Reply to The cultural and racial lens under which we process and understand atrocities

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Reply to "The cultural and racial lens under which we process and understand atrocities"

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[quote=Anonymous]There is an evolutionary theory about racism.  Fearing black people irrationally is sometimes an unconscious bias developed as an extension of the survival instinct.  In the savannah, it was imperative to recognize a danger and immediately activate the fight or flight response.  If you saw a tiger, you didn't want to wait to find out if it was hungry or full from a just finished meal.  You just get away from danger first and ask questions later.

This has been theorized to explain police violence and brutality, people crossing the street when seeing a black person, or following black people in stores.

The key is that this is an irrational, unconscious bias.

From the point of view of whites, it isn't a conscious act of racism.

From the point of view of blacks, it is ongoing bias, oppression, unfairness and marginalization.

When unconscious bias and willful racism come together, and whites and blacks don't communicate but become more insular, the ingredients for an explosive situation ensue.

I believe that I am a white liberal individual, but when I went shopping for a home, I didn't consider all homes or neighborhoods.  I ruled out neighborhoods with poor schools, high crime rates, and predominantly black.

Was I biased?  I think I was.  And by my actions, I took my tax dollars to a neighborhood that didn't need it most.  I struggle with this and sometimes wonder whether I don't care as much about my fellow (wo)man as much as I would like.[/quote]

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