The bottom line is no one needs a dictionary to tell them what they SEE. This movement has been derailed too many times with people worrying about what to believe. How about just pay attention to what’s going on around you and doing the WORK, like the rest of us.

How about going into communities and joining committees designed to create programs for Black Americans to have a fighting chance in society by facilitating ways to re-enter the workforce after incarceration. Or creating workshops for young Black girls to build their self esteem. Or going to prisons to motivate Black and Brown men who have ridiculously long sentences for petty crimes. Or better yet, try consoling a mother who lost her child because a police officer feared his Black skin.

I am an activist and I have never once heard anyone worried about the definition of a word that any living, breathing, and functioning adult who isn’t apathetic to racism knows what it means. This new definition does nothing to change the system that has been in place for CENTURIES. This is for people who want to discuss and debate, not take action.

The new definition is actually more descriptive which is why people are up in arms about it. In this case, words ARE important because now when racism is used in reference to legal matters, the fact that racism is institutionalized can serve to help defend cases where this was once not considered as a factor.

But this country doesn’t want to digest the systemic and institutionalized racism it created itself. Rather than deal with it, we debate articles like this, which is a waste of time when lives are at stake.