'YouCanJustSayIt':WhatWhite

AmericaCanLearnFromSouth
Africa'sBluntRaceTalk
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ByAmiFieldsMeyerPublishedMay6,2015,9:00AMEDT2475views
IhadbeeninSouthAfricaforfiveweeksbeforeIheardsomeonetrytojustifyapartheid.
ItwasatawinefestivalinthefarmingtownofPaarl,acradleofAfrikanerheritageinthewinelandsof
theWesternCape.PieterhadbeenpleasedtomeetayoungAmericanandrecountedwithnostalgiahis
manydecadeslivinginthetown.ButwhenItoldhimthatIwasinSouthAfricatostudyhistoryfora
semester,hisdemeanorturnedgrave.
Youneedtoknowthattherearetwosidestoeverystory,hesaid.Theyfoughtuswhenwegothere,
sowefoughtback.Thatshowthingshavealwaysworked.
Bythey,PietermeantthenativeSanandKhoipeoplesdisplacedandkilledoffbyearlyDutchand
BritishsettlersinSouthAfrica.Iwasjoltedawake;Idalwaysunderstoodthestoryasacategorical

moralwrong.ButIwasalsothrownbytheremarkableopennessheoffered.Therewerenobarriers.He
justtalked.
Thatwasthefirstinalongstringofcandidencounters.AtahighschoolinablacktownshipwhereI
work,15yearoldssparredoverwhetheritshouldbecompulsorytolearnEnglishevenintheirXhosa
speakingcommunity.Maybeitsnotthewayitshouldbe,butweneedittocompeteintherestofthe
world,onestudentsaid.Butwewerebornintoourownculture,andthatsallwehave,responded
another.
AndonabusbetweenDurbanandPortElizabeth,atiresalesmannamedBoyowhoidentifieshimself
asacoloured(mixedrace)SouthAfricantoldmethatwhitesstillruleSouthAfricansociety,but
thatblacks,nowreapingtheprizesoflandreformandaffirmativeactionprograms,havebeguntheir
ascent.BoyoandIhadknowneachotherfortenminuteswhenhesuggestedthatcolouredpeopleare
therealvictims.Thewhitemanrapedtheblackwomanandmadeus,hesaid.Wedontbelongto
anyone.
InSouthAfrica,racedancesunafraidinthepublicsquare.Itexistswithoutthekindofstigmathattints
andtiltsconversationsintheUnitedStates,whenwetalkaboutthelatestFergusonorBaltimore.South
Africaspastdrawnpainfullyinthecolorsofitspeopleallowslittleroomforevasiveness.
Everyoneknowswhatshappened;itstooobvioustooignore.Soinsteadofshuttingtheireyestorace,
peoplelookitstraighton,andjusttalk.
***
IvebeenstudyingabroadattheUniversityofCapeTownforthreemonths.ImJewish,male,20years
old,andwhite.Talkingaboutraceisntnewtome.Imarchedinthe#BlackLivesMatterprotestsatmy
college,EmoryUniversityinAtlanta.Ihavebeeninvolvedininterfaithandcrossculturaldialogue
initiatives,andwillgraduatenextyearwithaminorinAfricanAmericanStudies.WhenIdecidedto
spendthespringsemesterhere,IthoughtIdarriveknowingtherulesofthegame.
Iwaswrong.
IwalkdownCapeTownsMainRoadeveryday,andeachtimeI'msolicitedforfoodormoney.Once,
thepersonaskingwaswhite.Itakeaboutfivecabseachweek.Twice,mydriverwaswhite.Iwritemy
historypapersandblogarticleswhereitsmellsofespresso,andeatbrunchwheretheyservepoached
eggsonrosewoodplanks.Thewaitstaffisblack,andtheclientelelookslikeme.Themanagersare
alsowhite.
Therearesmatteringsofexception.Butonlysmatterings.
IcoachdebateatahighschoolinthetownshipofSamoraMachel.AtownshipinSouthAfricaisan
informalsettlementaslum,reallywherethehousesandmarkets,restaurantsandnailsalons,
barbershopsandbankstallsareallboxesofquiltedsheetmetal,toldapartonlyifyoucanreadtheir
paintedXhosasigns.
Thewhitepeopleintownships,volunteerslikeme,arebussedinandout.Theblackpeoplehavebeen
thereforgenerations,sincetheNationalPartygovernmentputtheirparentsandgrandparentsthere.
TherearenowhitepeoplelivinginSouthAfricantownships.ParliamentpassedtheGroupAreasAct
in1950,shuntingpeopleofgivenracialdesignationsoutoftheirlongtimehomesandintoassigned
settlementzones.JustliketherearefewwhitepeopleinthehousingprojectsofAmericanurbanareas
becausedecadesofredlining(morethanahundredyearsafterLincoln)leftAfricanAmericanswithout
valuablepropertyandunabletocompeteforlandinthehousingmarket.

ItsstillhardertobebornapersonofcolorinSouthAfricathanitistobebornwhite.Onlyaboutnine
inevery100SouthAfricannationalsarewhite.Thatninepercentownseightypercentofallwealthin
thecountry.WhitepeopleholdnearlyallseniormanagementpositionsinSouthAfrica.Blackpeople
arefivetimesmorelikelytobeunemployedthanarewhites.
ItsequallyhardtobeapersonofcolorintheUnitedStates,buttheseproportionstellthestoryofa
minoritygroupthathasremainedperenniallystuck:Just13percentofAmericansareblack.
Nonetheless,theymakeupnearly40percentofthepeoplearrestedfordrugoffenses.Theyare33
percentmorelikelytobedetainedwhilefacingfelonycharges.Theyreceive10percentlonger
sentencesthanwhitepeoplefacingidenticalchargesand,withLatinos,arethemajorityoftheinmates
intheAmericanprisonsystemthelargestintheworld.Thenetworthofwhitehouseholdsissix
timesthatofnonwhiteones.Thosenonwhitefamiliesearnabout60percentofwhatthewhite
familiesdo.
IntheUnitedStates,blackpeopleweregrantednominalcivilrightsinthe1960s,andslavesshedtheir
mastersacenturyearlier.Thosememoriesslavery,dejureracialsegregation,JimCroware
pockmarksonourpast.Thatwasthen,thisisnow.Ifweseparatethetwo,wedonthavetotalkabout
it.
InSouthAfrica,where1994isstillrawinthecollectivememory,thereisnosuchdisconnect.The
peoplestillrememberwherethescarscamefrom.Thatswhytheydealwiththem.
***
BackatmycollegeinAtlanta,overspaghettiinthekitchenofourfraternityhouse,Hugh,awhite,
liberalEpiscopalianwhograduatedfromaprestigiousprepschool,toldmehehadbeenbroughtupto
believethatyoucouldcallsomeoneJewish,butthatyoushouldneverrefertoanyoneasaJew.He
couldnttellmewhy,exactly.Justthattheishseemedlessaccusatory.Itsjustwhatyoure
supposedtodo,hesaid.IgrewupinaKosherkeepinghome;Idneverthoughttwiceaboutcalling
myselfaJew.
ButthatshowwetalkaboutethnicityandraceintheUnitedStates,eachofusonourownpersonalset
ofeggshells.ThewhiteAmericansIvemetinSouthAfricahaveatendencytolowertheirvoiceswhen
theysayblackandarereferringtopeoplewhoseancestorslivedhere(ornearhere)beforethemid
17thcentury.Itsmyowninstinct,too.EarlyoninthesemesterIaskedMenzi,alawstudentfromthe
Sowetotownship,whetherpeoplewhoarentwhitearestillatadisadvantageinhighereducation.He
smiled.
Itsokay,mate,youcanjustsayithere.Blackpeople.Hepointedtohisarm.Youmeanpeoplewho
looklikeme.
Hewasright.Myinstinctisfairlyabsurd:Itsrootedintheideathatblackpeoplehaveamonopolynot
justonthenotionofblackness,butalsoonthewordusedtodenoteit;thatitsinsultingtoeven
mentionsomeonesracialidentity;andthatwhenwedousethetermsthatdontapplytousinafull
andunselfconsciousvoice,weshouldconstructinanerulesaroundthem.Itsevasion;Menziwasonto
something.
ConservativeAmericancommentatorsoftenlambastetheregimeofpoliticalcorrectnessthatweve
mountedincontemporarypoliticallife.Dontmistakethispointforthatone.Sometimesourreticence
isjustified.Wevereachedforaheightenedsensitivityaroundlanguagetoshieldvulnerableidentities
fromabuseandtomakesurethatweretreatinghumanbeingsashumanbeings.Wesay
developmentallydisabledbecauseretardedhasbecomeanexploitedslurandisntanaccurate
descriptorofallneurologicaldisabilities.Wesayundocumentedimmigrantbecauseillegalalien
breedsaviciousstigmaagainstpeoplewho,inmanycases,areseekingrefugeinsordiddesperation.

Inthosecases,specificandaffirminglanguageisntavehiclefordodgingtheconversationsthat
matter;itoftenidentifiesthewaythingsreallyare.Butwhensensitivitycomesatthecostofhonest
conversation,itstimeforustoreconsiderthewayweredoingthings.
***
In1995,SouthAfricabeganalongconversationwithitself.ThroughTruthandReconciliation
Commissions,NelsonMandelasnascentgovernmentinvitedsurvivingvictimsofapartheidtotelltheir
storiestoacuriousglobeand,moreimportant,tothepeoplewhodcommittedthecrimes.Manyrace
relatedprogramsheldinSouthAfricatodayarestillsculptedinthespiritoftheTRCs.
ImetSaraAmerican,Jewish,andwhitelikemeinahistoryclassattheuniversity.Sheshereon
oneoftheotherstudyabroadprograms.WhenItoldheraboutaneventatUCTcalledtheWhite
PrivilegeProject,shewasgenuinelyperplexed.
WhywouldIgotothat?shesaid.Itsoundsliketheyregoingtogetabunchofpeopletogetherand
makethemfeelbadaboutbeingwhite.Ihavenointerest.
Translation:WhywouldIwanttobepartofaconversationintendedtomakemefeelguiltyabout
somethingthatisntmyfault?
Thatsameweek,amidstudentprotestsfortheremovalacampusstatueoftheBritishcolonialistCecil
JohnRhodes,Ireadanunsignedcommentonastudentfeedbackboard:Towhitepeople:sitdown
andshutup.Foronce,thisisntaboutyou.
Isatwiththecommentallday,andbroughtitupatdinnerwithNqobani,afriendfromKwaZuluNatal
whocallshimselfablackconsciousmanintheimageofSteveBiko.Hisresponsewasquickand
fluid,spokenasifitwereconventionalwisdom:Whenwhitestudentsgetinvolvedinthatmovement
especiallyprogressivewhiteswhosupportedthecauseitlegitimizesthewantsandneedsofblack
people,Nqobanitoldme.Ifawhitepersonsaysthisisaproblem,thenitsaproblem.Pointtaken.
Still,thetwocommentsmightbereadintandem:Sarawantednopartinaconversationthatmight
implicateherasawrongdoer.AndtheanonymousstudenttowhomSaramightbethewrongdoer
didntwantherthere,either.Bothapproachesshutouttheverypeoplewhooughttobein
conversation.Theyareinsularandprovincialandresignedtothestatusquo.Thecommentsarentjust
defeatist;theyreafatalisticstalemate.
***
Iftalkingaboutracemakesusqueasy,wehavetwooptions.Thefirstistoignoreracealtogether,to
considerallpoliticalquestionshousing,abortion,socialwelfare,votingoutsideofaracialcontext.
Orwecanacknowledgetheuncomfortablenatureofraceconversations,andgetoverit.
IwasborninahospitalroomoverlookingWestLosAngeles.Asateenager,Iwasonlypulledoverfor
drivingerrorsIhadactuallymade.MynearestminoritystatusmyJewishnesshasservedmewith
anetworkofprofessionalconnectionsandacommunitythatwontrestuntilIvefoundacademicand
professionalsuccess.Myparents,grandparents,andsomeofmygreatgrandparentswenttocollege,
andsodoI.
SoamIallowedtotalkabouttheinstitutionalstumblingblocksthatlieinfrontofblackfolksin
America?HaveIlicensetosuggestpolicingalternativesformajorityLatinoneighborhoodsafter
carefulandthoughtfulresearch?DoIgettosharemythoughtsonthedeathsofMikeBrownorWalter
ScottorFreddieGrayor,forthatmatter,ontheofficerswhomurderedthem?
OnthebrittleracialterrainoftheUnitedStates,notalways.

ButduringmytimeinSouthAfrica,Ivelearnedthatitspossibleandnecessarytoreframetheway
whitepeopletalkaboutraceintheUnitedStates.Wherethewoundsaredeep,theconversationshould
beopenandfrank.
ItsagoalthatwillrequirewhitepeopleintheUnitedStatestosuspendthecontrivedandconflicting
setsofrulesbywhichwevebeenplaying;thatwillaskustosayblackwhenthatswhatwemean,
andsayLatino,white,immigrant,orimpoverishedwhenthosearewhatwemean.Itwillmean
notlettingfeelingsofinsultbysomeonesunfamiliarlytowardourpreferredterminologybetheendof
aconversation,butinsteadinsistingthatitbethebeginning.
Itwillalsomeanreadingstudiesandeventsfortheirtrendsandpatterns,notscouringthemfortheir
incendiaryoutlyingexceptionsnotfallingintothetrapthatTaNehisiCoateshascalledthe
erroneouscomparisonoftheaverageAmericanwhitefamilyandtheexceptionalfirstfamily.
Forthenamelessauthorbehindsitdownandshutup,itwillmeanacknowledgingthatinspiteof
veryreal,trenchantandsystematicinjustice,anapproachbuiltonrigidinsularitythatregardsitsown
socialprotestasastandalonepieceofperformanceartwillfallshortofaccomplishingmeaningful
change.
Andforme,andthosewholooklikemeandbenefitfromabuiltinadvantage,itwillmeanknowing
andsayingthatpeoplebornnonwhitebegintheirlivesatastructuraldisadvantage,andthatupward
socialmobilityishardertocomebyforpeoplewithdarkerskinandfeaturesdifferentthanourown.
Itwillmeancommittingtothenotionthattherealitiesofracialinequalityarenotacondemnationof
whiteness.Wearenotthevictims.
SouthAfricahasmuchlefttosolve,butitspeopleareatleastwillingtofacetherecentpast.InNew
YorkCity,policeofficersturntheirbackstoamayorwhoseesthingsdifferently.InCharlestonand
Ferguson,StatenIslandandCleveland,blackmenturntheirbacksandbulletsfly.Whatwouldhappen
ifweturnedaroundandfacedeachother?
Whateversentimentexists,weshouldletitdressinplainclothes,notlurkhiddeninthepracticesof
employers,lawenforcementofficials,andourAmericaninstitutions.LastApril,inthewakeofLos
AngelesClippersownerDonaldSterlingsbigotedremarksaboutAfricanAmericanfans,Imarched
intotheofficeofmyU.S.Historyprofessorablackmanandaskedwhetherhewasangry.He
leanedbackinhischairandsmiled.No,Ami,hesaid.Lightisalwaysgood.
AmiFieldsMeyeriscofounderofTableTalk,aframeworkforconversationbetweengroupsthatwould
nototherwiseinteract.HiswritinghasappearedinTheHuffingtonPostandonTruthBeToldPolitics,
hisblogonrace,politics,andeducation.HeisajunioratEmoryUniversity.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-white-america-can-learnfrom-south-africas-blunt-race-talk