I am Black–and a Race Realist
My views are no different from the average AR reader. I accept that the cause of the one-standard-deviation difference in the average IQ scores of blacks and whites is primarily genetic. I am convinced that blacks tend to have different dispositions from whites and East Asians–also for genetic reasons. And most importantly, I believe that all people have the right to associate with whomever they please, and that given this option most will choose their own race.
I did not come to these conclusions overnight. Initially, I believed what I was taught by my parents and teachers: Sub-Saharan Africa is poor because of centuries of exploitation, and black Americans lag behind white Americans because of slavery and segregation. My belief in the egalitarian vision was based on a reluctance to accept that I am of inferior stock.
In high school, I knew very little about Richard Hernstein and Charles Murray’s The Bell Curve, but when a teacher said the book was biased, I accepted that assertion without questioning it. I was relieved to learn of the existence of culture-fair IQ tests, such as the Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity, that show blacks are as smart as whites. Of course, I never bothered to research the BITCH. It was enough for me that there were educated people who thought it was valid and reliable. The discovery that a book that argued that environment explains European hegemony and African failure was highly rated on Amazon also helped me hold onto my bias. I never opened Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond, but as long as there were educated people who accepted his theories, I didn’t question them.
During my freshman year at the University of Georgia, I found a blog called Racialicious. Reading articles about “micro-aggressions” and “red-lining” further convinced me that blacks were victims of an “injustice system.” My views were becoming more and more radical and my tolerance for dissent was waning. My college was predominantly white, and I got into more than my share of arguments about whether organizations for minorities should exist and whether it was significant that a black man was elected president.
At a dining hall one night, my Gujarati Indian friend’s white boyfriend angrily asked where white organizations could hold their meetings. I argued that UGA was trying to foster an environment that welcomes people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. I added that not all students were Southern whites, and that those who weren’t should be allowed to organize to address their unique needs. I asked him what concerns white students could possibly have at a college that is 73 percent white. To my annoyance, my friend came to his aid, saying that recognizing non-white students was discrimination against whites. I was shocked and angry that a “person of color” would say that. I even condemned her as a sell-out to another Indian friend who shared my views. Now I am impressed that my friend thinks for herself rather than sticking to the unofficial Person of Color doctrine.
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