The Significance of Affirmative Action for the Souls of White Folk: Further Implications of a Helping Model

A unidimensional self. Given that all energy is directed toward maintaining a single identity, the bigot develops a simple, one-sided self. All activities must be focused on supporting this identity, which results in closed-mindedness (especially toward discrepant information) and a narrow self-centeredness (all information interpreted within a narrow framework). This unidimensional self further lacks the coping skills needed to deal with life's frustration.

Lack of resolution to problems. Although believing that one's race is superior may make one feel good, it does not directly solve the underlying problem. In other words, falsely blaming African Americans for a problem (whether it is a lack of a job, a desire for more wealth, or failure to become a Green Beret) does not address the real reasons for why this problem exists (lack of job skills, downturn in the economy, etc.). As such, these problems will continue to affect the life of the racist and in turn bring additional negative consequences.

Extremist identity. One common route to maintaining the race excuse is to join and construct a social world in which this falsehood is believed to be true. Groups such as Christian Identity, militia organizations, and Aryan Nation can provide the necessary ideology to support the race excuse. The cost of membership in such groups is the acceptance of an identity that must be defended at all costs. Within this world, illusions of grandeur can flourish, as it is seen as the vanguard of civilization.

Susceptibility to propaganda. Given the desire to maintain feelings of superiority, the bigot is highly susceptible to any propaganda that supports this notion, a point that has not escaped the notice of many political candidates from Reconstruction until the present. For example, many Southerners in the late 1800s and early 1900s did not support the single-party machine that ruled that region but were even more afraid of removing that machine and giving the Negro the vote (Woodward, 1938/1973). Carter (1996) has advanced the idea that today's neoconservative movement has learned this "Southern strategy" and has succeeded in securing White votes with such tactics as manipulation of the busing issue, attacking affirmative action, and sponsoring Willie Horton-style ads. Interestingly, Entman (1997) finds that mass media coverage of affirmative action (often framed in terms of Blacks versus Whites) peaked just before the U.S. presidential elections of 1988, 1992, and 1996. Pettigrew (1998a) finds a similar use of anti-immigration rhetoric by right-wing political parties in Europe. Altemeyer (1998) has advanced the interesting hypothesis that dominating authoritarians use the "race card" to whip up support from more threatened and submissive authoritarians. In support of his thesis, Senechal (1990) observed that the elites of Springfield supported anti-Black sentiment before the 1908 riot as a means of securing political support. However, as the riot took on a life of its own and threatened the power structure, the elites backed away from this position.