Systematic Racism and White Privilege

Systematic Racism and White PrivilegeBy Randi Hovey

How does Karen Brodkin support her claim that educational and Occupational GI benefits provided after World War II really constituted an affirmative action program for white males? Would George Lipsitz, whose article also appears in Part Two, agree or disagree with this claim?

GI Bill of Rights (Servicemens Readjustment Act)Passed by U.S. legislation in 1944Intended to benefit WWII VeteransBenefits provided by the Veterans Association due to the GI BillSchool grants/college tuitionHiring privilegesJob trainingLow-interest mortgagesSmall-business loans

Affirmative action

affirmative action: nounan action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.

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Affirmative action and the GI Bill of Rights

Educational and occupational GI benefits really constituted affirmative action programs for white males because they were decidedly not extended to African Americans or to women of any race. White male privilege was shaped against the backdrop of wartime racism and postwar sexism. (Brodkin, pg.53).

Support for Brodkins claimStrong evidence of discriminatory social attitudes toward African American citizens: increase in violent acts toward blacks, rise in KKK activity, several anti-black race riots, and increasing numbers of lynchings in war years. Proposed systematic racism in government programs such as the Federal Housing Administration, the Veterans Administration, and the U.S. Employment Service. Disproportionately giving dishonorable discharges to minority veterans.Hiring discriminationEducational segregationWomens units were not treated as military

Systematic Racism: a product of historical discrimination

We cant give you a loan today because weve discriminated against members of your race so effectively in the past that you have not been able to accumulate any equity from housing and to pass it down through the generations (Lipsitz, pg. 81).

Systematic Racism: a product of historical discriminationSocial Security ActExcluded farm workers and domestics from coverageFederal Housing Act of 1934Confidential city surveys and appraisals created boundaries that disproportionately favored white citizensHome buyers in county received six times the loan amounts offered to individuals in the city who were dominantly minoritiesTrade union contractsOffered private medical insurance, pensions, and job securityUnion workforce was dominantly white

Systematic Racism: a product of historical discriminationUrban renewal programsDestroyed 20% of central-city housing inhabited by minoritiesDestroyed 10% of central-city housing inhabited by whitesFHA and VA financed $120 billion in new housingLess than 2% was available to minority families, most of which were located in segregated neighborhoods90% of low-income housing units destroyed under these programs were never replaced80% of this land was developed as commercial, industrial, and municipal projects

Affirmative action? an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.

Intended beneficiaries: all veterans Face-value contingencies in GI Bill requirements led to systematic discrimination disguised as common procedureWomen were not considered militaryDishonorably discharged individuals did not qualifyCurrent social paradigms led to hiring discrimination and disproportionate socioeconomic boundaries within government funded housing programsEducational segregation presented less opportunity for minority males

Affirmative action? an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.Actual beneficiaries: Male veterans who were honorably discharged (predominately white), were recipients of job offers which allowed them enough earning potential to afford suburban homes, and who were able to attend accessible colleges which had the space to accommodate their educationSocial stigmas, in combination with details of government programs ensured that any positive discrimination resulting from the GI Bill favored white male veterans

Systematic Racism: discrimination based on government view of individual worthPolicies which cater to upper-middle class citizensImportance placed on corporate/industrial growthImplicit bias solidifying support of stereotype beliefs

As long as we define social life as the sum total of conscious and deliberative individual activities, we will be able to discern as racist only individual manifestations of person prejudice and hostility. Systemic, collective, and coordinated group behavior consequently drops out of sight (Lipsitz, pg. 87).