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Hi, fellow white people! If someone tells you something you've done upholds systemic racism, try really hard to not have a knee-jerk response to that.
And if you see someone else being told that they're upholding systemic racism, give yourself a minute, take a breath.
Pause.
And if you see someone else being told that they're upholding systemic racism, give yourself a minute, take a breath.
Pause.
Too many of us are far more afraid of being called "racist" (which is NOT what is expressed in my first tweet) than in doing some reflection to identify our own assumptions and actions that are inevitably influenced by systemic racism.
Racism is A SYSTEM.
As white people, we're very good at upholding it, because we're most likely to benefit from it.
And when the system is named, we feel threatened, because what happens to us if the system is reformed/abolished?
As white people, we're very good at upholding it, because we're most likely to benefit from it.
And when the system is named, we feel threatened, because what happens to us if the system is reformed/abolished?
If white supremacy were dismantled tomorrow, a whole lot of white people would be freaking the heck out, terrified of the mythical (aka NOT REAL) "reverse racism" they expect to experience.
That old saying, "For people with access to privilege, equality feels like oppression?"
That old saying, "For people with access to privilege, equality feels like oppression?"
Let's be 100% clear: as white people, we've spent centuries being able to be pretty mediocre and still have all our needs met, because whiteness brings with the assumption of competence.
It's very threatening to have to consider that we may actually have to WORK.
It's very threatening to have to consider that we may actually have to WORK.
And yes, yes, this is mediated by gender, socioeconomic class, religious tradition, size, ability, etc. etc. etc. It is not simplistic enough to fully explore in 280 characters at a time.
Sorry for long gap between these tweets, btw.
I was teaching my afternoon virtual class, and getting them ready for the possibility of not returning to in-school right away, because they need to come up with contingency plans for their own contexts.
I was teaching my afternoon virtual class, and getting them ready for the possibility of not returning to in-school right away, because they need to come up with contingency plans for their own contexts.
Some of my virtual students are currently responsible for their siblings' virtual educations as well, and some of my in-class students will be responsible for their siblings if we get shut down.
They need time to plan what that might look like.
They need time to plan what that might look like.
ANYWAY
Someone telling you that your actions uphold systemic oppression (be that racism, patriarchy, homohatred, transhatred, ableism, or any other I haven't mentioned here) IS NOT (necessarily) someone calling you A racist.
Someone telling you that your actions uphold systemic oppression (be that racism, patriarchy, homohatred, transhatred, ableism, or any other I haven't mentioned here) IS NOT (necessarily) someone calling you A racist.
"What the heck does that even mean," I hear some of you asking. And I'm glad you did.
What I mean is that if someone is drawing attention to actions which have a high likelihood of causing harm, you have time to take different actions and act in ANTI-racist ways.
What I mean is that if someone is drawing attention to actions which have a high likelihood of causing harm, you have time to take different actions and act in ANTI-racist ways.
Someone has described your actions as worthy of interrogation to help you prevent yourself from aligning yourself further with systemic oppression.
Once again, this is a gift, and one that took a lot of work to give you.
Once again, this is a gift, and one that took a lot of work to give you.
