As a white person reading this, I kept coming back to the question of how we want to define racism. If by racism, by being a racist, it means that I have white privilege, and have in ways I do not even realize benefitted from a pro-White societal structure, I suppose I can see what is being said here. Foe those things are true; I do enjoy White-privilege, and I have, I am sure, benefitted from a system built on White supremacy in ways I am not always aware of. And that privilege has come at the horrible cost of Black people's wellbeing and safety for centuries.
It could be that part of the White privilege of which I speak is responsible for my being unaware of this change in the fundamental definition of racism. I have been operating under the notion that to be a racist is to not only be aware of White privilege, but to enjoy it, protect, seek at every turn to enhance and expand it. That to do so is justified because non-whites are the "inferior race" to my own. That they deserve what they get and must be stopped at all costs from gaining the power and the access that the master race has. It is to enjoy the pain and hopelessness of so many minorities drowning in a system of White supremacy. I have acted under the notion that to be a racist is to celebrate all of that.
If this second notion is still the accepted definition of being a racists, (vs. benefitting from a racist society at times), I don't think it is fair to proclaim all white people racists by default. Privileged, absolutely. And I am not so in love with disinfected notions of American history as to deny that it was built on racist frameworks on the backs of slaves. Our history is in fact racists. Racism, slavery in particular remains our original, (and not fully addressed) sin.
But in mentioning that we have a choice to be racist or not, as does this article, does it not also then require the consideration that as of today, as of now, there are people who have already made this choice? The system is overrun, and in fact ruled in many cases by those who have not stepped away from such horrible ideas. Those who would deny even white-privilege. Those of the bogus and oppressive, "I don't see color," mentality.
But, (and perhaps I misread the context as I read the piece), is it not making assumptions to declare that every white person reading this post this very second has not yet renounced all that the author has insisted we renounce? If it can be done in the future, I admit I am uncertain why the assumption is made that it has not yet been done by anyone in the past yet.
It doesn't matter how long I live, or what I do, I am never going to understand the oppression of Black people and other minorities. It can't happen, and I don't expect it to. No white person truly can, because that shield is in place, even if we did not choose to build it. The struggle of minorities can only be owned, lived, by minorities. And my own struggles, great though they may at times be, cannot be rightfully compared to such. It just isn't the same, and I do not deny it.
And I work, with what miniscule influence I have, to call out the privilege of white people like myself. If I suspect I am about to gain something due solely to my being white, I will reject it. I am often striving to dismantle the very structures of which this article speaks. But as a white person reading this article now, I am not certain what specifically I may have failed to do, from the perspective of the author, to no longer be considered a racist. What shall we do? What have I missed, and is there a better way I can address it?
I straight up cannot blame any Black person for not trusting me. I really don't. Black people didn't invent this issue because they thought it was funny; it's a real problem. It is THE problem. But if I can start by not being seen as a racist, I'd like to do at least that. I'll never solve all the problems mentioned here, but I admit fully I don't fully understand where the point of "not being a racist anymore" can be found from this perspective. Maybe I have missed the pitch, like I said at the start. But I'm willing to swing again, if I understand.
Black Lives do Matter.
