As the BLM grows and white people are becoming more involved, I'm seeing a huge uptick in people sharing videos in which black people or people of color are saying that either "anti-racism hurts black people more" or "systemic racism is a myth" or, "the US is not institutionally racists" (all of these are on YouTube, btw). I wonder what people's thoughts are? I understand the basic response is to say that everyone's experiences are different, but I am interested in knowing what everyone's thoughts are? How do you address this phenomena if/when people bring it up to you? How do you reconcile with what we are studying here?
Hi Matthew,
My response to this type of comment is to think about the perspective that the person saying is using. It's super common for folks to confuse individual racist actions or behavior as the only type of racism that exists or matter. Understanding systemic racism requires a lot of context. Not everyone is easily able to see the bigger picture and how it might shape individual opportunities and choices.
In addition acknowledging the existence of systems of oppression, that have intentionally been created to benefit some, while harming others is a very painful process. Many people taking this course have talked about the shame, disguist, or pain they have felt in confronting these systems. So it makes total sense that for some folks they simple don't have the emotional reserves to accept that systemic, insitutionalized racism is real. The implications are just too horrible.
It's true that some people claim to be anti-racist, but sometimes they are mis-using this term, for example by conflating it with being "color-blind", or some other belief like "we are all human and every one deserves equal treatment". When people do this, that is not anti-racist work, that is escapism based on magical thinking that if they are kind and equitable to others personally, this will magically fix everything.
So what is the perspective of the person making a claim like this? What do they mean by "anti-racism"? What do they gain by believing these ideas when there is much historical and practical evidence to the contrary? If you can untangle those factors, it will give you insight in to their motivations for saying wht they are saying.
In the end, arguing with folks who have a strong belief rarely does much good. Be patient. In this training we are letting the fact speak for themselves, not cherry picked estoteric examples, but big broad trends illustrated with specifics... You can try that approach, and sometimes that will help. Have compassion. Listen. But don't feel responsible for changing everyone else. We usually all have plenty to do in changing ourselves and the environments that we work and live in. ~ Brenda
I am not sure what to say about this, but I am sensitive to understand that anything to oppose that black lives matter, is either ignorance or maybe even a paid for stunt. As long as White minus black lives still does not equal all lives, we still have racism present and should not come up with opposing, ignorant comments that prove that we are not anti-racists. Being a non-racist is not the same as anti-racist. A play on words with undertones of not being in on what really matters, shows you that you want to keep things like they are. Nothing really to fight for and change, as in we are all good. No, be an ally and fight white privilege.
Yes, all people (irrespective of their skin color) go through difficulties and challenges in life, but that is NOT what privilege or oppression are about.
Privilege and oppression are about SYSTEMS that are designed to punish (oppress) some, while rewarding (giving privilege) to others, based solely on something about a person's identity. This is most easily seen in the US with regard to race, but it's important to know that it also affects many vulnerable/ marginalized groups in society.
For example, because I am white (and not a person of color) I can do a lot of things without thinking twice about them. If that is the case, it is not a myth. What will hurt black people the most is to keep believing it is a myth.