The Gray Area with Sean Illing John McWhorter thinks we're getting racism wrong
Sep 5, 2019
John McWhorter, a Columbia University English professor and Atlantic editor, presents a provocative critique of modern anti-racism, describing it as a new religion. He challenges the focus on individual racism, urging attention to systemic issues like the education system and the War on Drugs. The conversation navigates the complexities of race and language, examines the contradictions of virtue signaling, and discusses the historical context of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. McWhorter argues for genuine dialogue over performative gestures to address the realities faced by Black communities.
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The slipperiness of racial language
- Terms like "diversity" and "racism" have become slippery and detached from their original meanings.
- We continue using these terms, but their meanings have shifted, causing confusion.
Anti-racism as Religion
- "Third-wave anti-racism" goes beyond addressing bias and seeks to eliminate racism despite empirical evidence.
- It has become performative, like religious faith, hindering actual justice.
NYC Specialized High Schools
- McWhorter uses NYC's specialized high school admissions test as an example.
- He argues that abolishing the test due to racial disparities is harmful, not helpful.
