White Liberalism
The controversial novel, Native Son, is widely known for its usage of an anti-hero main character describing the story through what we know is his perspective. This perspective, although inherently limited, allows for the reader to dive into the experience of a black man in the 1940s experiencing racism, prejudice, dilemmas, murder, cover-ups, chase scenes, and so much more. A lot of the characters the reader is introduced to all impact Bigger in different ways. Aside from the controversy with the novel itself, Native Son sparked quite the conversation as it was published and sent straight to the houses of unsuspecting white suburbians for their Book of the Month. It was quite a shock for the white readers of the nation to read a book of its nature.
Some of the main characters and defining individuals of the story and Bigger’s life are the Dalton family, mainly Mr. Dalton, Mrs. Dalton, and Mary Dalton. The Daltons are an affluent white family with what seem to be “liberal” political viewpoints. Not to fear, they are not racist! They offer night school to Bigger unsolicited! They donate ping pong tables! ...right. They also own Bigger and his family’s place of residence and collect their overpriced rent! Wait, that seems counterproductive. That’s because it is. The Daltons are a perfect example of white liberalism and provide a perfect metaphor for how the system works. The Daltons may choose to donate, but they are also the ones applying constant pressure for families like the Thomas’s to make ends meet and pay their rent. This plays into how white liberals may believe they are helping on one front by not being outwardly racist, however they are still reaping the benefits from systemic racism. The Daltons also seem to have trouble hearing criticism on their methods of being liberal and helping end racism. This is a common theme with some white liberals. Oftentimes, they may feel stuck in their ways of how they help rather than being open-minded to hear directly from the people racism affects. In short, there is this false sense of activism, or performative activism, which is defined as “activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause,” (Wisconsin Union) with many white liberals. Sometimes, white liberal activism is rooted in a place of personal gain rather than a genuine want for systemic racism to subside.
I think there is room for everyone to reflect on their actions and what we can do to make a difference. I have provided some resources that I found while writing this and that sparked interest. They range from tips, to information, to studies, and all the way back to Chicago, the setting of Native Son, which brings us full circle as this novel’s message and themes are still incredibly prevalent today.
Resources to learn more~
1619 Project:
Some of the main characters and defining individuals of the story and Bigger’s life are the Dalton family, mainly Mr. Dalton, Mrs. Dalton, and Mary Dalton. The Daltons are an affluent white family with what seem to be “liberal” political viewpoints. Not to fear, they are not racist! They offer night school to Bigger unsolicited! They donate ping pong tables! ...right. They also own Bigger and his family’s place of residence and collect their overpriced rent! Wait, that seems counterproductive. That’s because it is. The Daltons are a perfect example of white liberalism and provide a perfect metaphor for how the system works. The Daltons may choose to donate, but they are also the ones applying constant pressure for families like the Thomas’s to make ends meet and pay their rent. This plays into how white liberals may believe they are helping on one front by not being outwardly racist, however they are still reaping the benefits from systemic racism. The Daltons also seem to have trouble hearing criticism on their methods of being liberal and helping end racism. This is a common theme with some white liberals. Oftentimes, they may feel stuck in their ways of how they help rather than being open-minded to hear directly from the people racism affects. In short, there is this false sense of activism, or performative activism, which is defined as “activism that is done to increase one’s social capital rather than because of one’s devotion to a cause,” (Wisconsin Union) with many white liberals. Sometimes, white liberal activism is rooted in a place of personal gain rather than a genuine want for systemic racism to subside.
I think there is room for everyone to reflect on their actions and what we can do to make a difference. I have provided some resources that I found while writing this and that sparked interest. They range from tips, to information, to studies, and all the way back to Chicago, the setting of Native Son, which brings us full circle as this novel’s message and themes are still incredibly prevalent today.
Resources to learn more~
1619 Project:
-https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/black-history-american-democracy.html
Tips:
Tips:
-https://earthjustice.org/blog/2020-june/ways-to-help-fight-anti-black-police-violence?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg7KJBhDyARIsAHrAXaFrO8GtqBOFNe2eN1doiShDuWlSs4QCQ9B3AfOFlIVUuvGc34_gGFQaAmdOEALw_wcB
Info:
Info:
-https://letsbreakthrough.org/by-for-our-community/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg7KJBhDyARIsAHrAXaHmNF1T2BnrxkfIXvT5ouzJl1ka0vt2sMhMTFDfVd5Xyvb5as1N7ewaAlFMEALw_wcB
-https://www.corporateaccountability.org/media/its-not-enough-to-cry-enough-corporate-accountablitys-statement-on-the-continued-killing-of-black-people/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg7KJBhDyARIsAHrAXaGbQZ7UL730CbCFUtvWLsF-pkC4Jz9X9DiLCyCaBsc7mxwjQiD0yhMaAh_sEALw_wcB
Picture:
-https://www.fairfightinitiative.org/systemic-racism/
Chicago: The False Confession Capital:
-https://www.corporateaccountability.org/media/its-not-enough-to-cry-enough-corporate-accountablitys-statement-on-the-continued-killing-of-black-people/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwg7KJBhDyARIsAHrAXaGbQZ7UL730CbCFUtvWLsF-pkC4Jz9X9DiLCyCaBsc7mxwjQiD0yhMaAh_sEALw_wcB
Picture:
-https://www.fairfightinitiative.org/systemic-racism/
Chicago: The False Confession Capital:
This was a great post, and you articulated the dangers of white liberalism well. I especially liked when you mentioned how oftentimes white liberalism can be rooted in personal gain rather than pure intentions of helping a community. The Dalton family is a clear example of these dangers and I think another place where this is apparent is when Mr. Dalton believes that by donating ping pong tables he has practically fixed systemic racism - obviously a ridiculous notion. I also loved the addition of resources and infographic! Great post!
ReplyDeleteyou make a great point about the performative activism that many white liberals exhibit! I love how you talk about the counter productiveness of the Daltons activism and how their contribution to the systemic oppressions of black people through the real estate market outweighs their self-serving "activism". Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I like your point about performative racism. I think you did a good job explaining how economic factors often influence racism. The graphic you included at the end also helps me understand and connect the different types of racism in our society. I like how you acknowledge the room for everyone to grow, it got me thinking about my own perspective and actions as well.
ReplyDelete