Is “systemic racism” a problem in the U.S.? Or is it simply that “racism” is the problem? It’s possible the real problem lies in how one defines the terms.
In June I wrote an article here at CS entitled “No, We DO NOT Need Better Systems.” In the article I said,
. . many are saying that “systemic racism” (or “institutional racism”) exists within all police departments in America today. Such statements are irrational, unreasonable, fallacious, and just plain false.
I went on to state:
All of the “systems” in the United States of America, whether socio-economic or political, are riddled with racism, through and through, the secular progressives say. Everything needs to be fixed. But this, too, is irrational, unreasonable, fallacious, and false.
Initially, I was somewhat taken aback, after reading CS writer Briana Huddleston’s essay, “An Examination of Systemic Racism” on August 18th. The thesis statement of her essay is “My objective for this article is to affirm that institutional racism exists . . .”
So how can it be that Ms. Huddleston and I, both of us Catholic, have different opinions on whether or not “systemic racism” exists in the U.S. today?
One answer to this question might be that I am an old, white guy, and Ms. Huddleston is a young, black, female. We obviously have different views based on different life experiences. Progressives would probably provide another answer. They may say that my “white privilege” is showing and add that I am not sufficiently “woke.”
But there is a third answer. This third answer may be a more accurate explanation. At least I hope this is the case.
Pebble, Cobble, Stone, or Rock?
Words are important. Communicating with one another would be difficult without words, to say the least. But just as important as the words themselves are the meanings of the words.
If I said I think I have a rock or a stone in my shoe that’s hurting my foot, most everyone would understand the source of my discomfort. But a geologist might respond saying, “It’s probably just a pebble, but it could be a cobble.” A nearby tech nerd might then ask, “Why would anyone have a Pebble in their shoe?”
So words and a common understanding of what they mean are both important.
A Word With Two Meanings
My understanding of the term “systemic racism” is in line with the definition of the word “systemic” when used in a non-medical sense. Racism is, after all, not a medical condition.
To me, “systemic racism” means that racism is a fundamental, or a determining essential structure or function of a given social, economic, or political system. In other words, racism is a key component to making the system, whatever that system is, function properly.
So when I hear progressives screaming about “systemic racism” I just shake my head. I wonder how anyone would try to argue that ‘racism is fundamental to making our socio-political-economic systems function properly.’ As I said, such a statement is irrational, illogical, and false.
A Different Meaning
After re-reading Ms. Huddleston’s essay a number of times, it dawned on me that she might be using the word “systemic” in line with its medical definition. If this is the case, even though I cannot agree with the logic of her arguments, I can still support her thesis statement.
Racism can be systemic in the sense that it occurs here and there throughout the country. It is still affecting life in these United States. Similarly, it can be institutional in the sense that racism probably still exists in some police departments, financial institutions, criminal justice systems, and other socio-economic systems in various locales in the U.S. If this is what Ms. Huddleston is saying then I can concur with her.
The question is, of course, just how widespread is racism today? I don’t think this is something that can be quantified. There really is no way to determine what percentage of people in this country harbor racist views. I would hazard a guess that it is not a very large number at all. Ms. Huddleston, however, may disagree. But neither viewpoint can be proven.
It is truly tragic that racial bigotry still exists in the U.S. As I said in my June 15 article:
The real problem with the systems in the U.S. is the same problem every organization or system run by human beings, including the Catholic Church, has – they are peopled by imperfect human beings who are sinners. Some of these people are just misguided, ignorant, or incompetent. And some are bigots. But, some of these people are downright uncaring and immoral.
No system run by human beings will ever be perfect because mankind is so far from perfect. We can, however, become better human beings, which in turn, will make our systems and organizations function much better. All we have to do is live our lives according to the Word of God.
Transforming America
Twelve years ago the Obama-Biden administration said they would transform America. And they did. They made us even more of a secular, less God-fearing nation than before. But only by living our lives by God’s truths can we learn to conquer hate.
Now Joe Biden, who is pro-abortion, is running for president. Kamala Harris, a Catholic hater, is his running mate. Biden and Harris staunchly support the DNC platform, a platform that aims to place man-made laws above God”s laws. Most certainly the country will become even more secular if they are elected, with political ideologies continuing to displace religion.
As I also stated in my June 15 article,
We do not need social justice warriors to tell us what we should be doing to fix things. More laws and secular progressives changing our systems in a misguided attempt to make them better are not the answers. We need better people. We need people who are not so easily swayed by the devil.
More people who are willing to forsake the things of the world and live their lives according to God’s laws are what we need. We need people who are trying their darnedest to lead virtuous lives, who are trying to become saints.
Progressive policies will not fix stupid, ignorance, or bigotry. And allowing progressive democrats to run our country will only take us further away from God. We need God back in our culture.
6 thoughts on “Is ‘Systemic Racism’ a Problem or Is It Simply Racism?”
Stabilize the family. Stop the never ending blind faith in the DNC.
End the totally unproductive crap shoot of professional sports careers.
Try these and the non existent systemic racism will truly disappear.
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Thank you, Gene. It does seem that “transforming America” is at the heart of the issue – using the past sin of racism as the wedge to break the whole system apart. But you can’t justify tearing down the entire country (what else to you call the liberal progressive dream?) when your evidence is Jim Crow laws and the like. What is the evidence of systemic racism today?
Pointing to disparate conditions of selected groups (certain black populations vs certain white populations) doesn’t cut it. One can readily point to the failed policies of Patrick Moynihan and those like-minded as the cause, as well as the simple mathematical reality of compounded interest.
I hope and expect Ms. Huddleston is reading – because, in all charity, the burden of proof (and it’s a giant burden) are on those using “systemic racism” to justify a radical change from the Christian principles that created such promise for America. I’m all ears if they can point to abundantly clear manifestations of systemic racism, because that’s the only way to identify a clear path to addressing it.
And to be sure – there is a big problem with the marginalization of many in society. No doubt about it – and the Church should be doing much more (and should have started 50 years ago). But the Christian answer doesn’t look anything like #BLM. The Christian answer looks like this – https://www.sourceofallhope.org/ (as one small example).
In the absence of evidence and clarity that comes from it, no matter how well-meaning Ms. Huddleston and others might be, they are missing the mark. Because the #BLM mindset necessarily leads to a leviathan government that exerts dominance in all areas of society and conducts widespread social engineering in the interest of mostly anti-Christian (and thus, anti-human) activities and principles.
Thanks for commenting, Steve, You make some very good points.
You cannot speak for progressives any more than you can presume (as you recently did) to speak for the soldiers who died in World War II. Could it be that progressives actually are on the same page as Ms.
Huddleston as to the word “systemic”? Or are they automatically wrong about everything?
Yes, it is possible that progressives are on the same page as Ms. Huddleston, but I am not trying to speak for them. In all charity, is it possible that you are either reading too quickly and missing key points, or that you are maybe reading with a built in bias? You seem to sometimes have a problem grasping what is being said in various articles here at CS, just as you did not understand the point of my Memorial Day article. But, to be fair, maybe it is my fault for not spelling it out simply and clearly enough for you. As I said:
“The question is, of course, just how widespread is racism today? I don’t think this is something that can be quantified. There really is no way to determine what percentage of people in this country harbor racist views. I would hazard a guess that it is not a very large number at all. Ms. Huddleston, however, may disagree. But neither viewpoint can be proven.”
Leaving out the fringe views (far left and far right), there are two generally accepted viewpoints on racism in the U.S. today. The conservative view is that while racism does still exist, it is not a huge problem but it is something we all, as individuals, still need to work on. The progressive view is that racism is a still a huge problem and we need more laws to quell racism. The problem is, however, “neither viewpoint can be proven.”