‘Silent Racism’ book sheds light on current racial climate
Barbara Trepagnier, sociology professor at Texas State University-San Marcos, says that people should replace the question of whether or not they are racist with asking themselves how they are racist.
Trepagnier says while blacks can act with prejudice, there is a difference between being prejudiced and being racist.
“I’m referring to systemic racism,” Trepagnier said. “Blacks can certainly act with prejudice. But with whites as the majority in our society, racism becomes an institutional structure practiced by the dominant group.”
Trepagnier argues that judging others as racist acts as a red herring and does nothing to improve racial equality.
"It allows us to scapegoat one person as racist, thinking to ourselves, 'I would never say that,'" Trepagnier said. "Our own racism stays intact."
clipped from: www.txstate.edu