Systemic Racism Stems from Racist Policies That Can Be Changed

Since historical and systemic racism and segregation are matters of policy, law, and human choice, these things can be changed through a series of reparations enacted by federal, state, and local governments.

For example, here is a partial list that is by no means exclusive, inclusive, or my ideas.

• Since black people were excluded from using the GI Bill after World War II, the federal government needs to provide housing support to black people in the same form as the GI Bill.
• Since black people were herded into certain neighborhoods through redlining and restrictive deed covenants, the federal and state governments need to provide additional housing support through low or no-interest loans, rehabbing and restoring housing stock in city neighborhoods.
• Since the War on Drugs during the Reagan Administration was created to target black people and jail them on minor drug charges, all marijuana should be legalized and treated like alcohol use in the states. And since the War on Drugs started the mass incarceration movement to take black men out of society, we need to release non-violent drug offenders and change the legal system to reflect this bias and racist idea.
• Since education is dependent on property taxes, and since black people were herded into city neighborhoods during the Great Migration in the 50s and 60s, and since white people fled to the suburbs, and since black people were not allowed to live in the suburbs, urban and suburban counties should be organized into regional governments so schools can be funded according to need and equity.
• And since white people fled to the suburbs but continue to use city resources, a regional government would help our communities be more equitable.
• Since black soldiers were largely excluded from using the GI Bill to get a college education after World War 2, and since the education provided to black children is woefully inadequate and underfunded, all black people should receive free technical, vocational, and four-year college tuition and urban schools get the most effective teachers, largest funding, and programs to meet the more intense need until equity occurs in the future.
• Since most urban police forces are staffed mostly by white officers, regional governments should focus on hiring more people of color as police officers. And since there continues to be a culture of covert and overt racism based, apparently, on fear of black men, federal, state, regional, and local departments need to immediately change the culture to a cooperative model with emphasis on historical and political racism, culture, and de-escalation policies.
• Since so many black people and other people of color are limited in their job choices due to housing and education discrimination, the federal government needs to immediately increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
• Since federal, state, and local policy has allowed more pollution in urban areas, the federal government needs to immediately implement a Medicare for all health plan to allow people in poverty, particularly black people, to improve their health outcomes. Plus, a Green New Deal would build infrastructure and remediation to allow black neighborhoods to become healthier for all residents.

Former President Obama said, in response to the protests, that so much can be done on a local level.

First, though, read Ibram Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning. This book outlines the historical basis of racism through the purposeful policies of white people.

Then, take on this list.

Fellow white folks, get out and support our black neighbors, our fellow humans. March, protest, legislate, call out racism, learn about your own racist thinking — me included.

Your ideas?