“The rise of Trump, then, a man who encourages mob rule at his rallies, says he will move on…”
“The rise of Trump, then, a man who encourages mob rule at his rallies, says he will move on establishing a Muslim registry, and promises to emphasize law and order in his administration ought to make clear what has always been the stakes of tackling racism in this country. The link Arendt draws between racism and terror especially rings true to me three weeks removed from Trump’s victory, not because Trump marks the reemergence of the link between racism and terror in the United States, but because Trump’s victory crystalizes the fact that the link between racism and terror in this country has never been broken, even under the watch of President Barack Obama. Think of how Muslim communities have been targeted by the FBI and CIA to stop potential terrorists before they strike. Think of all of the footage caught by video phones, dash cams, and body cameras that show police officers murdering and brutalizing black people just for existing. Think about the unjust war being waged against Native Americans who are defending their land rights in North Dakota. Racism is bad (racist views and all) not just because it limits the life chances of those marginalized, but because it produces social and economic orders that exude it and habits of race world-making that penetrate and undermine the rule of law. Taking racism seriously is a complex enterprise. It means acknowledging that racism and the social and economic order of a racist society are inextricably linked. This is the case in the United States of America. It also means realizing that racism has always been and will always be a threat to the very existence of American democracy. And yes, the racist views of Trump voters are not only significant, they are terrifying. Attempts to persuade people that these racist views can be overcome by attending to the economic despair of the white working class are equally as terrifying. For me, one thing is certain, however we move forward under these national conditions of terror, we can no longer afford to give in to common sense fallacies about racism.”
– The Significance of Overt Racism – Amor Mundi – Medium
(via dendroica)
Reposted from http://ift.tt/2hswuES.
