What is "Systemic Racism?"

[HeirofSalvation]

Since the term "Systemic Racism" is alleged to be a rampant problem in the United States, I have opened this forum for those who understand the issue to give us a solid definition of what the term actually means.

As far as I can tell, it means nothing, and has no discernable definition....
Am I wrong?
Please enlighten me as to what "Systemic Racism" means and how we can decifer whether America suffers from it in any meaningful degree.

 

[Deacon]

Lets simply break it down,
SYSTEMIC, adjective

1. relating to a system, especially as opposed to a particular part.
"the disease is localized rather than systemic.
2. relating to, or common to a system

Those that use the term (if they are ‘thinking’ folk) might use it to indicate it is something that pervades the whole culture, other words relating would include pervasive, system-wide, comprehensive, structural...
​

RACISM, noun
Many different definitions but the simple one that seems to apply to the “woke” generation is a prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against a particular minority people on the basis of their racial group.

Some cultures are more accepting of the various racial groups in their midst than others but I believe racism is systemic within humankind.

In the 1800 and 1900’s with the onslaught of mass immigration Americans accepted a great variety of people’s. Yet there was prejudice against the poor Irish immigrates. Some even arrived as indentured servants.

Rob

 

[JonShaff]

System Racism means that certain systems within a societal framework are set up in such a way for a certain ethnicity to prosper and for others to stay below status quo, economically, educationally, judicially, etc. Also, there are abuses in the system that demonstrate racial inequality.

For instance, let's say there are two people who kill a cop in Alabama. One is a Caucasian the other is African-American. All of the details are the same yet the white man gets 20 years in prison and the black man gets a life sentence. This would be an example of systemic racism.

 

[JonC]

So a political party that seeks specifically to fill the spot of vice-President based on race (e.g., we need a person of color) would be systemic racism? Or an education facility that offers incentives or admission based on race? Or an employer who seeks to hire people of certain races?

 

[Deacon]

That is where the definition of racism becomes important.
You would define racism broadly as a prejudice against any group based upon color;

Others might define it as affecting a particular minority group.

(no judgement implied)

Rob

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

System Racism means that certain systems within a societal framework are set up in such a way for a certain ethnicity to prosper and for others to stay below status quo, economically, educationally, judicially, etc. Also, there are abuses in the system that demonstrate racial inequality.

For instance, let's say there are two people who kill a cop in Alabama. One is a Caucasian the other is African-American. All of the details are the same yet the white man gets 20 years in prison and the black man gets a life sentence. This would be an example of systemic racism.

For it to be anything like systemic racism, you must have a large multiplicity along with consistency. Several men of different races, each with the same criminal record, found guilty of the same crime under different judges each meting out the same disparate sentences based on race alone.

 

[JonC]

That is where the definition of racism becomes important.
You would define racism broadly as a prejudice against any group based upon color;

Others might define it as affecting a particular minority group.

(no judgement implied)

Rob

I have heard that definition (that racism can only be applied to the majority and never the minority). That does not make sense to me, but I get it.

That said, I live in a city that is 60% black and 30% white. My boss is black. The political atmosphere is diverse, but the mayor of Augusta is black (we are most affected by Augusta as we live in the metro area).

In other words, I am a minority where our leadership reflects the social make up of our community. I love it here.

But does that mean that black people cannot be the focus of racism in Augusta because they represent the majority?

Would it mean that, as a minority, I personally cannot be a racist because I personally live as a minority in a mostly black area?

And I (this one is probably more obvious) cannot have white privilege or be responsible for white privilege if I have it because it would be black men giving that privilege to me?

 

[BibleViz]

From the various diversity and inclusion webinars I've watched lately, "systemic racism" seems to include any system which does not result in "equity" among all racial or ethnic groups. Equity, in this sense, could be described as equality of outcome, not equality of opportunity or equal treatment under the law. I've seen the image below in many places to illustrate the difference. If the system does not result in equity among all races, it must be a "racist" system.

 

[BibleViz]

This is the version of that same idea which I believe is the biblical answer: remove the barriers entirely!

 

[canadyjd]

This is the version of that same idea which I believe is the biblical answer: remove the barriers entirely!

Who built the barriers? And who tears them down?

peace to you

 

[RighteousnessTemperance&]

This is the version of that same idea which I believe is the biblical answer: remove the barriers entirely!

LOL. That’s the sort of backhanded meming I so love to see. Depict people trying to watch a game without paying. They could even be construed as illegals. And then to take down the wall so there is no homerun fence? Priceless. Looks like a “Build that wall!” scenario. Genius.

 

[JonC]

From the various diversity and inclusion webinars I've watched lately, "systemic racism" seems to include any system which does not result in "equity" among all racial or ethnic groups. Equity, in this sense, could be described as equality of outcome, not equality of opportunity or equal treatment under the law. I've seen the image below in many places to illustrate the difference. If the system does not result in equity among all races, it must be a "racist" system.

But people are not created equally (in terms of opportunity). Let me try to illustrate what I mean (how I am understanding the illustration you have provided and the definition):

1. An accounting firm has a policy to be represented equally among all races (in terms of its employees). It has one accountant from every race except white.
2. The best candidate is a Black man. The second best is an Asian woman. The third best is a Hispanic woman. The last and worst candidate is a white man.
3. The company hires the white man to prevent systemic racism.

The black man was subjected to personal (or individual) racism because he was the best for the job but was bypassed because of his race.
The Asian and Hispanic women were also discriminated against because of their race.

It just seems that by this definition the avoidance of systemic racism demands the implementation of individual racism.

As a Christian I just do not know that I can go along with that. It would be encouraging discrimination and racism to maintain equity. This seems like supporting evil by saying the ends justify the means (not you, brother, but the illustration in general).

 

[JonC]

I have another question.... It seems that what is assumed is that race itself is in fact a type of disability when it seems the disadvantage is instead legitimate socioeconomic factors (that may or may not have begun with racism). Shouldn't that be the proper starting point?

 

[Sai]

Since the term "Systemic Racism" is alleged to be a rampant problem in the United States, I have opened this forum for those who understand the issue to give us a solid definition of what the term actually means.

As far as I can tell, it means nothing, and has no discernable definition....
Am I wrong?
Please enlighten me as to what "Systemic Racism" means and how we can decifer whether America suffers from it in any meaningful degree.

It is clear to me that at a point in history not very far back that whites were particularly harsh towards the blacks that survived slavery and segregation. This group of blacks did suffer as second hand citizens. What is systemic?

Whites lost the bid to deal with the problem of the black American community to the white leftists who in turn by accident completely decimated the black nuclear family. The white leftist simply applied his anti God formula towards the weakest group of their day, post segregation blacks. At the same time, the non racist whites turned a blind eye on their cousins who sold the welfare utopia to these black folks. As a result black urban communities began their steady decline into what are now poverty ridden death camps.

Because this was permitted to take place, naturally blacks would receive harsher sentences for crimes committed than whites would in each of their respective neighborhoods. This judicial prejudice is yet again, a half assed attempt at dealing with the black Americans. Whether throwing money at the problem or judging more harshly, both did not do what was needed and is still needed, to save black America from black Americans.

It will never be fixed.

 

[BibleViz]

It just seems that by this definition the avoidance of systemic racism demands the implementation of individual racism.

Yes, exactly! Thomas Sowell's definitions in Discrimination and Disparities argue that point perfectly.

It seems that what is assumed is that race itself is in fact a type of disability when it seems the disadvantage is instead legitimate socioeconomic factors (that may or may not have begun with racism)

For the most part, activists argue that the socioeconomic disadvantages are caused by a system built upon a foundation of racism (see the 1619 project), therefore these systems which resulted in disproportionate poverty, crime, etc. among minorities must be torn down and replaced by a Marxist construct. That's why none of the riots, protests, or vandalism are really about racial symbolism per se. They're about removing any "icon" of the current system, including Frederick Douglass and Lincoln!

 

[Marooncat79]

Systemic racism would prevent

Equal education there would be no black Harvard grads

Systemically deny rights

Prevent blacks from owning property

Becoming millionaires

Becoming business owners

Owning sports franchises

Becoming billionaires

Having interracial relationships

Prevent intergrated worship

Legislate travel for blacks

Have curfews for blacks

Prevent black authorship

Prevent blacks from teaching in any forum

Prevent blacks from pastoring


Thats just immediate thought!

Any others?

Please add

Remind me again, what is systemic?

 

[InTheLight]

Systemic racism is when a team named the "Redskins", a name based solely on skin color, can keep their name for decades despite a public outcry and public demonstrations wherever the team went.

 

[InTheLight]

Systemic racism is when only 1% of the Fortune 500 CEOs are black despite the overall black population being about 14%.

 

[JonC]

Systemic racism is when only 1% of the Fortune 500 CEOs are black despite the overall black population being about 14%.

I think that you need to prove that is systemic. It could be, but as stated it is just a statistic.

For example, one could argue that systemic racism is the disproportionate percentage of unarmed black men killed by the police when we consider the racial makeup of the nation (when we consider the racial makeup of unarmed people killed by police then white men are the majority). This is the argument of BLM. Black men make up a minority of citizens, but they are disproportionately killed by police.

The fallacy is apparent when we consider that black men, although a minority, are disproportionately committing violent crimes, that police (regardless of race) are almost 20% likely to be killed by a black man, etc. So race may or may not be the cause (it is taken for granted it is because it fits a certain narrative).

Likewise, you need to prove that the disproportion of black CEO's are a result of racism. I suspect, given the median age of CEO's (58) that there are other factors. Consider affirmative action. Minorities were afforded opportunities that that were intended to "level the playing field" based not on merit alone but on race. The perception, and perhaps the reality, is that minority graduates may not have met the same educational requirements as comparable white graduates. The degrees are the same but there is at least a perception that they do not represent the same level of competency. This was why Clarence Thomas said he does not display his Yale degree - the year after he was admitted affirmative action came into play and devalued his education even though he did not benefit from the policy.

And there are consequences of past systemic racism. Many of the times CEO's gain a position from reputation (or family reputation), have benefited from educational opportunities, wealth, etc. gained by their parents. But this is not systemic racism. It is the consequence of past systemic racism.


So you may be right - BUT just stating facts does not prove you are correct about how those facts came to be.

 

[Revmitchell]

Systemic racism is when only 1% of the Fortune 500 CEOs are black despite the overall black population being about 14%.

See this is what liberals do. They take two unrelated stats and pretend that combined they show causation.