I'm Not a Racist, But...: The Moral Quandry of Race

Media, politicians, social and political groups and individuals use the term ""racism"" casually and inaccurately, thereby stripping the concept of its meaning, argues Lawrence Blum in I'm Not a Racist, But...: The Moral Quandary of Race. Not all interracial difficulties involve racism, he contends, but society does not have the vocabulary to discuss racial overtones with greater subtlety. Thus people and institutions fearful of being called racist feel defensive when racial issues are raised, perpetuating the status quo of race relations. Blum (Moral Perception and Particularity), professor of philosophy and of liberal arts and education at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, asserts that only ""certain especially serious moral failings and violations"" merit the designation ""racism."" Discussing various scholarly perspectives on the construction of racial categories, Blum calls for a balance between ""ridding ourselves of the myth of race"" and understanding the role of race in social inequality and in history. (Feb.)