The R word in the news

Important article in The Oregonian today: Nikole Hannah-Jones provides a needed Portland perspective on the disgraceful treatment of the outstanding Roosevelt High School basketball team during their splendid performance at the Oregon State championship game in Eugene last week. My reaction to the initial reports after the game, when Roosevelt players and fans told the press about the incidents, included some satisfaction that teams with more minority players aren’t routinely targeted when they visit less-diverse schools here in Portland. At least according to the press reports, Roosevelt’s supporters found their reception in Eugene out-of-the-ordinary. That’s a credit to Portland’s public schools, even if not entirely accurate. Today’s article gives a more realistic account of subtle and overt racism in Portland, I think.

The Oregonian has done good work over the last week, by calling attention to the problems and questions highlighted by racial attacks at the Roosevelt game. On the sports page, in letters chosen for publication, in editorial comments; nine hits for “Roosevelt” just since Thursday on the site’s search function. Good work – because racism is something that needs to be discussed in many different ways.

John Canzano wrote in the Sports section,

“You can’t see racism. Nobody tells you, “I’m a racist.” Nobody wears a T-shirt boasting about it. That’s why it’s so difficult to combat. It’s institutionalized. It’s lurking. It’s ugly, dirty and ashamed of itself.”

“It rarely manifests itself as overtly as it did last week at a high school sporting event, and we should thank Roosevelt for having the courage to speak out.”

“We also need to talk to our children. And each other. This kind of discussion needs to go down privately, where we can get raw, and authentic, with each other on topics that make us publicly uncomfortable.”

These comments are helpful – although some people do wear racist t-shirts and are proud to say, “I’m a racist”. And sometimes it takes confrontation with attitudes like that, to make folks of all backgrounds and skin colors to get out of their comfortable lifestyles and take a stand. In 2004, skinheads threw rocks into neighbors’ front yards in SW Portland, carrying flyers for a racist gathering at Gabriel Park. The community responded with the Rally Against Hate at the Multnomah Center attended by 500 people of all backgrounds. It was an awe-inspiring, and too-rare, demonstration that decent people really do care about racism and are willing to do something about it.

I’m reminded too, of a forum during the primary campaign last year sponsored by the Coalition of Black Men. Afterwards, a participant talked with me, commenting that it was refreshing that I’d “used the R word” in my presentation. I had a moment of panic, wondering if I’d said an English word unacceptable in American society. It turned out I had. The word was “Restitution”. He explained that there is general reluctance in Portland to discuss what I see as a clear responsibility of dominant power-brokers to address reparation and affirmative action to redress ongoing inequalities and historical systemic abuse, of both the descendents of slaves, and of other minority peoples.

I believe talking about racism is a start, especially when framed in ways and places that help avoid triggering defensiveness. I think it’s significant the conversation started around a sporting event – another example of how “sports are like life”, and help us see things we might overlook in real life. We need to get beyond the conversation, and look at ways to provide affirmative action and restitution here in Portland. Such as giving Jefferson and Roosevelt High School students course options not just matching the choices at Lincoln and Wilson, but adding more at schools with higher minority enrollments. And adding details into urban renewal programs and funding of affordable housing aimed at providing benefits for the people currrently living in neighborhoods on low incomes when handing out grants and subsidies to allow anyone in that income bracket to reap the benefits of a revitalized area. Y’know, stuff that would actually help redress current inequity, rather than assuming a level playing field from now on will suffice.

I also believe our society can address big issues in many ways. The Environmental Justice conference yesterday was GREAT – kudos to the students at Lewis & Clark Law School for organizing it. About 75 people, mostly young but some older, gave up their Saturday to learn what it is and what to do about it. As with the yesterday’s Infill Conversation, sometimes the best way to talk about principles, values, and vision, is to focus on their practical impacts and how to bring desired outcomes closer to shared goals. Even if not everyone cares about justice for tribal people living on reservations, almost all would prefer not to be sold toxic fish at grocery stores. Looking at problems to find solutions can help us find areas of agreement, and learn more about each other along the way.