The Unexpected Racial Impact Dogs Have in Multicultural Neighborhoods

TL;DR Dogs are just another (cute) vehicle for racism.

The subject of racism has been on my mind pretty much all of 2020. I just finished reading the book, Race Without Racism, which argues that the chameleon-like system/institution of racism is alive and well despite a cultural shift toward racial "colorblindness."

My interest in America's new racism led me to an article from a decade ago that shocked me—How dogs help keep multiracial neighborhoods socially segregated. Author and Editor of The Conversation, Beth Daley's findings went against my natural assumption that dog owners would be drawn naturally together in friendship. I naively imagined multicultural neighbors walking their dogs, stopping to chat, finding common ground, resulting in BBQs or even vacations together. Daley painted quite a different picture with her robust sociological investigation of a multicultural, North Carolina neighborhood between 2009-2011. She offers readers three alarming examples of how, through dogs, whites leverage their privilege.

The article reminded me of a racist encounter in NY's Central Park earlier this year. It illustrates that even when whites can't heave their privilege around proactively, we still use it to claim victimhood.

Oh, when Karens take a walk with their dogs off leash in the famous Bramble in NY’s Central Park, where it is clearly posted on signs that dogs MUST be leashed at all times, and someone like my brother (an avid birder) politely asks her to put her dog on the leash. pic.twitter.com/3YnzuATsDm
— Melody Cooper (@melodyMcooper) May 25, 2020

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