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To End Systemic Racism, Black People Need To Be Heard

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Politics and Activism

White Feelings Don't Matter

At all

Tessa Scoble

Sep 27, 2016

Seattle, Washington

The past couple years, police brutality and the murder of black Americans came into the spotlight, for most white Americans for the first time. We were taught in school that after the Civil Rights Act was passed and Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, racism was abolished forever. So we moved on, practiced our little microaggressions hoping no one would notice.

Then it blew up. Then these mini acts of racism manifested themselves in people in positions of power. Not just political power, but life threatening power. Black men and women were murdered. Black men and women are still being murdered by the very people that are meant to protect them. And then they're forced to watch the videos on Facebook and witness these murderers walk free and get paid leave. Black people in America aren't just complaining. They're not lazy or criminals or thugs or threatening. And they do not deserve to die for being black. They don't deserve to die at all.

Read that again. Soak it in. And then tell me why White America is still so self obsessed. Why do we get so defensive when our black friends talk about racism like they're personally calling us out? Why do we try to make excuses for ourselves and murderers? Why do we care more about how black people perceive us than for black people themselves? When will we get it through our thick Aryan skulls that our feelings don't fucking matter right now? We're not going through anything but mild discomfort at being confronted with the racism that we reinforce. We are not suffering. This is not about us. This is about black people.

That being said, this is still our problem. If we want to ally with our black counterparts, we need to really commit. Sharing videos of black bodies being mutilated is not allying or helping. Vaguely calling out your second aunt once removed for posting a racist picture isn't helping. This sounds hypocritical coming from an online article, and it is a bit, but get out and help. Go to protests. Stand with your black friends. Openly and loudly shame other white people who are being racist. Remember it isn't about you. You are here to help Black America. That is all.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

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