racism

I saw a show on racism today on CNN. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't earth shattering either. Paula Zahn had a number of experts on a panel, and as you might expect, they didn't agree. White people have a tendency to say that race doesn't matter, which is a sure fire way of pissing off anybody of color. Blacks and whites have different experiences in America, and sometimes it's hard for white people to accept and understand that. It's also hard for some white Americans to get their heads around the amount of symbolic power they enjoy, because to them, enjoying it is normal. And what is normal is hard to see.

During the show they talked about a Harvard University psychological test, that is said to expose inclinations to favor one race over another. The test is available online. (Click on this link, and then on 'Race IAT'.) I took it. It's interesting.

The test comes with a disclaimer: Do not take it if you are not prepared to receive uncomfortable results.