Systemic Racism
Is systemic racism a thing of the past? Or does it remain entrenched in U.S. laws, policies, and social norms?
In today’s culture, systemic racism is generally defined as racial bias embedded in social or legal systems. Antiracist advocates Robin DiAngelo and Özlem Sensoy define racism as “white racial and cultural prejudice and discrimination, supported by institutional power and authority, used to the advantages of whites and the disadvantage of people of color.”[i] According to this sociological view, racism is not simply personal prejudice, but “encompasses economic, political, social, and institutional actions and beliefs that systematize and perpetuate an unequal distribution of privileges, resources, and power between Whites and people of Color.”[ii]
Unjust Systems in America’s Past
Advocates of antiracism and racial reconciliation point to unjust systems in America’s past, such as Jim Crow laws that codified segregation, voting discrimination, and the practice of redlining, which effectively blocked black families from purchasing homes in predominantly white neighborhoods. Those who believe systemic racism exists today see these historical examples as evidence that racism shaped our nation and continues to be an underlying force in education, banking, and the judicial system.
We agree that the U.S. has a serious history of racism and that the details of these real systems of injustice should be taught as part of every student’s education. However, we don’t believe that acknowledging these historical realities proves the sociological definition of systemic racism. We can accept that some systems were initially established to benefit white people and unfairly disadvantage black people while still rejecting the faulty idea that systemic racism is as pervasive today as it was in the 1950s.
Advocates of racial reconciliation and antiracism also commonly cite disparate outcomes, such as wealth gaps between ethnic groups, as evidence of systemic racism. Unequal outcomes are sometimes attributed to unconscious or implicit bias, concepts that have roots in the study of unconscious processes in psychology. But unequal outcomes, by themselves, do not prove that a system is discriminatory. Differences in outcomes can have multiple causes, and claims of systemic racism should be evaluated by examining the specific policies, practices, and circumstances involved.
Rejecting a False Dichotomy
We believe there’s a more nuanced way of thinking about systems of injustice that rejects the extreme positions that no unjust systems exist or that systemic racism is embedded in every facet of society.
One helpful distinction that we make is to note there are two forms of systemic racism: de jure (Latin for “by law”) and de facto (“in fact”). De jure systemic racism is codified into law and backed by the state or federal government. De facto systemic racism, on the other hand, describes inequality that exists in practice apart from the law—for example, a class or club that excludes people based on ethnicity. Such exclusion may be governed by an unwritten rule, but it can still effectively prevent others from participating.
We also make a distinction between macrosystems of racism, such as Jim Crow laws, and microsystems, which are smaller-scale systems such as a company’s methods for screening job applicants. Because humans are sinful, sinful systems of any size can be created. Where there are sinners, regardless of ethnicity, corrupt systems are possible.
However, that fact does not prove that racial injustice is inherently embedded throughout society. We do not believe the evidence supports the claim that systemic racism is intrinsic to today’s society, and we urge Christians to evaluate claims of systemic racism on a case-by-case basis. Tangible evidence of harmful discrimination is needed to establish the case, not merely observations about the existence of disparities. Noticing a racial disparity, however, may prompt us to look into whether there are harmful deeper structural issues in place. As believers, we have a responsibility to speak up when we see biblically defined racial injustice, no matter which ethnic group is being advantaged or disadvantaged.
We also urge Christians of all ethnicities to take personal responsibility for their lives rather than attributing their difficulties to broad claims of systemic racism. Such a worldview can contribute to feelings of helplessness, frustration, and anger. Instead, everyone should take responsibility to make wise personal choices and stand up against any biblically defined injustice—racial or otherwise—that they encounter.
Dig Deeper Into this Topic:
Book: Walking in Unity by Krista Bontrager & Monique Duson
Podcast: All the Things: Systemic Racism with Dr. Pat Sawyer
Footnotes
[i] Özlem Sensoy and Robin J. DiAngelo, Is Everyone Really Equal?, 2nd ed. (New York: Teachers College Press, 2017), 125.
[ii] Ibid.
