2008 Woodie Awards
Talk on racial justice draws controversy
Johnson: White students misinterpret racism, are 'extremely uncomfortable interacting with students of color'
By: Latreecia Wade
Issue date: 4/7/05 Section: News
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"I haven't heard of Dr. Johnson but I like how the people in the majority groups feel uncomfortable about the issues," said Karen Hagrup, a professor at the University of Missouri St, Louis.
Johnson is writer, teacher and speaker on issues of privilege, oppression and social inequality. Johnson's lecture was titled: "Unraveling the Knot of Race: Toward Racial Justice." The event was supposed to end at 8:30 p.m. but the audience and Johnson were so enveloped in dialogue that it lasted until 10 p.m.
Johnson said that white students are "extremely uncomfortable interacting with students of color," and that some whites misinterpret the definition of racism all together.
"It's a defensiveness that I see and a reluctance in people of color to bring these issues up," Johnson said.
Johnson also discussed statistics he had found on whites and non-whites describing their views on what the word racism meant to them. He said that white people are ignorant to a way of life seen by people of color.
"Things look good on surveys of white people," Johnson said.
Johnson seemed to put a new spin on the topic of race.
"I thought it was really good," said Renee Petty, a Webster Groves resident. "He said a lot of things that I thought but he put it in another perspective."
Johnson also noted what he called "residential segregation," stating that white people are 14 times more likely to own homes and move away from minorities.
"Almost everything in your lives have to do with where you live," Johnson said. "What kind of what school your kids end up in, even what kinds of jobs are available to you."
Johnson made several analogies of social systems, industrialism and capitalism comparing them to games like "Monopoly" and "Musical Chairs."
"Greed is a good way to describe the game Monopoly," Johnson said.
"People act greedy. It's hard not to play into it. Social systems is the game."
Johnson told several stories that drew both praise and criticism from audience members.