Last night I was at a rather big party. Most of the people there were a bit drunk, though I was ok, since I'd been out the couple of nights before. Anyway, at the end of the night, three people who I otherwise respect came over for "a word". Apparently they were disgusted that someone "of your intelligence can be a racist- frightening almost". I'd said earlier in the night that "Whatever one says about society, one cannot dismiss the inequality between the races and anyone claiming that we can live in a colourblind society is deluded".
In the context it was said, I think it's pretty clear that I was refering to the material conditions and life chances, which as we well know, are highly stratified. I tried explaining to them that what I meant was that being born into a certain race or ethnicity, because of a variety of factors- including racism- will determine for many where they end up ie: the whole Chinese> Indian> White> Black> Pakistani/ Bangladeshi school achievement statistics. In response I suggested that we must (for the basic reason of fairness) keep an open or colourblind admission procedure to university, but work to raise standards through encouragement for under-represented groups. I think that's pretty reasonable, and if it makes me a racist, then I'm in the company of most race relations officers in the country.
Anyway, I was told how I would be hounded out of work if I was in a normal job, and how I have a miserable future ahead of me. It wouldn't have been so bad, but lots of other people were in earshot and heard parts of the conversation. Eight people removed me from their facebook this morning. I just feel so victimised. People who've had beef with me over this and that are using this thing to discedit me wholesale and I'm worried about where it's going to end. How should I salvage my name?