Summary
The article discusses how media and political figures often describe racist violence as an individual issue involving hate or mental illness, overshadowing its systemic and global nature. It highlights the case of Robin Westman, a white transgender woman involved in a mass shooting, as an example of this tendency. The article argues that racism is not just about individual hate but is connected to broader systems that maintain power and inequality.
Key Facts
- Media often frames racist acts as individual hatred or mental illness.
- Robin Westman, a white transgender woman, committed a mass shooting in Minneapolis, wounding 17 people and killing two children.
- Some pundits used Westman's case to promote transphobic narratives without evidence.
- Racism is described not just as hate but as a system to maintain power and inequality.
- Institutional racism involves policies and practices in various sectors like schools and workplaces that disadvantage people of color.
- Structural racism refers to racist patterns across different societal institutions.
- The focus on individual acts of racism can distort understanding of its systemic nature.
