Why Do We See Things in Black and White
By Linda Louden
What’s different when white police confront unarmed black teens at a swimming pool and when white officers confront white men with assault rifles?
Both incidents played out recently in Texas.
In McKinney, Texas, a white officer throws a 14-year-old black girl crying for her mother and wearing only a swimsuit to the ground. He also brandishes his firearm at a group of these unarmed teens.
In the other incident in Abilene, Texas, three white men wearing assault rifles went on private property and the police were called. The men are part of the “Open Carry” movement. Police arrived and drew their guns and the men refused to leave. After a verbal confrontation, the men left in their car without incident.
In McKinney, the police officer resigned.
According to Open Carry, the police in Abilene apologized for the confrontation.
How some police treat blacks and whites differently shows how our human fear responses and racial biases can unconsciously and mistakenly dictate our behavior.
The public is not immune to these forces either, as is evidenced by the differing views of what the videos demonstrate.
But how do we develop these unconscious differences?
As a white psychologist who has specialized in cultural diversity and mental health for over a decade, I talk with a wide range of people extensively about how fear, bias, and white privilege shape our behavior. A few of the things I’ve heard over the course of my work from clients and workshop participants include:
● “I didn’t even think about it, but when I saw the black man approach in his hoodie, I crossed the street.”
● “I averted my eyes and kept walking… I don’t make eye contact with people like that.”
● “Of course I ran. If I stayed, I would have been arrested by that cop even if I didn’t do anything.”
These reactions speak to how powerful the lessons we are taught about what to fear are. We absorb these lessons from a wide range of interactions that vary from obvious to subtle.
For example, our parents may have made explicit racist comments. Or, they may have unconsciously locked the car doors when stopping next to a homeless black man on a street corner.
Most of the time, we are unaware of what we have been taught to fear. The more subtle the teaching, the less likely it is we know we have learned it. Implicit bias refers to these lessons when it comes to race. Parts of our biases are formed in incredibly subtle ways, like witnessing our parents lock car doors without saying a word.
Most Americans regardless of skin color display an unconscious pro-white and anti-black attitude even if they believe they hold no such racist beliefs. This reflects the status and privilege of being white in America.
How we respond to feeling fearful is also very unique.
As someone who dislikes confrontation with people I know, I’m more likely to automatically avoid an argument with my friend fearing their disapproval or anger. On the other hand, if I were comfortable with confrontation, I’m more likely to act out with verbal or physical aggression. This may be the opposite for you.
What we fear and how we respond to fear dictate who we are more likely to empathize with when we view an event. We will naturally side with someone who responds in a manner similar to what we think we would do in the same situation.
To be sure, law enforcement officers are trained to respond with clear-headed actions in threatening situations to protect themselves and the public. Many officers do their jobs well. However, even the law enforcement field acknowledges that bias is a problem that leads to poor decision-making. Training on fair and impartial policing has become integrated into some departments as a result. Challenging potential warrior versus guardian attitudes by fostering community-based policing, which focuses on building trust and relationships with the public law enforcement serves, has also become more widespread. And when officers are emotionally taxed, as the resigning McKinney officer’s attorney suggests, compromised judgment is even more likely.
Fear and bias also play a role when it comes to how we communicate with others about our perceptions of the Texas events. I’m more comfortable talking about my interpretation of the videos with others who I believe agree with me because it’s less risky. I can avoid fear and the vulnerability that comes with it, and simply lean into preaching to the choir. Or, I can freeze and not have any conversations at all about these difficult topics.
However, silence and preaching to the choir do not create social movement towards a truly post-racial society. We must push ourselves out of our comfort zones to engage with those different from us in productive ways. When we stay in our same race bubbles, our subtle and overt racism does not change.
In order to push ourselves and engage in more productive dialogues, I invite you to consider how the following may change our conversations about race. Try asking these questions:
● “I think we may see this differently. Can you tell me more about your perspective so I can see where you are coming from?”
● “I feel worried that we may disagree, and I really value our friendship.”
● “I wonder if you’ve had any positive experiences with someone different than you.”
● “I guess you may expect me to believe a stereotype rather than see you for the individual you are.”
● “I hear you that your relative had a scary encounter with a black man. Do you think you feel intimidated, too, as a result?”
● “I’ll bet your scare with that white officer leads you to worry about being racially profiled.”
We don’t have to be limited by our unexamined impulses, which lead us to fighting, fleeing, or freezing with a misidentified enemy. We can engage with each other as citizens using our compassion and our rational minds, and have productive and meaningful conversations about racism in America.
Linda Louden is a Licensed Psychologist, Leadership Consultant, and an OpEd Project Public Voices Fellow. She specializes in mental health, women’s issues, and multicultural diversity in her practice at Texas Woman’s University.
