One of the many complex elements in dealing with the issue of racism is that of racial paranoia. When I speak of racial paranoia, I am addressing the matter of perceived racism as opposed to factual or proven racism. There are two extremes that I would emphasize relative to this.
First and I believe foremost, is the extreme of denial. There are many in our time who believe that institutional, systemic, and structural racism no longer exists. They believe that there may be relics or residue of individual racism, but that racism in terms of systemic or structural character has disappeared. They tend to accuse those who deal with the reality of continued racism of "playing the race card." By making such allegations, they believe that they can exonerate their guilty consciences and pretend that "every thing is okay now." In this manner, they can continue with their "blame the victim" game by saying that people who deal with and respond to racism are just "using that as an excuse to not get off their ass and not get a job, just remaining lazy by blaming the system." This position, I believe, is the epitome of denial and suppression.
At best it is naive and self-delusional, and at worst, it amounts to total dishonesty.
At the other extreme are those who tend to blame every social malady on racism. They attribute every failure and setback in their lives to racial actions, attitudes, and policy. Even when it is more than obvious that factors other than racism are present, they will, indeed, continue to "play the race card." They tend to be suspicious of all members of the oppressing community, and also believe that every Caucasian person is "out to get them." While I, as a black Puerto Rican, continue to affirm and insist that we non-Caucasian people should be cautious and suspicious of Caucasian people who agree with us, and who appear to have our best interests at heart, I do not promote the mentality of racial paranoia which leads us to live our lives as "hypocrite sniffers." As a member of the oppressed community, I know from both biblical and secular history, as well as from personal experience, that there are times, exceptional as they may be, when people from both communities (oppressing and oppressed) need to come together to form both ethical and strategic alliances. I also know from history and personal experience, that there are times when certain individuals of the oppressing community can be trusted more than members of the oppressed community.
John L. Jackson, Jr. says, "Race relations have irrevocably changed in the last, restless half century of our country's history, and this pop-cultural tidbit highlights some of the radical differences between the contemporary reality or race relations and earlier forms of American racism (John L. Jackson, Jr, Racial Paranoia. New York: Basic Civitas, 2008, p. xiv)." The basic question for Jackson would be if he means that racism has disappeared, diminished, or taken on a different form?
How does theology address the issue of racial paranoia? We can only answer that question by asking on the one hand, which socio-economic and political system is our theology aligned with, and on the other hand, how does our theology address the issue of racism? The thrust of both Scripture and theology is to identify, unmask, and denounce racism along with all other social ills. Theology calls for us to get to the root of the issue, rather than dealing with just the symptoms and different manifestations of racism, be they open or subtle. Ethical theology calls for us to confront this issue with honesty and integrity, rather than with just a superficial or "Johnny, don't do that" approach.
Please share with us what you think about how to keep in a balanced tension the reality of racism on the one hand, and the reality of continued racism on the other. Your input will be very helpful to us.
In the Name of the Creator, and of the Liberator, and of the Sustainer. Amen.
Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona
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