Uprooting Racism - 4th Edition: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice

I feel I’m at a loss to describe the surreal, otherworldly world view that this book portrays. The narrative flows in and out of rational thought as if the author has yet to recover from a serious head injury. He warns white readers that we’ll become angry and defensive at some of the things he has to say but I found myself more stunned by the blatant dystopian world view that he portrays. I was hoping to read a logical assessment of the race issue in our culture, instead this seems to be an outlook heavily influenced by personal tragedy, of which he speaks openly. I will do my best to describe this.The premise is that “white does not reflect a skin color so much as a racial purity that has never existed” and that those in the “club” (my quotes) have conscious and unconscious ways of keeping that club exclusive to whites. It’s important to remember that when we say white we’re not talking about skin, but a socially engineered hierarchy that has created and maintained power by exclusion of people of color for centuries.It’s important to note that he uses the term “People of Color” to portray this imbalance of power. In this regard he’s portraying our modern struggle as those of European decent versus everyone else. This is an unrealistic depiction because he blatantly ignores the fact that not all of the groups under the umbrella of PoC are treated in a uniform racist manner, as one would imagine a group hell bent on racial purity and dominance would do. Asian American and Indian Americans comparatively make more money on the dollar than whites, achieve higher test scores and do not suffer from the same discrimination as blacks or Hispanics. He does address this discrepancy and explains it away by essentially saying that because Asian and Indian Americans might want to form exclusive groups to discuss common interests or advocate for certain change (more Asians on TV, for example) that they should be considered as victims of white racism at the same level as all other races. Or, it’s racist to compare the different experiences. It’s essential for him to use the unified PoC argument because without it we’re forced to evaluate the struggle between individual racial groups. When that happens the façade of “racial superiority” falls and we must look at the two sided issues of racial conflict.On the issue of power and control he primarily focuses on institutional racist policy of the past and completely ignores the wholesale power in the court of public opinion in which our country is heavily influenced today. In fact the way he describes blacks being negatively portrayed in the movies and the media, women being “taught that men of color are highly sexual beings whose very gaze will assault them”, that whites who stand up for social justice are defined as “race traitors”, that whites will naturally assume a black man in a room is the hired help, etc. you would think he wrote this book in 1985. Today we cannot talk about racial power and control without a discussion on the power of social opinion. A simple accusation of racism can cost a person their livelihood, what amounts to a simple opinion on a lack of diversity can cost thousands of dollars and affect the very ways intuitions function. On the subject of power and control he is hopelessly stuck in the past.His arguments that whites are taught to be racist are bewildering (as well as un-cited). If a white male foregoes the “traditional” male bonding which encourages aggression toward PoC he will be “vulnerable to physical and sexual aggression” by his peers. Whites focus on the dangers of PoC and are taught to fear them in order to hide the (presumed) trauma within our own communities and the guilt that comes with our racist genetic inheritance. He argues that any “pre-conceived notion of fear based on skin color is dysfunctional” because white people are rarely in danger of aggressive acts from PoC being that they have been so demoralized they offer no threat. In other words it’s inherently racist to not want to travel through a certain neighborhood at night because you fear for your safety.I held out hope because there wasn’t a blatant moral judgement placed on the white reader for a while, but inevitably it had to happen. About half way through the book we get it, the “If you’re not with us you’re against us” fallacy. If you’re not actively working against this web of supremacist control then you’re an agent for perpetuating racism. Keeping in mind this web of supremacist control is entirely subjective interpretation. So now, if in mixed company, someone tells an off color(ed) joke and you simply roll your eyes and make a note that you won’t be hanging out with this person again you’re an agent of racism because you didn’t say anything. But why stop there? When walking through the antique mall you see a booth with a confederate flag hanging. Are you an agent of white supremacy if you don’t tell the manager that it should be taken down? “Ridiculous!”, I can hear people say. But is it really that hard to imagine?There are numerous points in the book where, despite the repeated declarations that we *must* be honest with the past, he gives a distorted view of the past to justify his claim of white supremacy.-We’re told how whites destroyed cultures, among many other legitimate horrors, during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade but the fact that the Arab Muslims atrocities dwarfed those of the Europeans when they did the exact same thing. But he can’t acknowledge this because it doesn’t fit in with his white supremacist narrative.-We hear the old myth that whites copied the culture of the African slaves and profited from (blues, rock and roll, jazz dance, etc.). The truth is that this was never purely African culture, it was a hybrid of African and Pioneer European (or however you want to describe that). A small thing, but again one that doesn’t support his narrative.-He claims that whites hold “Anti-Asian rhetoric claims that we are under attack or being besieged”. This is in response to the current push to buy American made products. You tell me, when this subject comes up do you hear “Those dirty Asians” or do you hear “Those dirty CEO’s moving their production to Asia”. Another clear distortion to create a façade of white supremacy.I could go on, but you get the point.After a time the book actually becomes difficult to read, knowing that you should be reading something else and actually learning something rather than getting a delusional trip down psychosis lane.

Every single white person in the world needs to read this book (although minority groups would enjoy the book as well). It is so easy to read, and it feels very personal. In the first part of the book, he gives an AMAZING overview of the history of Whiteness and how it has come to control all aspects of American life. If you are not particularly familiar with social sciences such as sociology, criminology, anthropology, etc., I can assure you that many of Kivel's statements will shock you...in a good way.If you are a white person and have a genuine place in your heart for anti-racist ideology, and if you have a hard time talking about it with your white family members/friends without being called an SJW/atheist/traitor/etc., this book will guide you on how to confront typical arguments about racism and the recognition of White privilege. It will give you the evidence you need. This is probably the most important book I will read as I continue with my masters degree in sociology and criminal justice.

By large and in part this book was a very insightful tool equipping any reader with ways to challenge and address institutional racism within their perspective communities. My perspective was certainly widened as the predominance of racism was elucidated through this text. However, I was disappointed in various styles of the writing and often times I felt as if statements where rather 'matter of fact' and lacked some solid reasoning. Yet, this book is certainly worth a read and will surely inspire and challenge you towards a practical means of pursuing love, harmony and social justice through uprooting racism in your daily lives.

Loved this book. Even though it’s about ending racial discrimination and it’s written by a white man he did pretty good. I give him props. Paul Kivel needs to collaborate with a author of color and re-write this book!

Tells it like it is. Mr Kivel makes us aware of the white privilege we take for granted.This is a difficult subject which should be read by ever white person on the planet so that the world can achieve racial equity.I highly recommend this book for your racial justice work.

Unlike any other book i've read on racism, this one places high focus on the role of White Americans. Moreover, it is written in a way that forces the reader to put themselves in a White man's shoes and proposes ways "we" can eliminate racism. It's very interest, certainly worth a read.

Thoughtful read on how white people can not only understand racism against people of color, but learn ways to fight it within our own communities, families, circles of friends, and workplaces. A must-read for anyone who is interested in anti-racist action and social justice.

Super informative, easy to understand, down to earth, and thorough. I really agree with the author's system-focused approach as the real foundation of change.

I'm 80 years old and not technically savvy (I operate only through my laptop. I bought what I thought was a book (not digital). I've tried everything, but cannot for the life of me figure out how to get at my book. I've even tried going through Amazon's 'customer service' on this, but that is impossible!Hal Holt <[email protected]>

Die Ihnalte sind genau die die ich gesucht habe, daher bin ich völlig zufrieden. Ich finde dieses Buch sehr empfehlenswert