Ways of Thinking...: 2013-12-15

After looking at explicit and implicit racism and acknowledging white privilege in the US, it should come as no surprise that minority groups face very difficult challenges, especially black US citizens. For example, nearly 1 out of 3 black males in the US will go to prison. Also, although there are far many more whites in poverty than blacks, black US citizens are living in poverty in a much higher percentage than whites - 28% of black compared to only 15% of whites. In terms of joblessness, the black unemployment rate is twice that of whites.

Some people argue that these statistics are why racial policies are needed to help provide balance in a society that is full of racism. For example, in education, black students score lower than all other races. See this chart from the ACT:

There are numerous reasons for this. First, the test may be culturally biased. For example, here is just one sentence from one question;

The kids who hung around the community center
liked Abshu, because he never preached and it
20clear that when they spoke he listened; so he could zero
in on the kid who had a real problem.

In this sentence there are at least three examples of cultural interpretations on language that is not necessarily taught in school: 1) "hanging around", 2)"preaching about it", and 3)"zeroing in". The meanings of these slang terms might mean different things to different groups of people, specifically, they might be difficult for a black child from an impoverished neighborhood to discern. Similarly, if a white suburban kid tried to take a test written by impoverished black children, it would be very difficult for the white kids. Here is an example, called The Chitling Test.

Similar to education, US citizens who are perceived as black face discrimination in the workplace as well. There was a study done by the Chicago Urban League which found that resumes that are exactly the same will get less call backs for interviews if the name on the resume sounds black. Here is a CBS news report about the study. You can download the whole study here but here is the abstract of the study:

We study race in the labor market by sending fictitious resumes to help-wanted ads in Boston and Chicago newspapers. To manipulate perceived race, resumes are randomly assigned African-American- or White-sounding names. White names receive 50 percent more callbacks for interviews. Callbacks are also more responsive to resume quality for White names than for African-American ones. The racial gap is uniform across occupation, industry, and employer size. We also find little evidence that employers are inferring social class from the names. Differential treatment by race still appears to still be prominent in the U. S. labor market.

Note that whites received fifty percent more call backs! Fifty! And the discrimination was apparent regardless of occupation - both high income and low income jobs, and the study notes that the discrimination exists even in government jobs where legally, there is a requirement to not discriminate based on race.

¢Z􏰻 􏰻􏰩 􏰥6 􏰱􏰿 􏰥 ́􏰩􏰺 􏰭􏰾􏰰􏰹 􏰷􏰸3􏰬 􏰷􏰸 􏰧􏰎 􏰽! 􏰻􏰎 􏰷􏰸 􏰲s 􏰻" 􏰲l 􏰪s􏰶􏰪 􏱀l 􏰧􏰎 􏰪􏰣\􏰶􏱀􏰣a 􏰷􏰸 􏰥~ 􏰹l􏰙􏰹􏰾􏰭Z􏰽􏰸􏰷 􏰧􏰎~􏰥.􏰬 3LË􏰹 􏰭􏰣 􏰽~ 􏰷􏰳 􏰧􏰩 􏰨􏰫L3 􏰥􏰩􏰧􏰪X3􏰬1⁄4􏰹􏰿􏰷􏰲)Z􏰥􏰎􏰺􏰭􏰡~􏰽􏰪s􏰸􏰱􏰻°􏰧«~􏰥􏰣¬􏰪􏰡􏰸􏰱l􏰦􏰬.~􏰥 ́􏰺􏰭􏰡􏱀Q􏰩􏰺􏰲)􏰰􏰹􏰰􏰯􏰞􏰥¥£\ ̄􏰪􏰰􏰣a􏰣􏰭􏰽~􏰷􏰳l􏱀©􏰘p􏰹ÁÀ¢􏰒􏰻~«􏰧􏰥~X¬􏰪􏰡􏰱􏰿􏰦􏰰􏰬3Z􏰥􏰒􏰧Z􏰥l􏱀􏰩􏰺􏰣􏰪c􏰻X􏰭􏱀1⁄4«􏰽􏰼􏰰A􏰬c􏰻􏰭XA􏰥􏰎􏰺􏰡􏰭􏰰􏰹􏰸􏰷.􏰬􏰷􏰿􏰎􏰧􏰽!􏰻􏰎􏰷􏰸􏰲l 􏰲􏰣􏰭 􏰧A 􏰷􏰸 􏰥~ 􏱀􏰰 􏰺􏰩 􏰹p 􏰷􏰸 Ê=«􏰧 􏰥~X¬􏰡􏰪􏰿􏰱􏰰􏰦3􏰬9È ¬1⁄43⁄4􏰺 􏰷􏰿l􏰹l􏰼 􏰺􏰎 ̈􏰧X􏰪Q􏰦l􏰦􏰒É"􏰱􏰾􏰭 􏰼􏰰n1⁄2 È9􏰎Ç)􏰺 ̈􏰻􏰸􏰷􏰸􏰱 􏰪􏰚l􏱀°£ ́􏰻 􏰧«~􏰥X¬ 􏰪􏰡􏰿􏰱l􏰦.􏰬Z􏰥1⁄4􏰲Q􏰹􏰾􏰭BÆ 􏰲􏰰 􏰥6 􏰽! 􏰧« 􏰪􏰣 􏰨􏰫 􏰹s 􏰥ZE􏰧 􏰥Z􏰩􏰺 􏰺 ̈ 􏰥~Q 􏰻E 􏰷􏰸 􏰹􏰴 􏰪X􏰿􏰷􏰎􏰺 􏰽􏰌X􏰭 􏰥􏰣2􏰸􏰷􏰺􏰩􏰭􏰡􏰬¦􏰧􏰎Å¦􏰡􏰭 ̧􏰬􏰣􏰪􏱀l£°􏰘􏰧􏰪􏰣􏰨􏰫Ä􏰫􏰻L􏰎􏰧X􏰪􏰩􏰺!􏰽􏰭􏰣􏰧«􏰺􏰩n􏰹􏰣􏰪~􏰽􏰱Q􏰾􏰭􏰧«􏰥~􏰲l􏰥Z»l ̄􏰶􏰣¬􏰸􏰱􏰧􏰎􏰭􏰾􏰱􏰳􏰷􏰿􏰬.􏰸􏰷Ã􏰶v¢􏰻~6􏰥􏰷􏰿􏰧􏰎􏰺􏰩􏰻 ̈􏰼􏰰􏰲s􏰹􏰰􏰸􏰷¦􏰲􏰹􏰰􏰣􏰭􏰻9􏰰􏰹X􏰪􏰷􏰿􏰺􏰎􏰡􏰭􏰰􏰦􏰰􏰼!􏰽~􏰽s􏰪F􏰻􏰎􏰻􏰪X􏰧􏰎!􏰽􏰭X􏰬 ̧􏰧􏰩􏰪X􏰨􏰫±􏰷l􏰹􏰰􏰼 ¬􏰸􏰱l􏰾􏰭􏰡¡􏰎􏰧 􏰭􏰾¦􏰬~􏰥􏰎􏰧A􏰪􏰩􏰻􏰳􏰱 􏰭􏰾 􏰻L 􏰷􏰳 􏰹=X􏰪 􏰷􏰿􏰎􏰺 􏰭􏰡􏰰􏰹􏰸􏰷.􏰬􏰿􏰷 􏰧􏰎!􏰽 􏰻􏰎 􏰷􏰳s􏰲 􏰨J􏰣􏰪L􏰺X􏰹 􏰥Z 􏰺􏰩􏰶􏰵 􏰥!B􏰥􏰰􏱀"U¢ 􏰻Z 􏰱􏰳􏰾􏰭 􏰷􏰳 􏰺􏰩 􏰹n~􏰥s􏰲 􏰥6 􏰧􏰩~􏰽 􏰧c 􏰷􏰸 􏰥~ 􏱀l􏰎􏰺Ea 􏰹l 􏰷􏰸􏰶2􏰡􏰪 􏰧􏰩􏰰􏰦3􏰬􏰸􏰷Â􏰬X􏰪􏰩􏰧􏰫􏰨?􏰱􏰸􏰱􏰾􏰭 􏰺L 􏰭􏰾U􏰨 􏰷􏰿􏰞􏰥 􏰱􏰸 􏰺􏰩 􏰺 ̈ 􏰷􏰿􏰸􏰱 􏰺l􏰯 􏰥~l􏰹~􏰥\ 􏰻 ́􏰰􏰹 􏰭􏰾Z􏰽 􏰷􏰸􏰎􏰧 􏰥~ 􏰬. 3cp􏰹􏰣􏰭 􏰽~ 􏰷􏰳􏰩􏰧 􏰨􏰫 3L( ̄ 􏰻Zl􏰲 􏰧« 􏰪􏰣¥£ 􏰧B~􏰥 􏱀l 􏰺􏰎􏰾􏰪 􏰹pÁÀ¦¢~􏰻 ¡s 􏰽« 􏰭X􏰰􏰿􏰱 􏰱􏰸 􏰭􏰾 􏰽Z 􏰥# 􏰧􏰩X􏰪 􏰬.􏰚¬􏰿􏰱 􏰺􏰎 􏰹n 􏰭􏰾 􏰽~ 􏰯\±􏰷 􏰹l aX􏰿􏰷 􏰻􏰩 􏰺E 􏰷􏰿 􏰽!􏰳􏰷􏰿􏰱Z􏰥E􏰺􏰾􏰪l􏰹􏰔􏰪s􏰲E􏰻Z􏰥 􏰬. 􏰼l􏰩􏰻 􏰥Z 􏰧􏰎 ¬3⁄4􏰺 􏰷􏰿􏰿􏰱 􏰭􏰣 􏰼􏰰 1⁄2n 􏰧B 􏰥~ 􏱀l aX 􏰷􏰿l􏱀 􏰥.l􏱀􏰎􏰺x ̄ 􏰧Z 􏰥Z 2􏰣 􏰥Z £􏰘 􏰪􏰡 􏱀l? ̄ 􏰻Z􏰰􏰹􏰣􏰭~􏰽􏰳􏰷􏰩􏰧Z􏰥 􏰬3c3>􏰹􏰣􏰭~􏰽􏰳􏰷 􏰧􏰩 􏰨􏰫 3L 􏰧B 􏰪􏰣 »l ¢3 􏰻~s¡ 􏰽« 􏰭X􏰰 􏰱􏰿􏰸􏰱 􏰭􏰾 􏰽Z3􏰥􏰎􏰧􏰣􏰪.􏰬B􏰺n􏰹~􏰥~􏰽 􏰧􏰎Z􏰥Q􏰦 ¶=􏰣¿ 􏰺􏰞􏰿􏰷!􏰽􏰳􏰷 􏰱􏰿Z􏰥 􏰻 ́Z􏰥 􏰬.l􏰼 􏰻􏰩Z􏰥􏰎􏰧 ¬3⁄4􏰺􏰷􏰿􏰱􏰿􏰭􏰣􏰼􏰰1⁄2n􏰧B~􏰥l􏱀Xa􏰿􏰷l􏱀􏰥¦􏱀􏰰􏰺􏰩 ̄􏰄􏰻ZZ􏰥􏰎􏰺􏰷±􏰰􏱀g􏰤-􏰧X􏰪l»¦¢¬􏰣3⁄4􏰺􏰿􏰷􏰸􏰱􏰾􏰭􏰼􏰰n1⁄2􏰧 ́􏰥~£¥􏰪􏰡􏰿􏰱1⁄4􏰲􏰰􏰹􏰾􏰭􏰞􏰧Z􏰥l􏱀􏰣a􏰷􏰸􏱀l¥􏰨􏰪􏰾􏰻 ́Z􏰥.􏰬􏰼l􏰩􏰻Z􏰥􏰎􏰧1⁄4􏰲􏰰􏰹􏰥~􏰩􏰻􏰥¦£􏰘􏰄 ̄􏰄􏰲􏰣􏰭􏰺􏰞n􏰹􏰥~.􏰬􏰶¬􏰡􏰪􏰱􏰿l􏰦.􏰬Z􏰥 􏱀􏰽«􏰭XZ􏰥3􏰧􏰣􏰪»􏰰¢1⁄4􏰹􏰄􏰪X􏰿􏰷􏰎􏰺􏰭􏰡􏰹􏰰􏰷􏰸􏰬.􏰷􏰿􏰎􏰧􏰽!􏰻􏰎􏰸􏰷􏰲l3􏰺􏰽􏰌6􏰥\o􏰾􏰭E􏰻􏰳􏰱􏰭􏰾􏰳􏰷􏰩􏰺n􏰹~􏰥l􏰲Z􏰥􏰧􏰎!􏰽8􏰹􏰷􏰸􏰞􏰻􏰺«X􏰹Z􏰥􏰬.~􏰥􏰣2􏰡􏰪􏰧􏰎l􏰦􏰬.􏰷􏰸£1􏰡􏰪􏰰􏱀􏰥#􏰩􏰺􏰾􏰭Xa􏰸􏰷􏰩􏰺􏰻 ̈􏰥Z2􏰣􏰹􏰶􏰷􏰸􏰪􏰚􏰻􏰩􏰱􏰸􏰣􏰭􏰥􏰙􏰤>)¢Z􏰻Z􏰥.􏰬􏰭􏰾􏰹Q 􏰹 􏰭􏰾 􏰽~ 􏰷􏰳􏰎􏰧~􏰥 􏰬.L3􏰚􏰹􏰣􏰭~􏰽􏰳􏰷􏰩􏰧􏰫􏰨L3􏰚􏰹􏰾􏰭􏰰􏱀􏰎􏰺 􏰻¥ ¡􏰶«􏰽 􏰭X􏰰􏰸􏰱􏰿􏰱􏰣􏰭~􏰽􏰞􏰥􏰎􏰧􏰣􏰪.􏰬 ̧· ¶􏰶 μ􏰾-􏰺 􏰼l 􏰪􏰣\􏰾􏰭􏰒􏰺􏰿􏰷!􏰽 􏰷􏰳 􏰱􏰿Z􏰥 􏰻L 􏰥6 􏰬3 􏰭􏰣 􏰹􏰰􏰞􏰥􏰎􏰺 􏰷±l􏱀 􏰤g"¢Z􏰻 £L~􏰥􏰸􏰷􏰶2􏰩􏰧Z􏰥􏰩􏰺 􏰹n􏰿􏰷 􏰧c􏰣􏰪 􏰨􏰫"􏰻s¡ 􏰽«􏰣􏰭Q􏰿􏰱􏰸􏰱 􏰭􏰾 􏰽Z 􏰨􏰪􏰣􏰥v􏰩􏰺􏰾􏰭􏰧􏰎9􏰥l􏱀􏰩􏰺B􏰹􏰸􏰷 ́􏰦􏰾􏰭na􏰺􏰄X􏰹􏰣􏰭􏰽~Q􏰯􏰿􏰷l􏰹Xa􏰿􏰷􏰩􏰻L􏰭􏰄􏰻6􏰥􏰽!􏰰􏰼􏰲ss􏰪􏰎􏰧􏰦lB􏰹􏰣􏰪􏰸􏰷􏰩􏰺􏰾􏰭􏰸􏰱􏰰􏰼􏰦l􏰷􏰿􏰹􏰰􏰭􏰾􏰬¦􏰻􏰄􏰷􏰳􏱀l"(¢X􏰥􏰬.􏰾􏰭􏰹􏰰La􏰰􏰹􏰷􏰿s􏰲Q􏰹􏰼l􏰣􏰪􏰩􏰻􏰘􏰥􏰎􏰺±􏰷l􏱀􏰤g¬􏰒􏰩􏰧􏰥Z2􏰣􏰭°􏰧(􏰪􏰣􏰥v.􏰬􏰾􏰭Q􏰹 al􏰹􏰷􏰸􏰲s􏰰􏰹l􏰼􏰪X􏰻 ̈􏰔􏰹􏰾􏰭􏰽Z􏰸􏰷􏰎􏰧􏰥~􏰬.L3􏰚􏰹􏰭􏰣􏰽~􏰷􏰳􏰧􏰩􏰫􏰨3L¬j􏰎􏰧~􏰥􏰣2􏰭.􏰧􏰒􏰥~l􏱀􏰎􏰺􏰷±􏰥Zj􏰲􏰥6l􏰹a􏰣􏰸􏰷􏰻 ̈􏰎􏰻􏰭􏰣¬=􏰱􏰿􏰬.􏰪􏰣􏰲l􏰹􏰰􏰭􏰾􏰧«􏰻°􏰷􏰳B􏰥􏰬3􏰼􏰰􏰻 ̈􏰥6􏰧􏰩􏱀􏰔«􏰽􏰣􏰭6􏰥s ̄􏰣􏰥􏰽~􏰣􏰭«􏰧U􏰨􏰣􏰪􏰔􏰹􏰣􏰪􏰷􏰸􏰺􏰩􏰦s􏰥Z!􏰽«􏰧~􏰥\􏰦 􏰥􏰩􏰺 􏰭􏰾􏰸􏰱l􏰼􏰰􏰦􏰿􏰷l􏰹􏰣􏰭¦􏰬􏰞􏰪®F¢Z􏰻 􏰥Z.􏰬l􏰼􏰩􏰻Z􏰥􏰎􏰧􏰞al􏰹􏰸􏰷 􏰲s􏰰􏰹 􏰥Z ̈􏰻 ¬.􏰶v􏰻 􏰧«~􏰥\􏰦 􏰭􏰾 􏰦􏰰􏰩􏰻 £L~􏰥 􏰹l 􏰪B aX 􏰭􏰾 􏰽Z 􏰷􏰸l􏱀 ©􏰘 􏰲􏰙􏰰􏰹􏰾􏰭 􏰹# 􏰪X􏰩􏰺 ̈􏰻 􏰪X¥§#􏰹􏰿􏰷􏰘􏰻l􏰲X􏰭¦􏰲Z􏰥􏰩􏰺 􏰹n 􏰭􏰣 £¥ ¤S 􏰦s 􏰱􏰸~􏰥l􏱀v􏰧Z􏰥􏰘£􏰩􏰻􏰰􏰹􏰣􏰭

􏰥 􏰤> ¢􏰙 􏰺6 􏰥!X¡􏰩􏰧 􏰭􏰣 􏰬. 􏰧A􏰣􏰪\ 􏰭􏰾􏰳􏰱j􏰥l􏱀􏰎􏰺 􏰹p 􏰷􏰿􏰴􏰹 􏰪X 􏰷􏰿 􏰺􏰎 􏰭􏰡 􏰹􏰰􏰸􏰷.􏰬􏰿􏰷􏰎􏰧 􏰽!􏰎􏰻􏰳􏰷s􏰲9􏰱 􏰭􏰾􏰳􏰷 􏰽!X􏰭 􏰧􏰎 􏰥j 􏰧􏰩 􏰼l 􏰻􏰩 􏰭􏰣 􏰥6 􏰬. 􏰪􏰚􏰩􏰺 􏰺􏰞 􏰹n 􏰥Z 􏰬3􏰸􏰷􏰎􏰧~􏰥\􏰦 􏰵􏰶 􏰥~􏰴􏰲 􏰱􏰳 􏰥~ 􏰯􏰰 􏰭􏰔 􏰬􏰮􏰎􏰧􏰣􏰪􏰫􏰨 􏰧􏰩 􏰥~ 􏰦\ 􏰥j 􏰤>

Ways of Thinking...

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Affirming with action