I Don't Hate White People: I Hate Whiteness and White Supremacy

I recently published a blog on the Huffington Post about my experiences with racism on my campus as I complete my PhD in Educational Studies and Research.  As a result, I received numerous emails regarding said post.  Some from other Latinas/os who have and are experiencing similar situations on their respective campuses and some from other Latinas/os thanking me for sharing my counter-narrative.  Some from white friends and family who were very supportive.  However, many of the emails and correspondences were from angry and annoyed white people. Some of these emails directed me to get over my "entitlement attitude," to "stop being a pussy," and to "give my nonsense a rest."  Now, since I am an educator in a teacher preparation program, which is overwhelmingly white and middle-class, I am completely accustomed to these types of responses from white people when talking about race, racism, and white supremacy.  However, I did have a conversation that lingered with me and that I feel I need to address.

I received a message from a former colleague that I worked with before I began working in education.  I should preface by saying that she and I always had wonderful debates that were civil despite us almost never agreeing.  Needless to say I was happy to receive her message.  In her message she plainly stated, "I would like to see you write about solutions someday. I think in your passion you can also be divisive...Not all of us our vicious racists, and many are just ignorant...it's important to not pigeon hole "white" people."  I was not surprised with her analysis of my experience with racism.  In my response I told her that I do indeed have a solution and that I was not completely sure said solution will accomplish what she hopes; to promote less divisiveness around racism.  I told her that my writing about racism gets to the cause and not the symptom.  Racism is a symptom of a larger societal and institutional issue...white supremacy.  Essentially, racism is a white people problem.

Because I study, teach, and write about race, racism, and white supremacy, most people who read my work or take my classes initially think that I don't like white people, in fact that I hate them.  This is insane. My wife is white, my two boys are half white, I have white family members, tios, close friends, and colleagues who are white. Trust me when I say that I love them dearly. I love me some white people. What I hate is whiteness and white supremacy.  These two systems of oppression are distinctly different than white people although largely made up and upheld by white people.  I think to end racism we have to stop whiteness and white supremacy.  And that cannot and should not be the sole responsibility of those most affected by these oppressive systems.  It is important to note that you can have people of color adopt whiteness ideologies (see Dr. Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, Allen West, or Ted Cruz) and whiteness can manifest without the presence of white people, just like patriarchy can be present without the presence of men.

Nevertheless, as we finished the conversation I conveyed to her
that we must all fight together to end systemic white supremacy.  However whites must actively work against their own unearned privilege to make this happen.  Many might find that radical but my fight to stop this shameless and oppressive institution comes from a deep place of love. And while I hate these oppressive systems I still love the people who uphold them.

¡Adelante!

“Were you in prison?”: Exposing Assumptions of Incarceration While in a Doctoral Program

Given what is happening on college campuses across the country I feel compelled to write and share some of my own experiences regarding racism on college campuses.  I should start by saying that I stand with Jonathan Butler and the brave students working for a more racially inclusive and equitable campus environment at the University of Missouri and other institutions of higher learning across the country. I am so moved by your spirit, and encouraged by your continued political participation that I feel a responsibility to share a racist experience (one of many) on my own campus.  What follows is the encounter... 

It is hard for me to articulate the excitement I felt when I was accepted into my doctoral program.  As I read the email, my thoughts immediately went to my childhood and the barrios of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  I thought of all the struggles, the gangs, the poverty, and the low expectations. But I also thought of all the support, mentoring, and coaching that got me to that point...to that email. Needless to say, I was beaming. By no means am I trying to say that my happiness was more palpable than any other newly accepted doctoral student.  Yet, as a poor Chicano from the ‘West Side’, I knew that my acceptance was uncommon.  I felt invincible. Sadly, this euphoria was short lived. I was quickly reminded that I was an outsider, and this alienation began my first day on campus. 

I vividly remember my first day.  Simply getting ready for class was no easy feat. I remember agonizing over what to wear. Asking myself, do I wear a suit? Business casual? Jacket and tie? Jacket no tie?  What kind of impression do I want to make? Do I want to be perceived as professional or real?  Nonetheless, I decided on a suit as I recalled some advice that I received from my one professor of color during my undergraduate experience.  I remember her warning me, “We [people of color] are not afforded the benefit of casual dress because they [white folks] will make assumptions”. 

So off I go, suited up and headed to class.  I get there early and decide to get a drink from the lobby coffee shop.  As I am waiting for class I strike up a casual conversation with a young white man.  We make small talk, discussing weather, traffic, and sports scores.  He then proceeds to inquire about where I am from and where I am headed “all dressed up”.  I tell him that I am originally from New Mexico and that I am headed to class.  Not unkindly he asks “what program?” I tell him that I am starting my PhD.  Without hesitation he responds “were you in prison?”  The question stupefied me. I immediately thought ‘Dude, I have never even received more than parking ticket, what would make you think I was in prison?’  It’s not like I have visible tattoos, as if that is some guarantee of previous incarceration. Yet, inherently, I knew he was referring to my pigmentation and perceived cultural background.  I responded with a resounding ‘No!’ My anger was visible and he tried to clarify and backtrack by saying “I’m totally kidding. I’m not racist. I just think it’s great so many people are continuing their education under those circumstances...seriously some of the smartest people I’ve met have spent time in prison and were minorities.”  

In retrospect, and as I type this, I still get irate thinking about the interaction. And I recall that it took everything within myself not to lose it and I simply walked away. Despite my wrath, adrenaline, and skyrocketing heart rate, I remember feeling  tired. Tired of lifetime of having to overcome ignorant stereotypes, slurs, microaggressions, and subordination. Little did I know was that this lobby conversation was just the beginning of many exhausting racist interactions during my first two years as a doctoral student. This is why the conversations that are being had around race, racism, and white supremacy on campuses across the nation are tantamount for our nation to move beyond color-blind ideologies and fight against the notion that our society is post-racial. 

An Open Letter to the Queer Kid I Bullied in High School

              This past week the internet and social media were abuzz with Jimmy Fallon’s “Saved By The Bell” reunion.  Like so many others who grew up in the 90’s, seeing the Bayside High gang back together was gloriously nostalgic. I can recall countless days sprinting home after the bus dropped us off to catch the show and hear that equal parts wonderful and God awful theme song.  As a young Chicano from the barrios of Albuquerque, New Mexico it was a big deal to see Mario Lopez on television.  And his character, Albert Clifford (AC) Slater was my hero and I emulated my high school persona after him (curly mullet and all).  To this day, many of my close friends still call me AC and post pictures of me side by side with Slater (see below).

In high school, being a football player, wrestler, jock, and “man” was such an integral part of my identity. I felt incredible pressure to be this person at all costs.  This hyper-masculinity was ubiquitous at my high school.  Whether you were a jock, gangbanger, tagger, or rocker, displays of manliness, heteropatriarchy, and machismo were normative and almost always celebrated. 

After watching the recent Jimmy Fallon sketch, I wanted to find an old picture of me with this legendary mullet to show my fellow doctoral students.  Ironically, the evening before the sketch aired I happened to bring up how AC Slater epistemologically informed so much of my identity as an adolescent.  As I was searching the internet I found out that Classmates.com (yes that site still exists) actually has scanned in many high school yearbooks.  I was excited because sadly I lost my over-priced “tome of nostalgia” years ago in my many moves.  Nevertheless, as I was searching for my best AC Slater mullet pic, I began to browse the senior pictures section.  I went page by page looking at all my old friends who I swore I would “K.I.T.” with, which didn’t happen…

As I clicked on the next page I saw “his” face.  My stomach fell out from under me.  I was looking into the eyes of the only openly queer kid that I can recall at the “Mecca of machismo” we called high school. As I stared at his face, I was bathed in embarrassment, guilt, and sadness.  I remembered all the times I tormented and bullied this kid. Having my other jock “friends” shove me into him, knocking his books out his hand as I whispered “pick them up fag.” Shooting spitballs in his face as we sat waiting for the bell to ring after lunch.

I remembered all the times my actions eroded at my soul. 

In retrospect, I did not pick on this young man because I hated his lifestyle, truthfully I really did not have reservations about his sexuality. I did these atrocious acts because I was afraid and jealous of him.  In a sea of pubescent wanderers, he seemed to be one of the few who actually had a grip on who they were.  I was jealous of his confidence.  I was nowhere near having an understanding of who I was or really wanted to be.  Even though I was an above average athlete I knew, in my heart of hearts, that I could not play at the highest levels.  Despite this, I hung on to that delusional pursuit, declaring that with hard work in the weight room and off season I could defy the odds. He seemed to have none of these doubts and disgracefully I hated it.

Looking back I remember being jealous of how alive he was.  How vibrant and sure of himself he seemed.  There was an honesty that exuded from him despite incredible risk.  And ultimatley that is what I was trying to take from him. In my shameful attempt to be a “man” and make him less honest, alive, and human, I proceeded to lose own humanity. 

In writing this letter to this brave young man, I want and deserve no congratulations, for I am a coward.  A coward for subjecting him to such torment and for having not truly admitted it before.  Far too many of our young LGBTQIA familia are taking their own lives because of behavior and actions similar to my own.  I can never fully understand the pain and suffering I subjected this young man to.  And I deserve to live with the shame and guilt that I feel on a daily basis.  Much of the work I do now focuses on social justice issues, and yet, I cannot truly commit to this work unless I come clean regarding my own oppressive and hateful history.

To my brave fellow high school colleague, I want you to know that I can never fully apologize enough for my actions and behaviors during our times in those halls.  You were and still are a far better human than I am. But I want you to know that I am fully committed to doing everything I can to combat hatred, patriarchy, heteronormativity, and bigotry, and my three children will know of your bravery and the cowardice of their father.

As I write this letter I re-watched the Jimmy Fallon sketch and perhaps it is fitting that AC Slater traded in his wrestling singlet for a leotard. My hope is that just maybe he too is trading in this faux machismo for a more artistic and inclusive persona. I know I am.

Roberto 

What if President Barack Obama was white?

I know it seems oxymoronic to write about such a contentious issue on this day in which we celebrate the amazing legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  A man who personified, tolerance, non-violence, social justice, charity and equality.  Social media is a buzz with quotes, videos and images of the great Dr. King.  All this attention inspires me but also makes me sad; sad that we have relegated his life to a few ‘copy and pastes’ and have forgotten his true legacy; equality and tolerance in action.  So many today will paste and type of his greatness and yet not support the peaceful OWS movement or the President and his ‘socialist’ agenda.  It is a slap in the face to true socialists to call the President a socialist.  Like calling someone 'great' or ‘a future hall of famer’ that word gets thrown around far too often and with little knowledge of the definition.   However, I do think talking about this today is exactly what Dr. King would want us to do.  Simply not talking about what role the President’s color plays is naïve.  Also, promoting a color-blind agenda only means that you are acknowledging there is color to ignore.

Let’s be clear; President Obama is not a socialist! And quite frankly, he would not even have to endure being labeled as such if not for his murky pigmentation.   This leads us to address the question above; what if the President was white? 

It is very hard to begin this argument without addressing race.   I have been very cognizant to avoid referencing race to this point because I simply refuse to assign it more value than society disproportionately chooses to already.  As a critical race theorist, it is important to establish that Race is a social construct and too often gets confused with ethnicity.  YES, RACE IS A MADE UP NOTION.  This social construct holds that race and races are products of social thought and relations, meaning they are not objective, inherent, or fixed. They correspond to no biological or genetic reality.  Since skin color, physique and hair texture constitute only an extremely small portion of our genetic makeup and are dwarfed by what we have in common, they have little or nothing to do with higher order traits, such as personality, intelligence, and moral behavior.  Yet racism is ordinary, the usual way that our society conducts itself and I will vehemently challenge the notions of colorblindness and race neutrality; seeing these as a camouflage for the self interest, power, and privilege of the dominant groups in US Society.

Sadly, our currently President is primarily judged and held to a different standard because of his perceived race.  Even though he is from a bi-racial background, his blackness trumps all.   If he were white and had a traditional American name, whatever the hell that means, we would not be having this discussion.  Take the current crop of Republican candidates; now that Herman Cain has dropped out, every one of them stands in stark contrast to President Obama.  No one more than that front-running Mitt Romney, who, despite his Religion, which we talk about shortly, harkens back to the days of traditional White values.  As Lei Segal wrote in the New York Times, “Mitt Romney is the whitest white man to run for president in recent memory. Of course, I’m not talking about a strict count of melanin density. I’m referring to the countless subtle and not-so-subtle ways he telegraphs to a certain type of voter that he is the cultural alternative to America’s first black president. It is a whiteness grounded in a retro vision of the country, one of white picket fences and stay-at-home moms and fathers unashamed of working hard for corporate America.” (http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/14/whats-race-got-to-do-with-it/?hp).

If Obama were white would Republicans make every effort to tear down his administration? Maybe, because of this corrupt two-party system; however a theme that resonates through every Republican debate is a “return to traditional American values”.  Meaning a return to a white leadership.   Obama has more traditional American values that almost every one the republican candidates.  Raised in the Midwest by a lower-middle class mother, educated, a devoted husband and father, no scandals, dynamic, articulate, etc.  Are these not things we look for in leaders or does ones color trump all these attributes.  We rarely talk about Obama being the first president to spearhead and pass comprehensive health care reform, which is not socialist but moral.  Something that I believe Dr, King would support and something I cannot believe more traditional, evangelical, ‘charitable’ bible carrying Christians do not support.  He got us out of Bush's WMD Iraq and hopefully Afghanistan soon.  Led the hunting down and killing of Osama Bin Laden.   Kept this country a float during the worst recession since the Great one.   Instead, we label him a socialist and talk about the national debt as if he were the first president to incur debt.  He is the first Black president to incur debt so that makes it egregious.

If Barack Obama were white he would be JFK incarnate and revered.   Instead he is aggressively maligned for being something he is not.   It appears that Romney will likely get the Republican nomination and I believe many Tea Party republicans will be forced to ask themselves: Do I despise Obama, his skin color and his ‘socialist’ agenda more than I despise Mitt Romney’s religious affiliation? I think we know the answer to that question...

As we celebrate the legacy of great human being today I ask that we cultivate his message beyond words and into actions.  Actions that will support people who more closely align and aspire to equality and tolerance and not those who use half-truths to continue a legacy of imperialism.

Ciao!

Roberto

Tucson Ethnic Studies program deemed "unlawful"!? Come On Man!!!

I know it has been some time since I have blogged and I must place blame on actual graduate writing responsibilities and hosting for the holidays, which was a true pleasure.  Nonetheless, I am glad to be giving my blog some much needed attention.

Today I blog about a something that is very near to my heart…Ethnic Studies.   I am just over halfway through a Masters of Arts in Ethnic Studies from Regis University in beautiful Denver, Colorado.  Ethnic studies have always been a part of my life.  My upbringing in Albuquerque, my public schooling experience, and my family have nurtured my affinity for ethnic studies.  Many of you know that my aunt, the amazing Margaret Montoya, was the first Latina woman to graduate from the Harvard School of Law.  She is an inspiration and has left one amazing legacy for our family; a responsibility that we relish and welcome.  A friend of mine once had a t-shirt that read: I AM ETHNIC STUDIES; and I could not agree more.

With that said, yesterday in Tucson, AZ an administrative law judge ruled that a Tucson school district’s ethnic studies program violates state law.  Yes Ethnic Studies is unlawful!!!  Judge Lewis Kowal’s ruling, said the district's Mexican-American Studies program violated state law by having one or more classes designed primarily for one ethnic group, promoting racial resentment and advocating ethnic solidarity instead of treating students as individuals. Furthermore, the judge, who found grounds to withhold 10 percent of the district's monthly state aid until it comes into compliance, said the law permits the objective instruction about the oppression of people that may result in racial resentment or ethnic solidarity (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/12/27/ariz-schools-ethnic-studies-program-ruled-illegal/). 

Now, I have many friends that are conservative, that are liberal, democrats and republicans, conspiracy theorists, you name it.  And I don’t believe any of them would disagree that our currently polarizing political climate is corrosive and tearing this country apart.  It is this type of politically charged decision that is a microcosm of what is going on throughout the country. 

Judge Kowal argues that the Tucson school district’s ethnic studies program, “…promotes activism against white people, promotes racial resentment and advocates ethnic solidarity”.  I take serious reservations with this type of “plantation” rationale.  Essentially, if you are not part of the majoritan controlling demographic then you are not permitted to teach subjects, notions, ideas, methodologies, etc. that are counter to the established curriculum.  It’s irrelevant that the current public school measurement system (No Child Left Behind) is blatantly discriminatory (http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/index.html).  NCLB, a standards based education reform, which is based on the premise that setting high standards and establishing measurable goals can improve individual outcomes in education. The Act requires states to develop assessments in basic skills to be given to all students in certain grades, if those states are to receive federal funding for schools. The Act does not assert a national achievement standard; standards are set by each individual state.  Therein lays one of the inherent problems with NCLB.  It is up to the states to determine standards, which then creates no set consistent standard.  Also, since schools with lower income students receive less money with substandard teaching and facilities it doesn’t make much sense to punish them and withhold funding based on an arbitrary “standards based” educational reform. 

Furthermore, schools are primarily funded via property taxes, which is also grossly inequitable.   I can assure you, from experience, there is not a ton of home ownership in the lower income parts of almost every city in this country.   So if there are not many houses to levy taxes from then the schools receive less funding.  Now if you have an affluent neighborhood then the schools receive additional funding.   More houses = More $.  The discrepancy is not hard to identify.  Now I should mention, School districts can raise additional revenues through local bond (capital) and mill levy (operations) elections up until a specified level, but the economic vitality of many communities cannot support money raised through local bonds and mills.  Additional funding for public schools comes from private fundraising, primarily at schools in higher income communities – functioning as an additional “tax” on these families and further heightening equity concerns.  Such fundraising efforts are increasingly being outstripped by funding cuts at the state and district levels (http://www.greateducation.org/statistics-faqs/funding-faqs/public-school-funding/).

After saying all that, and seeing how discriminatory and blatantly racist No Child Left Behind and public school funding is, Judge Kowal’s argument that the Tucson school district’s ethnic studies program, “…promotes activism against white people, promotes racial resentment and advocates ethnic solidarity” seems ridiculous.  Ridiculous, because the overarching system that this Tucson Ethnic Studies program operates under ‘promotes activism against students of color’.  Yet, when the students of color create a program to educate themselves about their own cultures it is deemed unlawful.

Critically studying one’s culture should never be unlawful.  However, this type institutional racism and oppression that Judge Kowal promotes should be!

Thanks for listening and keep challenging oppression and discrimination when you see it!

¡Ciao!

Robert

This just in… God doesn’t care about football! She has more pressing things to worry about!

Let me start this by saying two things.  First, I cannot stand the Broncos but I am a fan of Tim Tebow and I find myself rooting for him week after week.  Second, I am a self admitted Agnostic, I respect all faiths and the one thing I am not a fan of is when people condemn others based on arbitrary limited religious knowledge.  OK now we can get started…

Let’s begin by saying and acknowledging that Tim Tebow is a freak athlete, arguably one of the best running backs in the league, and an utter anomaly who happens to play the most difficult position in all of football.  He has moxy and I respect his ability to be “Jordanesque” in the fourth quarter.  However, I do not think this ability is some form of Divine Intervention simply because Mr. Tebow is unabashed about his faith.  As I said above, I can’t imagine God really cares about football.  But… I am an avid fantasy football player and it is ridiculously addicting, so maybe She does have a team; no never mind.  All joking aside, I find it very opportunistic to use Tebow’s success and mini winning streak to promote a Christian agenda.  Plus, this streak has more to do with Denver’s defense playing lights out than anything.  I mean, watching most Denver games encompasses watching 3+ quarters of absolutely horrible offensive ‘Wing-T’ football.

I respect that Tebow prays on the sidelines and gives thanks.  Knowing what little I do about Tebow, I would assume that what he is doing is simply saying “thanks”.  I can’t imagine he asks God for a 'win', he seems far too nice and smart a dude to do that.  Speaking of nice dudes; this also just in, Mr. Tebow is not the only good dude in the NFL.  He is a poster boy (and a pretty good looking one at that, so say all my female coworkers) for athletes who act like decent human beings.  We need this with our current crop of athletes who garner far too much attention.  Yet, his faith is used by media and other outlets, like many other issues, to divide people and pimp out some sort of agenda.  We should simply enjoy seeing him succeed, or not succeed if you're not a fan, on the field regardless of his religious beliefs.

Good for you Tim Tebow and Bronco fans.  I am enjoying this just as much as any other NFL fan.  The NFL truly is the best soap opera on TV.

Robert.

P.S. I think Tebowing is a pretty awesome Internet phenomenon.

Educational requirements for Congress and The Office of the President? Nevermind, not needed!

As we continue to grow the gap between the wealthiest of Americans and the ever-eroding middle class, it is now a necessity for citizens who are looking for jobs to have an advanced degree.  An MBA, Masters in Education, Masters in Organizational Leadership, M.A., and Ph.D.s are now needed to compete for jobs that were once considered entry level for baccalaureate degrees merely fiteen years ago.  We have watered down a college degree so much that a bachelor’s degree is now equivalent to high school diploma (for reasons see my blog below regarding For-Profit Piranhas).   I start with this to make a very distinct point; if we as job seeking individuals have to continuously obtain greater educational experiences and advanced degrees to qualify and be considered for employment, our elected leaders should be as well!

Over the past few years, and especially the past couple weeks, I have witnessed firsthand how incredibly ill-prepared and ill-informed our potential Presidential candidates are.  Sarah Palin, Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Dan Quayle, Michelle Bachman, etc., etc., etc., have made a mockery of what running for President or being in office requires.  On campaign trails, educated candidates, including President Obama, have been criticized for being too educated.  Is there such a notion?  Too educated?  Converserly, there should then be an argument for not having enough education to run for office. 

Now, I do not discredit that there are numerous individuals who have done amazingly well despite not having a formal education.  However, it is imperative that we have advanced degree requirements for all members of Congress and the office of the President.  We entrust these leaders with our safety, well-being, future and livelihood and yet we do not hold them accountable to continuously seeking knowledge and to navigating the very same academic requirements that we insist on other individuals in all sectors of society.  Given the direction and utter divisiveness that permeates our political landscape, not to mention their job approval ratings, our leaders are failing us.  They are a product of a failing K-12 educational system that does not teach individuals how think critically and they are prisoners to a corrupt two-party system.  

As a graduate student I am inundated, in every class, to think critically and with an 'interdisciplinary' approach.  I would argue that, as a whole, our leaders are incapable of doing this, simply because we do not hold them accountable to having any form of an advanced degree.  It is a shame that leaders who continuously make fools of themselves are still front-runners for the most visible and imperative job in the entire world. 

We have regressed so far as a country that we tolerate such idiocy.  As Congress stumbles and remains impotent regarding the economy, education and the jobs crisis and focus on issue like reaffirming “In God We Trust” as our national motto; it is no wonder that we are headed in the direction we are; I would argue there are more pressing issues.

As Albert Einstein once said, “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death”.  It is a shame that mnay do not hold our leaders and presidential candidates to this standard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJvF0JzBVxI&feature=player_embedded

Robert