美国国家公共电台 NPR 'Smart People' Asks Hard Questions About Racism In America

 

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Finally today, some hard questions about racism¹, questions most of us don't really want to ask. Is that something baked into the fabric² of American life, a matter of personal preference? Is it just the crutch³ of ignorant people? Or is it something deep in the workings of just about everybody's brain? This isn't just the subject of a dense⁴ academic

paper. It's also the question at the core of a lively and provocative⁵ play, the latest by Lydia Diamond. It's called "Smart People," and it follows the interactions of four characters all of whom have some connection to Harvard - smart people - and all of whom also have an interest either personal or professional or both in the subject of race. Set against the backdrop of Barack Obama's first campaign for the presidency⁶, it makes clear the difficulties of talking about race, even among those people who pride themselves on their ability to talk about race.

A new production of the play just started at the Arena⁷ Stage in Washington, D.C., so we thought this would be a good time to talk with Lydia Diamond about it. And Lydia Diamond joins us from member station WBEZ in Chicago. Lydia Diamond, thanks so much for speaking with us.

LYDIA R. DIAMOND: Well, thanks so much for asking me to.

MARTIN: So tell us about the premise⁸ of the - one of your central characters. There are four, so they're all central, I guess. Brian White is a neuro-psychiatrist, and he studies patterns of racial identity and perception. So shall we play a clip from him?

DIAMOND: I'd love to hear that.

MARTIN: Here it is. It's Brian White. This is a scene where he is presenting his work to an audience. I guess it would be his colleagues.

DIAMOND: Yeah. You know, an audience of muckety mucks from Harvard.

MARTIN: Ah, OK. Great.

DIAMOND: So it's a high-powered room in which he feels slightly off.

(SOUNDBITE OF PLAY, "SMART PEOPLE")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) We must look at the scientific data and embrace that we, the white people, are implicated⁹. Look - numbers, more numbers. What's that? Cold, hard data. I'm speaking your language. I've proven it's there. It's in our heads. It's in our cells. It's in our [expletive] blood a predisposition to hate. We are programmed to distrust and fear those with more melanin. We aren't effective. We just must understand our brains, except our physiology¹⁰ and acknowledge the social reality that we so virulently¹¹ deny.

MARTIN: So just to kind of a light evening at the theater there. No big deal.

(LAUGHTER)

DIAMOND: It really is a comedy.

MARTIN: A comedy really actually?

DIAMOND: It really is. It will make you laugh.

MARTIN: I can vouch¹² for this, but help us understand what's happening here. And this happens - I do have to tell you pretty early on in the play.

DIAMOND: Yeah. So Brian - his premise and his work is that white people are neurologically, biologically racist¹³, and he is a white person. I think that's important to say. And so the whole play is kind of watching how these four different people - Ginny Yang is Asian-American, half Japanese, half Chinese, Jackson is African-American and Valerie is African-American and just graduated from the ART - and sort of how they bounce off of one another personally. But obviously tangentially¹⁴ about race and how Brian White's very sort of volatile¹⁵ premise is in some ways his undoing¹⁶.

MARTIN: Well, the other thing that's funny is that Brian and Ginny actually - Ginny Yang who's one - the psychologist, and she's kind of a rock star in her field. She studies depression and anxiety in Asian-American women, and she seems to be having a little bit of anxiety of her own, it has to be said, without giving it all away. But that she and Brian meet at a diversity committee, and that's kind of funny. It doesn't sound funny, but it is actually kind of funny.

DIAMOND: I think it's hilarious¹⁷ if you've ever sat on a diversity committee at a university, and I'm sure they are not so much different from diversity committees anywhere in any kind of work situation. And you go and you talk about how we can, you know, end racism in the institution. But the institution continues to be racist. And the irony¹⁸ of that and sort of how they come together around their mutual¹⁹ awareness²⁰ of that.

(SOUNDBITE OF PLAY, "SMART PEOPLE")

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) Have you done one of these diversity committee things before?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) I'm the go-to white guy for these because I study race and, of course, because I care. And you?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) I generally decline. I don't know. I'm uncomfortable celebrating my marginalization with other disgruntled, marginalized people. It's not my job to make the institution behave appropriately. In truth, I lost a bet with a Middle Eastern man in my department, and I'm a two-can (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) Two-can?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) Two-can, two-can. I proudly represent not one, but two underrepresented populations.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) Underrepresented? Really? Because I see your people everywhere.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) Women?

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) The Asian people.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) You're mistaken. My people mostly frequent the hard sciences.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: (As Brian White) As do I. I can't throw a stone without hitting a - my politics are such that I can make that joke with people who know me.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: (As Ginny Yang) I'll never know you well enough for that to be funny.

MARTIN: It has to be said, though, that the people in this - that the characters think of themselves as liberal or progressive, right? Fair?

DIAMOND: Profoundly, deeply progressive people.

MARTIN: And so...

DIAMOND: Liberal.

MARTIN: Yeah. So why do you think that's important?

DIAMOND: Well, there is something about the way those of us who move through the world feeling that we know the answers and are sophisticated around social justice have a certain authority. And I would say there's a way that white liberals - what am I saying? I have sometimes been disturbed at the displays of racism I've seen amongst people who purport²¹ to be very, very racially sophisticated and progressive.

And the play isn't critiquing that, but I think the play is aware that that is the dynamic that we all share. Those of us who are also brown, there's a certain authority that we have, and we can become so comfortable in it that we forget to look at ourselves closely.

MARTIN: It is interesting, though, that this is a cultural moment in which white liberals are taking it on the chin. I don't know if you've seen Jordan Peele's movie "Get Out." I can't decide is it a comedic horror film or a horrific comedy film. But it's...

DIAMOND: Yeah. I know.

MARTIN: ...It is funny in parts, and it's frightening in parts. But at the core of it are, you know, white liberals - or people who think of themselves as white liberals but who are actually doing some pretty terrible things. And I just wondered if, you know, why is that? I think people might argue that there are worse people. (Laughter) And I'm wondering why...

DIAMOND: You know, and there are....

MARTIN: ...It is you think white people are taking it on the chin right now?

DIAMOND: Right. I think there are always people who are worse, you know, and I think that a lot of my friends - people I love very much, people in my family - are white liberals. And so the play doesn't have an agenda against white liberals, nor do I think does this moment.

But I think we're becoming more sophisticated, and I think that the stakes just became higher and so we have to look at each other honestly and know that we've absorbed all of this craziness that is race in America. And some of it is racism, and some of it is white privilege. And how that plays out in a very personal way. It's becoming more and more tangible²² and critical that we critique it I think.

MARTIN: So can we ask you what you're working on now or is it a secret?

DIAMOND: It's not a secret. I'm just finishing up a play called "Toni Stone," and it's about Toni Stone who's the first African-American woman who played baseball in the Negro Leagues. Like, she played with the grown-up men, and she was good. And so that's what's next.

MARTIN: Can't wait. Well, that's Lydia Diamond. Her play "Smart People" is playing in Washington, D.C., at the Arena Stage until May 21. And she was kind enough to join us from WBEZ in Chicago. Lydia Diamond, thanks so much for speaking with us.

DIAMOND: Oh, thank you so much for having me.

1 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

2 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。

3 crutch   

n.T字形拐杖；支持，依靠，精神支柱

参考例句：

• Her religion was a crutch to her when John died.约翰死后，她在精神上依靠宗教信仰支撑住自己。
• He uses his wife as a kind of crutch because of his lack of confidence.他缺乏自信心，总把妻子当作主心骨。

4 dense   

a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
• The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。

5 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

6 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

7 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

8 premise   

n.前提；v.提论，预述

参考例句：

• Let me premise my argument with a bit of history.让我引述一些史实作为我立论的前提。
• We can deduce a conclusion from the premise.我们可以从这个前提推出结论。

9 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 physiology   

n.生理学，生理机能

参考例句：

• He bought a book about physiology.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize for achievements in physiology.他因生理学方面的建树而被授予诺贝尔奖。

11 virulently   

恶毒地，狠毒地

参考例句：

• An old woman advanced a few paces to shake her fist virulently in my face. 一个老女人上前了几步，在我面前恶毒地晃动着她的拳头。
• In the wake of unrest in Tibet in March, a virulently xenophobic mood swept the country. 随着三月份的西藏骚乱，一种充满敌意的排外情绪横扫了这个国家。

12 vouch   

v.担保；断定；n.被担保者

参考例句：

• They asked whether I was prepared to vouch for him.他们问我是否愿意为他作担保。
• I can vouch for the fact that he is a good worker.我保证他是好员工。

13 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

14 tangentially   

adv.无关地

参考例句：

• The circumstances are delicate, involving their mother and, more tangentially, their father. 情况很微妙，事关他们的母亲也触及他们的父亲。 来自英汉文学 - 廊桥遗梦

15 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

16 undoing   

n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭

参考例句：

• That one mistake was his undoing. 他一失足即成千古恨。
• This hard attitude may have led to his undoing. 可能就是这种强硬的态度导致了他的垮台。

17 hilarious   

adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed

参考例句：

• The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后，派对变得更加热闹起来。
• We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停，因为那个节目太搞笑了。

18 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

19 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

20 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

21 purport   

n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...

参考例句：

• Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

22 tangible   

adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的

参考例句：

• The policy has not yet brought any tangible benefits.这项政策还没有带来任何实质性的好处。
• There is no tangible proof.没有确凿的证据。