Color blind ideology is based on the notion that some people can hold on to the same values that racists have, but do not consider themselves racist (Bonilla-Silva, 2006).
These people want to blame immigrants and people of color for the social issues that their countries are facing, but they want to be seen as good, honest and kind at the same time.
Emotions fit into nice compartments
I think it’s interesting that some people can afford to compartmentalize their feelings on this subject. For example when talking about politics, they can say:
“It’s not about race it’s about economics”
It just so happens that the economics will mainly affect people of color. Or it will only target a certain population of people who belong to one particular religious faith.
I find this interesting because as a person of color I can’t afford to be objective on the matter.
“Now here is the part were some people will roll their eyes and click X on the blog”
The reason is I can’t turn away from this and be objective is because I have experienced racism first hand. I have seen police unjustifiably beat an immigrant landscaper and deport him. I have paid and gone through the proper paperwork to have my Japanese wife become a U.S. resident. Only to have to lose the residency because we live in Japan now and we can't afford the fees. Now if I move back to the U.S. we will pay all the fees all over again (roughly $3,000 and then another $1,000 every two years).
So when I hear people talking badly about immigrants and how much money they waste on them, I’m wondering one thing:
“If your paying and I’m paying where is all the money going?”
This is the question you really should be asking yourself. Because no one and I mean no one gets a free ride (unless you’re born into a rich family and even those people argue that they didn’t get a free ride). So instead of blaming one group of people, you should be looking at the people, that your giving all your money too and wondering how they are spending it.
It doesn't matter what your political affiliation is, you need to hold your representatives accountable for the money you gave them. Instead of getting angry with immigrants (undocumented or documented) ask yourself this:
“Who keeps hiring them and underpaying them for jobs that you won't do?”
These flash and mirror tactics were used during the founding of the Chicago Craft Union (between 1919 -1939) with People of Color and European immigrants (Cohen, 1991). Mean while the companies responsible for dividing these two groups raked in all the profits. Unfortunately, history has a way of repeating itself.
Social Gelo with Angelo
Angelo Ferrer (M.S. Psychology)
References
Bonilla-Silva, E. (2006). Racism without racists: Color-blind racism and the persistence of racial inequality in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Cohen, L. (1991). Making a new deal: Industrial workers in Chicago, 1919-1939. Cambridge University Press.