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Why Some White People Willing to Cut Their Nose to Spite Their Face
Some support cuts to shared entitlement programs simply because Black people benefit
If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pockets." In 1960, President Lyndon Johnson shared this insight with a young staffer. During a campaign trip to Tennessee, he saw racist signs posted in public and suggested a theory to explain this behavior. That wealthy, privileged people inflamed racial sentiments. They did so to distract poor White people from their shared plight with Black people. By seeing themselves as superior, they could overlook the general welfare. Given Johnson's analysis, some White people are willing to cut their nose to spite their face. Rejecting proposals to strengthen the social safety net to spite Black potential recipients.
There's a fair amount of research that supports Johnson's off-the-cuff assessment. White people believing that Black people's "standing is rising" inspires "welfare backlash." These programs help citizens regardless of their racial identity. Yet, many oppose their implementation because racial minorities would benefit. Their findings reveal the counterproductive nature of racism in a multiracial society. Another article suggested that "stereotypes…
