Everything is racist, including not being racist, as Merriam-Webster expands the definition of the word “color-blind.”
· Mar 31, 2021 · NottheBee.com

When you suggest a word that means to not be racist, means being racist, you have truly reached peak wokeness.

Up until about five minutes ago, the word "color-blind" (as it pertains to race) was defined by every established dictionary including the always-woke Dictionary.com as some version of the following

showing or characterized by freedom from racial bias; not influenced by skin color.

Technically speaking, Merriam-Webster hasn't gone quite full Orwell (never go full Orwell) and changed or added a definition, however they did add a lengthy "Note" expanding on their original definition.

Their entry begins straightforwardly enough.

2: not influenced by differences of race (see race entry 1 sense 1a) a color-blind policy/approach especially

: treating all people the same regardless of race … a country that prefers to see itself as colorblind. — Sidsel Overgaard

That's the definition we've all grown up with, told our kids about, and held up as an aspiration we should all follow.

As it turns out, we were all acting like racists.

Note: While sense 2 can be used with positive connotations of freedom from racial prejudice,...

That phrasing, that's when you know you're in trouble, like when your boss pulls you aside and starts with, "While you've been making really good progress here..."

it often suggests a failure or refusal to acknowledge or address the many racial inequities that exist in society, or to acknowledge important aspects of racial identity.

"Often"? Really? By whom exactly? The Urban Studies faculty at Vassar?

Let's examine this part more closely:

...or to acknowledge important aspects of racial identity.

"Racial identity."

This note they added to a word that means to not be racist suggesting that it means the opposite uses as part of its justification a concept I would argue is, if not racist, then certainly racist adjacent.

Then come the quotes.

"Equitable instruction isn't colorblind, it is responsive to students' unique and diverse backgrounds," said Imani Goffney, assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Maryland College of Education's Center for Mathematics Education. — Lindsay McKenzie

This is a non-sequitur. She starts talking about a person's color, and then jumps to "unique and diverse backgrounds."

Yes, amen, we all have "unique and diverse backgrounds," but those are unique to us as individuals, not as some member of a group.

The source of the quote, Imani Goffney, is an Assistant Professor, equity and teaching practices. Her bio at University of Maryland did not list any courses she teaches.

The other quote:

"What I learned was that white parents often refrain from speaking with their children about race, racism and racial inequality. If racial discussions do occur they are characterized by a colorblind rhetoric." — Megan R. Underhill

Megan Underhill describes herself as a "Race, Family and Inequality Scholar," which is something I want to keep my non-racist family as far away from as possible.

As far as Underhill is concerned, the problem is we need to start seeing people's color even more because that will make us less racist somehow. Here's just one article she wrote from a few years ago:

Underhill, Megan R. 2018. "White Parents Teach Their Children to be Colorblind. Here's Why That's Bad for Everyone." The Washington Post, October 5.

There's much more here if you're interested.

Just for laughs, I checked out Merriam-Webster's definition for "anti-racist."

opposed to racism

No apparent need for a note here about how the term "often suggests adherents adopt explicitly racist practices..."

As long as we're living in Orwell's world, here's Billboard's top hot single from 1984.


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