After this week's readings, I wanted to focus mostly on the Washington Post article about what to do when you're called racist. This article was mostly about what to do when you are called racist. Usually, someone is called racist but knows in their heart they aren't. But based on the way that society was built and after America's history, there are still racist biases and aspects ingrained into society and still passed down today. Something I thought was really interesting was that if someone wants to ask how something you said or did was racist, it's better if they go to another white person. This just didn't make sense to me because another white person might not know, but someone of color would. I know that at the moment, it isn't their duty to explain how you were being racist at the moment, but it doesn't make sense to go to someone that also might not know how something is racist.
Please educate/correct me if I have misread that part, but it seems that people of color shouldn't talk about how something that was racist offended them or that they shouldn't be asked about something racist even when people want something to be changed so badly. I also believe that if someone is genuinely wondering about something they said was offensive or racist, that it should be talked about and not left to white people to decide if something was racist or not. I feel that white people should not be the ones to decide how something was racist when white people practically created racism.
Hi Katie,
ReplyDeleteI think the question you bring up is an interesting one that many people have. While I can understand why it may be counterintuitive to speak with a white person on the topic of racism, there are many reasons why this is the suggestion. For one, it is the responsibility of the black community to educate white people. This movement has been going on for years and years, and there are endless resources we are able to access in order to become more educated. While black people are an important resource, we cannot expect someone to be willing to help us solely because they are a black person we happen to know. Going to a white person to help decide if an act or comment was appropriate is helpful, as long as you are going to the correct person. There are many white people who would not be a good resource, as many of them have not educated themselves on the topic. That being said, there are also plenty of people who have! By reaching out to a white person who is widely educated on racism, you will likely receive honest input, as they are typically going to feel more comfortable, as they are not directly connected to the situation. If you chose to ask a black person, they may feel uncomfortable giving honest feedback because they may fear backlash or the loss of your relationship. In short, the reasoning behind this suggestion is that we are responsible for correcting out own shortcomings.