On Wednesday, October 2, 2002, Father Felix Ojimba, Staff Chaplain with the MGH Chaplaincy, spoke to members of the Social Service and Chaplaincy departments about the Summer Intercultural Program created by Stanford University that he recently attended. Father Ojimba is from Nigeria, where he was ordained in 1973, and has been with MGH since 1996.

Because most of the people with whom he works are white, and therefore his world is very much influenced by whiteness, Father Ojimba took the class hoping to gain a better understanding of white people. He makes the point that in general, since September 11, there has been an urgency to learn more about other cultures which has resulted in a desire to communicate interculturally. In his talk, Father Ojimba shared highlights and insights from the course, and hoped to provide an increased awareness of how non-whites perceive whites, and promote an intercultural dialogue.

Father Ojimba explained that our self-conception consists of who we think we are as a person, which is partially created through communication with our family, friends, and others, and because our identities are multiple, also created through gender, age, race/ethnicity, physical ability, class, religion, etc. According to the social-identity model, there are some common elements that can be traced back to a common origin, such as origins from the same country. Our identities are also dynamic, as social forces change constantly. For example, the role of women in America has changed dramatically, as has that of black people. These changing roles affect the way a person thinks of them-selves. Often conflicts arise between who we think we are versus who others think we are. A person of color who considers himself American may be asked by a white person where they are "really" from. Father Ojimba gave an example involving the instructors of the course he was attending. Both were fourth generation Americans, but one instructor's ancestors were from Japan while the other's were from Europe. The first instructor was often referred to as Japanese-American, while the second instructor was simply considered to be American.

Many ethnic groups now considered "white" were not always considered so by the dominant whites in America. As groups of Italian, Irish, Eastern European, and Jewish immigrants arrived in America, they were categorized as non-white and perceived as having low moral character. The white elite sought to maintain their power and privilege via anti-immigration events and legislation. For example, in 1729, a group of Irish immigrants trying to come to Boston were fought off by an English mob. In 1889, the Chinese Exclusion Act banned Chinese laborers from entering the country for 10 years, and in 1902 the ban was made permanent. The ban was only repealed in 1943 when China was an important American ally against Japan. In 1924 the Johnson-Reed Act was passed, limiting annual European immigration to two percent of the number of each nationality group that was in the United States in 1890. The Oriental Exclusion Act, also part of the Johnson-Reed Act, prohibited most immigration from Asia, including foreign-born wives and children of U.S. citizens of Chinese Ancestry.

In the late 19th and early 20th century, southern Europeans, despite their biological whiteness, were still not considered "white" Americans. Hostility was commonplace, and they were barely tolerated. But the Italian, Irish, and Eastern Europeans gradually fought, worked and voted their way into acceptance by whites in America. By the 1930s, America became a "melting pot" of assimilating southern Europeans, which allowed them access to better schools, public facilities, and greater deference. In 1965, the Immigration Reform Act removed the 2 percent quota system, but this essentially ensured the continuation of a white majority.

Father Ojimba provided some examples of white values in America. For example, the belief that human nature is a mix of good and evil. Whites believe in the possibility of human mastery over nature -- that they can overcome anything, particularly through research. Individualism is also an important characteristic of "whiteness," which challenges their understanding of other ethnic groups' devotion to extended family. Whites are also very activity oriented, having a "do it now" mentality. And white Americans are resentful when talking about how the past effects the present. Father Ojimba explained that American whites tend to be very forward-thinking, and prefer to look ahead rather than think about the past, especially the more hurtful and difficult parts of American history. This prevents the possibility of a productive dialogue that could potentially assist in creating an understanding between whites and people of color.

There are many advantages and privileges to being white. Whites have an economic advantage over non-whites, and are often assumed by others in society to be "middle class." According to Dr. Peggy MacIntosh, a professor at Wellesley College, privilege is more associated with skin color than with class, religion, ethnic status, or geographic location. Whites also have more social freedoms, such as the freedom to shop in a store without being harassed or even watched. In a very telling comment made by Father Ojimba, he stated that there are times he is tempted to be white for just one day, and he considers all the things he would do.

White people rarely refer to themselves or each other as "white," but just consider themselves "human," implying others are "something else." In America the white standard equals the American standard. The origins of white superiority exist in the colonization of non-white nations, at which time such superiority was learned. White people feel they made their national heritage or civilization, and that it is the "norm." This has evolved into the belief that people of color should adapt to the "American"/white way. A person of color is rewarded when they accept those perceptions, but non-white groups in America as a whole are perceived as "ethnic" or "underdeveloped Americans." Whites are viewed on a more individual basis, and are rarely asked to speak for their entire race, whereas persons of color are often expected to "represent" their entire race to whites. Father Ojimba used the example of a black person who looks young for his age, causing whites to assume that all black people age well.

Father Ojimba noted that for whites in America, claiming ethnic identity is voluntary in that a white person can choose whether or not to emphasize their Irish or Italian origins. Emphasizing one's white ethnicity is mostly without any cost. White people are not harassed about their ethnicity, while people of color do not have a choice and it affects much of their life.

Father Ojimba does mention that whiteness does not always mean privilege. He gives examples of white groups that have been persecuted or harassed, such as German-Americans during WWII and Irish immigrants in the early 20th century. He also mentions that poor whites, even though they always have "white skin privileges," have less socio-economic status privileges. However, because whites are less scrutinized, it is easier for them to pass as middle class and achieve success. If a person is not white, they must be exceptionally good at what they do to prove themselves.

Demographic changes over the past decades have provided opportunity and challenge. Before 1960, most immigrants to the US came mainly from Europe. Since 1960, immigrants arrive mainly from Latin America and Asia. By 2050, it is projected that nearly 50% of the population will consist of racial "minorities." They will need care, thus, as Father Ojimba points out, it is important as caregivers that we address the issue of how "we" understand "them," and help "them" understand "us."

Along with the changing demographics in America, the perception of white privilege is changing. Some whites perceive themselves as a minority. Father Ojimba cites a study conducted at Temple University in which the students were asked what percentage of the student body they thought was white vs. black. White students said 30% of the students were white and 70% were black, when in fact it was just the opposite - 70% of the students were white while only 30% were black. Father Ojimba explained that their perceptions affected their sense of identity, which influenced intercultural communication. The students were mostly from working class families. They felt they were being denied opportunities that were given to minority students because they were being prejudged as racist and blamed for social conditions they did not cause. In corporate America, as downsizing occurs, white males may blame immigrants, women, and minorities, claiming "they" are taking their jobs for less pay. These examples emphasize the sense of anxiety some whites in America feel as the population of persons of color increases. They may sense a loss of the privilege of being white in America and, threatened by this, they overreact.

Father Ojimba concluded by stating that whiteness will continue to exert enor-mous influence on US and global com-munications, despite a decreasing white percentage of population. Increased diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity for intercultural enrichment. He stressed the importance of encouraging dialogue in an ethnically diverse workforce, despite the discomfort of doing so. Moving out of one's cultural comfort zone through dialogue is the best way to move into a multi-cultural workforce in which we learn to live with and understand each other, as well as work together and encourage change.

The CRC has copies of questionnaires, articles and handouts Father Ojimba received at the Summer Intercultural Program he attended, including a list of references regarding European-American Communication, a "Questionnaire on Whiteness" and "The Costs of Racism to White People." Please contact us for copies.

10/2002