Problem:
In Chapter 11, Kendi highlights the idea that Black people cannot be racist is an example of racism in itself. Individuals of any racial group can be prejudiced against others and also engage in discriminatory behavior. Black people are definitely not immune to behaving this way themselves, nobody is. It reminds me of Camara Jones' flower planters on her porch. The allegory of two planters with different types of soil, one rich and full of nutrients allowing a perfect environment for the flowers to thrive, and the other with rocky soil, not allowing the flowers to grow properly. It was the example of the reaction of the disadvantaged flowers towards the pollinators that made me think of Black people being racist against their own people. The minority flowers didn't want to be associated with the others of their own planter, they didn't want more reasons for being discriminated against. So, it is possible for a black person to hold racist beliefs or act in discriminatory ways towards individuals of other races and their own race.
The perspective that Black people cannot be racist comes from the idea that racism is connected to power, and because Black people lack power they are incapable of being racist due to their historical oppression. I can understand how this argument may have some truth to it, but it also diminishes the complexity of racism and the tremendous impact it has on society. The idea that Black people cannot be racist is just another layer of racism against them.
In chapter 12 it was the persistence of segregation in American cities that stood out to me. The more I learn about government segregation policies the more disgusted I feel. Even though these policies were mainly implemented throughout the United States in the mid-20th century, they still are visible in the segregated housing patterns today. I recently learned the term "Redlining" which means to refuse a loan or insurance to someone because of their race and/or area where they live can represent a poor financial risk. This is a form of discrimination that banks legally used for about 40 years until it was banned in 1968. This practice has prevented Black people from buying homes in certain neighborhoods. Even after these practices were banned, banks and loaners still continue to perpetuate segregation by denying or making it very difficult for Black people and Latinos to buy houses in better neighborhoods.
The ongoing effects of segregation on communities of color are tremendous and undeniable. The local school funding is compromised, and access to resources and opportunities is very limited, generating a cycle of poverty that people can't break free from. There are historical and also present-day factors that contribute to segregation, and in order for them to be broken we have to bring them to light and talk about them. The government needs to promote policies that support diversity and inclusion in housing and urban planning among others. Redlining has to end in all its shapes and forms so segregation can become something of the past.