"Witnesses Described Him as Brown": The Racial Insecurity of Watching the News

I've heard that suicides go up and crime goes down around the holidays. I have no idea if this is true or not (although I suspect urban myths are at play). Of course, I would delight in a downturn in criminal activity, but for more than the obvious, intrinsic reason that crime is, well, bad.

My self-conscious, rather shallow interest in crime relates to something Chris Rock once said. He mentioned that whenever he hears about a horrible offense on the news, he braces himself for the revelation of the criminal's race. To paraphrase him, Rock said, "I say to myself, 'Don't be black, don't be black,' and if the guy turns out to be black, I'm like, 'Damn it!'"

It works the same way with me. Whenever I hear about a murder, rape, or anything more severe than a hubcap getting swiped, I listen to find out if the guy is called Gonzalez or Sanchez or Espinoza. If he is, I'm like, "Damn it!"

There is palpable relief on my part (and probably with other Hispanics) if the guy is black or, even better, white. At least then we don't have one more dark-skinned person confirming negative stereotypes.

It's important to point out, of course, that with the notable exception of the Virginia Tech shooter, the bad guy never seems to be Asian. At least this is true in America, because plenty of Asians in the governments of China and Myanmar and North Korea are absolute bastards. But that's another story.

Regardless, I doubt that white people ever steel themselves for the description of a criminal's race. It simply doesn't enter their minds to do so, and for this, I envy them. As the dominant culture, they don't have to worry about one sick individual stigmatizing them.

The association between race and crime, of course, goes back to our cultural foundations, and it is hard-wired even within minorities. It leads to a million miscommunications, faulty assumptions, and outright attacks. It can even lead to situations where people are not consciously aware of the dangerous conclusions that they are drawing. The phenomenon of racial microaggression has been identified to pinpoint these assumptions, although this theory is either groundbreaking psychology or another urban myth (ala the holiday-suicide rate), depending on whom you talk to.

Flinching at someone's name on the news is just one of the minuscule ways in which people of different races perceive the world in different ways. It is yet another reason why the plea to not see race, which usually comes from well-established white people, is little more than code for "let's just not talk about race." The plea is either self-serving or naïve, and it rests on the faulty assumption that our differences are so minor, or so quirky, that they can be shunted aside. I'm sorry, but I don't see this happening for at least another generation.

In any case, wish me luck. After posting this missive, I'm going to gamble by reading the newspaper. You'll find me there, flipping through the pages, holding my breath, hoping that Jose or Pedro or Julio hasn't messed it up today for the rest of us.

Comments

[valkyrie607]

I cringe every time I hear a white person asserting that "Racism is dead" or "Blacks really are more criminal than other people."

[Daniel Cubias - Huffpost Blogger]

It was not my intention to identify any race as better or worse, more or less criminal, or pro- or anti-genocide. Rather, my point is that many Hispanics (and I imagine many African Americans) feel responsible if anyone who shares their skin color does something reprehensible. This is something that the dominant culture (white America) never has to worry about.

[sebastianguy99]

1will you say those comments as if it exonerates white people. You left out how white people are more likely to kill someone close to them, kill their kids, kill their parents, and wipe out the entire family. Also in the report they are more likely to commit property crimes.

We also know that African-Americans are more likely to be arrested, charged, and sentenced longer than are white people in the same circumstance. The numbers are similar for Latino's vs. white as well.

We know most of the judges and those who legislate the mandatory sentences are white.

When it comes to crime and criminal justice, no race comes away clean and it really is counterproductive to try and do so.

[PATina]

I know how you and Chris Rock feel. And I completely agree w/ this...

It is yet another reason why the plea to not see race, which usually comes from well-established white people, is little more than code for "let's just not talk about race." The plea is either self-serving or naïve, and it rests on the faulty assumption that our differences are so minor, or so quirky, that they can be shunted aside.

[joebiz]

Daniel . . . some of the biggest criminals in history were and continue to be white: think of the "white" collar crime commited recently, the looting of pension funds, "high-end brain crimes," the ecological crimes, serial killers; crimes against the environment, against humanity; torture of children by priests, etc . . . the broad majority of perpetrators were NOT black or brown.

Yeah blacks and Hispanics may commit robberies, deal drugs, and murder, etc; but, the broad majority of crimes that affect society as a whole are not commited by these groups.

[spinmas]

Very direct and factual comment, and they have set themselves up by sending missionaries, the Church, to convert people so as to prepare them for domination. With Catholics being the biggets perpetrators. Having said this many conqueors have done similer deeds..ie Islam throughout subsaharian africa/black africa.

[1will]

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/race.htm

Try this one. My bad.

[1will]

Blacks commit a little over 50% of all violent crimes in America despite only making up about 12 1/2% of the population. There's a reason why these stories dominate the news but Chris Rock seems to leave that out of his little comedy bit. I don't know what the stats are for "Browns" but they seem to be low according to the website listed below.

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homocide/race.htm

[ESerafina42]

I understand your feeling, Daniel. Jews cringe in the same way when they hear the name Madoff or Boesky.