From: "Steve Rosenthal" To: PSN@CSF.COLORADO.EDU Date: Thu, 2 Jul 1998 16:57:08 +0000 Subject: Fighting Against Racism Woytek's view of racism is that it consists of "attitudes." Words that end in "ism" mean much more than just attitudes. Capitalism, communism, socialism, fascism refer both to ideologies and material arrangements. Why would anyone think that racism is nothing more than an attitude found in individuals? Oliver Cox pointed out half a century ago in Caste, Class, and Race that racist attitudes are merely a manifestation of "a system of domination and exploitation." If racism was merely attitudes, why don't all the other prejudiced attitudes Woytek refers to cause similar patterns of subjugation for every ethnic group? Woytek also belittled every recent example of racism that I wrote about. Although mayor Giuliani of New York has promoted as policy the brutal racist style of policing advocated by Rutgers criminologist George Kelling ("broken windows"), resulting in thousands of cases of beatings, jailings, and killings, and New York juveniles aged 10 to 16 are now being held in pre-trial detention on floating barges, Woytek says this isn't the policy of the ruling class, but only of "right wing zealots and control freaks." If the ruling class doesn't rule NY City, who does? Woytek dismisses my condemnation of welfare reform as "defending state charity." The "true Marxist" Woytek calls for "employment and a living wage for everyone." Woytek is so much more radical than I that he thinks it is possible to achieve full employment and living wages in a declining capitalist system that is forcing welfare recipients into fascist slave labor welfare. Woytek's militant posture hides his liberal reformist program. Woytek dismisses the impact of academic racism. He thinks E.O.Wilson and Charles Murray exist only so that liberal academics can feel good criticizing them. Woytek thinks that the ruling class effort to enshrine biological determinism and eugenics again as academic orthodoxy couldn't possibly be a prelude to concentration camps, genocide, and world war. He thinks that "in the US such a threat is very remote." In the US inventories are beginning to pile up, economic growth is slowing, unemployment is growing, GM is trying to save its ass by destroying auto workers' jobs, and the depression in Asia is making its way to the USA. Puerto Rican workers' unions have called a general strike. I guess this is also remote. Woytek, I think your message conveys a dogmatic, know-it-all attitude. I dno't think you've tried to understand what Noel or I have written. Steve Rosenthal