Conventional wisdom holds that racism has disappeared from the American landscape. The eradication of Jim Crow now symbolizes the defeat of the so-called race problem. However, this line of reasoning overburdens legislation with meaning and transformative power. Racial inequality has not vanished – it has simply been repackaged. In Racism Without Racists, Eduardo Bonilla-Silva (2014) argues that the overt discrimination of Jim Crow was replaced by a new racial ideology called color-blind racism.
What Is Color-blind Racism?
The notion of color-blindness explains the contradiction between persistent racial injustice and white claims that race is no longer relevant. Bonilla-Silva states that color-blindness frames “contemporary racial inequality as the outcome of nonracial dynamics”. Whereas during slavery and Jim Crow racial inequality was explained in overt biological terms, whites now reference markets and cultural shortcomings as causal mechanisms. Racism is now expressed in more socially acceptable ways. In doing so, color-blindness provides whites with a set of ready-made rationalizations to deny or deflect racial inequality.
The Four Frames of Color-blind Racism
There are four central frames of color-blind racism. Each of these frames determines the ways racial information will be interpreted.
- Abstract liberalism refers to the attempt of whites to appear reasonable and moral while opposing practical measures to alleviate racial inequality. When applying this frame, whites can beckon to the language of ‘individuals’ with ‘choices’ to justify living in segregated areas.
- Naturalization is the frame that allows whites to dismiss racial phenomena as a natural fact. This frame enables whites to advance the argument that all racial groups prefer to live among their own ‘kind.’ In short, racial inequality is dismissed as ‘the way it is’.
- Cultural racism allows whites to frame the social position of minorities in terms of culture. For example, the low standing of blacks in society is linked to arguments about out of wedlock pregnancies and deadbeat fathers.
- Minimization of racism is the frame that allows whites to dilute the importance of racial inequality. More pointedly, racism is reduced to a matter of aberrant individuals and events; thus, exonerating the system of white supremacy.
After conducting several interviews with college students, the data shows that the most utilized frame is abstract liberalism. For Bonilla-Silva, when this frame is combined with naturalization, the results are “ideologically deadly”.
Black respondents were significantly less likely to be influenced by these frames. Interestingly, blacks used every frame except minimization of racism. The implication here is that ideology is only partial, and that developing a counter-ideology to color-blind racism is possible.
Silencing Debate
Color-blind racism has an intellectual monopoly over discussions of race. Under this new racial ideology, claims of racial inequality are scandalized. Specifically, people of color are demonized as being ‘racist’ for drawing attention to their own victimization. White people, who directly or indirectly perpetuate white supremacy, can make claims of ‘reverse discrimination’. Therefore, color-blind racism eliminates opportunities to debate racial inequality, while simultaneously perpetuating racism.
Color-blind racism is a problem that presents itself as the solution.
Prompt: Transformation
October 25, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Please add to your list the many people who genuinely believe they are NOT racists. But they are. You hear it in their language. If you confront them, they are actually wounded that you would think such a thing.
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October 25, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Yes, unfortunately we all encounter folks like that.
What you are describing, though, is a chief component of ALL of the central frames: no one genuinely believes they are racist – that is why they go out of their ways to give excuses about markets, culture, etc. Everyone is in denial about it.
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October 25, 2016 at 1:30 pm
It doesn’t help that the perception of everyone’s Avatar on social media is who they want to be.
For instance if you’re on any social media outlet, you will have the best picture, the best makeup, the best (yadi yadi yadi) right? Now that avatar you created or picture is not who you as an individual is. So everything you day and respond to is calculated and is not in real time. The politically correctness of who we are supposed to be is denying so many people or exposing so many people, for who they really are. Jokes are one thing but this whole self righteous, pretentious, “I would of done this” Era is really creating problems and not helping at all. Can you make a racist joke and not be racist? Sure you can it’s part of comedy. If we are ever going to get past this sensitive era we have to acknowledge what it is. Sensitive. I can laugh when Eddie Murphy dresses up as an asain man or Jewish man but can’t laugh when someone dresses us like a black person? If the fight is for equality where is the line drawn? Maybe because my sense of humor is dark but there are plenty of folks who says thing with racial undertones who hide and there are people who are just racist. I prefer the latter. It’s hidden here in California, with this liberal culture everyone wants to believe in. Equality only benefits the majority. Sorry for ranting buy great post as always
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October 25, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Thanks!
Great point about social media. Its all about political correctness and the maintenance of appearances – even though, beneath the surface, nothing has changed.
You also make a good point about hidden liberal racism. Trump at least keeps it 100 and says Mexicans are rapists. But Hillary uses that slick liberal racist language (i.e. “diversity”, “community policing”, etc) that people do not call out.
To your point about dressing up as a member of another race – I am working on a piece about that as Halloween approaches!
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October 25, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Hahahahaha I can’t wait to read it. I’m laughing at the Hillary Clinton comment.
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October 25, 2016 at 4:30 pm
Lol.
In the spirit of Halloween, here is a bag of “treats” from Hillary Clinton to the black community because she wants our votes, LOL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njczesGlXaQ
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October 25, 2016 at 5:19 pm
Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm that’s Hella funnuly. Man we just did a podcast and we gave you a shout out and it’s funny because I’m listening to it right now as I responded to that Hillary Clinton compilation hahahahahaha
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October 25, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Word good looks for the shout. I will listen to it later (not to hear my name, I typically listen anywho).
Hill is such a fraud bro lol.
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October 25, 2016 at 5:27 pm
She is man. The sad thing is that when I think of the Internet and what it represents today, I think of a liberal (fake liberal) who is a white lady, who pretends to get upset about everything. That’s how u feel about the Internet today. Hillary Clinton is what it is hahahaha
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October 25, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Lmao dude you need to write a blog about that , that was fire! Hold up you gonna make me dig into my emojis right quick 🔥🔥🔥
“Internet As Fake, Angry White Lady” lmao
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October 25, 2016 at 5:31 pm
Hahahahahahahah hhahahahahahahhaha. Man just think about it. Picture Dave Chappelle’s (if the Internet was real skit). The Internet is a self entitled, self righteous, pretentious, arrogant, comment on everything white lady who gets offended about everything. Or who dishes it out but can’t take it. Hahahahaahhahaahhahaha
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October 25, 2016 at 5:33 pm
That is spot-on lmao. Pure gold man lol. People need to do a better job being fake offended lol
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October 25, 2016 at 4:31 pm
Just look at the first few of them, lol – the whole vid is bad but the first few were for black folks
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October 25, 2016 at 1:45 pm
“A rose by any other name…”
In South GA. they still call a rose a rose.
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October 25, 2016 at 1:47 pm
Straight up! Malcolm X used to say that Republicans bite you with a growl, and Democrats bite you with a smile. But either way, we end up in the doghouse!
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October 25, 2016 at 1:53 pm
That’s it!!!!
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November 13, 2016 at 7:33 pm
I just started a blog after seeing the disgust over social media after the election. I wanted to speak but I am a teacher and friend and was concerned over expressing my thoughts. So I created “Take the Floor” where people like me could ask questions about politics, racism, education etc and receive true, honest opinions with anonymity. As a new blogger I would love some views, comments, open questions for others on the topic. I would love that! I enjoyed reading your post.
http://www.takethefloorblog.wordpress.com
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December 9, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Exactly. Furthermore, people advocate being “colorblind” which is too another form of racism. https://jholmes90blog.wordpress.com/2016/09/23/the-colorblind-christian-the-toxicity-of-the-churchs-silence-on-racism/
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December 29, 2016 at 5:38 pm
Someone said it! Great post 🙂
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December 29, 2016 at 11:24 pm
Thank you Natalie! 😀
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December 30, 2016 at 8:22 am
Reblogged this on Black Freq Sheets.
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December 30, 2016 at 8:43 am
Thanks!
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