Race,Racism,and Ethics

LawrenceM.Hinman SendEmailtoLarryHinman

University of San Diego

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Introduction
n n

Thequestionofracecontinuestodivideour society Wehavewidelydivergentviewsonwhethera problemevenexists

MostAfricanAmericansseeracismasaproblemand manyfeelithasgottenworse. ThemajorityofwhiteAmericansseeracismas disappearingandasnolongerasignificantproblemin theUnitedStates.

TheInvisibilityThesis:Racismisofteninvisible tothemajorityforseveralreasons
Theysufferlessfromit Theydontattributetheirmisfortunetorace Theydontalwaysseethesufferingthatpeopleofcolor endure.

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TheCivilRightsMovement
MartinLutherKing, Jr.dreamedofa societybeyond racism n Initially,thecivil rightsmovement centeredaround injusticesto AfricanAmericans.
n
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TheMovementExpands Twoadditional civilrights movements emergedintothe publiceye:

Rightsfor Mexican Americans Rightsfornative Americans
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CesarChavezand theUnitedFarmWorkers

RussellMeans
firstnational directorofAIM
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FiveFundamentalQuestions
Whatistheactualconditiontodayinregardto raceandracism? n Whatistheidealthatwewanttostriveto achieve? n Whatistheminimallyacceptablesituationin regardtorace? n Howdowegetfromtheactualtothe minimallyacceptablecondition? n Howdowegetfromtheactualtotheideal?
n
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DevelopingaMoralStance
Heresawayofvisualizingtheseissues:

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SomeInitialDistinctions
n Race

usuallybiological Caucasoid,Negroid,Mongoloidand sometimesAustraloid

n Ethnicity

refersprimarilytosocialandcultural formsofidentificationandself identification

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Somethingstonote
Racialcategoriesappearbiological,but theirsignificanceisoftensocial. n RacialcategoriesintheUnitedStates oftenappearmutuallyexclusive,butmay infactbeoverlapping. n The2000censuswasthefirstthatallowed individualstoclaimmultipleracial affiliationse.g.,AfricanAmericanand NativeAmerican.
n
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Racism
n Racismhaslongbeenapartof

Americanhistory

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Whatisracism?
n

Descriptive:referstocertainattitudesand actionsthat
singleoutcertainpeopleonthebasisoftheir racialor,insomecases,ethnicheritageand disadvantagetheminsomewayonthisbasis.

Evaluative:anegativevaluejudgement thatracismismorallywrongbecauseof:
intentions consequences

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OvertandInstitutionalRacism
n

Overtracism:intendedtodiscriminate againstoneormoregroupsonthebasis ofrace

Example:covenantsindeedspreventing propertyfrombeingsoldtopeopleofcolor.

Institutionalracism:socialand institutionalstructuresthat,asamatterof fact,disadvantagecertainracialgroups

Forexample,dostandardizedaptitudeand achievementtestsdisadvantagesome groups?

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OfficialandUnofficialRacism
n Distinguishbetween

RacismsanctionedbytheU.S. government(e.g.,inlaws) RacismthatoccursintheU.S.whichis notperpetratedbythegovernment

n Wemayallascitizensberesponsible

asanationforofficialracismina wayinwhichwearenotresponsible foritwhenitwasnotofficial.

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CompensatoryPrograms
Compensatoryprogramsareawayof respondingtopastinjustices. n Theyarejustifiedupuntilthepointat whichtheearlierwronghasbeen compensatedfor.
n

Restsonanotionofcompensatoryjustice
n

Thecountrymayowecompensationfor officiallysanctionedracism
ActionsagainstNativeAmericans ActionsagainstJapaneseAmericansinWWII EnslavementofAfricansbroughttoAmerica

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CompensatoryPrograms
n Backwardlooking n Donotpresumethatthepresent

stateofrecipientsofcompensation isnecessarilyimpoverished n Importantsymbolicvaluein recognizingthatawrongoccurred andexpressingsorroworregret

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FutureorientedModels
n Differfromcompensatorymodels,

whichlooktopastinjustices n Dependson
onesnotionofanidealsociety themeansacceptabletoachievingthat society

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AffirmativeAction
FourSensesofAffirmativeActions
Weaksensesofaffirmativeaction:
1. Encouragingthelargestpossiblenumberofminority applications in the applicant pool, and then choosing the bestcandidatesregardlessofgender,race,etc. 2. When the two best candidates are equally qualified and one is a minority candidate, choosing the minority candidate.

Strongsensesofaffirmativeaction:
3. From a group of candidates, all of whom are qualified, choosing the minority candidate over better qualifiednonminorityones. 4. Choosinganunqualifiedminoritycandidateovera qualifiednonminorityone.

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ThreeTypesofModels oftheIdealSociety
n

SeparatistModels
Involuntary Voluntary:restsonidentityargument

AssimilationistModels
Makeraceirrelevant Oftenpresumesassimilationtothedominant culture

PluralisticModels
Many,partiallyoverlappingcircles

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SeparatistModels
n

Involuntary
Racialgroupshaveoftenbeeninvoluntarily segregatedfromtherestofsociety
AfricanAmericans NativeAmericans Asians,especiallyinWorldWarII

Voluntary
Restsonidentityargument Religiousgroups:Mennonites,ultraorthodox Jews Racialgroups:AryanNation,NationofIslam

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TheIdentityArgument
Premise#1:Inordertohaveahappylife, onemustbeabletoaffirmonesidentity. n Premise#2:Acentralpartofonesidentity isdependentonrace.
n

Isthistrueindifferentwaysforminoritiesvs. thedominantrace?
n

Conclusion:Societymustactinsucha wayastopermit,perhapseven encourage,theaffirmationofracial identity.

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AssimilationistModels
n Makeraceirrelevant

Makeracelikeeyecolor MeltingPotmetaphor
Eventualblurringofanyracialdistinctions
n Oftenpresumesassimilationtothe

dominantculture

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PluralisticModels
Many,partiallyoverlappingcircles n Wearemembersofnumerousgroups, basedonrace,ethnicity,religion, geography,placeinlife,hobbies,etc. Pluralismseesidentityasconstitutedby alloftheseaffiliationstogetheranddoes notseeracebasedidentityasnecessarily primary.
n
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