The Dehumanizing Condescension of White Fragility

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This article is a critique of Robin Di Angelo’s NY Times bestseller “White Fragility”.
We must consider what is required to pass muster as a non-fragile white person. Refer to a “bad neighborhood,” and you’re using code for Black ; call it a “Black neighborhood,” and you’re a racist; by DiAngelo’s logic, you are not to describe such neighborhoods at all, even in your own head. You must not ask Black people about their experiences and feelings, because it isn’t their responsibility to educate you. Instead, you must consult books and websites. Never mind that upon doing this you will be accused of holding actual Black people at a remove, reading the wrong sources, or drawing the wrong lessons from them. You must never cry in Black people’s presence as you explore racism, not even in sympathy, because then all the attention goes to you instead of Black people. If you object to any of the “feedback” that DiAngelo offers you about your racism, you are engaging in a type of bullying “whose function is to obscure racism, protect white dominance, and regain white equilibrium.”

That is a pretty strong charge to make against people who, according to DiAngelo, don’t even conceive of their own whiteness. But if you are white, make no mistake: You will never succeed in the “work” she demands of you. It is lifelong, and you will die a racist just as you will die a sinner.
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The article in question was written by an African American so I thought his thoughts were interesting.
 
josie_L said:
The article in question was written by an African American so I thought his thoughts were interesting.
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I read the article, and it is interesting. I have to go back to the book and read some more of it before I comment.
 
Concur. Just another reason to avoid the gunk on the NYT “bestseller” list. Can’t remember the last time I was actually interested in reading a current “bestseller” anyway.
I do sometimes enjoy old “bestsellers” as they are a peek into another era.
 
I got an ebook version and want to read it in paper format so I can write notes. Lots of notes.

So far, I have found interesting bits and bits I disagree with.

One problem I have is that she gives few examples of what she is talking about, and when she does, they are truncated and narrow (except the one where she mentioned someone’s hair scaring people). Maybe she only does this in the parts I have read. But that really bothers me.
 
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I’ll probably never read it, for two reasons. First, I wouldn’t want to give her any of my money, so I wouldn’t buy it. Even the edition in the library was purchased, and if I read it, the library might feel the need to buy another one. I’m not likely to find a copy sitting on top of a pile of stuff in a dumpster. So availability is a problem for me.

My other reason is that it sounds like drivel and I don’t have the time for it.
 
Do I need to read it now? Or can I wait till it’s in the library so I can borrow it?
 
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Ridgerunner said:
Even the edition in the library was purchased, and if I read it, the library might feel the need to buy another one.
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josie_L said:
I’ll wait till I can borrow it from a library.
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The e-copy I am reading is from the library–that is why I can’t take notes :sad:

I think it is one of those books that will have a lot of holds on it, or maybe that’s just around here.
 
My definition of a good neighborhood is one where neighbors watch out for each other and cooperate with police if they see a neighbor being victimized.

If the neighbors will not cooperate with police in the investigation of a crime against a neighbor, you live in a bad neighborhood.
 
Here is a YouTube review of White Fragility from a liberal tuber. Tell me if you concur:

 
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Question, if the author believes we are inherently racist, how do you change what is inherent to your nature?
 
josie_L said:
Question, if the author believes we are inherently racist, how do you change what is inherent to your nature?
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That is a great question, but way to complicated for the twitterverse. Twitter is great for claims, but not so good for explanations or solutions.
 
Apparently, not even Jesus can heal us from the inherent racism in our souls.
 
josie_L said:
Question, if the author believes we are inherently racist, how do you change what is inherent to your nature?
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We are inherently sinful.

Racism is just one in a long line of inherent flaws.
 
But she’s saying we can’t change our “inherent racism”.

That’s not the Christian message of redemption and sanctification.

It is its exact polar opposite.
 
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