Racism
I’m not the biggest Malcolm Gladwell fan in the world, but I think his remarks about racism in this blog entry are extremely thoughtful and articulate. Racism is a deeply important subject; Gladwell’s distinction between latent racism, which we all possess to some degree (and should be cognizant of), and outright hurtful racism, which everyone should minimize within themselves, adds an important perspective to the subject.
Having said that, I do think the potential public impact of certain remarks also needs to be taken into account. Michael Irvin’s comments about Tony Romo’s heritage may not have been racist by Gladwell’s criteria, but there are people who will be influenced by his remarks because they are so specific. That’s why it’s important to speak against them. On the other hand, I don’t think Michael Richards’ outburst (using a terribly offensive word) will generate a stronger racial bias in whites. It was fundamentally an emotional outburst—not a reasoned racist thought.
By the way, baseball recently provided a great case study in how latent racism can be harmful. Consider the recent case of the Holiday Day Look Again Player Awards, in which 28 of the 30 nominees were white. The criterion: overlooked players who put their team first.