Hi, I'm Jack and I'm white.
I won't say I'm "not a racist" because, well, let me put it this way: As a Euro-centric, white, middle-class male, raised in a lily-white town in the 50's and 60's, I struggle with my racism each and every day. I mean, I try not to be racist, but I find that some things I say or do end up being interpreted as such, simply because I didn't consider how another might interpret what I said due to their upbringing. I don't consciously do it, and I do my best to correct that behavior when I discover it. When it is pointed out, I own up to any racist act or thought and work on changing that aspect about me because I want to become a better human being.
So, why am I writing about this?
Lately, there have been a spate of liberal celebrities and politicians that have been caught up in some racial controversy, caused by the discovery of an action of theirs at some point in their past. Now, it's easy to say, "Oh, but that was then! They've changed!" Have they? And yes, each one has frowned, put on their badge of liberalism and staunchly proclaimed, "That was in the past. I've grown since then and, while I regret what I did then (or what I didn't say), I am not a racist."
I don't accept that.
If you are white, and especially if you are a white male, your racism is ingrained due to the privilege that your skin color has provided you. There is no realistic way you can proclaim "I am not racist" with a straight face.
The only thing you can honestly say is, "Yes, that was a racist act/thought then, and, because of white male privilege, I apologize for not doing more to stop it and I own up to my daily struggle with my racism to better myself as a human being."
By admitting to the struggle that one has with racism (and the other '-isms') and apologizing, at least you aren't making a hypocrite of yourself. Should you be required to step down from positions of power? That would depend on how offensive the act was or what action you may have taken to stop it.
Do you beat your breast and say, "I'm not racist now!" No. Definitely not. It makes you a hypocrite at the least and, at the most, an outright liar.
I don't like racism (or sexism, or any other '-ism') but that doesn't mean that I'm "not a racist." I think every person that is not of color ends up with racist thoughts that go through their heads because of the way we were brought up and the natural "white privilege" we've been accustomed to receiving. What separates the progressives like me from the dunder-headed morons that worship a certain real-estate billionaire-cum-politician is that I do struggle to analyze and correct that racism when I discover it. And the sexism that goes along with it.
What do I mean when I say "I struggle with it?"
When you read the news about a robbery or a break-in, do you automatically assume that the persons committing the crime to be someone of color? Do you look for it and then smile with smug satisfaction when you discover that it is a person of color and say, "Aha! I thought so!" Or, if they turn out to be white, do you just shrug it off and say, "losers"?
That is racism. I don't care how many "friends of color" you might have.
If you judge someone by the color of their skin, or fact that they wear dreads, or dress in a manner that isn't "conventional" (meaning "white"), then you are being racist.
If you recognize that you are doing it (being racist), ask yourself why you are doing it, analyze it and discover the root of your inherent racism. Then, work on correcting that thinking so that you simply accept that person as a human being. When you do that, then you are struggling with your racism.
And, that applies to anyone that is "different" from you, whether they be female, gay, mentally- or physically-disabled, sport tattoos and/or piercings, bend genders, color their hair in rainbow dyes, or tie it up in cornrows or dreadlocks. Being "different" is not automatically "bad". We are all still humans.
I'm just as different from all of you because I am white. And, being white, I'm still a racist, but I don't wear that proudly like a badge. Why am I still racist? It's not always because of the things I say or do. Sometimes racism takes form in the things I don't say or do. Because I don't call people out often enough when they say racist things. I don't try hard enough to correct the racist behavior of others, as well as myself. Until I CAN do those things, I will still have to wear that shameful label of "Privileged White Male And Racist."
...and sexist, and all the other 'ists' that go along with it simply because people choose to appear "different" from me and I allow others to ridicule or denigrate that '-ism' through my inaction.
Until the day comes that I, and all other whites, and especially white males, are willing to trade in their White Male Privilege to become a person of color - or a female, homosexual, transgender, transexual or anything other than white - on a permanent basis, then those barriers still exist and the struggle will continue.
