i'm not sure but I think what people find offenseive about Tim Wise is that he's a white guy who appears to get enjoyment out of calling out racism among other whites. At other times, what's offensive about a certain approach is that the charge of racism is used, not in order to build and strengthen a struggle, but when it's used to tear it down. When someone uses the charge of racism, for instance, as ad hominem in order to poison the wells - to cast everything someone says as suspect b/c something they said is racist - this isn't an act of solidarity. It's an act of destruction and should be understood as such.
I think this is what Jodi Dean is getting at when she talks about the various sins in that blog post someone linked to... It's when people deploy the charge of racism disingenuously, when it's used as ad hominem, when it's used cynically.
angela m had a good analysis of the dynamics long ago. She talked about how some people get enjoyment out of calling out racism and how others get enjoyment out of being called racist. (Doug had an example of some conservatives who used to do that purposefully.)
Anyway, angela once wrote:
"if i write "no one, least of all those of us who think these are not a matter of personal whim, would deny that they are racist or sexist", then this should have been a fairly clear gesture toward those who here have both claimed that racism and sexism are not a matter of intentional decision (that it consists of structures which exceed any of our intentions) and who, simultaneously, respond to claims that they are being (in this instance) sexist with nothing other than denial. that is, such a denial from this perspective is absurd. and what it shows clearly is that those who are often most keen to dispense their judgements on others are absolutely unwilling to countenance such implications in regard to themselves, thus flying in the face of what they simultaneously assert about the ubiquity of racism and sexism. and it's this initial judgement that i would say yes, is indeed about enjoyment: that is, the enjoyment of distinction, superiority, the fantasy of being outside fantasy... a fantasy held onto at all cost, including a refusal to deal at all with what they claim they are most concerned with: racism, sexism, etc.
i happen to think there is always space for that discussion and debate, and i would much prefer it if it was banalised by a recognition that racism and sexism permeates what we do here than to shift it into the realm of rhetorical insult (as if it is some kind of wilful malevolence), which is largely and unfortunately where it remains now. and, it's as insult that it becomes enjoyment and the basis for identification, both for those who do the calling and those who are called. that is, there should always be a debate and discussion on whether or not some comment or perspective is racist. what happens more often than not however is that discussion is halted, usually at the line of 'if a woman says x is sexist then it is true'; this is all too troubling so we should stop now; 'you are being racist when you say x'; 'you are/you aren't'; etc...
what would it hurt other than my leftist pride if someone said i was being racist? i'll ask for evidence and i will most likely debate it, but it doesn't destroy my sense of self. why should it? what do i stand to lose other than my fantasy of being outside ideology?
ps. i can't recall mentioning gilroy, but moishe postone does do a fine critique of habermas in _Time, Labour and Social Domination_ doesn't he?
Angela _________
> Very good. Some other time in another context we might examine
whether
> the term "privilege" is the best terminology for some of this.
> Carrol
> On 10/9/2011 2:40 PM, Tayssir John Gabbour wrote:
>> I would've said this on the Chomsky-is-racist thread, but I didn't
feel like wading into the usual flamewar: I think people overreact
wildly when the term "racism" is mentioned, as if it destroys
>> people's
>> lives to be called racist. I personally identify as racist, sexist,
and classist, and nothing bad happens.
>> Given the society I'm from, it'd be extremely strange if I weren't
racist/sexist/classist. (Particularly since, for example, I benefit
from sexism just by being male. And I can't seriously un-benefit
from
>> it, since I accumulated male privileges growing up.)
>> So, if someone says I'm racist because of a remark I make... well,
maybe, let's tease out any racist aspects of what I said and we'll
learn.
>> All the best,
>> Tj
>> On Sun, Oct 9, 2011 at 9:08 PM,<123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "SA"<s11131978 at gmail.com>
>>> I'd say this essay is a pretty good example of Wise-ism. A
>>> histrionic
>>> account of how personally wrenching and painful it was for this grad
>>> student to have an argument in the park over how to phrase a
>>> one-sentence characterization of racism with some friendly guys
who
>>> agreed with her approach after a few minutes of conversation.
>>> Getting
>>> this poorly phrased sentence changed: a further step in the great
historical chain of struggles - from the abolition of slavery, to
the
>>> decolonization of Africa, to the smashing of Jim Crow, to the
great
>>> working-group victory of 2011. A luta continua.
>>> ___________________________________
>>> I don't think so. Both Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright had
>>> problems with the CP's "we are all one race" tack. They lived long
before Tim Wise. If consciousness, relationships, and
communication
>>> is what is being rebuilt on OWS, then awareness of racism must be
part of that. Racism is part of what we live with every bit as
much
>>> as toxic chemicals in the water and air. And let me say it again:
racism is not what the white man thinks about the brown man; it's
what we all think about ourselves and one another after five
>>> hundred years of unrelenting horror.
>>> Joanna
>>> ___________________________________
>>> http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>> ___________________________________
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> ___________________________________
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