This racist social structure has not been obliterated or substantially abated, despite some gains in that direction. Individual whites cannot really escape this social structure anymore than individual coloreds can. The most progressive thinking white individual cannot help but to benefit from some privileges. The term "whites" remains a very valid social scientific category and generalization. The fact that something is socially constructed does not make it indefinite or invalid as a generalization. Nor does the complex interaction with class make this generalization inaccurate or unclear.
Henry's use of the generalization regarding whites frequently treating people of color as lesser humans (racism) , e.g. sending into danger zones in war or in mines as human fuses is not at all casual , but every bit as valid as all kinds of other social and economic generalizations made on this list and elsewhere.
The claim that white supremacist conduct is no more widespread than "Chinese kill students who protest" is despicable and racist.
Charles Brown
>>> Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> 06/22/99 03:48PM >>>
Jordan Hayes wrote:
>No, Doug, I'm saying I'm sick of Henry's casual use of the term
>"Whites" as though there's some cohesive group called "Whites" -- I
>mean, why not just say "Chinese kill students who protest" or ...
>
>Or do you think it's kewl to characterize "Whites" based on the actions
>of the railroad barrons? Let's not forget: the exercise of power over
>any group to exploit their labor is yucky, and it has been practiced by
>each and every racial group in the history of this planet.
For sure, Jordan, which is why I think class is important, and why I object to a lot of uses of "race" as misleading substitutes for class. And a lot of exploitative social relationships are racialized after the fact - like Barbara Fields's argument that racialization followed enslavement. But it's still hard to doubt that "white" Brits see Nepalese as somehow more expendable than they are, or the Chinese tunnel workers in Henry's example. So this race-class thing is pretty damn complicated, and I think both of you are treating it too simply.
Doug