A question that came up in another group...

[Binkie The Clown]

A white child raised in the deep south in a family of strongly racists parents, attending a school surrounded by strongly racist classmates, and steeped in the culture of racism... etc.

Is that child a victim of institutionalized racism?

He certainly is a willing adherent of racism.

Does his being a willing adherent make him right?

Does his being a willing adherent make him any less a victim?

Does his being a will adherent of racism make us elitist for saying that he is a victim of racism?

Does any of that make it wrong for us to condemn racism? Or to feel sorry for him as a hapless victim of his racists upbringing?

[TreasonousBastard]

1. He is not a "willing adherent" until he is able...

to make a choice. Having never been exposed to other views he never had a choice to make. He very likely never knew there was any other way.

And that would, in our modern culture, make him somewhat of a victim.

But, as he grows and sees the wider world, he sees there are choices to be made. His childhood make it difficult to acknowledge that, but a large part of the problem is how we address his learned racism. He requires a certain amount of "reprogramming", but who does it, and how is it done?

This is a problem with no easy answers.

[elleng]

2. Yes.

Thank you, TreasonousBastard.

[bettyellen]

3. Depends on his own actions- is he happily hurting others?

That is the first and most significant question.