Positive Racism

While working on this paper for my Philosophy 306: Philosophy of Race and Racism class, I recalled all the comments I've ever heard about racism in California. That is, most people I know speak wonders of the San Francisco Bay Area, how progressive it and how great it is and how everyone just loves each other, there is no racism. Racism is just terrible and it's a plague on America that we, the liberal SFBayians, will change.

However, I truly find fault with these statements. I find fault because the definition of racism here is so narrow. I do not believe that racism is comprised of deliberate racist actions like name calling or threats. Racism is in the fabric of our institutions, in our subconscious.

I would like to know, why there are still ghettos, if there is no racism. I would like to someone to explain Hunter's Point to me, if there is no racism. I would like someone to explain the Mission, if there is no racism. Why are ethnic communities living in distinct physical locations? Like in "A Raisin in the Sun," you can argue that it is because blacks like living with blacks and latin americans like living among other latin americans, etc. This does not, however, explain, why they are in the poorest neighborhoods.

A recent conversation with a Bay-Arean lead me to some of these thoughts. Appalled to hear that there was racism in Arcata and that people experienced direct, individual experiences, she went on to talk about the Bay Area and how there was no racism there. People didn't drive by people's houses and yell derogatory terms. People in the Bay Area were much too progressive and "civilized" to do that.

There are a lot of points that make the situation in the Bay Area so much different than the situation in a relatively small, isolated town. I just don't understand how someone can claim that the Bay Area is so much better, when all you have to do is look at Palo Alto vs East Palo Alto, Berkeley vs Oakland. Communities are divided, and it is NOT simply due to income. For all the love that they Bay Areas have for their "ethnic communities," I would like to know why they aren't neighbors and why they don't mingle. I don't feel that "going to the Mission" counts as proof that you're not racist if you're going there to experience "culture."

If you're going to the Mission to experience "culture," that means it's still "other;" integration is an illusion. That means there's still a "we are different" mentality. And that's what racism really is to me. It isn't when people call your names, make assumptions about your qualifications and background, but when they fail to see you as a human being with distinct qualities but instead see you as "Mexican."

That's definitely something I've seen all over the Bay Area. Sure, I saw persons of all sorts of "races" interact and "accept" each other. What I failed to see was acceptance of people as persons, rather there was an acceptance of persons as representatives of a certain group. "We're all friends, let's hang out! Let's chill and because none of us are racists it's okay to say you can dance, it's okay to say you're a fast runner, it's okay to say you cook well. Because positive stereotypes about race are ok."

Am I being overly sensitive? The sentiment in the Bay Area that I've gotten is that in lieu of negative racism, they've established "positive racism." I have no idea what positive racism is but it suits what I'm trying to express. Instead of putting down certain races for certain qualities, they are now trying to exalt all the positive differences. How is that any better? Racism to me isn't about treating someone negatively, but making any assumption about their personality, traits or capabilities based on their race.

"Blacks are great because ___" isn't any different to me than "blacks are terrible because ___." There is a disrespect to an individual here, and that's what I think racism is. No one in the San Francisco Bay Area has a right to be smug because they're so progressive about race- it's impossible to integrate communities when you're still harping on the differences, positive or negative.