Dr. Alvin Poussaint
Professor of Psychiatry, Faculty Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Director of the Office of Recruitment and Multicultural Affairs
He is a dedicated teacher. He is the author of widely cited articles in medical and lay journals. He is a highly respected consultant at the various medical institutions affiliated to Harvard Medical School and an honored speaker at a multitude of public forums.
abcnews.go.com/...
Most psychiatrists believe that racism is a cultural and social problem, not a matter of individual pathology.
Harvard University psychiatrist Alvin Poussaint thinks that's a mistake.
"Extreme racism is treatable, and sometimes even lesser forms of racism are treatable because they have psychodynamics to them," he told Nightline. "They don't exist as a social problem, they … exist as psychological problems inside the individual."
Poussaint, who is black, believes that racism — like other human behaviors — exists on a continuum, and that racism's extreme forms, in which a person has racist delusions that can lead to violence, should be considered a serious mental illness and be listed in the DSM.
www.mentalhelp.net/...
One of the goals of treatment would be to help the client understand the reasons and etiology for his hatred. Hopefully this understanding would transform him to a person who is more empathetic and understanding. He could learn to experience and comprehend his pain. His healing could stop the cycle of violence here.
But if you wish to leave racists without any help , deny them of that chance of possibly healing and improving , that says something about you . I wish help for the haters who suffer from their poor thoughts , I wish them help so that they may hopefully improve their thinking . I will not return hatred for hatred , that is the old eye for an eye problem . I’ve pointed out racism in real life , I’ve been thanked for it . I don’t excuse or condone racism . But I do believe racists may improve with help .
One of my favorite stories is the Old Jew and the skin head .
www.psychologytoday.com/…
Lessons from a Skinhead
If Frank can make it, anyone can!
posted May 27, 2014
In his late teens, Frank went on to join the American Nazi movement, which provided his life some structure and a philosophy to live by. Because he had a charismatic personality , Frank quickly rose to a position of leadership in the organization, even though he was one of its youngest members. Through his leadership, Frank drew other bored, angry youths into the group. They shared a common hatred for all minority groups, particularly blacks, Asians, Hispanics gays and Jews. During the five years that he was involved in the movement, Frank absorbed the propaganda he was fed, believing that he was fighting a holy war to rid the world of all undesirables. He was convinced that he was dealing out God's justice.
When Frank tried to get work, some places wouldn't even let him fill out an application because he was covered with tattoos. He ran out of money and finally got a job moving furniture for an antique dealer. The owner of the business happened to be Jewish. Frank wasn't the first troubled kid this man had tried to save by giving him a job. His employer knew Frank was a ninth grade drop out, a convict on parole, and a neo-Nazi, yet he was kind, generous, and respectful to Frank. He blew Frank's last prejudicial stereotype to bits.
As Frank's transformation continued, his narrow life broadened, and he began to meet people of different races, religions and ethnicities, people he had never actually encountered before, that he had only known through his bigoted beliefs. These experiences helped Frank to understand that hatred, his own and that of others is caused by fear and ignorance.
He told us that in sharing his story, his pain, and his shame with others, a common bond is created that enhances the lives of everyone involved. "It's the simple things: keeping your promises, treating people the way you want to be treated, and doing good things for others. What goes around comes around. You always get paid back for whatever you do."
Long ago I had a girlfriend who was a special ed teacher , her specialty was “environmentally damaged” kids . Kids who were fine but had been exposed to the wrong things as a child , a mother being killed by the father in front of their eyes , for example . I don’t think racists are born racists , I think they are taught to think very poorly by other or older racists . I think treatment can help some of them , can open their eyes , can end the cycle .