RACISM - A MODERN VIEW by Lloyd JAMES, M.Phil Why do different people so often have different ideas about the nature of racism? Why all the confusion? The meaning of "racism" depends on what is understood by "race". Three stages are recognisable in the development of our scientific understanding of "race". The initial stage established a wide acceptance in Europe and subsequently her cultural dependencies, for the idea that racial divisions of man exist. During this stage it was also believed that these "races" were arranged in a natural hierarchy with certain European "races" (wouldn't you know) at the apex. Consequently, for much of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries it was usual for Europeans to believe themselves racially superior to most of the rest of mankind. It was also quite usual to believe that "race" determined a wide range of human social and cultural characteristics. Racial superiority was used by European colonialists to justify both colonialism (e.g. "the white man's burden") and slavery. Stage 1 reached its zenith around the 1880's. Since W.W.II, biological and social science has refuted the notion of racial hierarchy with its various claims to superiority. At the same time, the idea that "races" are pure and distinct entities and that all their members look alike and think alike was also refuted. Once completed, this re-evaluation led to Stage 2, when "race" was still thought by most scientists to be a justifiable concept, but with the proviso that "all 'races' are equal". Liberal activists and some social scientists thus saw racism as the denial of this equality. Denial being any form of racial oppression, exploitation, discrimination, subordination or inferiorisation. Since the 1950's "race" has been examined genetically. It has been found that human populations grouped into "races" by "internal" traits (e.g. blood groups) contradict the pattern of "races" based on the traditionally used superficial traits (e.g. skin colour, stature, head size and shape, etc). The latter traits have also been examined more critically and it has been found that most can be arranged on a continuous gradient, for example, from "black skin" at one end to "white" at the other. The cut off point between one "race" and another based on skin colour is thus entirely arbitrary. The variation in all traits so far examined is greater within "races" than between them. The foregoing, along with certain other similar considerations, has greatly weakened the concept of "race" in physical anthropology and allied sciences. It is increasingly the case that scientists deny the very existence of human "races". However, even if allowance is made for those scientists who continue to see some value in "race", what they mean by this word has little resemblance to the "race" of their scientific forbears. Some of these scientists are now suggesting that for this reason "race" should be dropped from the scientific vocabulary and "population" substituted in its place. The connotations of "race" are such that its use will inevitably be misinterpreted by non-scientists in particular. "Race" in its nineteenth century sense is scientifically dead. In a very real sense we are living in a post-"race" era. This I shall call Stage 3. The essential question is then, what is "racism" in the absence of "race"? To examine this question I will briefly look at the case of the Jews. That the Jews do not constitute a "race" is now common knowledge. For example: "A common error and persistent modern myth is the designation of the Jews as a 'race'" Roth, C., Oxford University Reader in Jewish Studies, 1939-1964, in: "Jews", "Collier's Encyclopedia", 13: 574, 1991. "For example, there is no such thing as a Jewish race." Jick, L.A., Chairman of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies at Brandeis University, "The World Book Encyclopedia", 11: 118, 1990. "The findings of physical anthropology show that, contrary to the popular view, there is no Jewish race." Patai, R., Director of Research, Theodor Herzl Institute, New York. "Encyclopedia Britanica", 12: 1054, 1969. RACISM - A MODERN VIEW With a single reservation, I concur with the following understanding of racism. "In my view racism, which should be distinguished from racial discrimination, should be restricted to discourses which group human populations into 'races' on the basis of some biological signifier - for example, 'stock' - with each 'race' being regarded as having essential characteristics or a certain essential character (as in the phrase 'the British character', or in attributions to 'races' of laziness, rebelliousness or industriousness) and where inferiorization of some 'races' may or may not be present." Rattansi, A., In: Donald, J. & Rattansi, A. (eds) "'Race' Culture & Difference," Sage Publications, 1992, p. 36. Confusingly, a "biological signifier" is not strictly to do with biology. It is what "common sense" makes of certain physical human characteristics (e.g. skin colour, physical descent, etc.) as putative signifiers of "race". So, for example, modern science would profoundly disagree with the notion that skin colour is a reliable "racial" trait. However, in "common sense" appraisals of "race" the reverse is commonly thought to be true. Even on those increasingly rare instances when science and "common sense" manage to agree their respective concepts of "race" are so disparate that it is a shame that, as already suggested, science does not abandon the word "race" entirely. Essentialism (as in "essential character", etc) refers to the notion of an "ultimate essence" (something that is obvious, definable and homogeneous) that transcends historical and cultural boundaries. It was this that Hitler expressed when he wrote in "Mein Kampf" (p. 312), "In his new language (the Jew LJ) will express the old ideas; his inner nature has not changed... the Jew... can speak a thousand languages and nevertheless remains a Jew. His traits of character have remained the same.... It is always the same Jew." AN EXAMPLE OF BIOLOGICAL RACISM The "International Messianic Jewish (Hebrew Christian) Alliance" ("Shalom", Brockenhurst Rd., RAMSGATE, Kent, CT11 8ED, England) is a mainstream Protestant Christian association, mission to the Jews and a UK registered charity (CR: 231016). On racial grounds the IMJ(HC)A: * Excludes "non-Jewish Christians" from full membership. * Segregates its own "non-Jewish Christian" members in a separate category of "associate membership". * Excludes its own "non-Jewish Christian" associate members from the positions of its own President; Vice-President; Treasurer and Executive Secretary. * Excludes its own "non-Jewish Christian" associate members from being delegates to its own Conference. * Excludes its own "non-Jewish Christian" associate members from its own Executive Committee. The term RACIAL GROUNDS is used here in exactly the same way it is used in Britain's RACE RELATIONS ACT 1976. Section III (Membership) para. 2 of the IMJ(HC)A's current constitution reads: "People of Jewish parentage, who can satisfy the conditions of paragraph 3 of this section are entitled to membership". Here "Jewish parentage" is a "biological signifier" of "Jewish race". The "Jewishness" associated with this "race" is an essentialism. The IMJ(HC)A's concept of "Jew" is purely an expression of racism. Surprisingly, some Christians both support the racist IMJ(HC)A and pass themselves off as anti-racists or campaigners against antisemitism at the same time. I suggest that this is because they have an understanding of racism appropriate to a Stage 2 concept of "race". They thus condemn racist practices whilst at the same time giving support to their "Jewish race" converts. Such persons need educating to a Stage 3 understanding of "race". This would lead to the sure demise of the "Messianic Jew". None of the foregoing should be confused with legal definitions of "Jew", such as contained in both Jewish religious law and Israeli immigration legislation respectively. There is a world of difference between "Jewish parentage" as a legal ruling and the same term interpreted in a biological/racial sense. It is the difference between being a racist and not. "RACE" AND THE "CULTURAL SIGNIFIER" This essay would be incomplete without mention of the "cultural signifier". It is this topic that constitutes my already mentioned reservation concerning Rattansi's view of racism. A "cultural signifier" is essentially the same as its biological cousin, but with "culture" replacing "biology". Even a cursory review of the grounds on which human populations have been grouped into "races" shows that this has often been done on cultural grounds. For example, the "Semitic race" (as in antisemitic) is a "race" based on language (i.e. Semitic language). It is literally "race as language". Some expressions of "race as nation" also falls into the cultural category. The word "racism" was first coined in 1933 to describe the notion that "race" determines culture (Banton, M. "Racial Consciousness", Longman, 1988). An excellent historical example of such ideas in action is provided by Nazi German "race" legislation. THE CONCEPT OF "JEW" IN NAZI GERMANY In July 1933, the Becker "working team" sent the results of their deliberations to Vicco von Bulow-Schwante, Legation Councillor at Nazi Germany's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Part of what they sent was a `Draft `Law for the Regulation of the Status of the Jews `(DLRSJ) (Adam U.D., "An Overall Plan for Anti-Jewish Legislation in the Third Reich?" Yad Vashem Studies, XI: 33 - 55, 1976). According to DLRSJ 1(1) a "Jew" is a person: a) who adheres to the Jewish faith, b) whose parents or all grandparents adhered to the Mosaic faith, even if they or some of them later abandoned the Mosaic faith, c) who is a descendant of those named under a) and b) (Ibid., p.42). DLRSJ 1(2) also ruled that children having one Jewish parent as defined by DLRSJ 1(1) are "half-Jews", "as long as they do not adhere to the Jewish faith" (when they would become "full Jews" in law) (Ibid., p. 42). The concept of "Jew" as actually applied later in Nazi legislation commenced with the definition of "non-Aryan" in the First Implementation Decree of the Law for the Re-establishment of the Professional Civil Service (April 11, 1933). The relevant section reads, "A person who is descended from non-Aryan, especially Jewish, parents or grandparents, is regarded as non-Aryan. It suffices if one parent or grandparents (sic) adhere to the Jewish religion" (Ibid., p. 42). The definitive definition of "Jew" in Nazi law is found in the First Regulation to the Reich Citizenship Law (FRRCL), section 5, para. 1 - "A Jew is a person who is a descendant of at least three racially fully Jewish grandparents" (November 14, 1935). However, FRRCL, section 2, para. 2 ruled that, "A grandparent is without question fully Jewish if he or she belonged to the Jewish religious community". According to FRRCL, section 5, para. 2(a) a "half-Jew" descended from two fully Jewish grandparents is also regarded as a Jew if, "at the time of the promulgation of the law he belonged to the Jewish religious community or afterwards joined it" (Ibid. pp. 42-43). Clearly Nazi antisemitism was not based on biological "race" but on the religion of one's grandparents, parents or in some cases, one's own religion. The religion in question is, of course, Judaism. Here "adherence to Judaism" is a "cultural signifier" of "Jewish race" in Nazi legislation. It constitutes the grounds on which a European sub-population was grouped into a "race" and subsequently murdered. Once again "Jewishness" is an essentialism (at this point you might like to read again the above brief quotation from "Mein Kampf"). CULTURAL RACISM AND A UK CHARITY The "ISAACSONS HEBREW CHRISTIAN SCHOLARSHIP" (IHCS) is a registered charity (CR 529987). It is administered by National Westminster Bank (Finance and Investment Services, 6th Floor, Newland House, 49 Mount St., NOTTINGHAM, NG1 6GP, England). Its "Advisory Committee" is located at St. John's College (Chilwell Lane, Bramcote, NOTTINGHAM, NG9 3DS, England). According to paragraph 1 of the scheme of its schedule, IHCS scholarships are to assist in training for the ministry of the Church of England students (i.e. Anglican Christians), "who shall at some previous time have professed any form of the Jewish faith or either of whose parents shall at some time have professed any form of that faith". As in the case of the Nazi "race" legislation already referred to, "adherence to Judaism" (or if one wishes to be pedantic, "profession of the Jewish faith", which amounts to precisely the same thing) is a "cultural signifier" of "Jewish race" in the IHCS's rules. The attitude and intention of the current advisors to the IHCS is of little importance in this matter. Whatever their viewpoint, the IHCS remains as much a racist Anglican charity as Nazi Germany was a racist state. Once again the "Jewishness" of "Anglican Christian Hebrews" (i.e. "Anglicans of the Jewish race") is an essentialism. Few Europeans would today tolerate the imposition of Nazi style "race" legislation in Europe even if it was administered by avowed "anti-racists". I feel the same intolerant attitude should be shown to the IHCS. ================================================================================ ANTIRACE PUBLICATIONS ================================================================================ ANTIRACE PUBLICATIONS publishes and distributes research files, material and manuscripts having a bearing on antisemitism generally and anti-Jewish Christian racism in particular. If you have anything of this nature that you think might be of value to ANTIRACE PUBLICATIONS, please, send it to the address below for consideration. Sympathetic groups or persons may reproduce this file and distribute it by any means whatsoever provided that its content remains unchanged. Authorship and full title of article must appear in all advertising. Please upload it everywhere. Copyright remains with Lloyd JAMES, M.Phil. Used with permission of the author. If you want to support the work of ANTIRACE PUBLICATIONS, donations are most welcome in any negotiable currency, but ŁUK or $US are preferred. Write to: Lloyd JAMES, M.Phil., 60 Rodney Court, Whatleigh Close, POOLE, Dorset, BH15 1RL, England. E-mail: ARP9103@aol.com <<<< END >>>>