Reflection Two

Reflection two: Racial Liberalism and the “Diversity Bake Sale”

In relation to the article “A ‘Diversity Bake Sale’ Backfires on Campus” published in the New York Times about a student body of Berkeley University one can see how race touches all people. From the working world to the student body, there are many people who would like to take a stand on issues of racism. This in turn goes to show that the concept of “Racial Liberalism” discussed in Charles Mills’ article is really a fictitious concept. He himself does not seem to lend much credit to the idea, as he points out that the only way to disconnect oneself from race is to ignore it entirely. Certainly this may seem good in theory but how does someone go about ignoring things like bake sales where students are charged differently based on their racial background. Does this not reflect a larger, prominent issue of different races being not only paid differently for the services but also paying differently for their services?

            The theory of racial liberalism states that all people are equal, despite race and thus creates an egalitarian state. If this is the case then how is it that students of Berkeley University have very simply recreated a race hierarchy with something as simple as a bake sale? If all people agree to a social contract then why is it an African Americans family income is significantly less than that of a Caucasian family’s income? This theory of racial liberalism begs for answers that simply do not exist. In no functioning society can the issues of race simply be ignored, even in an academic one where students are seen as peers and equals. In my opinion while race can be a very harmful and destructive thing, it can also be a positive thing. To identify as a certain group or ethnicity enables a person to feel pride in their history that they may not otherwise have without such a sure thing. Also it enables belonging, if one can relate to other people, whether it is by looks or familial relations or simply history it can be enough to create bonds with others. Does racial liberalism get rid of the bad things that come with race? Theoretically. Does it also get rid of the good? Certainly.

            Since race is indeed a social construct shouldn’t it be easy to remove oneself from it? Obviously not, as stated above, for the same reasons people can feel as though they are a part of something through race they can also feel attacked by it. Outrage at the bake sales’ premise was scoured across their facebook page, the purpose lost on readers. To raise awareness and bring issues of race to the forefront of people’s minds is the best way to conquer any race issues people have, not by ignoring it and pretending that people have a “blank slate” the moment they are born. The staff of Berkeley university immediately went in to damage control mode once the race card was pulled and as much as people in power try to deny race, this is a social construct that nobody can escape, not the privileged or the deprived.  Nobody can avoid it, whether you live in a community that is entirely one race or grow up in a multicultural neighbourhood, somewhere by someone you are always going to be racialized. Those who claim “colourblindness” are really claiming ignorance.


University Bake Sale 
MILLS, C. W. (2008). Racial Liberalism. PMLA: Publications Of The Modern Language Association Of America, 123(5), 1380-1397.