Customer Reviews

Colorblind: The Rise of Post-Racial Politics and the Retreat from Racial Equity (City Lights Open Media)

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Mr Wise explores the often told narrative of a Post-Racial America especially in the age of Obama and why this in itself remains a falsehood as it not only allows white America to resist honest talk on racism but it helps their continued racism towards people of color; i.e "I can't stand black people, but Obama is alright".

In addition Mr Wise examines other "issues"-I say issues in quotes because, people of color have long experienced these problems-that are making any honest discussion on race impossible e.g. the recession and the myth of a Color-Blind society which in itself is a racist construct telling us to be blind to problems experienced by people of color as a result of their race and hence deny the existence of systemic racism.

Tim Wise is without a doubt one of the best white anti racist thinkers around. All of his books are great and important reading for anyone interested in combatting white supremacy and creating a more equitable society.

His important attacks on the absurd, frankly racist, conservative doctrine of "color blindness" are extremely prescient in these supposedly post-racial times.

While his last major book, White Like Me, focused on the personal attributes of White Privilege, this book focuses more on our current, racially charged political atmosphere. (This is actually a gross over simplification of both books, which are very much worth reading). With right wing calls for "Less tax money for lazy welfare queens," racist laws targeting latinos, and a whole range of other racist legislation and actions, Tim Wise stands against the madness and for a fair and equal society.

Wise, with good insight and armed with up-to-date facts, compellingly portrays the new strategies that have been developed within the US political system that actually serve to perpetuate racism in our society. Scary and brutal--a must read for anyone who really wants to know how our society subtley and not so subtley pushes a White supremacy agenda without even knowing it.

Initially, I was anxious to grasp the insights that the nation's leading antiracist author had regarding the criticism of the post-racial (color blind) politics of President Obama. Nearly two-thirds of this book is devoted to how ineffective this strategy is in meeting the needs of racially deprived and impoverished minorities in this country. The author highlighted the lack of any potential for post-racial political success.

Mr. Wise suggested that the current administration should assume a more direct, racially-focused approach to correct these historical inequities. However, Mr. Wise devoted most of the remaining chapters of his book explaining how such a "direct approach" would not gain the support of the majority population. Any program set up to specifically address the social and economic disparities of minorities would not gain the political, educational and financial support of the power brokers of this country.

This nation has never mounted a long-lasting effort to resolve its history of racial inequity and discrimination. The critical need for national discussions on "race" is still regarded as taboo and the will to address this issue is woefully lacking. In essence, I was disappointed by the excessive criticism that Mr. Wise heaped upon our President, without offering any viable alternatives to resolving the racism and discrimination problems that ethnic groups and minorities face.

I have much respect and admiration for Tim Wise. He is one of very few people who is willing to live life for a just cause, rather than sitting on the fence (in his own words, "if people are sitting on the fence about the issues I write about, it must be because they like the feeling the fence gives their a$$!") living just cause. However, just what that just cause is still is not entirely clear (to me). If it is complete racial equality, then it is difficult to see how the means he advocates are effective at achieving such ends. For instance, the concept of "illuminated collectivism" seems like a better idea than the notion of "illuminated individualism" since no social movement has ever been based on, or ever could be based on what any individual does. And no, I don't have a problem with affirmative action, but I do question to what degree it is effective at dismantling inequality given how long it has been in place and how much the divide between the opportunities whites have versus people of color have still exists. Indeed, it seems to breed contempt for people of color amongst those who are shafted by it; many of these people are working class white Americans who have little privilege other than the color of their skin. (Which, yes, is still quite a leg up). Tim disparages people who seem to think that we could ever live in society where every human (or non-human)'s needs are met, where no one is ever sexually assaulted, discriminated against, shot by the police, etc. yet he has all but literally decreed that there is to be no suggestion that we live in a post-racial society until all people of color have the same opportunity that whites have.

I suspect the reason that many white people (to a certain degree, myself included) have adopted a post-racial, colorblind frame of reference is because we feel that talking about race is a lose-lose situation. To not see or talk about someone's race is (in Tim's own words, "to not see or talk about the consequences of race"). But what does it mean to see and talk about race (and thus, by extension, the consequences of race)? For many people it means nothing less than racial profiling, seeing another person, or another group of people as a caricature rather than a human or a group of humans. It is just as much (perhaps even more so) a lose-lose situation for people of color: Talking about race is 'pulling the race card' but not talking about is 'mindless assimilation.' The message (implicit or explicit) that many white people receive is that "to be white is to be inherently racist"; and yet, often in the same message is the dictum that "when it comes to racism, and fighting racism, you are either part of the solution or part of the problem." It is the same lose-lose situation when it comes to racial empathy: I (and I suspect other 'caucasians of conscience') have been told that I/we have an obligation to empathize with people of color and have been told that we have no right to empathize with people of color. Whether or not white people can empathize with people of color, whether we are (capable of) stepping outside of our shoes and walking in another's, or whether we are stepping outside of ourselves all together is a good question, a good debate. However, we wouldn't even know that such debate were capable of existing just by reading Tim's works.

So, who is it, that gets the privilege of calling oneself, and being called by others, an ally? Less so in this book, but certainly in what Tim posts on his blog, it is safe to say that he has traded insightfulness for incisiveness. (White) anarchists are just self-righteous punks, not allies (in my own experience, I'd say that many of them are, but those that are not, and there are quite a few, are as racially aware and sensitive as any people I've met). The white folks who live in the 'hip' west coast cities of San Francisco, Portland or Seattle, leading 'alternative' lifestyles are just as racist as the white people in Mississippi. Fair enough, I'm not qualified to say which US city has the most racist (or most non-racist) populace, nor am I implying that such cities (two of which I've lived in) are devoid of racism or racial tensions, but how many allies does Tim expect to win with such observations? He claims to (be willing to) pick a bone with anyone who claims "to see race solely as a side issue" as if it is incomprehensible that progressive whites (or progressives in general) might see race, racism, and other issues pertaining to race and ethnicity as being a whole host of interrelated issues none of which are more or less important the other. I suspect if the left were even half as good fighting the right as it were fighting itself, we'd have achieved what we were aiming to achieve (universal health care, equal rights, etc.) by now. And yes, I do suspect most white people who embrace 'green living' ('green folks', if you will) care slightly more about the ramifications of global warming/ecocide, and the impending destruction of the biosphere than they do about about the higher blood pressure of people of color or the low(er) birthweight of black neonates (how birthweight even pertains to issues of social justice eludes my cognitive faculties) for the simple, if hopefully obvious reason that without a viable planet there would be no humans of any color. One is tempted to wonder whether Tim sees race as the only issue, or at least, the issue that trumps all other issues. Read his book (preferably by checking it out at your local library), read his blogposts, but don't read it with an uncritical or unskeptical mind. (Not that anything should be read in such fashion, but too many people see Tim as the 'go-to' person about race or racism. This despite the fact that he prefaces just about every lecture with the caveat that "folks of color have forgotten more about white privilege since they've had breakfast yesterday than I will ever know about in my lifetime." What a strange position to be in. It's as if the more one tries to repudiate one's privileges, the more inextricably linked to them and more privileged one becomes. Hmmmm....)

Finally, if you are going to respond/critique below, fine, have at it; but do not accuse of me of having not read the book; yes, I skimmed rather than perused it, but I have read almost every single blog entry Tim has posted in the last five years and even insisted that my racist, Republican relatives read "This is Your Nation on White Privilege" before they filled in the oval for McCain/Palin; I doubt it changed their perspective much, but it at least got them thinking as I suspect it would for any sentient white person.)

Tim Wise's books are eye openers for us in this "post-racial" world. He clearly explains why it is the responsibility of white people must oppose the racism still existing in the country. I wish his books were required reading in all highschools and colleges.

All of Tim Wise's books have been analytically sharp and politically courageous. This is his best yet. A great overview of the state of contemporary white dominance in the age of Obama.

The most readable and convincing (backed by solid information) description of "invisible" (to those of us who benefit from it) institutional racism that I've read -- most other descriptions are academic. I urge everyone who takes the adult ed class I co-lead, White People Challenging Racism: Moving From Talk to Action, to read Tim Wise's memoir, White Like Me, which describes his advantages from day 1 of having white skin credibility, and will do the same for Colorblind.

Tim Wise is not only open minded but his eyes are wide open. We need leaders like him.

Purchasing this book through Amazon was an excellent choice. I can only use superlatives to describe the condition of the book and the timeliness of its arrival.