Jamelle Bouie And Coleman Hughes Debate Color Blindness For The TED/Open to Debate Podcast

 Colorblindness is the racial ideology that posits the best way to end discrimination is by treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity. At face value, this belief appears to not only amount to a dismissal of the lived experiences of people of color, but also suggests that racism does not exist so long as one ignores it.

A colorblind approach allows us to deny uncomfortable cultural differences. In a colorblind society, white people, who are unlikely to experience disadvantages due to race, can effectively ignore racism in American life, justify the current social order, and feel more comfortable with their relatively privileged standing in society.

Popular color-blind mantras include:

"I don't see color. I just see people."
"We're all just people."
"I don't care if you're black, white, green, or purple."

In the most recent episode, nonpartisan debate podcast Open to Debate and TED tackle the question: "Does Color Blindness Perpetuate Racism?"

Arguing “YES” is New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie, who covers history and politics and has reported on campaigns, elections, national affairs, and culture. He argues that not “seeing” race denies systemic racism and silently maintains discrimination.

Arguing “NO” is recent TED speaker and The Free Press contributing writer Coleman Hughes, who hosts the Conversations with Coleman podcast where he discusses polarized issues in the realm of race, politics, and culture in the West. He argues it promotes fairness and equal opportunity without increasing division.

Journalists and academics Robert George, Candis Watts Smith, Thomas Chatterton Williams, and Monnica Williams join the conversation. Emmy-winning host John Donvan moderates.

Find the full episode at the Open to Debate website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get podcasts.