10 Step Program to Deal With Racism

I was looking at ways that different communities, organizations, and political parties have come up with to end racism. Well, not end it of course. But maybe deal with it. Specifically I was looking at x-step programs. I must say, they were a bit of an eye opener.

Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone outlined a ten step program for the city to end racism:

1. Declaring a local state of emergency officially deeming systemic racism a threat to public health and safety.
2. Establishing an independent, civilian oversight structure of the Somerville Police Department with membership representative of the community’s diversity.
3. etc

You don’t really have to read them. Why is it that Americans like declaring a State of Emergency? And how can racism be an emergency? It’s been going on for centuries and will continue for centuries.

Next one on Valley News:

1. Acknowledge the challenges faced by the Black and African American community.
2. Conduct a “listen and understand” town hall with ideas crowdsourced from team members across the organization
3. etc

Basically, “It’s a black problem and we’ll try to understand the problem you have.”

And another by a university president:

1. Invite discussion for action with a diverse group of leaders and voices to meet regularly with senior leadership and myself. 
2. etc

Basically a ten step plan for discussion about what us non-racists can do to deal with the racists, of which none are in this room of course.

Then a better one based on the AA 12 step plan:

1. I have come to admit that I am powerless over my addiction to racism in ways I am unable to recognize fully, let alone manage.

This one is an improvement, in that it aims at people who want to change. My problem with it is that racism isn’t alcohol. Racism isn’t really a drug of dependence or an escape from the world. It’s more of a perspective on the world.

Then I found a good one:

1. We admitted that we had been socially conditioned by the ideology of white supremacy—that our minds were subject to racial biases, often unconsciously so.
2. We came to believe that we could embrace our ignorance as an invitation to learn

They had me until:

We acknowledge that we, as white people, will never know what it feels like to walk in the world as a person of color.

As if white people have a monopoly on racism. True, when we are in the majority we’re good at it, but when there’s another racial majority in control, we could stop and take notes.

And before you judge me, which of course you will, I do know a bit about racism.

1. I’ve been subject to racist remarks, racism in the workplace, and prejudice at school. Probably not as much as the average black kid, but I’ve seen the bad side of it.
2. On many occasions I’ve overtly benefited from white privilege. That’s to say, I was essentially told that I’m getting some benefit because I’m white. I’ve had this in several countries, including Korea and Australia. I’ve no doubt benefited from white privilege on many other occasions that I didn’t notice.
3. My younger brother reminded me that I used to blatantly racist. I didn’t think I was at the time, but in retrospect, yeah, I was. I’m not now. At least not very much for a white man.

So here’s my Ten Steps to Deal With Racism

1. Admit that you have racial prejudices. And while you are at it, admit that you are prejudiced against members of the other sex, followers of other religions, and nationals of other countries. Yes, even Americans. (I admit that last one specifically)
2. When you are impressed or disappointed in someone, ask yourself how you would feel if they were Nigerian, Canadian, white, or Jewish. It can be quite enlightening to discover that you are racist in some situations and not others.
3. Ask other people what you do that seems most racist. The key here is “most.” Don’t ask people if they think you are racist — I’ve done that and it’s the moral equivalent of an ostrich putting his head in the sand.
4. Recognize that everyone else has their own prejudices, be they racist, sexist, nationalist, or even political. They may even see you as racist. Don’t challenge them. Just refer them to TheOstrichHead.com.
5. Pray to the right god. If you find that your god is the same gender, race, and sexual orientation as you are, try shopping around for other gods until you find one who is a mix of Asian, black, white, gay, and republican. Remember, man made god in his own image. Create a new image.
6. Look at each person you meet as your superior in some way. This isn’t just philosophy. If you are reading this, then trust me, everyone is superior to you in some way. Objectively superior. I don’t know anyone who isn’t better than me in some way,
7. Recognize how people are superior to you in ways that you care about. I don’t mean telling a woman she’s sexier than you, or a guy he’s stronger than you. But it can be something as simple as they way they walk, their use of language, or how they treat people. Telling them helps you be modest, as well as helping them have a good day.
8. Recognize how you are superior to some people you meet. This isn’t just self aggrandizing. It is important because it is harder than you think. And if you can only find a couple of ways you are superior to someone, you probably aren’t overall their superior.
9. Accept that a certain percentage of the population is stupid. Statistically, this applies to all races, all sexes, and all nationalities. Especially Americans (I already admitted to this prejudice).
10. Accept that you are one of the stupid ones. Probably not all the time, and not about every subject, but we all have our stupid moments. So do you. If you can accept you are stupid some of the time, you can also accept you are wrong some of the time. You don’t have to admit it to your husband though.

The obvious problem here is that it could only realistically be used by people who are willing to accept that they have unconscious prejudices. Still, if we could force everyone who claims not the be racist (i.e. everyone in politics and everyone on Fox News for starters) then it would make politics and the news more palatable.

Right now, no politicians can admit to racism, even though we know they all are. Imagine a world where people could openly admit to their own prejudices.

It applies equally to everyone by the way, irrespective of your skin color, sexual orientation, gender, age, or IQ.

It’s a long climb out of denial, and these ten steps won’t get us there, but they could get a few of us to open our eyes.