Free Essay - Color Blind and Racism

The colorblind approach to racism asserts that there is no racial privilege in the current world. The concept emerged to illustrate the racial aspects held by White Americans. The colorblind approach assumes that racism is no longer an issue and that all individuals have equal opportunities. It posits that discrimination ends by treating everyone equally despite their race, culture or ethnicity. However, various arguments have refuted the ideology and claimed that it is a form of racism. For instance, colorblindness prevents individuals from seeing how disparities persist in society. While the colorblind approach aims to eradicate racism, various arguments have emerged, which contradict its objective.

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Though aspects of colorblind constitutionalism can be traced back to pre-civil debates, the modern approach developed after the passage of the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments, and matured in 1955 (Gotanda, 1991). It became prominent in the 1960s and 1970s. It developed as a result of society's arguments and complained about racial discrimination. People at the time suggested that the minority group had fewer opportunities and privileges, such as getting good jobs. Therefore, there arose claims that some people are born inferior to others. The colorblind approach hence developed to reduce discrimination. The colorblind approach has become prevalent in various domains, such as societal discourse, business, and education.

Arguments for Colorblind Ideology

The underlying belief is that colorblindness prevents prejudice and discrimination. It also reduces the sensitivity associated with racism. It assumes that if people do not notice the color or race, then they will not act in a racially biased manner. It also asserts that through colorblindness, society has moved beyond race and racism (Neville, Gallardo & Sue, 2016). The ideology asserts that the color of an individual does not matter in today's society. The past experiences and incidences of the colored community are considered to be an unfortunate turn of events. Colorblindness establishes that everyone has the same opportunities as others. The viewpoint of colorblindness is that race does not matter in the day to day reality or experience.

The colorblind approach establishes that instead of their color, people are judged by their character. Living in a world where an individual's skin color does not matter is attractive and a dream for many, as people will not look at race when interacting. Therefore, a person will not treat people differently based on their race. Societies through being colorblind are free from social and legal treatment based on color or race. It acts as a strategy for intergroup relations and managing diversity. Colorblindness shapes groups, individuals and institution efforts to handle diversity. Racial equality is, therefore enhanced through colorblindness.

The colorblind approach helps the people of color as they will feel there is equality. It makes all people be of equal status. However, it harms the white people as they become of the same standard without any advantage over people of color. The White no longer have the privilege and are forced to work together with the minority group and not particularly people who look like them.

Arguments against Colorblind Ideology

Colorblindness foists a standard color on everyone. It is assumed that through colorblindness, everyone is viewed as if they are white. It, therefore, does not recognize the non-white of their uniqueness or traditions. Colorblindness assumes that everyone has had the same experience as others. In American society, Whites are less likely to experience the adverse effects of racism. However, ethnic minorities may feel less comfortable and less belonging. The ethnic minorities demonstrate that race matters as it links to opportunities and perceptions. Colorblindness, therefore, creates a society that denies the negative racism experience of the minority group, invalidates the unique perspectives and ignores the cultural heritage.

The colorblind approach which proposes that race is irrelevant renders invisible the everyday realities of different racial groups (Fryberg & Stephens, 2010). The ideology is a form of racism as it ignores group disparities. Colorblindness would render the ethnic minority invisible, and therefore, the lack of a representative of the minority group makes them feel uncomfortable and unwanted. The underrepresentation itself is a form of racism as it fails to recognize the minority group. The utter lack of social representation limits how members of the minority group see possible of their capability. The colorblind approach, therefore, eliminates the need to identify and discuss the unpleasant realities while perpetuating a culture of racism, injustice, and oppression.

The colorblind ideology benefits the whites as their norms are used to set standards of an average person. Colorblindness harms people of color who are the minority people as they are ignored and become invisible in the eyes of others. To overlook the racism existence causes harm to people of color as it wrongfully perpetuates the myth of equal opportunities. It allows Whites to live in ignorance. The Whites assume that the people of color do not require representatives in power positions as the colorblind approach renders all of them to be equal and need not be recognized.

Alternative Approach

Colorblindness is far from a panacea and represents more of an obstacle than a solution to facilitate constructive race relations and equitable policies (Apfelbaum, Norton & Sommers, 2012). The colorblind approach causes the people of color to be unrecognized. Recognition may reduce most harm associated with racism and discrimination in society. The colorblind approach heightens prejudice among ethnic groups and ignores differences in culture, ethnicity, and race. It is, therefore, not sufficient to solve historical racial issues and, in the end, is a form of racism.

Multiculturalism is a better solution than colorblindness. It is an ideology that recognizes ethnic differences. It identifies that every race is different and can offer something valuable to society. It acknowledges the experiences of those who have suffered as a result of racial conflict. Multiculturalism is based on the idea that ethnic differences should not be ignored but instead celebrated. Multiculturalism asserts that different cultural groups should be embraced while colorblindness implies that cultural groups should be treated the same (Terwilliger et al., 2013). Multiculturalism, therefore, incorporates the culture and background of communities which may be a powerful tool in their lives.

Multiculturalism should be promoted in schools, organizations, and workplaces because of the vast aspects that it incorporates. To eradicate racism, schools and other institutions need to teach about differences in ethnic communities, how to recognize and value their differences, and the means of developing friendships with different cultures. Multiculturalism may be an alternative to solving injustices that is present in organizational settings.

Multiculturalism fosters an appreciation of other people's perspectives. It prevents one group from having an advantage over another. The multicultural approach, therefore, highlights the implications associated with members' cultural and ethnic differences. Multiculturalism is a better solution to reducing discrimination than the colorblind approach.

References

Apfelbaum, E. P., Norton, M. I., & Sommers, S. R. (2012). Racial Color Blindness: Emergence, Practice, and Implications. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(3), 205-209.

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.925.2309&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Fryberg, S. A., & Stephens, N. M. (2010). When the World is Colorblind, American Indians are Invisible: A Diversity Science Approach. Psychological Inquiry, 21(2), 115-119.

Gotanda, N. (1991). A Critique of" Our Constitution is Color-Blind". Stanford Law Review, 1-68.

Neville, H. A., Gallardo, M. E., Sue, D. W. (2016). Introduction: Has the United States Really Moved Beyond Race. The Myth of Racial Color Blindness: Manifestations, Dynamics, And Impact, 3-21.

Terwilliger, J. M., Bach, N., Bryan, C., & Williams, M. T. (2013). Multicultural Versus Colorblind Ideology: Implications for Mental Health and Counseling. Psychology of Counseling, 111-122.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Monnica_Williams/publication/256544383_Multicultural_versus_Colorblind_Ideology_Implications_for_Mental_Health_and_Counseling/links/0046352347fb799f9c000000/Multicultural-versus-Colorblind-Ideology-Implications-for-Mental-Health-and-Counseling.pdf