Leonard Pitts Jr.'s View on Racism as a System of Prejudice

            Syndicated columnist, Leonard Pitts Jr., expresses in his article, “A standing ovation for the Starbucks CEO who confronted the truth about racism in America” his view on how racism is a system of prejudice that America has come to accept to be encoded in laws and society. Pitts uses a recent racial issue faced at Starbucks, to explain the right steps and actions of using white privilege. He is able to appeal to his audience by creating various racial scenarios and different perspectives on privilege they can connect to.

 Initially, he explains his views on the meaning of racism, calling for a need for the privileged to use their voice to change the system of racism. Leonard Pitts begins his argument with an anecdote relating to white privilege. He explains how he and  Michael Browning had interviewed a black reverend that had asked Browning, “Have you ever gotten down on your knees and asked God to forgive you for your racism?” in which Browning replies, “Can black people see me as such a monster? Am I an inert part of some vast, weighty boulder of oppression?” This reveals how Pitts was able to get the different views from both white and black people on the issue of racism. By using this anecdote, Pitts is able to build his credibility and show his knowledge on the issue, appealing to the rhetorical device, ethos. He appeals to the audience by helping them understand the reliability of the various perspectives of white privilege. This quote also support his claim on how many white people are unaware in how people of color feel repressed by them.

Pitts furthers his argument by providing context on the situation at Starbucks, and