Letter: Racism exists to serve white peoples needs

Letter: Racism exists to serve white peoples needs

Editor,

Racism is a very complex and elaborate thing having developed over hundreds of years. I’d like to thank the people replying to my letters to the editor about Critical Race Theory, or CRT, because they give me an opportunity to comment on different aspects of it without repeating myself.

So far, Jimmy Sloan and Michael Bradley made the argument that white people should fear CRT because it says they’re inherently bad, which is false because it says people aren’t inherently anything. Race is a social construction.

In his July 9 letter to the editor, Bill Merrill introduces two new arguments: Black people should feel insulted by CRT, and he has Black friends.

“CRT is an insult to minorities. It implies that they are not capable of being successful or of reaching their full potential due to so-called oppression and ‘white rage,’ whatever that is,” Merrill wrote.

I’ve been reasonably successful in life. I got a PhD and I’ve worked in computer security since. My own circumstances aren’t representative of Black people at all. Why? Partly because of affirmative action “diversity” funding. I grew up here. I understand that white people don’t like to feel racist. It’s very clear that white people like to have token minorities around, specifically to deny how unrepresentative they are. You get upward social mobility in exchange for being used as a symbol of inclusion. Your existence is used to gaslight others — look at me. I did it. Why are the other Black people so lazy?

CRT explains this exact phenomenon of “racism without racists.” Racism exists to serve white people’s needs, including emotional needs. It was also important for slaves on the auction block to look happy, for slaves to dance and perform for their masters.

Racism is ugly to look at directly, so racists like the help of Black people in pretending it’s not there.

We know that Merrill isn’t serious because he describes my politics as “fascist” when I’m clearly on the ultra-left. Fascism is a right-wing belief system, if words mean anything. He thinks I’m wrong to see racism in “ordinary everyday events.”

Well, what about the nerve of his comment asking if I’d heard of the supposed legions of Black people against CRT? It illustrates, on a casual everyday level the entitlement he feels to define the meaning of blackness. He really has his finger on the pulse of the community and wants to fight for their dignity, more than me? He wants me to be impressed with his kindness to Black subordinates, basically pleading that he’s a kind master.

It’s tedious to think about whether Bill Merrill is a “good person,” but obviously I’d be stupid to run to his house for help if the “real racists” come for me. I don’t care if he finds basic survival instincts personally insulting, but that’s the kind of thing a racist would want to discourage in Black people, isn’t it?

Michael King

Oak Harbor

Indigenous peoples lead essential global transformation on nature, climate, economies

It is time for change. Two years ago, the Financial Times launched its ‘New Agenda’ campaign with a five-word front page – ‘Capitalism: time for a reset.’ Last year, UNDP launched its annual Human Development Report “The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene” with the stark conclusion that no country has been able to achieve a high level of human development without first having significantly harmed the environment. And over the past few days, at the 2021 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, nature and climate have been front and centre as states have been discussing “sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic”. Many reports on the decline of nature, such as the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, all point to a single conclusion: it is time for widespread societal change on nature, climate and economy. But what kinds of changes are most needed?

What’s needed now

We can look to governments for guidance. Earlier this year, the climate and environment ministers of G7 countries issued a joint communiqué that clearly outlined a set of urgent societal transformations:

Mainstream nature into economy: We must reset our relationship with nature by recognizing and incorporating nature’s values into all sectors, into our economies, and into green Covid recovery efforts. This means mobilizing new sources of public and private finance with new instruments and tools, including voluntary carbon markets and payments for ecosystem services. It also means catalyzing a nature-positive green economy, including through micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Implement nature-based climate solutions: We must recognize the role of nature in helping us to achieve our climate targets. Nature can provide up to 38 percent of our climate mitigation targets, yet it receives only three percent of climate finance. Nature-based climate solutions can store carbon, while providing a wide array of cost-efficient benefits for climate adaptation, and we must ensure that Nationally Determined Contributions for climate include ambition on nature.

Promote sustainable resource management: We must rethink how we produce commodities, by transforming our food, fisheries, and forest management systems. This means eliminating deforestation from commodity supply chains, and aiming for regenerative, climate-resilient agriculture and agroforestry. As part of integrated land use planning, we must also set ambitious targets for the protection and restoration of ecosystems in order to safeguard essential ecosystem services for humanity. But if we are to achieve these targets, we must recognize and uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.

These approaches and suggestions are not particularly new. It is encouraging, however, that many governments have come to recognize that policies need to change. But where do we find guidance on how to change? For examples of these transformations in practice, we must look in a different direction – to the local and Indigenous communities around the world who are already leading the way.

Indigenous peoples and local communities lead the way

This year’s UNDP-led Equator Prize winners, selected for the categories of nature-based climate solutions, nature-positive food systems, and green economy, exemplify many of the essential transformations highlighted by G7 countries.

It is time for profound societal change, on nature, climate, food, and economies. One of the wisest steps we can take now is to listen to and learn from the thousands of local and Indigenous communities, to support their efforts, and to help replicate their actions.

Browns camp battle preview: Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. Anthony Schwartz

It might not get the sizzling attention of a battle for a starting spot, but the Cleveland Browns appear to have quite a fight brewing for the reserve “speed” wide receiver spot. Second-year wideout Donovan Peoples-Jones and third-round rookie Anthony Schwartz figure to square off for the position in Browns training camp and preseason.

Both are long-striding, outside-the-numbers vertical threats as receivers. Schwartz wins the footrace battle, but that’s not because Peoples-Jones and his 4.47 40-yard dash is slow; the rookie is a world-class sprinter who once held the world record in his age group.

Quick note: We’re not ignoring KhaDarel Hodge here. Hodge is a very different type of receiver and invaluable on special teams. That’s part of why Peoples-Jones and Schwartz are fighting for the same roster spot.

In his rookie campaign, Peoples-Jones proved he had some viable NFL talent. He caught 14 passes (20 targets) for 314 yards and two touchdowns. That’s decent production from a limited role and playing just 25 percent of offensive snaps. He’s a good leaper and strong at the catch point, and his blocking proved acceptable enough on the outside.

Schwartz was better in college at gaining quick separation against man coverage than Peoples-Jones was during his Michigan tenure. He’s capable of blowing the top off the defense on any play. But in terms of route running, blocking and precision, he’s well behind his competitor. The blazing speed is a valuable trump card in Schwartz’s favor, however.

The decision could come down to special teams. While Demetric Felton projects as the primary return specialist, both Peoples-Jones and Schwartz figure to get opportunities in camp as well. “DPJ” was moderately effective as a punt returner in 2020 (77 yards on 18 returns) but proved pretty easy to tackle as well. His superior strength and physicality offer more potential in coverage units.