Tim Wise – Most Hated White Man in America

A few nights ago, I was invited to hear Tim Wise speak here in Oakland. For those who do not know him, the Nashville-born author/speaker is perhaps the most vociferous anti-racist you may ever get to hear. He has written numerous books on the subject of White privilege, and has more to say on the subject than I could ever do justice in a posting. Nevertheless, I offer up my summary of a man who undoubtedly competes with Morris Dees, of the Southern Poverty Law Center, for the title of ‘most hated White man in America’.

Why is he so hate-worthy? Well, like Dee’s, Wise has lost his mind, and his whiteness, when it comes to what he sees as unequal justice toward Blacks in America. His overarching platform is a willingness to speak openly about White America’s racist past and present dealings, akin to a White Nashville preacher who suddenly woke up Black. In fact, one of his books is titled, White Like Me. Like Dees, and the most recent President Jimmy Carter, a southern White man speaking openly about race carries heightened credibility with Black folks, inasmuch as he can be characterized as, ‘a White boy tellin’ all they business!’

I will first clarify that I am not 100% aligned with his argument on the White-man’s recent history of exploiting people of color. Nevertheless, his delivery of facts sure beats the hell out of whoever would call him a liar. Unfortunately, he makes the grave mistake of many before him, with shallow analysis of the plight of Blacks limited to the last 400 years of White dominance, against thousands of prior years of development. This limitation allows Whites and others to easily turn a deaf ear to him. In ignoring earlier times of human history and evolution, including that of race itself, he lessens his power and influence, except for the people in his 'choir', mostly Blacks and guilt-sensitive Whites. To the contrary, and aided by many external factors over a much greater time period, Whites and Blacks are complicit in the race dynamic and plights we reflect today. In any event, I agree with Mr. Wise that talking about race is the only way for things to get better. I would simply lengthen the period of review to 5,000 years.

This leads to my second mention. Wise is on the money when he criticizes Obama for being race-neutral. He postulates that in order to get elected Obama had to be palatable to a large number of racist Whites – I assume he means ‘soft’ racists - who were willing to vote for an exceptional Black man, the same way they have one Black friend as proof they are not racist. However – and I throw in my own Amen – a President who continually ducks racism, under the cover of political expedience, is actually doing great harm to any long-term goal of uniting disparate people. Wise offers that Obama, by example of his refusal to recognize racism, thrown at his presidency, Harry Reid-style, is pushing it into the closet and closing the door.

Even with the shortcomings of his macro-lens view on America, Wise is a strong and intelligent voice for bringing race discussions to the foreground. Some will like him, others will hate him, but you will know where he stands. My greatest concern with his presentation is that it implicitly encourages Whites to feel guilty and Blacks to feel like victims – not a recipe for success. In doing this he ignores duality. Balance is lost, as he does not challenge Blacks, or validate Whites. His words aptly encourage people to confront the ‘system’ of White privilege, but he hardly pushes on Blacks to embrace advancing avenues before them, rather than simply pointing out White obstruction. This makes him the flip-side of his accusation of Obama’s mono-focus on self-responsibility and the White majority. Wise desperately seeks/protects a palatable status with Black America, which limits what he is willing to say. In his world, Black salvation is forever dependent on White redemption – the status quo solution too concerned with the souls of White folk, quite biased, and quite impossible.

James C. Collier

READ MOST RECENT POSTS AT ACTING WHITE...

Technorati Tags: Tim Wise – Most Hated White Man in America, Morris Dees, White Like Me, Race-Neutral, Post-Racial, Acting White