Probably the most prominent columnist in the Birmingham region if not the state is John Archibald. He is well known for his folksy, but critical take on Birmingham politics. Archibald can be described as the mouthpiece of Birmingham progressives; he certainly speaks their language and style and covers topics in ways beloved by these white progressives. However, as will be shown, Archibald's work displays a profound thread of colorblind ideology.
The beacon of radicalness, Psychology Today, describes colorblind ideology as a form of racism stating that "colorblindness creates a society that denies (people of color's) negative racial experiences, rejects their cultural heritage, and invalidates their unique perspectives." Archibald promotes just such racism in three recent articles in the Birmingham News.
In an April 2013 article, Archibald argues that City Councilor Steven Hoyt's push for diversity at Barber Motorsports Park is not about "inclusion," but about being divisive. Archibald seems to miss a very pertinent point about Birmingham - the fact that it is divided. It is the most segregated city in the Southeast, it has a downtown plan directed almost wholly at affluent whites, and there are two separate institutional structures, one black and one white, that exist completely apart from one another. The latter is documented in my dissertation which is available from UC Berkeley or from me upon request. Not talking about those divisions, as Archibald suggests, will not make them go away, and in fact, the only way that they can begin to be addressed is with courageous, critical talk and action much like Hoyt's critique of Barber Motorsports Park. Pointing out that a group is not diverse is not divisive, it's the truth. Refusing to fund them on those grounds is consistent with an anti-racist ethic.
Last week, Archibald took aim at Birmingham's neighborhood associations. The neighborhood associations are one of the few reservoirs of working-class black power in the city. They provide a voice at levels very close to the people and initiatives by neighborhood presidents to get residents involved in politics should be lauded not denigrated. Is it political? Yes, but so are the board rooms at Regions, Harbert, BBVA, and every other corporation getting tons of subsidies and consisting of mostly white people. Furthermore, the $2000 dollars a year that go to each neighborhood is paltry considering the price tag of Regions Field ($58 million) and the entertainment district ($57 million), both of which cater to a white audience. Archibald criticized the entertainment district only to suggest that the money be moved to another location downtown and seems to be gung-ho about Regions Field.
Speaking of Regions Field, Archibald furthered his colorblind rhetoric by casting the council's fight for a Negro Leagues Museum as "divisive." (On a side note, I know that Archibald doesn't write the headlines, but to think that he's the teacher when it comes to black history is beyond the pale. The Birmingham News should probably put a little more thought into their headlines.) Archibald is right in to say that Larry Langford wanted a Southern League and Negro League Museum at the park, but the council passed the park plan with the assumption that it would be Negro League Museum. Reworking the museum to include the Southern League is a capitulation by Mayor Bell to white Birmingham and probably more than a number of consultants. Still, the argument that celebrating black history at Regions Park is divisive belies the belief that "objective" history has to include white people and white exploits. It is white history month 365 days a year, and celebrating black history and only black history is a push back against Eurocentric readings of history. And why is it the assumption that black history is not for everybody - that somehow the history of black baseball players is not also the history of us all. Plus, white people got their park, why can't black people have their museum.
Archibald's colorblindness argues that if we just don't talk about our divisions, they will go away. Race-consciousness, anti-racism are being promoted by the Cultural Alliance and my organization Magic City Agriculture Project. There are people with ideas and plans for finally healing the racial wounds of Birmingham and achieving real, meaningful integration. None of them are colorblind.
