J.R. Reynolds explains why we must act on our values and speak up in the face of racist comments.
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Racism is alive and well in Battle Creek. The proof is on Facebook. One of my Facebook “friends” got something stolen from his vehicle and posted his frustration. It was apparent to anyone reading that he felt violated. Understandable. Then he and his friends frustrated and violated me.
In his post, “Steve” (a 30-ish white male) referred to the two women who removed property from his vehicle as “dark-skinned ghetto bitches.” When I got curious with him about his choice of words, he balked. Then one of Steve’s friends responded by posting an image of a noose. We’ll circle back to that.
In addition to writing this column, I work in the community and around the state on issues pertaining to race, diversity, and inclusion. Professionally trained, the works. In my experience I’ve found it true that sometimes people say and/or do racist things without even realizing it. With that thought in mind, I informed Steve that what he said was racist.
What he said was racist; not he is racist. There’s a difference, and I indicated as much. Didn’t matter.
What I considered a teachable moment on how stereotypes about persons of color are perpetuated, engrained and objectifying, turned into a lesson on white supremacy.
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Cue the avalanche of denials, rebuttals and insistence by Steve (and his friends) that he’s not racist but a good person. My attempt to engage in meaningful dialogue about a serious social issue drew ire, jokes, personal attacks, and “race-baiter” accusations—all leveled at me by supporters of his statement. And there were a lot of them. Lots of colorful metaphors launched in my direction too.
What I considered a teachable moment on how stereotypes about persons of color are perpetuated, ingrained, and objectifying, turned into a lesson on white supremacy. That is, how racism is consciously and unconsciously propagated.
Most folks believe racism is confined to acts of extreme hatred. In truth, it can be subtle or blatant. And it operates in both ways across our nation’s institutional fabric. That includes education, law, housing, government, politics, and our food system. Media is especially culpable when it comes to perpetuating racism and stereotyping. Vis-à-vis, Facebook.
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About the noose.
The noose conjures ominous connotations among African Americans and other communities of color. Since slavery ended, throughout Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and government sanctioned segregation—all the way through the Civil Rights era—lynching was/is a form of homegrown terrorism. It’s designed to strike fear into targeted groups. The purpose? Intimidation and control.
Between 1882 and 1968, upwards of 3,500 African Americans were lynched in the United States. This, according to a publication from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law.
No matter how many different ways communities of color explain their oppressive experiences when it comes to race, inevitably most white people believe they understand racism better than we do.
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The fellow who posted the noose image thought he was being clever. I believe he was being calculating. The evidence? This country’s historical reputation for systematic lynchings. That, combined with present day nooses hung from school yard trees, on college campuses, in workplace cubicles and restrooms, and in police and sporting team locker rooms.
As for the rest of the attackers on the Facebook thread, it’s remarkable their refusal to accept the possibility that “dark-skinned ghetto bitches” is offensive to African Americans, persons of color, and even some white people. Remarkable because no matter how many different ways communities of color explain their oppressive experiences when it comes to race, inevitably most white people believe they understand racism better than we do.
It’s our experience, but they are the experts. White supremacy at its purest.
It all begs the question: where’s the empathy? How do you get people to “feel” compassion toward folks subjected to racism? Do they feel but are ultimately unable to articulate it (hence the joking and sickening banter)? Are they shut off from or denying their feelings? Why the callousness and denial?
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Back to “Steve.” For a moment I thought to “unfriend” him. Then I considered: how many times in the past have I unthinkingly said or acted prejudiced, sexist, heterosexist, ableist, classist, you name it?
There are scores of white folks and people of color who believe as I do. If only they enacted their thoughts and values, rather than remaining silent on the sidelines.
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So instead of shutting out the ugly, I choose to face it. I choose to continue posting information on systematic inequities, especially topics on racism and how to combat it. And name it when I see it.
There are scores of white folks and people of color who believe as I do. Good people. Earnest people. If only they enacted their thoughts and values, rather than remaining silent on the sidelines. We are all on a journey. Who will walk with me?
Originally published at 4 Humans being.
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Photo: zeevveez/Flickr
You are right — but some white people think this kind of racism is legitimate because they believe as a fact that ghetto bitches (Steve’s description of girls or women with brown skin who dress a certain way) are criminals. Once we realize that we react to certain people as criminals because of their skin color or dress, our eyes are opened to our own racism. It’s hard, very hard, to disregard the skin color of a man walking behind you on a dark street. I wish it were not so.
Excellent Article! It’s really sad that the majority of the ones who agree with this post will not say it publicly for fear of retaliation or negative feedback from those who disagree. That’s a sure sign that the intimidation & control method is working.