Friday, October 5, 2007

Furthermore

Having dismissed all her critics as the patriarchy, Megan is now free to opine further on race. Of course, you might be thinking that someone who's shown questionable judgment regarding racially charged issues in the past might not be in a position to provide a balanced look at a difficult topic. And, you'd be right.

In the comments to the previous thread, Freddie said something that got me thinking. Part of the problem with talking about race and gender in America is the definition of racism and sexism. Most of us use a working definition of racism and sexism that is something like "Holding (bad) false beliefs about racial minorities and women". But if that is our definition, everyone is going to fail a racism/sexism self-check: no one believes that their own beliefs are false. I'm sure that Tom Metzger's disciples mostly believe that their views about blacks are absolutely true, and therefore not racist.
You see, Megan knows she has "(bad) false beliefs about racial minorities", but that doesn't mean she has racial biases. Those of us who don't harbor false beliefs about "racial minorities" are simply fooling ourselves, we're all just as bad as Megan, but since she knows it, and is a noted expert on..... um, anyway, since she knows it she can teach the rest of us.
This is why many feminists prefer to focus on institutional outcomes rather than how you, a successful member of the patriarchy, feel about things. The problem is, institutional outcomes have many possible determinants; even if there were no institutional discrimination at all, pregnancy would make outcomes different, in ways that are harder to make justice claims for remedy than cases of straight bigotry. But the other extreme doesn't work either.
I.... cannot parse this chunk into a coherent thought. Which extreme(s)? When did every member of the patriarchy become successful, and start reading her blog? What about black women?
In any case, remember, we're all racist and sexist at heart, because otherwise Megan would have to admit to having some questionable beliefs, and have to face her own failings. Is it too much to ask for you to find some hate or fear in your heart so that poor Megan won't feel bad for the share she has in her own?

2 comments:

Tom Metzger said...

what are Metzger's views on blacks? Tom Metzger

M. Bouffant said...

I'd have to bet this isn't the infamous Metzger, if it's a Tom Metzger at all. I don't think "blacks" is in his lexicon.