Watts: ‘I Believe In Systematic Racism, But I Don’t Believe That All Racism Is Systematic’ | MSNBC

As the son of a police officer, former Rep. J.C. Watts offers his unique perspective on racism in police departments: “I believe in systematic racism, but I don’t believe that all racism is systematic.” Aired on 6/25/2020.
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Watts: 'I Believe In Systematic Racism, But I Don’t Believe That All Racism Is Systematic' | MSNBC

30 comments

    1. Sam Boudreau I’m confused. That’s a chart of out of wedlock births rates. Not sure what that’s supposed to show in this context.

  1. There is no good faith conversation that can go on without acknowledging the brutally racist legacy of America. IF folks are too silly to understand that, then we all deserve what comes next.

    1. HOW can adults be encouraged to lose their self-deception sufficiently to gain the humility to learn?
      Brains are evolved – created in each individual, to scan all sensory information and consequently correct associative and evaluative errors.
      The reality-avoidance you see is NOT a functioning brain, not doing its dynamic job at every moment, of correcting extant and past heuristics – responses to the present moment.
      As a child, I “believed” that inclusive integration was occurring in my generation.
      This proved not to be true, and many later encounters, and I was disabused of the fictional notion i had erroneously created.
      Culture is what we model, demonstrate, without thinking. This demonstrating to all who have senses around us (I spent years in observing this occur in some other, wiser animals, but that’s another longer story), exactly what we as individuals and as members of our groups and species, are most likely to do, and to construct in our minds.
      ALL brains do this. Otherwise brains would not exist. they evaluate likelihoods based upon experience, memory, emotional salience.
      We must ourselves be kind, and circumspect about every word we emit, every signal we send. This is the only way to change, as we contain experiences and responses that jump out of us , often different, in each encounter, each behavior , observed by the more brilliant minds of developing young.
      I have less hope or belief that the obstinate, fearful old can change. (it’s based on neuroscience of cognition and behavior. Learning enough of that stuff can help elders WHO WANT TO CHANGE, to pause before action or speech – their only way out of rigid, false, and destructive error)

  2. The founder of B E T is calling for BLM to form their own party because of democrats taking black voters for granted for years

  3. He “believe(s) in systemic racism,” which explains why he doesn’t believe it is all systemic.

  4. There’s about non of answer as you’ll ever get about any question regardless of subject!!

  5. We need to work to change how we view race. Our culture makes race a key part of how we see other people. While how they act and where they grew up are more accurate of judging a person than who they physically are how they were born. Saying a person is so white or so black needs to stop. Behavior is not defined in a person’s DNA. Just cuz a person looks similar to someone else doesn’t mean they are similar or that there is an automatic bond. I understand why it was important for black americans to work in solidarity for civil rights but as time moves on we need to stop this and hopefully move on. So Americans are Americans. Like Dr. King said judge a person by the content of their character not the color of their skin

  6. Systemic racism is an amalgamation of individual racists who enact policies, procedures, and laws that oppress people on the macro level.

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