Day 1 of “whiteness history month” is in the books at Portland Community College. Before the first workshop, the Dean Of Student Instruction, Craig Kolins, tried to explain what the month long series was about, but could not name a single instance where a student was a victim of bias, despite repeated chances to elaborate.
Part of the day’s festivities involved analyzing some of the negative comments found online about “whiteness history month” and some of the emails that PCC staff had received from dissenters. (h/t to Campus Reform for being featured!)
One of the presenters, Rut Martinez-Alicea, would go on to defend black rapists when someone brings up internet comments about black men raping white women. They completely ignore the rape aspect, and focus solely on the fact that people are criticizing black males and explain that it’s somehow a privilege that people are talking about white women as victims.
You’re also racist if you say you are colorblind, as Martinez-Alicea says “Part of whiteness and part of systems of oppression is to say ‘what is best is not see difference’… When we don’t see difference, we’re missing out a lot of information. We’re also denying the consequences of difference. So when we engage in comments or behaviors that are informed by this (????) of colorblindness, we’re engaging in bias” Denying you’re a racist means you must be traveling from a different time. “Because we are the obvious consequence of our moment in history.”
If you say you believe in “one race, the human race” then that makes you racist. If you say you are white and born in America, that also makes you racist.
Somehow they conclude that ignorance is privilege, and knowledge creates bias.
Earlier in the day, participants took Harvard’s “Implicit Bias Test”, which is basically rigged to say you’re racist. I took the test and answered honestly on the first go around and it said I was racist against African Americans. Then I tried a second time and intentionally associated every positive word with African Americans, and every negative word with European Americans, even when it was “wrong” according the way the test was designed. Rather than telling me I was racist against European Americans, it told me there were too many mistakes in order for it work right.
Stay tuned for more all next week! “Whiteness history month” has over 100 events planned for April, and Progressives Today will be continuing to report on these events throughout the month.
