Experiencing Racism Is Worse Than Being Called Racist (Believe It or Not)

We need to put more energy into stolen lives, not bruised egos

Photo: Jazmin Quaynor/Unsplash

I get it. No one wants to be called a derogatory name. We want to be regarded as kind, decent, and loving human beings.

But isn’t it more important to actually be a decent person than a terrible one who hides from accountability?

I’ve witnessed White people become enraged at the mere suggestion they may harbor racist ideals but will see injustice and not bat an eyelash. How is it that we live in a world where a label carries more weight than actual discrimination, brutality, and death?

When a person’s reputation takes precedence over humanity, what does that say about the state of this union? Are appearances more important than creating an equitable society? Or is the real concern all about perception instead of the liberation of human beings?

I’ve kept my ear to the ground since the recent national discussion on race began. It’s always been there, but it was more of a monologue than a dialogue until people started opening up about systemic racism in this country. What I’ve heard is hardly groundbreaking, but it bears repeating. If we can’t get past it, we will never make any strides in the quest for true equity.

Here are a few things I’ve heard from White people in the last year about racism:

• “I’m just afraid to say anything because no matter how good my heart is, my words are always twisted to make me sound like a racist.”
• “I feel like if I’m not talking about racism and just take two seconds to do something that makes me feel good, people will think I’m a racist and that I don’t care.”
• “I don’t always agree with everything Black people say about racism. I know it’s real, but none of the Black people in my life have ever told me they experience it. Maybe it’s just in inner cities, but I really don’t think it’s as bad as it was before.”
• “How can Barack Obama become president and Oprah be a billionaire if racism is real? Some of these Black people are just whining and complaining. If they try as hard as others do, they won’t even experience racism.”