Do White people experience racism in the US today?

Rob (No)

In many ways, especially in America, the concept of racism extends to the systemic oppression of people of different races by an inherently White system of power. The basis of racism in America comes from a group in power politically and economically. As such, it would be hard to define another race or ethnic group in America as being racist towards whites. America is Eurocentric, meaning the system has traditionally been designed to keep power in the hands of the White majority. 

Yes, White people in the United States face prejudice simply because they are White, but these experiences do not have the same societal significance or repercussions as racism experienced by non-White people. In the American context, racism, as an idea, refers to the larger societal impact it has (in that it is systemic and endemic) rather than specific actions of bias coming from individuals towards individuals. The bias White people may face is not perpetuated by laws, institutions, or cultural norms as it is against people of color. People of color don’t have the systemic power to damage the interests of White people since the government and the system are inherently White. 

Claims of “reverse racism” are often used to suggest that white people in the US now face the same systemic oppression once experienced by people of color. However, this argument overlooks the fact that racism, by definition, has to involve the power to oppress, which people of color are believed not to have. These only serve to divert attention away from the very serious and ongoing concerns of systemic racism against American minorities. 

Curtice (Yes)

Martin Luther King said that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin. That was a worthy goal then and remains so now. Yet, we are far from that today. 

Quotas or “affirmative action” programs based on race or ethnicity, no matter how well-intentioned, are, by their very definition, racist by discriminating against any ethnic group that is not targeted for such action. Whenever there are programs that provide for—or, in many cases, demand—racial set-asides, institutional racism exists. And in those instances, it is White people who have been alienated.

This is perhaps most prevalent on college campuses today. Some colleges have separate dorms for African-American students and separate graduation ceremonies reserved for Black or minority students. These things are not any different than the “White” only or “Colored” only drinking fountains in America during the unconstitutional segregation era. The motivations may differ, but the end result is the same—racism.

Further, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs on campuses or in the workplace do nothing to foster inclusion. Rather, they are intended to exclude—and specifically exclude Whites. It should also be noted that in the entertainment industry, particularly in movies and television, it is now perfectly acceptable to blame Whites for all of the ills that affect society. 

Celebrities like Nick Cannon and others have made racist comments against Whites or perpetuated anti-White racism without facing any lasting repercussions or cancelations. They belittle and mock Whites collectively and the stereotypes that encompass them. Yet, to do that with other racial groups is deemed racist. The double standard proves that society finds it perfectly acceptable to openly denigrate one group, namely, Whites.