Is race still a hypersensitive subject for Americans? It appears so…
A recent Philadelphia Magazine cover story titled “Being White in Philly,” has hit a raw nerve in the city of Brotherly Love.
The article describes the experiences of many white city residents who live in racially mixed neighborhoods. The accounts in the article range from pleasant to tumultuous. One older man describes being the victim of multiple criminal acts committed by black people, while another woman describes taking her daughter to a pool in a black community where they met many nice young black girls.
The article also tackles the taboo of white people trying to express feelings about race, which sometimes may be considered politically incorrect.
Editor of Philadelphia Magazine, and author of the article, Robert Huber, claims he intended for his work to address problems of race relations in Philadelphia and “push for a better dialogue.” Whether the dialogue that has been opened is better is questionable, but the article certainly has people talking.
Black Mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, claimed the article perpetrated negative stereotypes that portrayed the African American community as lazy, irresponsible and criminal. He wrote a four page letter to the Human Relations Commission calling the article an ”incitement to extreme reaction,” and then took it a step further by writing:
“I ask that the commission consider specifically whether Philadelphia Magazine and the writer, Bob Huber, are appropriate for rebuke by the commission in light of the potentially inflammatory effect and the reckless endangerment to Philadelphia’s racial relations possibly caused by the essay’s unsubstantiated assertions.”
Nutter’s challenge of Huber’s right to free speech has only brought more attention to the article. Amendment scholars such as UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh, have referred to Nutter’s letter as “outright suppression” of speech.
While there are some members of the public who agree with Nutter’s views on the article, many others do not. A sociologist professor at University of Pennsylvania believes the article has provided an opportunity for Philadelphia to openly converse about race issues.
Another city resident, James Brunson stated,
“The more dialogue we have on race and race issues, the more understanding we have of where other people are coming from.”
A public meeting will be held by the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission on April 18th to discuss the article.
What do you think? Should people be condemned for expressing feelings of uneasiness about races other then their own?
