White’s Anti-Black Racism and the Attitude of Tolerating Racial Differences

Abstract

This chapter critically examines the nature of racism and the appropriateness of white’s attitude of tolerance toward blacks. I argue that the claim that tolerance is a universal moral virtue for living a good moral life is questionable, especially in the context of racial differences and racism between white Europeans’ claimed superiority and the supposed inferiority of black Africans. I argue that if tolerance has any value, it is instrumental because merely tolerating other races may be moral or immoral, depending on the context. For instance, merely tolerating another race could perpetuate racism, because the attitude of the tolerator is considered morally praiseworthy simply for refraining from mistreating “others” regarding their racial difference, instead of getting rid of one’s negative false racist beliefs. Perhaps, being a “tolerant racist” is morally superior to being an “intolerant racist” who mistreats, oppresses, or exploit the other race. Thus, being a “tolerant racist” should not vitiate the condemnation for one’s racist attitudes. Rather, the attitudes of respect for persons and acceptance of racial differences is conceptually distinct from, and more appropriate than, the attitude of tolerance.