Monday, March 18, 2024

White America’s Response to Racism, ‘Show Me The Map’

Belle
“Belle”

*While many will boldly proclaim that “race doesn’t matter,” researchers at the University of Milano-Bicocca recently conducted a ‘racial empathy gap’ experiment that proved “race does matter” for many, even if they don’t realize it.

As Slate reports, participants (all of whom were white) were shown video clips of a needle or an eraser touching someone’s skin. When viewers saw white people receiving painful stimulus, they responded more dramatically than they did for black people.

Another study revealed that many believe Blacks possess psychic abilities and superhuman powers, including “hav[ing] superhuman skin that is thick enough that it can withstand the pain of burning hot coals.”

Vanity Fair recently published a report reminding us that young, White, straight, males are still winning. Such a report comes as a shock only to those who remain in denial about the White man’s privilege.

Between the lack of empathy, the belief in the magical negro, and the denial of White privilege, is it any wonder that when Black folks discuss racism and police brutality, White denial of it is swift and bitter.

A compelling article on Shadow and Act uses the 2014 film “Belle” as an example to show how – despite the endless history texts, studies and personal accounts written on the subject of racism in America and European dominance over African culture worldwide – White people need indisputable proof of racism before they can acknowledge it exists. Matter fact, they require maps and charts and bullet points, preferably drafted by other White folks, before they can begin to alter their delusional views on racism.

After all, since it doesn’t affect them, how can they be expected to acknowledge that racism is a problem?

The article cites a moment in the film when Belle’s great-uncle is convinced to buy into the racism business when she presents to him maps of a slave ship’s route. The article states:

Belle discovers maps showing that the slave ships deliberately passed by multiple replenishment ports where they could have received water for the slaves. This was key to the Zong case, as the captain had claimed that he was forced to throw the slaves overboard because of a lack of such supplies. Because he was forced to dispose of their “cargo,” he wanted the insurance company to pay up.

What’s especially noteworthy about the film’s narrative is how it compares to racial injustice of today. The article compares the persuasive “Belle” map to the map used by Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby when she stood at a podium in front of reporters, with the nation watching her, and explained in vivid detail why six officers were being charged with the murder of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.

Marilyn Mosby

Mosby’s map detailed the numerous points at which the accused officers broke the law and took Gray on a rough ride that resulted in a broken his spinal cord, causing him to fall into a coma and eventually die.

Mosby’s map seemed to be effective because typical public and mainstream media support of Black death was not as loud and punchy as it usually is, such as with the cases with Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin. Perhaps supporters should’ve used more maps to inspire justice, as it seems maps aid in the digestion of truth.

You can read the full Shadow and Act article here, in which the writer quotes Hari Ziyad, who said “empathy won’t save us.”

“Relying on empathy almost always places the onus on the marginalized. They must prove their pain in a way that their oppressors are willing to acknowledge. Sam Dubose’s head must be blown off publicly and violently, and those who desperately want to be on the officer’s side must judge his action to be one of unequivocal cruelty.”

In the meantime, think on this: Son of Baldwin penned a thought-provoking piece explaining why he will “never again fall for the Show-Me-Proof-of-Racism gotcha-request that many white people resort to whenever a black person or another person of color expresses their experience with racism.” We co-sign with his opinion that no matter what proof you show, it will never be enough. “That they are asking for proof is, in its own way, proof of the very thing they think they are hiding so well.”

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