A white person’s view (Since we need to acknowledge that for validity or judgement’s sake?)
And I hesitate to post in these discussions but I think there are a lot of other’s who smartly stay silent. Here goes...
I don’t agree that white people should be called racist if they were taught to be color blind. I grew up in the 90’s. It seemed like the idea had good intentions to promote equality. Saying genuinely “we don’t see color” or “I have black friends” isn’t enough to vouch for yourself anymore. OK. Noted.
I'm also a white person who also thought in exactly the same manner you did so I completely understand your frustrations and hopefully I can shed some light on why times have changed or haven't changed in some ways.
Being "colorblind" was also something I was originally taught too. Unfortunately, it is problematic since it leads to ignoring what happens when those who see the color of one's skin in a negative light results in. It ignores the plight BIPOC have experienced so while in the end we shouldn't have to see color, we do and we have to acknowledge it to understand how to get it so people don't have these racial biases.
Saying you have Black friends, while it's good to know you have a diverse friend group, you are using them as tokens in that moment. That you are almost friends with them exclusively to eliminate racial bias and not for any other reason, which is unfair. Not to mention, not all Black people are the same, not everyone of them experiences the same type of discrimination. There is nuance much as there is nuance among white people, gay people, Latinx people, etc. Racism however eliminates that nuance so although you have good intentions, it does perpetuate a racist narrative.
Now that we need to acknowledge the differences, we should be given the opportunity to reprogram without being vilified (even though it is past time for equality and surprising to me that racism still exists). I’ve seen racism in previous generations and I honestly thought it was better with each one. The tensions now though, do feel divisive and like a huge step backwards to me.
It is a very divided time, you are correct, but that is not on Black people who are asking for true equity in society, it's on those who don't believe they deserve that or who choose to ignore that they don't have it. While there have been some improvements, many undercurrents of racism still have not changed, they've just presented themselves in different ways and now it's been highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement. It's not to say it hasn't been there. It also is important to note that us as white people do not experience racism. We have never been oppressed so have never experienced oppression as a result of the color of our skin. Going about life, we would never notice it. That's white privilege. Much like how a straight person wouldn't know how one has experienced homophobia from their own experiences or a cisgender person wouldn't know how one has experienced transphobia from their own experiences. It's not bad to have privilege, it's actually quite good and we should feel pretty happy with the fact we haven't had to experience racism, however it's not to say we should ignore it or as a result say it doesn't exist.
Also, if I can’t receive compassion in return about theses issues, I understand why people would point out a double standard and not be as receptive. Or do we need a taste of our own medicine? I didn’t personally enslave anyone. But I’m automatically guilty? When you see Asians, you see rich history and culture. So what do you see in white people?
I'm a little confused on what you are trying to say here, but it's not just compassion it's empathy. We don't need a taste of our own medicine so-to-speak, but to just listen to the struggles of the Black community. We might not have hurt them personally, however there are systems in place that may have influenced us in ways we didn't understand before. It's not enough to just "not be racist" but be anti-racist. To look at ourselves and say, "Is there a way I can make others of a different skin color feel more comfortable and safe?" You may feel guilty, yes, but if you try to reprogram, nobody's gonna vilify you for it, they will support you as allies and marginalized communities have always done. They might criticize and offer up new perspectives, but that's all constructive.
And I understand it’s not POC’s job to educate but it’s great that there are advocates bringing things to light. Though I can only absorb so much of everyone else’s experiences, good or bad, to help shape the person that I am (which I thought was decent). I can empathize without first hand experience or in depth history lessons. But certain things just haven’t pertained to me.
It's a lot I know and it's not to say you have to be an activist come tomorrow. Not everyone is up to the task. It's also not to say you can't still be a decent person or that you weren't. I genuinely did not know what was going on until someone brought it up to me and directed me to resources where I began to educate myself. It was then I felt I had to continue to speak out and in support of BIPOC, which is what we're doing. Not everything I've learned is pertinent to me, but that's just how diversity works. Not everyone has the same experiences, but it doesn't mean we should ignore it and instead should try to figure out how to make everyone's lives easier.
Like, non-racial examples, I’ve never been in a devasting house fire or have known anyone who has. Or broken a bone. Never jumped out of an airplane. Never been in a band. But I can empathize with the bad or enjoy the good through knowing other people have had those experiences.
If knowing people helps you understand more, you've come to the right place to begin to understand. Even then, you don't know everyone so you don't always know about all sorts of injustice that exist in this world.
Continuing with differences, and hair as racial example, does knowing how some POC struggle with their hair help other people to better acknowledge and celebrate the cultural differences? And if I like cornrows and want to adopt that style, I’ll be told it’s cultural appropriation by any race at this point. I think Bo Derek was the last white person to pull it off. What else needs to be pointed out that separates us in a celebratory way? Style of music? Clothes? Language? But only certain groups can emulate those things? Can we really acknowledge differences, then?
The issue of cultural appropriation from what I understand as a white person is that for things like cornrows and Black hair in general, Black people often get discriminated against for those styles whereas we do not for donning the same. They are seen as unprofessional or lesser than. White people or in some cases non-Black POC have not received that form of discrimination. Then, without consequence, white people start donning cornrows or dreads as some new quirky trend and are praised for it. Although we may not mean it to, it can come off as insulting to what those styles mean to them as well as what they have had to endure as a result of having to use those styles. There is a reason why dreadlocks and cornrows exist, which is not just to be stylish and white people appropriating it ignores that. Not to mention, dreadlocks are not good for a white person's hair. Black people are more than welcome to share our culture with us, but it's not our right to make it our own in complete misunderstanding, which is what is happening. It's similar to how people make fun of Asian languages, actually knowing the language and being able to speak it is not culturally appropriative, but making fun of it is, which also makes it racist.
I could elaborate a lot on this. I hope all that makes sense.
Thanks if you’ve read this far and not rolled your eyes out of your head. I honestly don’t know how to come to a close with any of these thoughts. I can usually see the gray area in most matters and don’t think I fall into one side or the other. All I know is racism is wrong and I try not to perpetuate it. Is that not good enough? Equality for all?
I'm glad to hear you think racism is wrong and try not to perpetuate it. This is exactly what this thread is for to educate on how to do that, on how to stop it. I'm glad you believe in equality for all, but equality for all is easier said than done. Equality for all requires some action, which is where anti-racism comes in and dismantling racist systems that have snuck their way in after previous ones were taken down. This type of methodology also expands to other forms of inequality like with gender and sexuality. Inequality, discrimination and injustice do not cease to exist with just saying you are gonna not let it exist, you have to take action to ensure that.
It's a lot to do that I know, I've been educating myself on this for years alongside many other endeavors and other forms of inequality in this country. I learn something new every day and have had to do a lot of difficult reflection on myself as a result. I just know that it will all make the difference and that someone suddenly feels a bit more comfortable in this world because I took a small simple step to make sure they did.
Change is not easy, but sometimes a little effort can go a long way.
I hope this might've shed some light on things for you and quells any frustrations you had coming in here.
around your living room, like no one is watching ( I promise I won't look )
