race in the system

  I often see articles about who did or did not receive an award or recognition of some type. Just as often the reasoning behind these folks not receiving that is the perception that it is just systemic racism. That's especially true in the movie industry. But I have to ask, are awards based on talent, or on race? Should race be a factor in determining those awards? That's the question I have whenever I hear about that. 

 When the majority controls the system isn't the majority always going to be considered systemic? Sure, seems that way to me. In 2020 white (non-Hispanic) comprised 57.8% of the population in the United States. Latinos came in second at 18.7% followed by blacks at12.1% and everyone else 11.4%. Whites are currently in control of the system, generally speaking. And it is true that birds of a feather tend to flock together. When it comes to "voting" "picking" or "honoring" others that is who they will tend to select. Is that systemic racism or simply human nature? That certainly depends upon where you fit into the picture.

 Way back in 1964 the Civil Rights Act was signed into law by then President Johnson. The intent was to eliminate discrimination. I do not believe the intent was to ensure people received awards because of their race. It was well known, it wasn't a secret, that race was a factor in hiring people, in providing fair housing opportunities and in equal treatment under the law. That act was to correct all that making it illegal to be racist. The intent was to fulfill that proclamation made by Thomas Jefferson that all men are created equal. What was meant was not individual people, but rather equal opportunity for all men. Only later on did people begin to believe that it applied to each individual. Jefferson was talking about the "colonists" having the same right to self governance as any other nation in the world. Remember that little thing we call the American revolution? That's what that was all about and what those diplomats/politicians were writing about. Most famously with the federalist papers.

 I am puzzled a bit by those that profess Democracy, the rule of law, the will of the majority as being the cornerstone of the nation. Then when the majority rules they claim discrimination, racism and partisan politics as the cause. That's what the majority voted on. To me it's like complaining when you lose a game because the other player or team followed the rules. That rule shouldn't have been applied to them! There are those complaining that the civil rights act in 1964 was a discriminatory piece of legislation. In fact, the southern democrats held the longest filibuster in the history of the Senate in opposition to that. Prior to that bill they had signed the "Southern Manifesto" to resist that by all legal means. Their feeling being it was discriminatory to force them to hire blacks, give them equal opportunities, provide equal public services to them, and in general, treat them as though they were in the majority. Color was an identifier of their status as in the minority. Read some about the "tyranny of the majority" to gain an understanding of all that. 

 The bottom line in all of this to me is a simple one, birds of a feather truly do flock together. It's human nature, a defensive thing intrinsic to being a human being. We react first to visual clues. If you look different, I'm going to be a bit cautious. I may be curious as well, curious enough to take a chance if I have no other information to go on. But if I have been told by others that you are dangerous, I'm staying away. That's why we say racism is a learned thing. It's the reason children do not have that reaction when seeing others that are different than themselves. They are simply curious. And with children that applies to just about everything until they learn better for themselves or are instructed not to do something. Once burned, twice shy. 

 Systemic racism? The will of the majority is closer to the truth. That doesn't do much for you if you are in the minority. But that is what such mechanisms as a Convention of the States or the Electoral College is all about. The intent being to prevent a tyranny of the majority. That Frenchman, I can't remember his name, wrote a whole book about that, about the American form of government. I looked it up, he is Alexis de Tocqueville. An interesting read and I encourage everyone to at least read a brief synopsis of his work. It's not about being intellectual but being educated. I learned a few things that wasn't taught in social studies class. That's what I had. Today it may be called social science. Same thing, different name. Systemic racism and majority rule. Almost the same thing with one exception, we can change the law but not the feelings of humans. Racism is an individual thing, not a system wide thing. All depends on who is running the system.