// My Reaction to the ‘Reverse Racism’ Study//

Here comes a rant about my least favorite subject to talk about: race. 

First and foremost: White people, stop using the phrase ‘reverse racism.’ Referring to racism against Whites as ‘reverse racism’ is stupid and implies that ‘racism’ itself is only from Whites. Don’t use this term for your own sake.

Secondly: Yes, there are many outspoken people in the Black, Latino, Hispanic, and Arab communities who will loudly proclaim their dislike for us, it happens, but those people are idiots, pay them no mind. What we need to do is stop pretending like there still aren’t members of our community doing the same towards minorities. During the 2008 presidential election, many Whites complained that Obama won solely because he was Black and that’s why he had 96 percent of the Black vote (Politico). Very few of these critics would point out that aside from first-time voters, McCain had the most votes from the White voters of every demographic and Whites made up almost 80 percent of the voters in 2008. What we fail to acknowledge is that, believe it or not, there are outspoken racists in the Red states that voted for McCain because he wasn’t black. But, of course, this is ‘post-racial America’ and we have to pretend like White racists disappeared after “Do The Right Thing” came out.

Here’s the truth, ‘reverse racism’ is bullshit and racism towards Whites pales in comparison to racism towards Blacks; it’s indisputable fact. Living in the suburban Maryland, a rather liberal state, I’d be hard pressed to find a single bigot in my area and I’m not sure if I’ve ever met someone who vocally proclaims superiority to non-Whites. I do, however, know many people who subconsciously think of Blacks and other minorities in a lesser regard than they do of Whites. The worst part is, they don’t even realize it, nor did they develop this thought process on their own.

Racism nowadays is institutionalized, it’s not right in your face like it used to be and that’s only because it’s not allowed to be right in your face. Racism did not disappear after Slavery, it didn’t disappear after the Civil Rights movement, and it didn’t disappear after Barack Obama was elected president. That’s because racism doesn’t disappear. Like everything else in the world: animal life, plant life, religion, economic systems, government systems, philosophical ideologies; racism evolves. It doesn’t disappear after time, it changes with the times, and it has come to the point where racism is hard to detect nowadays because it is subtly institutionalized. 

Don’t believe me? Watch ESPN and take note of how they refer to players. When Chad Johnson, an outspoken player who is known to cause trouble in the Bengals’ locker room, speaks out or says something outlandish, he is labeled as a ‘diva.’ Not a nuisance, not an annoyance, not a whiner, but a ‘diva,’ a term solely used when referring to high maintenance women. When Tom Brady whines to a referee because Terrell Suggs hit him above the belly button, then goes on to act in cologne ads and grace the covers of fashion magazines, his masculinity is never compromised by a label given to him by the media, nor should it be. If Chad Johnson acted the same way when asking for a pass interference flag, you can guarantee the term ‘diva’ will be used to describe him. Throughout history, the American media has attempted to emasculate the Black male, whether they’re putting him in a dress in comedies or labeling him with terms that only apply to females once he speaks his mind.

The reason why so many Whites feel like racism is increasing towards them or that they are ‘oppressed’ (CNN) is because White privilege is veeeeeery slowly deteriorating. Many Whites, especially the radicals on the right, view a lack of White privilege and the possibility of true equality as oppression because they no longer have the leg up than they previously had. Bill O’Reilly has stated numerous times that he does not want to see Whites reduced from a majority (more than 50 percent) to a plurality (less than 50 percent, but still the most populous demographic) in the United States, and many feel the same way.

Socially, racism is ‘improving,’ and it seems like it’s doing so on both sides. Institutionally, it’s quite obvious that prejudice is still alive and well and people who aren’t White heterosexual Christian men are still at a disadvantage. There is no disputing this.

What upset me the most when I read the results of this study was that eleven percent of the White people involved gave racism towards Whites a full ten on a 1-10 scale. This infuriates me more than anything. We are not enslaved, we are not considered to be 3/5 of a human, we are not property, we are not forced to go to lesser quality schools, we are not portrayed in the media as less civilized beings, we are not profiled by police, we are not falsely made to be the face of crime in America, and yet eleven percent of the people in this study feel like racism towards us is as strong as it can possibly be.

Nothing makes me sick more than ignorance. Stupidity is one thing, but to completely ignore and disregard what is going on around you is a completely separate issue. Racism exists, and as long as Capitalism exists, it will continue to exist. The only difference is how easy it will be to notice. The sooner you start to think for yourself, the better.

/rant