There is a new book that has been getting plenty of media coverage, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee.  I learned about the book on my local NPR affiliate.

 

The author makes the case that racism, in particular racist legislation actually hurts more white people.  Predatory loans in the 1980s originally targeted Black folks, but millions of white people ended up losing their homes.  College only became prohibitively expensive when Black people started attending in greater numbers.

 

The author acknowledges despite the harm done to white people, Black people, collectively are hurt even more.

 

This made me think of @Pioneer1 who has consistently argued that white people are more than willing to be hurt if Black people will be hurt more.

 

That is concept that I personally reject, simply because it seemingly defies reason.  Sure there might be some nuts out there willing to lose a home, go without health care, and not send their kids to college if it means that Black people will not enjoy these benefits too.  But these are not rationale people.
 

Then again racism is irrational.  Maybe white people are willing to "take one for the team" if Black people are hurt even more.  As crazy as it sounds it probably is worth really looking into.

How else would you explain so many poor Caucasians without health insurance who STILL opposed Obamacare and voted Republican?

Those "poor Caucasians" were flimflammed, bamboozled, led astray...  This is SO much easier to do today than ever before. 

 

If white folks were so happy why are the complaining so much?  Why did they vote for Obama and then turn around and vote for Trump.  Why did they storm the Whitehouse?  Those "poor Caucasians" are suffering.  life expectancy is lower, suicides are higher.

 

Look at Texas right now millions of people without power and water because the weather is unusually cold and the privately run power grid can deal with the spike in demand.  The roads go untreated and there is a 100+ car pile up. The city of Houston gets flooded with a heavy rain. Texas is no better than a 3rd world country. 

 

Do you think white people really want to live like this?  But ask any of them and they'll proclaim how great Texas is -- it is CRAZY!  

 

This is why books like Heather's are so important.  But I already know the people who need to read this book the most will probably never learn about it -- they are not visiting AALBC or listening to NPR.  

 

Texas Senator Ted Cruz is in Mexico.