Stereotypes about Utahans include polygamy, Mormonism and, now, blatant racism and insensitivity towards minorities. The Orem Owlz, a minor league baseball team that has affiliations with the Los Angeles Angels, was rightfully criticized after trying to hold a “Caucasian Heritage Night.” Though the event was planned in advance, promotions began on Friday, two days after the racially motivated mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. Unsurprisingly, social media erupted and called for the event’s cancellation. The Orem Owlz complied, stating that their intentions had been misconstrued, but the outright racism of the event is difficult to misinterpret. This event signifies that whites believe they need holidays to demonstrate appreciation of their race, and that in turn signifies an extreme lack of racial awareness.
Every day of every month of every year is Caucasian Appreciation Day. If you do not believe that, congratulations! You have helped to form this social disproportion. Whites in the United States have inherent privileges that are not offered to any other ethnic group, and denying this only strengthens their presence. In order for fundamental racial discrepancies to disappear from our society, we must acknowledge them. Some examples of white privilege, provided by Peggy McIntosh in her “White Privilege Checklist,” include: Whites have easy access to postcards, dolls, greeting cards, toys and magazines that feature people of their race; whites can be pulled over by the police or audited by the IRS with high certainty that they have not been singled out for their race; and whites can walk down the street in large groups without others assuming that they are up to no good. White privilege even includes the ability to be ignorant about white privilege. For example, whites do not have to educate their children about the systemic racism present in the U.S. for their own protection. These advantages may seem innocent, but when they are compounded over generations, they become ingrained into our society, thoughts and history.
White privilege has absolutely tainted the historical accounts of our country and its development. Children in elementary school learn that Christopher Columbus was an innovative, progressive intellectual who challenged the belief that the earth was flat while discovering the Americas. Personally, I didn’t hear a realistic discussion about his exploitation of the native people of the Americas until 11th grade. We teach our children that Europeans created America and that Europeans built this great country, but we wait 16 years to truly discuss the cost at which this development occurred. We teach our children about black history and the Civil Rights Movement, but only touch on the most essential events and figures that cannot possibly be ignored. How old were you when you learned who Abraham Lincoln was, and how old were you when you learned who Frederick Douglass was? Both men lived during the same time period and had similar beliefs and actions regarding slavery, but one of the men was white and the other was black. Of course, the white man is the one who receives the most recognition for abolishing slavery and fighting for the rights of blacks in the U.S.
Discrepancies in our society and educational system are the reason that specific events that celebrate and educate the American society on a minority population are necessary. These populations and cultures were ignored and diminished for many years; they must be the focus of conversation and education now. Black History Month began as “Negro History Week” and eventually evolved into a dedicated month of recognition. This was absolutely necessary and still is, because the majority of academic or historical literature is written from the perspective of Caucasians, so black culture was omitted or extremely abbreviated. The same goes for Native American Heritage Month. For many generations, our historical account only provided information about the domination of whites over the indigenous populations. The incredibly complex and rich Native American culture was never included. Now, it is urgent that we promote education about these cultures, including how Caucasians affected them.
That is what it comes down to. The conversation about the harm whites have inflicted on ethnic minorities is limited due to shame and guilt. Europeans and, eventually, Americans have exploited indigenous people, supported horrific racial segregation and oppressed populations of millions of people. There is shame in that history. However, ignoring the historical occurrences and the repercussions they have had only heightens this shame. Textbooks should include the perspective of Native Americans on the European invasion of the Americas. History courses should include black opinions on the Civil Rights Movement, instead of an account by a white author. Discussing the past openly would help Americans discuss a plan for the future – one that does not continue this cycle of racism. In the future, there should be no need for Black History Month, or “Caucasian Heritage Night,” or any specified occasion where a certain race is definitively acknowledged more than another. In the future, historical accounts should include the perspectives and cultures of many, not just Caucasians. If we do not discuss the hurtfulness of white privilege and ignorance about the minority struggle, institutionalized racism in the future will be exactly like it is today. And America cannot handle that many mass shootings.