The following are more stream-of-consciousness observations about “whitism” than an organized essay:

“Whitism” is the belief that it is appropriate to assemble an all-white state blogger corps for the Democratic National Convention, and then the steadfast refusal to change that decision, even when it is pointed out as unfair in many national newspapers.  “Whitism” is the selective use of criteria to create all-white professions, and then the conviction among whites (and even some Blacks) that the criteria are objective, rather than the result of a calculated effort to exclude Blacks and Latinos.

“Whitism” is the belief that the 96% whiteness of DailyWhitosphere is not an urgent problem that needs to be addressed, even though the purpose of DailyWhitosphere is to develop and lobby for policies and changes in law and candidates that all of us will have to live with, regardless of our skin color.

“Whitism” is the belief that the 98% whiteness of MyDD is not an urgent problem that needs to be addressed, even though the purpose of MyDD is to develop and lobby for policies and changes in law and candidates that all of us will have to live with, regardless of our skin color.

“Whitism”, therefore, is a challenge to Blacks and Latinos to organize and our own political organizations such as the AfroSpear:

  “Whitism” is the belief that all white people, regardless of their qualifications, are more qualified for any position than are Blacks and Latinos who might apply, regardless of their qualifications.  An example of this is the state blog corps.  When the white blogger lobbyists connected to the e DNC realized that there would not be a white blogger from every state at the Democratic National Convention, they began an active search for a white blogger from every state, and they found one.  Now, some of the white bloggers who were chosen actually believe that it is more imporant to have a white blogger from Alaska at the Convention than a Black blogger from Mississippi.“Whitism” is the belief that selection and exclusion criteria developed exclusively by whites is presumptively objective.  “Whitism” is belief that the  fact that selection criteria result in an all-white pool is NOT a sufficient or valid reason to question the selection criteria themselves, because there is nothing fundamentally or urgently wrong with the virtually complete exclusion of Blacks and Latinos.

“Whitism” is incarcerating over a million Black people because white society doesn’t like our behavior or our existence, and then dismissing all of Blacks’ objections to white behavior as “whining.”

“Whitism” is the inability to perceive a revolution in the making.

Obviously, there are many whites who do not adhere to all (or even any) of the tenets of the ideology and practice of whitism.  But the prevalence, pervasiveness and persistence of whitism are a testament that ALL whites and too many Blacks are far too tolerant of whitism, which is why it has lasted so long as a potent political force in American life.

“Whitism” is the willingness to accept the financial, social, educational, and other benefits that accrue as a result of others’ whitism.  “Whitism” is blithely and “innocently” hoping to receive benefits that are the benefits of whitism.

“Whitism” is living unconcerned that the United States incarcerates more of its citizens than any other country in the world, and living unconcerned that Blacks are six times more likely to be incarcerated than white men.

“Whitism”, once again, is believing that the criteria for imprisonment are being determined (by a 96% white US Senate) in an evenhanded manner, and believing that the criteria are being observed fairly by all-white juries.

“Whitism” is the ability to live more or less contentedly in the midst of rampant whitism.

“Whitism” is the belief that, even with over a million Black people in US jails, everything that Black people have to say should be reasonably pleasing to white people’s ears, and that Blacks should make a determined effort not to offend white sensibilities in the process of fighting to overthrow the ideology and practice of whitism.