We Baby Boomers have lived the gamut of racial iterations. From civil disobedience to urban infernos to Molotov cocktails, from KKK to Black Panthers to Skin Heads, from peaceful marches and unifying fire and brimstone speeches, to fire hoses, tear-gas and German shepherd attack dogs. Many of us were in grammar school during the Civil Rights era and in high school or college when race riots and unrest blazed across college campuses and major cities in the North and South. And we were just coming of age when Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X were killed.
It seems that all of a sudden, after being baptized by fire (literally) in cities and on college campuses and singing pop songs that didn’t just rap, but preached and proselytized, we were somehow lulled to sleep in our corporate or nonprofit jobs. Those moral and ethical compasses of music and dissension were traded for mind-numbing and socially deceiving “diversity” training. We responded like the nation of sheep that we are. In no time, most of what was supposed to be open and transforming discussion about the messed up muck of white racism against African Americans in this country got trumped by women’s rights and further diluted with the concerns of everybody else’s disenfranchisement. And I mean everybody.
I remember a water-cooler conversation with a white guy on my job, who was of European descent. He went on and on about the historical violence of one group of Europeans against another, and I thought, “I’ll never explain to this guy that when he and I walk into the same job interview, the fact that he’s white gives him an advantage, even if he’s as dumb as a rock.” He’ll spend the first 20 minutes establishing that he’s as dumb as dirt, because the interviewer will have trouble believing it; and I’ll spend the first 20 minutes proving that I’m not, because the interviewer will expect me to be.
One of the funniest skits I ever saw on Saturday Night Live was when Dan Akroyd and some other well-groomed, corporate-looking white guys in business suits were on a fictitious talk show demanding that white men need to have their rights acknowledged, too – that they just wanted to be heard as white men, and were tired of being overlooked and ignored. It was hilarious! The minority melting pot had raised enough steam to cloud even white male dominance, and they were suddenly the ones pushed to the margins.
The point is that as a nation, we never got around to fixing the lingering problem between African Americans and white people – not outside the church and certainly not inside the church. No wonder so many of the most prejudiced people are adamant that they are not racist. They thought that getting paid to sit through mandatory sensitivity training of a sort would heal them of all hatred and disdain. They thought all they had to do was learn to be curious and nice. How sadly naïve.
I am a white male, and I appreciate what you have to say here. I've heard this before, and I don't pretend that it isn't true. But I took it to a black friend of mine who is well-spoken and clean cut (although not necessarily the smartest guy). He adamantly denied this and said that he could get any job over a white man of equal or somewhat better qualifications, simply because corporations are looking for a black man, to 'show that they are diverse' and probably to meet some HR quota they have.
ReplyDeleteNow, again, I know that's not right in itself, but my black friend very strongly believed that reverse discrimination is more prevalent than is acknowledged, again most likely for the wrong reasons. Is it possible that the issue in a lot of cases is how someone looks or sounds, more than the quality of the thinker/thoughts/words themselves?
Maybe that's what you're saying above. But it goes both ways, at least in some cases, I believe. I have intelligent, white friends who have beards or long hair and it's not 'corporate' enough for some companies. Let me reiterate that I have NO idea what it's like to be black and go into an interview. I just thought I'd give a thought and hope that you can continue to educate me and help broaden my perspective! Thanks.
The relevant factors are: what geographic area is he in - meaning are there slim pickens in black human resources in general? And does he have the full combination of dark, dark skin, naturally coarse, kinky hair, a wide, flat nose, and thick lips? These answers would "color" my response.
ReplyDeleteIronically, I've also found that black intelligence and competence can be intimidating, and hence detrimental in an interview. Maybe you and your friend are on to something: the last thing a large corporation wants is a black man expecting to crack the glass ceiling, or - heaven forbid - become a peer. Instead, they just wanna fill the spot/quota knowing that he cannot, and will not make waves. I can understand that. If he's "not the smartest guy" he's safe. Our President is a perfect (opposite) example.
And if your white friends shave and get a haircut, unless they really blow the interview, they have an easy headstart.