any American can have as he pens, for no matter how degraded their lives they can never become black.
Adopting this opinion betrays his own individual view of the blacks and their alienation with the whites. In the same vein, he also says that the black presence is a subordinate caste despite all its pain and problems, still provides whites with some solace in a stressful world. In summation, I think that despite the statistical facts he presents, his opinions hurt the essay as he attempts to reconcile both views, yet falls flat in the end. In fact, there are tinges of subtle manipulation as he asserts that the black presence as a subordinate caste despite all its pain and problems, still provides whites with some solace in a stressful world. It seems that one races weakness is used to subtly disparage the other one. One cannot blame him for saying it though, for despite the apparent contradictory views of both modes of thought, the pervasive causes and effects of race and ethnicity are undeniably intertwined with daily transformations of human society and civilization.
Determining which is which is a very tricky problem to resolve. But then, it is to be expected for in the Preface he warns that the reader should be advised not to expect the book to end on an optimistic note. WORKS CITED Hacker, Andrew. Being Black in America.
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