Point/Counterpoint: Adrian Piper Cornered

“I’m black. Now, let’s deal with the social fact and the fact of my stating it together.”

From the end:

Let’s be clear, this is not an exercise, this is real and it has everything to do with you.

It’s a genetic and social fact that according to the entrenched conventions of racial classification in this country [USA], you are probably black. So if Piper choses to identify herself as black, whereas you do not, that’s not just a special, personal fact about Piper, it’s a fact about us. It’s our problem to solve. So, how do you propose we solve it? What are you going to do? Welcome to the struggle.

P: Why is it our problem?

P: If she claims that she is black, she is making an unnecessary fuss about racial identity.

CP: Pass for white?

P: Presupposes a belief that it’s inherently better to be identify as white. Inability to recognize the intrinsic value of being recognized as black.

P: Her declaration comes across as hostility towards white.

CP: Her hostility toward the refusal to join racial club becomes a mutual problem because it destroys a potential relationship of trust and goodwill.

P: Our problem if you think Piper is using her profession of being black to exploit an advantage, gain publicity or make it big as an artist. If you think this you must be turned off by what Piper is saying and feeling antagonized.

CP: How is turning off and antagonizing your audience going to help Piper make it big as an artist?

P: Why does my telling you have this effect at all? Do you feel confronted, embarrassed, or accused?

P: Is it only a fuss if it disturbs you presumption that Piper is white?

CP: Perhaps the solution is for you to not make that presumption about anyone.

P: Piper has no choice. If she tells you who she is, you become nervous and uncomfortable, or antagonized, but if she doesn’t tell you who she is, she has to pass for white, and why should she have to do that?

CP: The problem with passing as white, which is based on sick values, is that it produces a degrading situations in which Piper may have to listen to insulting remarks about blacks who mistakenly believe that there are no blacks present.

P: Not just Piper’s problem, its ours if you have a tendency to behave in a derogatory or insensitive manner towards black when you believe none are present. If you have no such tendency, than you won’t have a problem with Piper claiming her black identity.

P: It’s our problem if you believe that Piper stating the social fact of her racial identity is just a personal, special condition.

CP: It’s not, it’s a fact about us. Because if somebody can look and sound like Piper and still be black, than nobody is safely, unquestionably white. Some estimates claim that all purportedly white Americans have between 5-20% black ancestry. This country's entrenched conventions classify a person as black if they have any black ancestry.

P: Your own racial classification? Most of those who claim to be white, are in fact black. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to research your ancestry to declare your racial identity? Are you going to make this information public? Are you going to keep silent about your finding? Will you try to discredit the researchers? If you’re certifiably part of the white minority, will you claim this identity with friends? How will you feel? Proud? Dissapointed? Will you lie and tell people you’re black even if you’re not? Will you do nothing at all? Dismiss this as an artists hoax?

P: No that you have this information about your black ancestry, whatever you do counts as a choice. Which choice will you make?

CP: Might think no choice s required. That white people don’t have the moral right to claim that they are black because they have not suffered visibly the way black americans have. If you’ve been identifying as white and don’t think light skinned blacks don’t suffer enough, then you have nothing to lose by publicly affirming your own black identity. Why not try it?

P: Maye you think people like Piper use their black identity to gain institutional rewards–affirmative action programs.

CP: No you have the options to get into affirmative action programs. Lucky you! Are you going to do it? Why not? Think of the rewards. Obviously there are much better reasons to affirm your black identity.

P: You may disagree, you may have different values/priorities and may not recognise the importance of black american culture, making it easy to reject. If you’re very attached to the rewards and privileges of being white, you may find it difficult to detach from them.

CP: If you feel this way, you may be reacting to what Piper is saying as an empty academic exercise that has nothing to do with you.

P: Let’s be clear, this is not an exercise, this is real and it has everything to do with you.

It’s a genetic and social fact that according to the entrenched conventions of racial classification in this country [USA], you are probably black. So if Piper choses to identify herself as black, whereas you do not, that’s not just a special, personal fact about Piper, it’s a fact about us. It’s our problem to solve. So, how do you propose we solve it? What are you going to do? Welcome to the struggle.