The Disease is White: Langdon Street Mock Lynching, Madison WI, June 9, 2011

Click here to view Danez Smith's blog and photo of the Langdon Street Mock Lynching

Quote from the UW-Madison June 10 press release: “The incident that occurred on Langdon Street yesterday — a Spider-Man doll being hung by its neck — is a reminder of the importance of considering both intention and impact in any given situation...."



When will we see racism as a white problem rather than a problem for people of color? I am not saying that racist acts and statements don't cause harm to people of color. Sadly and truly, these acts do. Racism makes lives hard, limits educational and economic opportunities, limits access to healthcare, and leads to early deaths from stress and violence. One cannot overstate the toll racism takes on communities of color. And of course we need to mitigate those effects.

But people! The disease is WHITE!

Are we concerned with treating hit and run victims of a drunk driver? Absolutely! But who would argue that's the best way to make our roads safe from drunk driving is to aid those who have been hit? What about prevention? Of course sexual violence against women harms women--but the source of the pathology is in our male culture.

In the case of racism, what are we doing--not merely to protect people of color from racist acts--but to treat the source of the disease? White racism. White supremacy. A learned legacy of white superiority. Of economic and sexual exploitation of people of color.

Someone said that what happened was "inconsistent with university values and those of the entire Madison community," but in fact, what happened was consistent with a history of racism that exists throughout and within our supposedly fair-minded, liberal community.* And with a legacy of racist acts in our city and on our campus. Until we acknowledge this and decide to do something to address the underlying causes, these acts will continue.

We've been told students should be "respectful of other members of the community and… thoughtful about the potential impact of their actions." But where are white folks doing the work we need to do to unlearn the racist legacy we carry. Where are the university classes that examine racism and encourage "majority" students to reflect and examine the legacy of white supremacy--not only in our societies but in our families and in our minds? Where are the courses in racial justice? In social justice?

I agree, as the UW statement notes, that "we have to do more to help each member of our campus community understand the unintended implications of their actions and the power of symbols." But until we address and face the underlying pathology of white racism** and of unaware perpetuation of privilege, any responses will be reactive at best.

This work is happening in some places, see this video about Student SEED, an amazing student organization called PREA, the Leadership Institute, and the Institute for Social Justice and Transformative Leadership, among others. Off-campus, see Groundwork Madison.

I look forward to ALL of us undertaking the conscious and intentional work of healing from white racism, with full (and this means financial, academic and extracurricular) support of the UW administration, faculty and staff. And parents and educators everywhere.

(Knowing that this I am myself on an ongoing journey of healing my own racism and oppressor roles, I invite and thank you for your comments and feedback.)

*In 2006, an estimated 47% of Dane County's Black men aged 25-29 were under supervision of the Department of Corrections, 15% in prison and another 32% on probation or parole or extended supervision.
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/~oliver/RACIAL/RacialDisparities.htm

**Racial Healing: The Institutes for the Healing of Racism. Reginald Newkirk, Nathan Rutstein and Richard Davis's Madison Wisconsin Institute for the Healing of Racism
http://www.richarddavis.org/rap/hr-main.html