The Immersion Library

I thought this book was amazing, which both thrills and troubles me.

My initial AND ultimate reactions to Wise’s passionate assessments of racism in American culture is ultimately pride and inspiration. As a man married to a black woman with two mixed children, I find a comfort knowing that these sentiments are being viciously and vigorously sounded.

What most impressed me was Wise’s ability to use statistical analysis of sociological surveys and polls to lay the indestructible foundation of his anti-racist arguments. I kept waiting for him to fall into the trap of generalization that racists do, but his arguments always wrapped back to provable data. At a base level, his skill in presenting the FACTS and exposing the hypocrisy of “whiteness” makes racist sentiments appear illogical; as if people forgot, or most likely never knew, that two plus two equals four.

Many of us, of all races, have heard the cliche defenses of “whiteness”, namely small-sample personal experience, lack of White Entertainment Television or White History Month, Obama’s presidency and Oprah’s success proving the dissolving of American racism, etc. Wise’s essays found herein provide an arsenal of sorts to combat these ill-conceived arguments.

However, I am also troubled. Why did it take a book like this to enlighten me to the illogical nature of racist sentiments in America? After all, I don’t consider myself a racist. But why does Wise’s thinking seem so fresh? Why didn’t I think, or realize these things on my own?

What makes this book so important is that it does, as the title suggests, help us break out of the mainstream language and thought trains which dominate racist concepts in America. Unfortunately, I think, like many of us, I am forced to combat American racism on the Racist’s terms. This collection of essays shows us how to speak out (treasonously) against institutional systemic and personal racism on logical, rational and reasonable terms. It frees us from playing in the Racist’s stadium and brings the game home.

Sufficed to say, I STRONGLY recommend this book for ALL Americans. “Whiteness” effects us all and leads all races to a destructive and violent end. In a way, “whiteness” victimizes not only minorities but Caucasian people as well. We’re better than the confinement of the mental schema of “whiteness” and it’s social manifestations. Yet “whiteness” causes those who adopt her ideology to seek displacement of her abominations rather than just say, “Oops, my bad” and move on. Those who adopt “whiteness” are so concerned with avoiding responsibility that they overlook how they can contribute to eradicating “whiteness”, even within their own power.

People are capable of more dignity and integrity to let this continue.