The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Wednesday, May 02, 2007

NBA Racial Bias

In the news today: a study by a University of Pennsylvania assistant professor and a Cornell graduate student found that (surprise surprise!) white officials call fouls more frequently against black players, and black officials call them more frequently (although not to the same degree) against white players.

This is a surprise? Hell, no, it is absolutely in alignment with the theory that racial preferences are built in, automatic, and only counter-programming can compensate. Black officials have been brainwashed since infancy to respect white people--in my mind, that would explain the smaller degree of bias.

This is EXACTLY why racial representation at every level of government and business is so critical. Watching an all-white Senate vote on racial issues was unbelievably painful during my childhood. I was expected to believe that black people would be treated with the same fairness they could expect had they proportunate representation? Please. And it was infuriating that Conservatives (it was always Conservatives) who would insist that such representation was not necessary. The natural human tendency is to gather all power to whatever "your" group is perceived to be. And, again, the only danger is when people are in denial--or just plain lie--about this.

So...females will favor females, males males, blacks blacks, and whites whites. And liberals, and conservatives. And straights, and gays. We're all victim and benificiaries of these tendencies to "keep it in the family." It is our unconscious tendencies that screw us up. Watch who screams "Political Correctness" whenever racial or gender quotas are discussed: it is almost inevitably a member of the group whose leverage or privilege will decrease. No one screams when their group is granted MORE power.
Human hypocrisy and selective blindness is a marvelous thing...

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