How can we get rid of institutionalized racism in the USA?

[Taverner]

Some of you might scoff, and think it can't be done.

Some of you might scoff, and say it doesn't exist.

And some of you might scoff and say that I'm looking at things the wrong way.

But you'd all be wrong.

Institutionalized racism is alive and well in "Post racial" America, despite what the bloviators on Fox and friends say.

There is media racism: just look at the long list of missing pretty white girls being reported on, and then look at how many people of color are on that list. Just look at how movies and the media portray people of color. Granted, there has been progress, but not without white people fighting it, kicking and screaming.

There is cultural racism: just look at who gets management jobs, who gets promotions, who is identified as a "merit hire" (hint: it's the white guy) and who is identified as a "token hire." Companies are now blatant that they pay women more than men - so its only a matter of time for the other shoe to drop and for them to admit the pay scale is tilted in favor of whites too.

Even in supposed "liberal" circles, you will have some people flat-out deny White Privilege exists.

Hell, just looking at the way police deal with people in different neighborhoods gives you an idea. Compare two schools in the bay area. One is in an urban, mostly black neighborhood. The other is in an affluent white neighborhood. The urban school has three cops who work out of the school. Drugs are not tolerated, and regularly the cops will go from locker to locker, searching for them and weapons. The school has considered getting metal detectors positioned at every entry. The affluent school has one cop at the school, even though the number of students at the two schools is largely the same. There are no metal detectors on campus, and the idea has never even been discussed. There are LOTS of drugs on campus, but no one really does anything about them.

Yes, I know class plays a large role in this as well, but in the end there still is a big, glaring racial element to people's prejudices. You can pretend it's not there, but it is there.

So given this - what can we do? I'm sure many of you, like me, make a point not to tolerate the racist joke that is said. IN our own work capacity, we promote affirmative action policies. And as parents we make a point not in raising so-called "color blind" kids (which is a farce when you get right down to it) but kids who understand the way racism infects our society and brings about very negative consequences.

I am open to ideas...

[elleng]

1. Continue to state that its WRONG,

and institutionalize its wrongness, via education, rules and laws.

If we don't do these things, nothing will change; if we do these things, things will continue to change, slowly but change nevertheless.

[Taverner]

2. Yes - agree 100%

We have to be aware of the subtle racism at play as well

[damntexdem]

3. First recognize that the USA was founded on racism.

From the start, long before the Revolution, the "settlers" were settling on lands being stolen from natives. And in the South (and for years in the North as well), the stolen lands were being worked by people kidnapped and sold into slavery or by their offspring -- and in the North, much of business (much of wealth) was dependent upon profiting from that system. Race itself as we know it was a product of this system: the separation of those who could be hyperexploited or killed from those subject only to the "usual" exploitation. The ideology of racism dug deep in our basic culture and consciousness; and it has been very difficult to try to root it out. We have made progress but have a long way to go; and today we are facing a politics that would allow its reemergence. It's needed, but it will not be easy.

[Taverner]

4. Definitely nt

[elleng]

5. It is and was commerce, which benefits

when large populations are exploited for their labor.
Its the history of the world, and it continues.

[JackBeck]

6. Acknowledge that 'gentrification' is institutionalized racism.

Too many people do not realize that when a particular group of individuals moves into a neighborhood to 'clean it up' that they are actually perpetuating an inherently racist system that further denigrates and demoralizes Communities of Color.

As you mention in your OP, even well-meaning Liberals that raise their kids to be 'color blind' are quite blind themselves to their own unearned privilege when promoting such a fantasy. We should encourage people to see color and in turn educate themselves and their children on the diversity that exists within our culture.

[Taverner]

7. Agreed

!

[grahamhgreen]

8. Get the president to stand up for the issues the majority wants: end war; raise taxes on rich; et .