Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Racism Is Everywhere

The Supreme Court has struck down portions of the Voting Rights Act, and much being written thereabout. A good deal of it deals with the question "Is racism dead in the U.S.?" The short answer is no ... not here, not anywhere.

I doubt whether there is any multi-racial or multi-ethnic society of any size anywhere in the world where racism is dead. Absent evidence to the contrary, I take as my working hypothesis that racism is an unattractive part of the basic human condition. As such it cannot be eradicated, only managed.

The nullified portions of the Voting Rights Act alleged that racism was a particular problem in one part of the U.S., an allegation that is almost certainly wrong today, if not when the law was enacted.