A discussion of proposals for reparations to the black community for the injustices of slavery, and an alternative proposal. Part One: How to make white America comprehend and come to grips with the legacy of slavery? Is this a necessary precondition to dealing with, and perhaps ending, current institutionalized racism, segregated housing, school and employment patterns, and … [Read more...] about Symposium: The Reparations Question (July-August 1994 P&R Issue)
Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
(Click here to view the entire P&R issue) The question "Is racism permanent?" resembles a Zen koan, one of those provocative questions the master would pose to the disciple. If the student quickly answered either yes or no, the master would give a brusque reply, signaling that the neophyte had failed to ponder the matter deeply. In our case, while the dominant (white) … [Read more...] about Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
Early on, I believed that were we to rid the world of railroad tracks, "racism" would disappear. The daily crossing to "the other side of town" to receive a Catholic schooling was an education in itself. I failed to understand "racism" upon graduating from middle school, when my mother offered her prophetic wisdom that my white Catholic school friends would abandon me for other … [Read more...] about Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
Is Racism Permanent?(November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
As a Jewish woman who grew up in a diverse multi-racial, multi-ethnic community and who has spent her professional career serving those communities, I have come to believe that racism is not an immutable characteristic of American life. Much of my career has been devoted to developing better understanding and bridging gaps between people of different racial and ethnic … [Read more...] about Is Racism Permanent?(November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
There is a growing sense within the minority community that the condition of African Americans has not improved and, worse still, that it will not get any better. An increasing number of minority thinkers voice this sentiment. Indeed one scholar, whom I greatly respect, has not only stated that racism is a permanent fixture on the American landscape, but that equality itself … [Read more...] about Is Racism Permanent? (November-December 1993 P&R Issue)
