I’m not sure about the weapons=power thing, though.

Hey, I get to pull one out of my ass once in a while…

I also get–consistently, repeatedly, on multiple occasions including when I’m cheating in the other direction–a strong association between whites and deadly weapons.

I’d guess, with no means whatsoever of testing the hypothesis, that you have an association with weapons and power.

the main reason is probably prejudice and worse treatment of black versus white patients*. But how do I say this in a way that won’t make the journals dismiss me as a left-wing nut who sees racism everywhere?

By listing racism last in the list of causes, for instance, ‘Various social and institutional problems with disproportionate impact. In addition, observations, interviews and anecdotal evidence show the personal racial biases of medical staff (or whoever) weigh heavily in the outcomes.’

Just list the causes they can’t or won’t dispute first.

The problem of different treatments in black versus white patients is a nasty one. I’m actually writing a paper on changes in survival for a particular type of cancer (which I can’t name until the data is published and therefore considered public, so let’s just call it disease X). The news for disease X is generally good. Far more people survive it now than did even 5 years ago. However, blacks who contract X are less likely than whites to be cured and the gap is widening not decreasing over time. There are some very minor possible biological reasons for this, but basically, the main reason is probably prejudice and worse treatment of black versus white patients*. But how do I say this in a way that won’t make the journals dismiss me as a left-wing nut who sees racism everywhere? Yes, I know, it is everywhere, but I need to get people who don’t believe that to listen to me so that they’ll change their treatment strategies. If anyone has any thoughts, I’d highly appreciate hearing them.

*Though this may not all be on the level of doctors’ prejudices. More blacks than whites have no or inadequate health insurance and blacks, particularly young men, are more likely to be incarcerated and therefore have terrible health care. Among other institutional or societal level problems.

I think *awareness* of one’s bias has nothing to do with whether you should be held responsible for it. If you’re going into a career in which you’ll be having a significant impact on other people’s lives, you have a responsibility to those people to check yourself for bias.

On a practical basis, it hasn’t been possible to check yourself for bias in this fashion until. well, the Implicit Association Test. I don’t see a way to hold people responsible for what they are genuinely unaware of.

Don’t mistake this for forgiveness of the flaw. I just see them like a dangerous machine I must work with.