"The Good News They Won’t Tell You About Race in America," by @wil_da_beast630 in @Commentary:
"In 2021 America, it is not, objectively speaking, extraordinarily hard for a person of any skin tone to 'make it'."
A thread for non-subscribers.
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"In 2021 America, it is not, objectively speaking, extraordinarily hard for a person of any skin tone to 'make it'."
A thread for non-subscribers.
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https://twitter.com/JohnHMcWhorter/status/1375842122490916867
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"Seven of the wealthiest eight ethnic groups in the U.S. today are populations of color, even as affirmative action broadly defined serves as a counterbalance to much of the residual bigotry within society.
"Seven of the wealthiest eight ethnic groups in the U.S. today are populations of color, even as affirmative action broadly defined serves as a counterbalance to much of the residual bigotry within society.
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"In the real world, simply adjusting mathematically for mundane characteristics such as median age and study time closes almost all of the large racial—and gender—performance gaps glibly attributed to bigotry or genetics.
"In the real world, simply adjusting mathematically for mundane characteristics such as median age and study time closes almost all of the large racial—and gender—performance gaps glibly attributed to bigotry or genetics.
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"In the real world, the biggest threat to racial comity today may well be not actual bigotry or conflict but rather the false promotion of narratives about racial conflict that verge on conspiracy theory.
"In the real world, the biggest threat to racial comity today may well be not actual bigotry or conflict but rather the false promotion of narratives about racial conflict that verge on conspiracy theory.
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"Obviously, racism does exist in the 21st-century US, and no-nonsense folks on the right and in the center need to state this openly. This is not a matter of speculation: Multiple skilled researchers have documented the extent of contemporary bias.
"Obviously, racism does exist in the 21st-century US, and no-nonsense folks on the right and in the center need to state this openly. This is not a matter of speculation: Multiple skilled researchers have documented the extent of contemporary bias.
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"The Civil War and the civil-rights movement are over, and the good guys won both. Back in 1954, the Brown v. Board decision brought an end to at least legal de jure segregation, with the government’s writ being enforced, often by armed might.
"The Civil War and the civil-rights movement are over, and the good guys won both. Back in 1954, the Brown v. Board decision brought an end to at least legal de jure segregation, with the government’s writ being enforced, often by armed might.
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"In '64, the Civil Rights Act made most forms of discrimination illegal. Affirmative action has been law since the Philadelphia Plan in '67. Such programs recently turned 53 years old—& it is remarkable how rarely this fact is used as rebuttal to claims of 'white privilege.'
"In '64, the Civil Rights Act made most forms of discrimination illegal. Affirmative action has been law since the Philadelphia Plan in '67. Such programs recently turned 53 years old—& it is remarkable how rarely this fact is used as rebuttal to claims of 'white privilege.'
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"Largely as a result of these historical changes to the structure of our society, people of color are successful in modern America to an almost surprising degree, which is rarely discussed—for different reasons—by either the “social-justice” left or contemporary hard right.
"Largely as a result of these historical changes to the structure of our society, people of color are successful in modern America to an almost surprising degree, which is rarely discussed—for different reasons—by either the “social-justice” left or contemporary hard right.
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"As of 2019, seven of the top 10 American ethnic groups in income terms—Indian, Taiwanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Persian, & Arab Lebanese Americans—were 'people of color,' while an 8th group (South Africans) is composed of both black and white individuals.
"As of 2019, seven of the top 10 American ethnic groups in income terms—Indian, Taiwanese, Filipino, Indonesian, Persian, & Arab Lebanese Americans—were 'people of color,' while an 8th group (South Africans) is composed of both black and white individuals.
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"First-place Indian Americans have almost double the median white household income, earning roughly $127K vs. $66K on avg for legacy whites. Chinese & Japanese Americans are not far behind, while Nigerians brought in $68K & also ranked as the most educated group in the US.
"First-place Indian Americans have almost double the median white household income, earning roughly $127K vs. $66K on avg for legacy whites. Chinese & Japanese Americans are not far behind, while Nigerians brought in $68K & also ranked as the most educated group in the US.
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"West Indians ($65K) are just a few $$ behind whites. This fact may say more than any other about the effect of anti-black racism. West Indian English-speakers...look & sound almost exactly like black Americans: Bigots are unlikely to put prejudices aside when they meet one.
"West Indians ($65K) are just a few $$ behind whites. This fact may say more than any other about the effect of anti-black racism. West Indian English-speakers...look & sound almost exactly like black Americans: Bigots are unlikely to put prejudices aside when they meet one.
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"The relevant question for scholars & public intellectuals today is not whether racism remains real (yes), but how large its effect actually is in a 39% minority society where 92% of white people appear not to be serious bigots. The honest answer appears to be: 'not huge.'
"The relevant question for scholars & public intellectuals today is not whether racism remains real (yes), but how large its effect actually is in a 39% minority society where 92% of white people appear not to be serious bigots. The honest answer appears to be: 'not huge.'
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"These data about the success of Nigerian & East Indian & West Indian businesspeople pose an existential challenge to the idea of systemic racism, at least in the formulation proposed by thinkers such as Ibram X. Kendi. The thesis of the 'systemic racism' school is that...
"These data about the success of Nigerian & East Indian & West Indian businesspeople pose an existential challenge to the idea of systemic racism, at least in the formulation proposed by thinkers such as Ibram X. Kendi. The thesis of the 'systemic racism' school is that...
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"...what seem to be facially neutral systems within society (academic testing, etc.) must be laced thru w/ real if sometimes hard-to-find prejudice (implicit bias, etc.) because there is no other way to explain the gaps between groups that these processes often produce.
"...what seem to be facially neutral systems within society (academic testing, etc.) must be laced thru w/ real if sometimes hard-to-find prejudice (implicit bias, etc.) because there is no other way to explain the gaps between groups that these processes often produce.
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"Income gap btw Amer blacks & whites (avg African-Amer income is $44K) largely vanishes given simple adjustments for variables such as aptitude, test scores, median age (most common age for an African Amer is 27 v. 58 for whites), region of residence, & years of education.
"Income gap btw Amer blacks & whites (avg African-Amer income is $44K) largely vanishes given simple adjustments for variables such as aptitude, test scores, median age (most common age for an African Amer is 27 v. 58 for whites), region of residence, & years of education.
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"I have administered a popular scale purporting to measure 'privilege' to several 100 students & volunteers. Race did have an effect on 'privilege'—about 2 points w/ all else held constant—but this paled in comparison to the effects of sex, sexual orientation,...
"I have administered a popular scale purporting to measure 'privilege' to several 100 students & volunteers. Race did have an effect on 'privilege'—about 2 points w/ all else held constant—but this paled in comparison to the effects of sex, sexual orientation,...
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"...religious-minority status, and particularly family income. The results of this one test suggest that roughly 70% of 'privilege' appears to be pure social class.
[S]imply waiting until marriage to have children is a positive predictor of multiple 'success variables,'...
"...religious-minority status, and particularly family income. The results of this one test suggest that roughly 70% of 'privilege' appears to be pure social class.
[S]imply waiting until marriage to have children is a positive predictor of multiple 'success variables,'...
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"...including income. [I]n 2016, the poverty rate was nearly 25% for white children born into single-mother families, but only 7% for black children born into two-parent families. This is a 314% advantage in favor of blacks.
"...including income. [I]n 2016, the poverty rate was nearly 25% for white children born into single-mother families, but only 7% for black children born into two-parent families. This is a 314% advantage in favor of blacks.
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"In the real world where such dull facts can be empirically verified, the biggest threat to white–minority relations in '21 is probably not actual ethnic conflict.
Instead, today’s biggest threat may well be the ceaseless promotion of a false narrative of constant conflict.
"In the real world where such dull facts can be empirically verified, the biggest threat to white–minority relations in '21 is probably not actual ethnic conflict.
Instead, today’s biggest threat may well be the ceaseless promotion of a false narrative of constant conflict.
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"Many Americans believe very unusual & dangerous things about the current state of race relations. A recent report...found that 31% of individuals who identify politically as very liberal believe that 'about 1,000' unarmed black men were killed by police just during 2019...
"Many Americans believe very unusual & dangerous things about the current state of race relations. A recent report...found that 31% of individuals who identify politically as very liberal believe that 'about 1,000' unarmed black men were killed by police just during 2019...
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"...and another 14% believe that 'about 10,000' such men were killed. To put these astonishing figures in context, the total number of specifically unarmed, specifically black citizens killed by American police during the year in question was 13, as per the Washington Post.
"...and another 14% believe that 'about 10,000' such men were killed. To put these astonishing figures in context, the total number of specifically unarmed, specifically black citizens killed by American police during the year in question was 13, as per the Washington Post.
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"Similar extreme confusion surrounded perceptions of the percentage of police-shooting victims who happen to be black: This number was estimated at 60% by leftists & extreme liberals, 56% by liberals, 46% by moderates, and 38% even by conservatives.
"Similar extreme confusion surrounded perceptions of the percentage of police-shooting victims who happen to be black: This number was estimated at 60% by leftists & extreme liberals, 56% by liberals, 46% by moderates, and 38% even by conservatives.
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"The actual figure...seems to be about 25%. When our fellow citizens riot and burn whole cities, or left and right fight viciously in the streets, the passions driving this regrettable violence are literally more likely to stem from fiction and fantasy than fact.
"The actual figure...seems to be about 25%. When our fellow citizens riot and burn whole cities, or left and right fight viciously in the streets, the passions driving this regrettable violence are literally more likely to stem from fiction and fantasy than fact.
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"That perfectly sums up the dualistic nature of race relations in America today. The real picture itself is quite favorable, if we can just manage to clean all the thrown muck off the canvas long enough to get a good look at it and appreciate it."
"That perfectly sums up the dualistic nature of race relations in America today. The real picture itself is quite favorable, if we can just manage to clean all the thrown muck off the canvas long enough to get a good look at it and appreciate it."
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To reiterate: what @wil_da_beast630 reports here is *good news*. It doesn't mean there's no work left to do. There is. But if you're angry when you hear this sort of good news, please search yourself for *why* that might be.
Read the whole article:
commentarymagazine.com/articles/wilfr…
To reiterate: what @wil_da_beast630 reports here is *good news*. It doesn't mean there's no work left to do. There is. But if you're angry when you hear this sort of good news, please search yourself for *why* that might be.
Read the whole article:
commentarymagazine.com/articles/wilfr…
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