There are times when it seems like our society may not be able to overcome the problems currently facing us. And then there are times when we're reminded that we haven't even solved the problems that used to be facing us. The past week was one of those times. First, anti-government hero Cliven Bundy turned out to have discussed slavery in a positive light. Then, LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling was recorded telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to the game.
No, I'm not naive enough to think that racism is over. But we've gotten used to the idea that today's racism is subtle. It's not a white boss refusing to hire a black person because the boss has a conscious belief that blacks are inferior. It's a white boss systematically passing over black applicants because they don't fit his mental picture of an ideal employee. But now Bundy and Sterling have been caught expressing rather overt distaste for African Americans.
To better explain, consider a scene from Do The Right Thing where one character mentions Magic Johnson as his favourite athlete, and Prince as his favourite musician, yet looks down on his African-American neighbours. That's what I expect from racism today: A person who's world view doesn't include the inferiority or subjugation of blacks, but has a persistent negative view of them in his everyday life. Coincidentally, Johnson is the black person that Sterling allegedly didn't want his girlfriend photographed with. So, Sterling apparently doesn't want to associate with any African-Americans, even if they're famous and successful. Or, to put it another way, this guy is more racist than the character that Spike Lee made up to represent White America's racism. That's pretty damn racist.
On the one hand, you have to wonder how much these incidents represent the modern problems of racism. As author Teju Cole tweeted, these people are just distracting society from having a more mature discussion on race.
Normally I'd agree, but I'm starting to wonder. These two don't talk in the carefully-evasive language you would expect from someone who knows his views aren't accepted in society. It makes me worry that they are used to being in situations where their views are shared. That would indicate that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
If there is an undercurrent of overt racism in the U.S., it may start to feel empowered now that they have an idea that they may be more numerous, and start to get angry at how their new figureheads are treated. We'll have to see in the coming months.
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