Conversations “about race” based entirely on racial ignorance are harmful. The author describes herself as an antiracist educator, an occasional coffee drinker, a black woman who is in a same sex relationship with a Japanese person. Commonly random members of the public who have not studied race share their uninformed opinions with her via the internet. In essence the vast majority of US citizens have never taken a class or studied the subject.
A study is mentioned: Jay MacLeod’s Ain’t No Makin’ It: Aspirations and Achievement in a Low-Income Neighborhood. This chronicles the experiences of working-class boys in the Boston area, unveils the dynamics of racism and class oppression, showing that even when young men “play by the rules” and pursue educational success, they often fall prey to structural dynamics that reproduce the poverty and class disadvantage into which they were born.
White supremacy is the social, political, and economic dominance of people socially defined as “white.” This is a relatively new phenomena.
Denial that our society is always already racialized can take many forms, from individual proclamations of color blindness (“I don’t see color!”) to the complete denial of all forms of racism
White women typically marry white men, their affirmative action benefits are channeled toward their white families. And their access to affirmative action benefits (preferential hiring and federal diversity initiatives) not only helps them but also bolsters the socioeconomic status of white families broadly.
The author initially was campaigning for Obama but after he was elected as president changed her opinion of him. She heavily implies Obama being elected as president helped maintain white supremacy and voters then used him as a reason to say racism is no longer problematic. She says he did not challenge racism enough and tactically was disassociating himself from certain black people such as his former black pastor.
The first requirement of “interracial love” is that all involved must recognize the historical and present-day reality of racial oppression. The second is acknowledging that love has never magically eradicated oppression anywhere at any time in the entire history of humanity. Mentions another book by Amy Steinbugler which suggests that some interracial couples decide to avoid addressing racism while others attempt to confront racial oppression head-on. But, depressingly suggests that interracial couples exist in a matrix of domination. They are affected by the politics of the racial hierarchy in which we all live. This is the case whether the lovers involved want to face reality or not.
Author was very pleased when Prince Harry have announced an engagement to Meghan Markle, believing this signified hope but am sure would be very disappointed about subsequent events.
Suggests everybody can do their own unique things for to stand up against racism. In particularly white people, as it is not fair that the people who are already oppressed to then rectify this. In particular white people should call out racism when in the company of other white people
