Reverse Racism (sic)

Some months back there was an uproar triggered by the Foundation of Black Journalists hosting an event that specifically excluded anyone who was not 'black'.

Shortly after the event I was driving and listening to a radio talk show where people were talking about this event. By far most of the people were strongly disapproving of the FBJ. So far so good.

But a disturbing sub text popped out a few times...

A number of the callers described the FBJ's actions as 'reverse racism'. Nobody made any response or comment about this term.

What is reverse racism?

Let's start by considering what racism is. To my understanding racism is any prejudicial behaviour towards anybody that can be attributed to a bias based on race or attributes of race.

Beats me, but based on that, I can't come up with a definition of reverse racism.

Now if you consider what seems to be becoming a more widespread unspoken definition of racism is that it is prejudicial behaviour by lighter skinned people against darker skinned people. On that basis we can make some perverse sense of the term as being prejudicial behaviour by darker skinned people against lighter skinned people.

What also seems to be becoming more and more prevalent is that any criticism of, or behaviour against, darker skinned people by lighter skinned people, irrespective of whether it is justified or not, is being labelled as racist.

Isn't that just so sick.