The main research questions I am working on this year involve how White racism in the U.S. works. These questions include: 1)What is the folk category of "racism" in the United States? 2) How can Whites deny the existence of White racism when its vicious effects are so visible and obvious? 3) How can White racism be reproduced when what is said to be "racist" language and action is almost universally condemned? 4)What kinds of language are thought of as "racist", and why?

In this talk I'll look at how "personalist" ideologies of language -- ideologies that hold that meaning emanates from an intentional core interior to individuals -- are imbricated with the persistence of White racism. I'm using as a site for analysis the media firestorm that followed the following remarks, made by Trent Lott at Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party:

"I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either."