Krista Bornman

Kris Weaver

Prof. Mike Donnelly

Eng 335

Public Discourse surrounding Race and Racism.

The public discourse surrounding racism in the United States has changed drastically

over the last twenty years. These days the general public has reached the consensus that the

overt and violent racism that took place prior to the sixties is wrong and unacceptable. This has

set the ground for political parties to often use racism as another political issue which they can

use to garner support. In addition, television programs have lessened some of the impact of this

issue by using humor to diffuse the situation. Unfortunately, the overall discourse ignores the

underlying socioeconomic disadvantages of minorities. Also, there is still a large amount of

racism that is less open and often unrealized by the white majority. Overall, the current public

discourse does not seriously address our current race issues. In particular, it is useful to look at

this issue with respect to the four largest minorities: Blacks, Latinos, Asians and those of Middle

Eastern descent, analyzing how the above issues come into play with each of these groups.

The narrative of racism against Blacks in the United States is most often what comes to a

person’s mind when they think about racism itself, which is a direct reflection of the historical

oppression this group suffered throughout American history in terms of slavery and racial

violence that occurred after the Civil War. The most recognized figure in this history, of course,

is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a voice and face that in many ways has embodied the 1960’s civil

rights struggle. Looking at this struggle in a positive light, the discourse of the 1960’s and

beyond established in the American consciousness the idea that racism is wrong and led to the
abolishment of Jim Crow laws, as well as enactment of other legislation that has proven that the

United States government does not openly support discrimination. Many people would agree

that things are better for blacks and minorities in general due to these great strides in equality,

which leads to some interesting discourse surrounding the subject.

For instance, most whites do not consider racism a problem; whereas, a significant

number of minorities do. A recent CNN poll found that 49 percent of blacks say racism is a very

serious problem, yet only 18 percent of whites would say the same (CNN.com). This is a very

interesting disparity, one that is rarely covered in the media. Even less is why blacks feel this

way and the underlying social issues. The biggest factor is that recent discrimination is practiced

in ways that are not obvious because to do so would often be illegal. An interesting example of

this is studies showing how whites and white-sounding names alone can make it easier to get a

job. One group, the National Bureau of Economic Research claims that out of 5,000 resumes

they sent out, all with similar credentials, those with white-sounding names such as Greg or

Emily were far more likely, one out of ten times, to get a callback than black-sounding names

such as Lakisha or Jamal, which received callbacks at a rate of one out of fifteen (nber.org). It is

interesting how such studies, whether deemed biased or not, can often be found on the Internet,

yet are rarely seen in most television news programs.

Overall, these sorts of statistics and issues are ignored in our public discourse, which only

brings them up when talking about big political issues like affirmative action. In this case, much

of what is said concentrates on questioning the fairness of such policies by the white majority.

Of course, such things are not said overtly, instead focusing on the theme of someone less

qualified getting hired over another and ignoring situations such as the resume callbacks

described above. This is because the political parties, and the media organizations that support
them, often use race more as a way to solidify their bases, playing political games with these

issues, while not really seeking to make any major changes.

Take, for instance, the case of Shirley Sherrod early in the Obama administrations tenure.

Here was a black woman who had worked for the agriculture department for years doing an

exceptional job. Then a conservative web site posted a clip of her talking about her job that was

taken out of context so as make it appear that she had been actively discriminating against whites

in her job. Conservative talk show hosts everywhere, including Fox News, demanded action. It

was demanded by the administration that Sherrod resign immediately, which resulted in her

pulling over to the side of the road to do so on her Blackberry. Fortunately, when the full clip

was released, the story actually turned out to be the opposite of what the right wing media had

reported, and the left had easily accepted without checking. The full video had shown that

instead of discrimination, Sherrod had actually gone out of her way to help the white couple save

their family farm. The parts taken out of context were part of a candid conversation she had

been having about overcoming one’s desires to not favor one race over another. Once the truth

came out she was offered a shiny new USDA job, but the stories on Fox were never really

retracted, leaving the public wondering about journalistic integrity (newsweek.com).

This case is interesting in illustrating how each political side uses race. Conservatives,

who have many fewer followers within the ranks of minorities, not only do their best not to look

racist but often take any opportunity to accuse the other side of being so without hesitation. In

the last presidential election, there could often be seen an under tide of Conservatives claiming

Obama’s victory was mostly due to the fact that he was black. Conversely, with the Sherrod

incident, we see the liberal side, wanting at all costs to protect its idealistic base, distancing itself

from any semblance of racism, even to the point of acting now and finding out the truth later. In
the election, it is also interesting that the liberal media stressed the positive historical

connotations of having a black president only after president Obama’s victory. This is

interesting in contrast to the fact that they had largely tried not to mention his race at all

throughout the election. In the end, the black narrative in this country has seemed to shift only to

discuss large and dramatic events of controversy, such as the Rodney King beatings or the

Sherrod incident, while at the same time, often avoiding and underplaying larger social issues,

such as education and labor. While it is important to report on the larger instances of overt

racism, the socioeconomic problems beneath the surface are just as important and deserve a

closer look. Unfortunately, they are not the only group faced with these difficulties.

The next group discussed here is the fastest growing minority: Latinos. Much more than

with Blacks, this conversation is based on fears of population growth, which focus around

immigration and their traditional support of liberal democratic candidates. Lack of historical

coverage, as compared with Blacks, contributes to the lack of racism recognition toward Latinos.

Moreover, this leads the media to often portray this minority as a sort of foreign invader who

threatens to supplant and change American culture permanently.

By many estimated projections, the Latino population is set to equal and perhaps overtake

whites usually by the far off year of 2050. The media takes advantage of the interest this shift

generates to present these statistics often when talking about census data or in the context of

illegal immigration from our southern borders. At the same time, there is a sort of underlying

threat presented through the fact that Latinos often reproduce at faster rates (USA.com).

Conservative talk shows will focus upon the illegality of many Latinos being here, rarely stating

the numbers of legitimate immigrants. Additionally, they also focus on portraying Latinos, as

well as Blacks, as being more likely to commit a crime. They have a lot of support even from
local media, often perhaps unwittingly. Consider also that Blacks and Latinos actual faces are

five times more likely to be shown on the news than whites and blacks when they are being

arrested for a crime, according to a study of local news coverage conducted throughout the late

90’s and early 2000’s by the rocky mountain media watch, a media watchdog group. (Racial)

Also deeper issues are absent from public discourse such as the fact that blacks and Latinos are

three and a half times more likely to be searched for illegal substances such as drugs, even

though whites are five times more likely to actually possess, a fact attested to by Tim Wise a

prominent professor who speaks and writes frequently about issues of race in many of his

speeches and writings. (Pathology)

This is why such issues of racial profiling become so important to the discussion of

discrimination against Latinos. Once such groups are presented in the media to be outsiders who

are coming over to take American jobs and create crime, there is a dehumanizing effect that

takes place, making it difficult to relate to and sympathize with them. Often these distinctions

are propagated by the right or left due to political considerations.

The left not only tends to have the image as the party which sticks up for minority rights,

but also as the party that protects civil rights. The controversy surrounding the Arizona

immigration laws gave them an opportunity to take a stance on both issues, coming out on the

side of Latinos by denouncing racial profiling while at the same time making links to the break

down in civil rights all Americans suffer through such laws. Of course there is less discussion of

social issues from the left such as the education of Latino immigrant children or the conditions of

such groups as migrant workers who make very little money working difficult agriculturally

based jobs for instance. The right on the other hand, as discussed before focuses more on the

legality surrounding our border laws, often prefacing the conversation with phrases like border
security, which re-enforce the idea that Latinos are a sort of invading force and likely to be

criminals. Such discourse surrounding Latinos stands in stark contrast to blacks, but even more

so in regards to the next group discussed here: the Asian minority.

This group is very different by the fact that it often is portrayed through positive

stereotypes when it comes to things like education and are not often seen as criminals. However,

this group does face its own set of discrimination and negative images. Asian-Americans are the

subject of many current Internet sensations capitalizing on common stereotypes. The Internet,

however, empowers the victims to respond effectively which changes the game for both parties.

The racists are not always of another race because many Asian-Americans experience

discrimination from others who disapprove of their assimilation or lack thereof into American

culture. Such assimilation, though, is a difficult task because many feel they lack role models

from the Asian communities in American lifestyles. Asian-Americans must deal with the

complicated issue of living with two cultures.

Internet memes are taking hold of Generation Y and enforcing Asian stereotypes. In

2010 an image macro series titled High Expectations Asian Father spread across blogs and chat

rooms. The image features an older man of Asian descent with quizzically-raised eyebrows and

is accompanied by jokes centered around the stereotype of first-generation parents demanding

excellence from their children, especially in school (Abra). Puns are used to attract the audience

and to imitate Asian parents. One way is to use poor English lacking in prepositions and

changing L’s to R’s to create the effect of a heavy Asian accent. Secondly, the meme

exaggerates expectations by creating standards that cannot be lived up to. Another insult to

Asians recently gained Internet fame, but this time the obvious racism received the disapproval

of its audience. Alexandra Wallace, a former UCLA student, posted a video on YouTube
complaining about Asian students that talk on their phone in the library (O’Neill). Reactions

were strong and immediate. Many response videos were posted from YouTube users of all races

with a variety of feedback, which was mainly negative. Unfortunately, despite publically

apologizing, Wallace soon felt the need to leave school due to death threats as a result of her

video. These two recent Internet sensations show that racism is still prevalent in current

generations.

Internet-based attacks on Asian descendants are vulnerable to a more direct response.

The Researchers found that the Internet empowers its users by giving them the abilities to

publish, link, and communicate openly (Orita). Unlike traditional publishing methods, websites

allow instant and cheap, if not free, publication to a vast audience. Linking between pages

increase social networking and promotes both users’ publications. Communication on the

Internet is more open than face-to-face because users can be anonymous yet still taken seriously.

These benefits increase the ability of racism victims to confront their attackers and have the

potential to change the way discrimination is responded to as in the example with Alexandra

Wallace.

Racism does not just occur between majority and minority; Grace Hsiang wrote a short

article about her fellow Asian-American students discriminating against each other because of

their acceptance or refusal to assimilate into American culture. FOBs (an acronym for Fresh Off

the Boat) are Asian-Americans who cling to their parents’ traditions and reject all American

culture. They are known for harassing those who embrace American culture to the point that

they seem to be denying their roots. These students are called Twinkies because they are

“yellow” on the outside and “white” on the inside. The author discusses the internal tension

saying, “we cannot completely embody one culture when we are living in another” (Hsiang). A
popular blog called Stuff Asian People Like posted an article discussing the spectrum between

FOBs and Twinkies including Rice Boys and Fobstas (Lee). The various levels of assimilated

individuals tend toward either FOBs or Twinkies and use forums such as Stuff Asian People

Like to express their disgust with the other side. Hsiang ends her article saying, “We can avoid

this internal discrimination simply by recognizing that we are of two cultures -- and that in itself

creates a new culture that should be fully celebrated.”

Young Asian-Americans experiencing discrimination from white people and people of

their own ethnic group desire to look to established Asian-Americans with a strong ethos, but

they are having trouble finding them. Role models are important for an individual’s growth and

success in the community. Without positive influences, many Asian-Americans do not feel the

drive to achieve their dreams. Margret Cho, stand-up comic and television star, appeared on The

Tyra Show to discuss racism in the media. She says when, as a young girl, she did not find any

Asian role models in entertainment, she looked to Iman Abdulmajid, a Somali-American model

and actress. “When you grow up without those role models, you feel like you don’t exist,” Cho

mentioned (Cho). Asian-Americans have written many blog posts about the lack of role models

in the American community. Listed role models include Yao Ming, Jacky Chan, Bruce Lee,

Connie Chung, and Sandra Oh (moonlitesage), but there are not many more notable Asian-

Americans in the media. This discouraging fact causes some young people to question

America’s acceptance of diversity in the media.

Another issue of racist rhetoric in America is centered on Middle Easterners.

Although racism against the Middle East had existed before, the September 11th attacks were a

catalyst for violent discourse about “Arabs.” Much of the conversation is based on
misinformation and stereotypes perpetuated through public discourse. The line between

cautionary awareness and discrimination toward Middle Easterners has become blurred.

People from the Middle East often find themselves the target of racial profiling.

Amnesty International USA defines racial profiling as “the targeting of individuals and groups

by law enforcement officials, even partially, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or

religion...” During 2003 and 2004, AIUSA researched the rising number of discrimination

complaints and found that 32 million people in the United States had been victims of racial

profiling. People of all ethnic groups reported that the victimization occurred in a wide variety

of areas in their lives such as while driving, at the airport, when shopping, and near their places

of worship. While most ethnic groups experience are affected, racial profiling against “citizens

and visitors of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent, and others who appear to be from these

areas or members of the Muslim and Sikh faiths, has substantially increased since September 11,

2001” (Amnesty).

The public reaction to injustice against fellow citizens is not on the Middle Easterners’

side. A poll conducted shortly after September 11th found that 57% of white Americans and 71%

of African-Americans felt that Arab-Americans should be subjected to more thorough security

checks before boarding airplanes (Donaldson-Evans). A 2010 article by the Atlanta Progressive

showed that not much progress has been made in attempts to reduce racial profiling. Only 25

states have racial profiling-related legislation which is commonly a “vague call for law

enforcement and other state agencies to establish policies prohibiting or combating racial

profiling” (Springston). In the same article, Azadeh Shahshahani, Director of Georgia’s National

Security/Immigrants' Rights Project, said "Using race, ethnicity, or national origin as a proxy for
criminal suspicion violates the Constitutional requirement that police and other government

officials accord to all citizens the equal protection of the law."

In 2009 Shah Rukh Khan was detained in a New Jersey airport for nearly two hours

because his last name is commonly associated with known terrorists (“Bollywood”). Ironically,

Shah Rukh Khan is a famous Indian actor who had just finished filming a movie based on racial

profiling. In “My Name is Khan,” a Muslim man with Asperger’s syndrome is detained in an

airport and subsequently blacklisted with only the hope of President Obama clearing his name

(“IMDb”). The entertainment industry is now using its influence to reach people about the

struggles of discrimination, but issues of racial profiling still occur around the world.

Earlier this month Muslims in Australia made a plea for acceptance. A volley of articles

with barely disguised opinions exploded upon Australian and worldwide news. The most neutral

article came from an Indian online newspaper, New Kerala. It stated that Victorian Muslims felt

the need to live in enclaves due to racism from their neighbors, but they were asking for more

tolerance and the freedom to wear burqas and build mosques (“Victorian”). The Herald Sun, an

Australian newspaper, offered more information and also revealed negative stances of some

politicians. One said burqas are “un-Australian” and should be banned, and another said

allowing enclaves to form is a failure to prevent extreme Islam. In response to this, the article

had a quote by Islamic Council secretary Sherene Hassan saying, "Our biggest qualm is how we

are depicted by some media outlets and some politicians. There's constantly that focus on those

Muslims who are on the fringe” (Masanauskas). Hassan’s quote became the target of an anti-

Islam blog called Winds of Jihad meant to “inform” the public of Muslims’ true motives. The

very same quote was positioned under the heading “Freedom of Speech Irritates Muslims”

(Yer’mami). With the context completely changed, the phrase presented a whole new meaning
to Winds of Jihad’s audience. Instead of exposing the overemphasis of extremists, the quote is

now, supposedly, a direct attack on America and the things it stands for.

Critics of Middle Easterners use the September 11th attacks and the assumption of

generalization to support the so-called logical reasoning behind their rhetoric. They build their

repertoire from the belief that all Muslims are terrorists and all Americans should be in

opposition to all terrorists and therefore Muslims. September 11th is also used to pull on

America’s heartstrings and the common theme of protecting one’s family comes into play.

Pathos is a strong influential force on and is often disguised as logos in order to convince the

audience. In terms of ethos, most of the perpetuators of racism tend to rely on the idealization

that as an American, they are correct and have the authority to speak on this subject. It is not

surprising that the components of rhetoric are as manipulated as the audience is after exposure to

racist discourse.

Throughout American history, largely due to the institution of slavery at the country’s

inception, discussions of race have played an important part in the nation’s politics. Through the

civil rights movements of the 1960’s and beyond, there has been large progress made in

eliminating real discrimination and other forms of overt racism. Unfortunately, the discourse

concentrates on dramatic events where someone is being overtly racist, which should be covered,

yet omits serious conversations about economic inequalities in terms of opportunity and

education which still exist. In the final analysis of such discourse, it is evident that political and

media groups on both sides of the aisle like to play politics with these issues by concentrating on

such specific instances, while avoiding any real discussion of the underlying problems which

create such circumstances. If the United States is ever to fully eliminate racial inequalities, it

must begin having such topics as part of its public discourse.

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