Racism is a difficult issue for most whites because they are not guilty of any overt offense against black individuals. For them systemic racism is a political term that doesn't resonate. They don't think about how their votes, the political candidates, and public policies they support uphold a racist system. They don't think the decisions they make as owners, managers, executives, and directors in the private and public sectors often negatively impact blacks and the communities we live in. Until we focus on institutional power we won't end systemic racism.
Systemic racism is power exercised by whites in markets, government, media, educational institutions, and nonprofits. It leads to injustices and inequalities that negatively impact black people. It is a subtle yet far reaching problem. None of this means blacks have not made significant progress, but we still lag far behind whites. Racism is not an interpersonal problem. It is how society works.
In the 1960s black activist Stokely Carmichael and scholar Charles V. Hamilton wrote: When white terrorists bomb a church and kill five black children that is an individual act of racism widely deplored by most segments of society. But, when in the same city of Birmingham, Alabama five hundred black babies die each year because of inadequate food, clothing, shelter, and thousands more are destroyed and maimed physically, emotionally, and intellectually because of poverty and discrimination in the black community is a function of institutional racism.
This is still true today more than fifty years later. Systemic racism in the marketplace means black people are less likely than whites to be hired for a job even when they are qualified. Hiring policies that seem neutral like questions about a criminal conviction on a job application hurt blacks since a disproportionate number of them have served time in prison. At the same time blacks with similar levels of education to whites still make less money than whites. Black people with the same or similar credit and income as whites are more likely to be denied a mortgage or pay a higher rate of interest than whites. This helps explain why only 44% of blacks own a home compared to 77% of whites. In government overt legal racism is not the problem. It's subtle. Consider the criminal justice system. Prosecutors are more likely to seek stiffer penalties for blacks compared to whites for the same crime. While blacks and whites use illegal drugs at the same rate blacks are more likely to go to jail than whites for possession. The recent killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police are part of a pattern. Blacks are more likely than whites to be killed in a confrontation with police. Lastly, the political and policy approach to opioid addiction among whites has meant millions of dollars in aid for treatment, recovery, and funds to rebuild devastated white communities. It has been a bipartisan Congressional effort. Politicians, the media, and activists have called for healing and compassion. When it comes to crack or heroin in black communities the response has been to arrest, convict, and imprison. Black people have been scorned and dismissed. Communities have not been rebuilt.
The mass media television, film, and internet also play a role in systemic racism presenting stereotypical, distorted, one dimensional, images of black people. When reporting crime viewers see inner city blacks being arrested. The poor and those getting government assistance are black. More importantly the experts discussing important social, economic, and technological issues are always white not black. The media tends to portray blacks as athletes and entertainers not; workers, professionals, or academics. Neither whites or blacks themselves associate blackness with leadership, intelligence, thought, hard work, or skill. Media racism contributes to ignorance, disdain, and misconceptions about blacks among whites. It encourages self hate among blacks themselves.
Many will say this is too abstract. What real harm has systemic racism done to blacks recently ? In the financially troubled mostly black city of Flint Michigan the state appointed Emergency Manager switched the water supply from Lake Huron in Detroit to the Flint River to save money. The latter was heavily polluted with lead and iron. At the same time the city stopped treating the water with chemicals that prevent contamination. Thousands of residents were poisoned including children who suffered permanent neurological damage from lead in the water. The manager appointed by the state's white governor and legislature had complete authority to overrule Flint's elected city council and mayor.
Consider the coronavirus the biggest issue facing our country and the world right now. Blacks are 13% of the US population and 23% of all COVID 19 deaths. Black and Latino healthcare workers make up a majority of those caring for patients with the virus, and they make up a majority of healthcare workers who get the virus and die. What is worse is that they are more likely not to get adequate PPE.
Blacks have made significant progress in all areas of American life. We can all be encouraged by individual successes as well. However serious problems remain and blacks lag too far behind whites almost sixty years after the Civil Rights Movement. Moreover we can't get caught up symbolic struggles over Confederate monuments or controversies related to whites saying controversial things. Racism is not an interpersonal problem in which both sides are equally to blame. It is a social problem and white people are responsible. That's a hard truth that must be confronted. When that happens we can start changing things that will make this country better for all it's people.
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