This commentary is part two of a four part series on racism and the over-policing of African-Americans and other people of color.

Racism is not a genetic disorder;
Racism is not a virus.
Racism is not innate.
Racism is learned behavior that is supported by laws and systems.
Racism is the systematic exclusion of one group of people by another group of people from access to strategic resources and the rights of citizenship rooted in the erroneous belief that skin color and “race” ( and today you can add national origins, religion, gender, or sexual orientation) makes us (Blacks, Latinos, Muslims, Asians, Native Americans)inferior.

The power of racism is in its iinstitutionalization, which allows individual prejudice to gain power over others (individuals and groups) through structural power and privilege. Structural power determines who gets access to quality education; who gets hired for jobs; who gets the highest pay—and who doesn’t for doing the exact same job; who gets on-the-job training; who has job descriptions rewritten to fit them; who gets mentored; etc.

Let’s me set the record straight once and for all: Black people are NOT Racist! Why not? We can’t be, because we have no institutionalized power. Black people do not have the wealth and privilege required for racism to exist.
Original Post: insightnews.com
Read More