The Heart of Bartness: Racism In A Christmas Story? Part 1

Notes and Considerations

Racism is something that we want to identify accurately. If we miss it too often, the many people can suffer the consequences of it. If we falsely identify it, then there are negative consequences for that as well.

Racism is important enough as a concept and phenomenon that we are challenged to approach it rationally rather the seek out racism in the way that Puritans spied the devil.

If we take racism seriously and think about the contexts in which we discuss it and the thresholds we set for identifying it, then we can create a cooperative environment for discussion.

Accusations of racism with regard to the “Black Bart” scene in A Christmas Story fail to contextualize the scene.

A culture prone to false accusations will tend to produce unnecessary conflict and anxiety.

As it applies to race, false accusations and inaccurate perceptions are not good for the psychology of members of any race.

The “false accusation culture” also attracts various pathologized personalities who tend to flourish and attract agents who act on their behalf.

In addition, we would be in error if we ignored that fact that there is a small group of people who gain status and benefit financially from building a culture of racial paranoia.