It is entirely possible for a system to have racial bias without it meaning every individual involved is racist.
Imagine a politician who runs on a 'tough on crime' platform. That could easily come from a sense of justice, a desire to protect citizens and do what is right. No aspect of race is necessarily involved. And in the spirit of neutral justice, maybe such a politician would advocate for computer-driven policing. Maybe even a robotic police officer who could roam the streets and dispense even-handed justice to all the wrong-doers.
But this robot officer, or robocop, would have to use facial-recognition software to identify criminals. And it's pretty well established at this point that such software is less accurate with darker skin tones. And when robocop makes a mistake, it has a tendency to just gun down anyone who isn't complying with its orders. Nobody intended it, no racists were involved, but we end up with a criminal justice system with a greater likelihood of killing black people (not dissimilar to our current state of affairs).
Now, if you're a black person in this society and robocop comes around the corner as you're out for a stroll, you don't really care what anyone's intention or motivation was. You just know that you are more likely to get hurt because the color of your skin and it isn't fair. That's systemic racism.
Once this is known, the politician, and those who support him, have a decision to make. Do they continue to advocate for measures that have been shown to lead to systemic racism, or do they denounce the unfairness and look for solutions that truly are race-neutral? Systemic racism can come from something other than racism, but however it got there, supporting it is an act of personal racism. That's the difference.
It's entirely possible we have a problem with systemic racism, and the many people who support it, those who don't think of themselves as personally racist, are actually racist.
Thoughts on the world from a rational existentialist.
Friday, March 27, 2020
Monday, March 9, 2020
The Other Side of the Coin
There are many incidents over the course of my life that I think about now and then, with my thoughts now being quite different from what they were then. Things I've learned, experiences I've had - they've changed my perception of what happened in the past, even if only through interpreting the meaning behind the actions. I'd like to share a couple incidents, minor things that seemed of no import at the time, in the hopes that other people might learn from them as well. I'm quite aware that some people will be amused it would take me years to really appreciate what these incidents meant, but I can be a slow learner and I think there are others out there who have yet to learn these lessons.
It will be helpful to know a little bit about me from a physical standpoint. I'm a white guy. I'm tall and lean, clean-cut and deferential. You could easily find my wardrobe in an L.L. Bean catalog. I've been an athlete all my life but I'm also a big geek. All those things factor into my stories.
When I was in grad school at UCLA a bunch of us would get together for homework sessions on campus. We'd often work until midnight and then head into town (next to campus) for a beer (or more likely some ice cream). One night, as our group was leaving the physics building, still discussing Maxwell's Equations and force vectors, a young woman approached us and asked if we were headed to town and if she could walk with us. We said sure, no problem. I didn't immediately understand why she wanted to tag along. But we continued as a group, crossing the dark and empty campus. When we reached the city streets which were well lit and full of people the young woman thanked us and went her own way. Only then did I realize she wanted the protection of a group. She didn't know us, didn't know if we were really safe, but she must have decided the risk of approaching us was less than walking alone.
A few years later, still in Los Angeles but no longer in school, I was walking home alone from my local Mexican taqueria in the dark. A few blocks from home in my relatively safe neighborhood, I spotted a woman walking towards me by herself. I noticed as she looked up, saw me, then quickly crossed to the other side of the street. I didn't think much of it but after she passed I glanced back and noticed she had crossed back over to the my side again. She had avoided me on purpose. How silly, I thought. I'm about as non-threatening as they come, and if she had stayed her course the worst I would have done would have been a short hello and a friendly smile. Her loss.
But both of those women made a calculation. Both had to quickly assess the situation, take what they saw and make a judgment about what was going to be the safest course of action. They chose what they thought would minimize their risk. Were they right?
It doesn't matter. The point isn't about the accuracy of their assessment but the fact that they had to make it. I almost never make that judgment. Never really think about it. There was that one time I was in a foreign country, walking around some ruins in the dark by myself when I wondered if I should be thinking about such things. Then I decided I was being silly and continued on my way. Those women, and all women, think about it all the time. They have to. They should.
There have been situations where I get anxious and feel the need to make judgments to minimize my risk - mostly social situations since I'm an introvert (and still a geek). I think most of us know this behavior, but what we don't often appreciate is how often other people have to engage in it. How often those who are more disadvantaged than us, especially physically, must make such calculations simply to go about their normal lives. It must be exhausting.
So now, when a woman crosses the street to avoid me, or doesn't make eye contact on the bus, or sees me out with my wife and approaches to talk, I understand. I don't take offense no matter what way the interaction goes. I don't even try to go out of my way to convince them I'm safe. I do my best to simply let them make their own judgment and trust that they are doing what they need to in order to make it through their day.
To those who constantly have to make such decisions and hope they guessed correctly - I see you. To all of the others, like me, who are much more likely to be seen as a threat than to feel threatened, take some time to really think about what the other side of the coin is like. Don't just cut them some slack, but do whatever you can to make the world a place where such risk analysis is unnecessary. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was as carefree as you and I?
It will be helpful to know a little bit about me from a physical standpoint. I'm a white guy. I'm tall and lean, clean-cut and deferential. You could easily find my wardrobe in an L.L. Bean catalog. I've been an athlete all my life but I'm also a big geek. All those things factor into my stories.
When I was in grad school at UCLA a bunch of us would get together for homework sessions on campus. We'd often work until midnight and then head into town (next to campus) for a beer (or more likely some ice cream). One night, as our group was leaving the physics building, still discussing Maxwell's Equations and force vectors, a young woman approached us and asked if we were headed to town and if she could walk with us. We said sure, no problem. I didn't immediately understand why she wanted to tag along. But we continued as a group, crossing the dark and empty campus. When we reached the city streets which were well lit and full of people the young woman thanked us and went her own way. Only then did I realize she wanted the protection of a group. She didn't know us, didn't know if we were really safe, but she must have decided the risk of approaching us was less than walking alone.
A few years later, still in Los Angeles but no longer in school, I was walking home alone from my local Mexican taqueria in the dark. A few blocks from home in my relatively safe neighborhood, I spotted a woman walking towards me by herself. I noticed as she looked up, saw me, then quickly crossed to the other side of the street. I didn't think much of it but after she passed I glanced back and noticed she had crossed back over to the my side again. She had avoided me on purpose. How silly, I thought. I'm about as non-threatening as they come, and if she had stayed her course the worst I would have done would have been a short hello and a friendly smile. Her loss.
But both of those women made a calculation. Both had to quickly assess the situation, take what they saw and make a judgment about what was going to be the safest course of action. They chose what they thought would minimize their risk. Were they right?
It doesn't matter. The point isn't about the accuracy of their assessment but the fact that they had to make it. I almost never make that judgment. Never really think about it. There was that one time I was in a foreign country, walking around some ruins in the dark by myself when I wondered if I should be thinking about such things. Then I decided I was being silly and continued on my way. Those women, and all women, think about it all the time. They have to. They should.
There have been situations where I get anxious and feel the need to make judgments to minimize my risk - mostly social situations since I'm an introvert (and still a geek). I think most of us know this behavior, but what we don't often appreciate is how often other people have to engage in it. How often those who are more disadvantaged than us, especially physically, must make such calculations simply to go about their normal lives. It must be exhausting.
So now, when a woman crosses the street to avoid me, or doesn't make eye contact on the bus, or sees me out with my wife and approaches to talk, I understand. I don't take offense no matter what way the interaction goes. I don't even try to go out of my way to convince them I'm safe. I do my best to simply let them make their own judgment and trust that they are doing what they need to in order to make it through their day.
To those who constantly have to make such decisions and hope they guessed correctly - I see you. To all of the others, like me, who are much more likely to be seen as a threat than to feel threatened, take some time to really think about what the other side of the coin is like. Don't just cut them some slack, but do whatever you can to make the world a place where such risk analysis is unnecessary. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone was as carefree as you and I?
Monday, March 2, 2020
Fight for Democracy: 2020 Primary
The 2020 U.S. election cycle is well underway and this Tuesday, March 3, 2020 is Primary day for many states, including California. So I'm going to talk a little about the Presidential Primary race and separately about why you should vote (spoiler: they are two different topics), though not specifically who you should vote for. This is aimed at my fellow Californians, but much of it also applies to voters across the country.
You should vote for a Presidential candidate because you might as well, not that it really matters much. Maybe that doesn't sound like the most motivating of reasons, but bear with me. More importantly, you should vote on Tuesday for the many other positions and ballot measures to be decided. In California we have a state-wide bond measure (13) which is important and deserves input from everyone. There are also Congressional seats on everyone's ballots, and while some of them might be foregone conclusions, many districts have important primary choices that will ultimately make a big difference in the general election. And there are even more local issues: in my city and county we have school bond measures and local supervisor choices that will make a noticeable difference in my life for the next several years. Voting matters and local politics often impact your life more than national - and your vote (proportionally) counts for more! If you want to do something in a political environment that increasingly feels distant and removed from our personal realities, voting in local elections is one of the best ways to get involved.
And since you're voting, you might as well vote for whoever you want in the Presidential Primary. And that's the key thing - vote for who you want. Don't worry about 'electability' or who's leading in the polls or who does the best in hypothetical matchups. Definitely don't listen to the pundits who tell you who you should vote for. And it's best if you don't base your decision off your gut. Don't worry about who you'd rather have a beer with. Don't listen to political ads or even give much weight to debate performances or official endorsements. You should vote for whoever you want and you should base your decision on the policies the candidate supports (check their websites and do some reading) and their likelihood of accomplishing the things you think are important. Too many people try to play three-dimensional chess and come up with the best strategy for their vote. If history tells us anything, it's that these rationalizations and guesstimates are totally inaccurate at predicting the future. Sure, sometimes they're right because every possible outcome is predicted by someone, somewhere, but that isn't a reason to believe in them ahead of time. Just vote on policy, actual written and articulated policy.
Policy is ultimately the reason why it isn't that important who you vote for in the Primary. Because it's going to come down to whoever the Democrats select versus Trump and the Republicans in the General Election in November. While there are significant and important differences between the policies of the Democratic candidates, those differences pale compared to the abhorrent policies of the Republicans. All Democrats want to expand health care coverage; all Republicans have been fighting for years to limit and repeal coverage. All Democrats agree on instituting some measure of reasonable gun control (like requiring background checks). All Republicans have fought for years to prevent such measures. All Democrats agree on passing (bipartisan) immigration reform. This one's tricky because a lot of individual Republicans support reform but as a unit they have blocked every attempt at passing actual legislation. Republicans are fighting for additional tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. Democrats are fighting to increase minimum wage. Republicans have proposed cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Democrats want to preserve those time-tested institutions. Republicans want to allow and encourage discrimination (as long as it's for religious reasons). Democrats want a fairer world with less bigotry (for any reason). Republicans had the chance to follow the Constitution and remove a President who has obviously and routinely violated his oath of office, broken many laws in the past and the present, lies repeatedly about everything and everything, assaults the norms of decency and fair play that hold our government together, and disgraced our country on the world stage. The Democrats did everything they could to stop him.
The differences between parties are a wide gulf and whoever wins the Democratic nomination will deserve and require the full support and enthusiasm of every decent American who wants to return democracy and rule of law to our country. If you're tired of politics being a gutter war fought waged through tweets and a never-ending news cycle of embarrassment, then electing a Democratic President (and Democratic Congress) is the only hope. So go ahead and choose your favorite candidate in the primary, but never lose focus that the real fight is much larger and more important, and all of us must come together to win back our society and our sanity.
You should vote for a Presidential candidate because you might as well, not that it really matters much. Maybe that doesn't sound like the most motivating of reasons, but bear with me. More importantly, you should vote on Tuesday for the many other positions and ballot measures to be decided. In California we have a state-wide bond measure (13) which is important and deserves input from everyone. There are also Congressional seats on everyone's ballots, and while some of them might be foregone conclusions, many districts have important primary choices that will ultimately make a big difference in the general election. And there are even more local issues: in my city and county we have school bond measures and local supervisor choices that will make a noticeable difference in my life for the next several years. Voting matters and local politics often impact your life more than national - and your vote (proportionally) counts for more! If you want to do something in a political environment that increasingly feels distant and removed from our personal realities, voting in local elections is one of the best ways to get involved.
And since you're voting, you might as well vote for whoever you want in the Presidential Primary. And that's the key thing - vote for who you want. Don't worry about 'electability' or who's leading in the polls or who does the best in hypothetical matchups. Definitely don't listen to the pundits who tell you who you should vote for. And it's best if you don't base your decision off your gut. Don't worry about who you'd rather have a beer with. Don't listen to political ads or even give much weight to debate performances or official endorsements. You should vote for whoever you want and you should base your decision on the policies the candidate supports (check their websites and do some reading) and their likelihood of accomplishing the things you think are important. Too many people try to play three-dimensional chess and come up with the best strategy for their vote. If history tells us anything, it's that these rationalizations and guesstimates are totally inaccurate at predicting the future. Sure, sometimes they're right because every possible outcome is predicted by someone, somewhere, but that isn't a reason to believe in them ahead of time. Just vote on policy, actual written and articulated policy.
Policy is ultimately the reason why it isn't that important who you vote for in the Primary. Because it's going to come down to whoever the Democrats select versus Trump and the Republicans in the General Election in November. While there are significant and important differences between the policies of the Democratic candidates, those differences pale compared to the abhorrent policies of the Republicans. All Democrats want to expand health care coverage; all Republicans have been fighting for years to limit and repeal coverage. All Democrats agree on instituting some measure of reasonable gun control (like requiring background checks). All Republicans have fought for years to prevent such measures. All Democrats agree on passing (bipartisan) immigration reform. This one's tricky because a lot of individual Republicans support reform but as a unit they have blocked every attempt at passing actual legislation. Republicans are fighting for additional tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations. Democrats are fighting to increase minimum wage. Republicans have proposed cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Democrats want to preserve those time-tested institutions. Republicans want to allow and encourage discrimination (as long as it's for religious reasons). Democrats want a fairer world with less bigotry (for any reason). Republicans had the chance to follow the Constitution and remove a President who has obviously and routinely violated his oath of office, broken many laws in the past and the present, lies repeatedly about everything and everything, assaults the norms of decency and fair play that hold our government together, and disgraced our country on the world stage. The Democrats did everything they could to stop him.
The differences between parties are a wide gulf and whoever wins the Democratic nomination will deserve and require the full support and enthusiasm of every decent American who wants to return democracy and rule of law to our country. If you're tired of politics being a gutter war fought waged through tweets and a never-ending news cycle of embarrassment, then electing a Democratic President (and Democratic Congress) is the only hope. So go ahead and choose your favorite candidate in the primary, but never lose focus that the real fight is much larger and more important, and all of us must come together to win back our society and our sanity.
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