I would say we are becoming both more and less colorblind. While recognition exists that there has been – and still is – disparities between how society as a whole views the various races and ethnicities of the people of the United States, there has been great strides in reducing the disparities. Yet there has not been enough reduction: bigotry and racism still exist. Surely, the blatant bigotry and racism of the past is significantly less common than it was just a few decades ago, but by no means has it gone completely away: it has just become more subtle. On the other hand, blatant racism has become not just legally wrong: it has become socially unacceptable.
In that blatant racism has become socially unacceptable, we have become more colorblind. The greater opportunities for ethnic and racial minorities in education, work, where they live, etc., has also made us more colorblind. But you cannot overlook the facts, as stated in Chapter 14 of Macionis’ Sociology, that many neighborhoods remain racially segregated and therefore most public schools are still “overwhelmingly one race or another” (362), reflecting the characteristics of the neighborhood that they serve. Increasing diversity in schools requires increasing diversity in the neighborhoods, and while neighborhoods are in many places becoming more diverse, it seems to be the exception rather than the rule.
Without a doubt, the use of affirmative action – in schools, employment, and other areas of life – has increased diversity. Increasing diversity – increasing the daily interaction of people with races other than their own – cannot help but make us more colorblind. When you learn and work with people on a daily basis, you get to know them, become closer to them, become involved in their lives, and see them less as your “Black coworker” or “Hispanic coworker” and more as simply your “coworker.” Especially on an individual, one-on-one basis, we have become more colorblind. Unfortunately, there is still a tendency to lump all people of one race or another into stereotypes even though we may know individuals of that particular race. I’m sure it is not uncommon for someone who has friends of color to think of them as the “exception” to a stereotype. For example, even though one might have friends who are Asian but not good students, yet still think that “all” Asians are very good students because that is the stereotype. I am sure just about every white woman in the country has, at least once in her life, walked down a poorly lit street at night, then found herself crossing to the other side of the road just because she saw a black man walking towards her on the same side of the road, even though she might have many black, male friends. The same woman would probably not have crossed the street if it was a white man, or even an Asian man, especially since we tend to think of Asian men as less “dangerous.”
I have long been concerned that our use of whatever-hyphen-American labels, such as African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, etc., is problematic. While I recognize that such labels are intended to increase cultural awareness and honor the different cultural backgrounds we enjoy, I feel that such labels tend to heighten our differences. I also believe that by placing “American” secondary, it may give a connotation of second-class citizenship. Calling someone “African-American” places their race – “African” – first, and their citizenship – “American” – second. While intended to give pride to one’s cultural and/or racial background, I believe that such labels unintentionally increase feelings of “difference,” feelings that people who are hyphenated-Americans are somehow “lesser,” are different, and not “fully” American.
Increasing colorblindness is a worthy goal, in that as we become more colorblind, there is an increase of opportunity for all people. When society as a whole views people as people, and not as a specific race, then all benefit not just through greater opportunities for traditionally suppressed people, but also through increased opportunities for those who have traditionally been the suppressors. Not to mention we each individually can learn much from greater interaction with people who come from different backgrounds than ourselves, who have different outlooks on life, and different experiences.
Written for Professor Swanson's Sociology I class at Pikes Peak Community College, 8th December 2003.
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