Why is it that when people debate racism, they always seem to be talking past one another? Both people might agree that racism is evil and shouldn’t exist, but can’t agree on what racism is. One side claims that police forces and banks are racist, but the other side argues that only people can be racist.
But they are talking about different things. The latter argument is about racial supremacy, which is the belief that the different races are not equal; that some are superior to others. Racial supremacy, and more specifically, white supremacy, is the cause of systemic racism, which is where a marginalised ethnic or racial group experiences prejudice and discrimination. One is a (flawed) belief system, and the other is how that belief system affects the real world.
Banks are not people; they cannot believe in things. They are just buildings. So how can a building be racist? The policies and procedures of a bank can be set by white supremacists: e.g. only give loans to white people, make it harder for black and brown people to set up checking accounts. In this way, racists can create racist systems.
Similarly, police forces are groups of people; sure, one police officer could be a white supremacist, but how could a police department “believe” something? Again, if a white supremacist has the power to create department policy, then they can inject supremacist ideas into the function of the police. A white supremacist police chief believes Black and Brown people are violent and commit more crime, and so sends more police into those neighbourhoods. A white supremacist can then give those officers arrest and ticket quotas, which requires officers to over-police those neighbourhoods to keep their jobs. While a badge or uniform cannot be racist, police still enforce racist laws and administer racist policies that hurt black and brown people.
One can imagine that, in countries (like the United States) founded by white supremacists, very many of the various systems there can be racist. Any system, be that college admissions, healthcare, voting, or insurance, can be racist if it discriminates against a marginalised group.
When speaking with someone about racism, make sure you are both on the same page with what definition of racism you are using.
Writer: Andrew Tyrell-Smith
Artwork: Zara Masood
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