For this blog post I would like to address a theory posited in several of the articles in the Bell Curve Wars: that racism is essentially a problem that will go away if it is ignored. This theory is based upon the idea that it is much harder to combat racism at all levels of society if statistics concerning it are publicly known. For example there is a well-known study in which applicants with identical resumes but different names (ones more common to white populations and ones more common to African-American populations) are given interviews at dramatically rates based solely upon the "race" of their name. The primary reasons for this, according to the studies authors is negative subconscious associations with certain races triggered by the names of that race. The authors of several articles in the Bell Curve wars reject the subconscious part of this theory with the argument that at this point almost everyone has seen statistics about higher rates of crime and violence among the African-American population. Armed with such knowledge employers cannot be blamed for hiring individuals from groups less likely to engage in illegal behavior. The problem with this scenario is that deprived of work African-Americans are more likely, like any other group, to engage in criminal activity, increasing the crime statistics and starting the cycle all over again. According to some the best way to stop this cycle is to prevent the statistics from ever being collected. I generally agree with the principle that some statistics do more harm than good. Many nations, most notably France have forbidden demographic surveys on the basis of race. While I believe that is a little draconian I would not be opposed to some measure in the United States restricting the collection of data on the basis of race. I believe that it is far easier to look at problems of inequality in the both the workplace and the classroom through the lens of class. For one thing the issue is more direct. Some people have less money, they can give fewer advantages to their children, their children do less well in school and the cycle continues. The past majority of disadvantaged African-Americans are poor and looking at them solely on the basis of class would eliminate any residual racial bias. It would also transform African-Americans from a tiny oppressed minority to one part of an oppressed majority.