Is Racism in the Heart by Tommie Shelby Essay - 1343 Words

Racism is not a factor of the heart, according to Tommie Shelby in â€Å"Is Racism in the ‘Heart’?† He writes â€Å"the ‘heart’ does not have to be involved in order for an action or institution to be racist† (483). Instead, Shelby argues that racism is based on the effect of a person’s actions on deepening racist institutions or promulgating the oppression of a particular group of people based on their race. The individual intention of a person or the â€Å"purity† or his or her heart does not take precedence over the effect of his or her actions. Shelby’s argument is constructed as follows: Individual beliefs can be true or false but not inherently immoral. Therefore, it is not appropriate to morally condemn someone for holding a particular belief.†¦show more content†¦For Shelby, it seems as though Garcia contends an individual’s â€Å"attitudes† not his or her â€Å"beliefs† are what make t he individual racist (479). Still, Shelby maintains that â€Å"beliefs are essential to and even sufficient for racism† (480). Basically, Shelby argues that in order to determine whether a person is racist or not, the reasons for one’s dislike of another must be evaluated. Shelby gives the hypothetical case of Stephen (white) disliking Andre (black) because Andre was having an affair with Stephen’s wife. In this example, Shelby illustrates that Stephen’s derives his dislike of Andre from Andre’s behavior not his race (480). Thus, Shelby raises the question of what racism actually signifies. Rather than disliking someone simply on the basis of skin color, Shelby suggests that is has a â€Å"deeper meaning† (480). Shelby’s strongest counterpoint to Garcia is in his example of the woman who â€Å"has no ill will toward blacks but learned as a child to believe that they are ‘naturally’ disposed† to particular antisocial behaviors, and now as â€Å"an adult, she uncritically continues to hold on to this belief.† Based on Garcia’s logic, this woman would not be considered a racist because her â€Å"beliefs are not rooted in racist motives.† For Shelby, however, the quality or intention of a person’s ‘pure heart’ is not enough to exempt him or her from blameworthiness. Shelby adds, â€Å"If racism must always be morally wrong, and racism is primarily a matter of having certainShow MoreRelatedThe Heart Of Racism, And Tommie Shelby Paper1177 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is racism? The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines racism as â€Å"a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race†. Is it actions or beliefs that make someone or something fundamentally racist? These are the main ideas behind J.L.A Garcia’s paper â€Å"The Heart of Racism† and Tommie Shelby paper â€Å"Is Racism in the Heart?† Exposition of the opposed position: According to Garcia racism is definedRead MoreRacism Is An Umbrella Term And Indicates Separation1689 Words   |  7 PagesRacism is an umbrella term and indicates separation in view of race, as well as society, ethnicity, and financial force. It is the conviction that one race or culture is in a general sense better than another, paying little mind to anthropological proof despite what might be expected. This difference, the apparent mediocrity of one race over another, is generally utilized as reasonable justification for separation, whether systematized or person. Racism keeps running as a counterpoint to the general