Michel's Rules for Racial Dialogue
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People, people, people. Thanks so much for weighing in on my commentary yesterday. I appreciate the kudos, and the occasional brickbat.
But some of you folks just make me go, huh?
Let's go back to Michel's Rules for Racial Dialogue ...
RULE 1: When black people mention race, it does NOT mean they are calling all white people racist, or some white people racist ... or even any particular person racist. (Now, some people are racist. Can we all just admit that?) But the point is that race sometimes has implications and effects that are unconscious, or unintentional, but which are, nevertheless, deeply rooted and ongoing. And those effects have consequences for some people that they might need or want to talk about.
Think of it this way: breast cancer attacks people of different races at different rates, and the mortality rates are different. Does it mean that cancer is racist? Does it mean that all blacks who get cancer are victims of racism? More to the point, it's a question and it's a problem. So one wants to ask, what's going on to cause these different outcomes?
The fact that folks might wish to consider race as an issue does not mean they are drawing a conclusion, but often, rather, raising a question. Do we have to get so defensive?
... Which speaks to the next rule.
RULE 2: White people belong to a race, too, which means that white people should be included in conversations about race. They are allowed to notice things. They have a right to their perceptions, and their perceptions are relevant.
I know it's a source of irritation, and perhaps pain, to many minorities that for most whites in this country "the race conversation" feels optional, and minorities don't feel they have that "luxury." But, that's another issue. It is what it is. You can't become what you can't abide, which is someone who is deaf to other people's reality.
RULE 3: A fact is a fact, and an opinion is an opinion. Know the difference, and own your own stuff. This means if something's your opinion, you're entitled to it. But not your own facts.
RULE 4: Sometimes we don't know what we don't know, which means there are aspects of other people's life experience that we are not always going to understand.
Let's do each other the honor of asking and the favor of listening.
RULE 5: Civility always works. Need I say more?
Speaking of facts, there's an intriguing piece in The Washington Post that caught my eye. It offers an explanation of why blacks and whites so often see race issues differently. It suggests that whites tend to have a much rosier picture of the circumstances of blacks than blacks do, but when whites are presented with more information their point of view changes. It also cites research showing that whites and blacks tend to use different yardsticks to measure racial equality, but when they are asked to use the same yardstick they arrive at similar conclusions.
So, that's what I have to say, thanks for letting me know what you have to say.
As for the people who are writing in to say that this program is tilted toward one candidate or another, I just have to laugh. I know this is a hard fought campaign but really, people, really.
We've had on Sens. Hillary Clinton AND Barack Obama. We've tried getting Sen. John McCain many times, but you'd have to hear a whole conversation about the politics of who gets to have on which guests at NPR to understand why we have not had our chance. Plus, we have balanced political conversations every week in our political chat.
Some of our newsmaker guests have included: former Counselor to the President, Karl Rove; former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (a Clinton supporter); former Secretary of the Army Cliff Alexander (an Obama supporter); Sen. Debbie Stabenow (a Clinton supporter); Rep. Xavier Becerra (an Obama supporter) Rev. Hershel York (a Huckabee supporter) and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (now head of GOPAC, which works to elect GOP candidates).
As it happens, most of our guests have not endorsed a candidate (that's why we invite them as our guests).
So please, these assumptions are lame, as is the complaining by some listeners when we have on guests whose opinions differ from theirs. Sorry, it does not work that way. We cannot exist as an echo chamber.
And, finally, did you check out my beat box lesson?
I know, keep my day job.
4:23 PM ET | 03-27-2008 | permalink
