Colorblind Society

Kimberli Rambo

Dr. Cohen

Issue 7 Colorblind Society

September 30, 2015

​The question at hand here is: Is the emphasis on a color-blind society an answer to racism? Two educated men took on the task of answering this question in their own way. Ward Connerly from “Don’t Box Me In” is on the “yes” side of the issue, answering with soft of an emotional view. Eduardo Bonilla-Silva from Racism Without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in the United States actually disagrees with Connerly’s views and has a distinguished view on trying to wipe out the color of a person that is clearly obvious and leaning toward not judging them or having certain biases about a person because of their skin tone or race, which is racist already.

​Ward Connerly says yes to color-blinding society and not having the skin tone of a person singularly define them. He no longer agrees with the government categorizing its citizens into groups because of their race. With this, he is in favor of the enactment of the “Racial Privacy Initiative”. This initiative will no longer allow the Californian government to classify its residents by color, race, ethnicity, or national origin. This will get rid of the labelling the government does when taking polls or doing a census. Initially, checking the boxes on the ballots identifying the race of an individual is the goal. In this, it will become the first step to making America one whole nation, but why would someone want to discount who they are when it is clear who they are and America will always see?

​Eduardo Bonilla-Silva is on the opposing side. Making a society color-blind is racism. He goes to explain that some white people are already expressing that they do not see color, they just see people. On the other hand, there are some white citizens who view that when an issue is presented to a black person or the black race, the race card is being thrown around and blacks seem to always play the victim. Bonilla-Silva explains that whites believe that blacks put themselves in whatever position they are in because they didn’t work hard enough and will not forget the past which seems to be holding them back. The Jim Crow era showed everyone who placed who at the bottom of the barrel, especially with blacks not being allowed to drink from the same fountain as whites, sit in the same restaurants, or even go to the same restroom. Although the race card is being thrown around, it is true. There will always be an issue between people of color and whites because whites will always see themselves superior.

​If America tried to turn into a color-blind nation, it would simply fail. There are still individuals alive today who are undeniably racist and have no shame about it. How does one even change the mind or perspective of someone who is so set on being racist and disliking people of color? The task is impossible. People of color are always in a subconscious battle with whites, even in the things everyone should have equally which are housing and schooling. People of color are shown the ugly side of