The Psychology of Denying Racism
A few bad apples or a rotten tree? It’s time to open our eyes.
Outrage over racism and police brutality is bursting through the streets. For the second week in a row, people in the US and around the globe are protesting after the murder of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
Yet, racism does not anger everyone.
In an interview on CNN last week, National security adviser Robert O’Brien denied the existence of systemic racism across the nation’s police. Instead, he argued that the police force is 99% not racist. The real problem is “a few bad apples” giving the impression of systemic racism.
A white Mississippi mayor said that the death of George Floyd was nothing unreasonable. “He may have died of an overdose or heart attack”, he tweeted. Later, he apologized, but refused to resign. He also claimed that he “did not make any racist comments”.
If you talk with many white people, or have a Twitter account, you will know that these opinions are not anomalies, but reflect a wider sentiment.
Take a look at data on public opinions. 2019 polls show that white adults are more positive about racial progress in the US than black adults.
