[lbo-talk] Fight the taboo on the use of the word "racist"

Charles Brown cbrown at michiganlegal.org
Wed Mar 15 06:57:30 PST 2006


Jthorn

So why is there a reticence to use the word racist?

Is it a fear that the problem is much more prevalent than some like to think so they avoid using the word to avoid thinking about it too much?

^^^^ CB: In my opinion, the ruling class knows that racism is one of the main glues holding the whole status quo together. It is part of the structural glue of U.S. capitalism. So, the ruling ideas of this age like all ages , are the ideas of its ruling class. Not all ideas, but the predominating ones. This seeps into the left. It's considered old left stuff to make the struggle against racism central to left struggle. Today, the dominant rightwing ideas on racism - such as denying that racism is still a big phenomenon, and claims that Black "racism" against white people is the main problem of racism - impinge in the white Left.

^^^^^^^

It seems many people think the word can only be used in the most egregious examples rather than in the hundreds of small everyday examples of racism.

I don't buy the overuse of the word will erode its meaning explanation. That rings hollow to me.

John Thornton



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