Election hasn’t eradicated racism

November 13, 2008 by Marisa Christensen 

Though Obama’s victory is important, it doesn’t change much

Throughout the past several months, race has certainly been a popular topic of discussion. Most prominent is the question, what does it mean to be a person of color now that we’ve elected a black president? Have things changed, or is Barack Obama’s historic election more symbolic than it is a representation of reality? 

The fact that Obama’s nomination and eventual election triggered these types of discussions is one positive outcome — at least the general public is voicing their perspectives on race.

Talking about race is important because the past several decades have been characterized by the prevailing ideology of colorblind racism. That is, as long as we don’t talk about race, we’re not racists. 

Or, if we pretend that variances in skin color don’t exist, we’re avoiding discrimination on the basis of race. If we ignore the fact that there are socially constructed meanings attached to those skin colors and refuse to understand that those meanings have actual effects on the lives of people of color, then we’re not being racists. Right?

Not quite. Whether or not members of the dominant group choose to acknowledge the reality of social constructions of race, racism still exists.

So the fact that Americans are talking about race might be a step forward.

However, the sentiments expressed by some individuals prove that we haven’t really come that far at all.

Take, for instance, the ways in which black voters were criticized for overwhelmingly supporting Obama. White men and women voted for McCain in far greater proportions than did any other racial group, but this isn’t considered voting on the basis of race.

I’m not arguing that white McCain supporters were voting for him merely because he was white (even though such feelings were occasionally expressed; remember “Obama is an Arab?”) 

But the argument that black voters just voted for Obama because he was also black is racist on various levels. First, it emphasizes the racial identity of people of color while simultaneously making whiteness invisible—it would seem ludicrous for white people to be accused of supporting another white candidate on the basis of race, but it’s a common argument when applied to black people. 

Furthermore, it suggests that black voters were not educated on the issues. If one is to argue that black people ignorantly voted for Obama whether or not they agreed with him on important issues, they would first have to prove that the majority of black people either didn’t agree with Obama’s stances on those issues or alternatively, that they didn’t research the issues at all. 

Generally speaking, black individuals tend to vote democratic in the first place, so the first premise doesn’t hold much weight. This leaves us with the second implication, that black people did not pay attention to Obama’s stances on important issues. To assume as much is condescending to say the least.

Finally, such arguments ignore the fact that black communities might prioritize different issues than do white communities, the underlying message being that racism does not exist. Obama, due to his racial background, might be familiar with the issues important to the black community. 

In fact, he proved as much through his voting record. For instance, according to CBS, Obama supported a law enforcement study that looked at the race of individuals pulled over for traffic tickets in 2003. Race discrimination by police might not be a pressing issue to white people, but it is for many people of color.

It’s important to note that within black communities there are a variety of experiences that are governed by class background, sexual preference, gender and otherwise. One cannot argue that there is a specific “black experience.” However, there are overarching themes that black individuals could feasibly find important based on their experiences, which could contribute to a general sense of support for Obama.

The U.S. has demonstrated social progress by electing its first black president. It is dangerous, though, to assume that because Obama has been elected discrimination no longer exists. Discrimination is alive and well; the argument that black voters ignorantly voted for Obama is just one example. 

So while we should celebrate the gains we’ve made in terms of equality, we must remember that we still have a long way to go.