life is not a white privilege
but systemic racism will have you thinking it is
I’m outraged. From the murders of Breonna Taylor, to Tony McDade, to Rayshard Brooks, George Floyd, to Ahmaud Arbery, to Oluwatoyin Salau, to the countless number of Black Trans Women and Men being murdered simply for being who they are EVERY DAY. From the lynchings, to the KKK rallies, and public resurgence of being openly white supremacist, 2020 and Amerikkka has me fucked up.
I mean, how is it, that a country that claims to be so free, so technologically savvy, and so advanced, is still comfortable with denying equal rights in 2020? How is it that so many groups are still fighting just to be seen as equal in 2020? Why are we really still arguing about whether racism exists? How can people really still be openly racist, and/or deny their tacit and complicit anti-blackness? HOW? Sway please, I need the answers.
And, then I remembered that, ‘Duh’ this is how systemic racism works! This is how America was designed.
Shit, how could I forget? How could I be so complacent?
America was DESIGNED to be RACIST
America is a country founded on white supremacy that is meant to uphold the ideals of white people, and is reinforced by system racism. It is a country where all white men are created equal, except the poor ones. But instead of telling poor people this, the rich white men, powerful property owners, and even the corporations, or businesses will convince poor white people that they aren’t equal, but are still above Black people, and should be thankful. And, to appease these poor white folks, we will pretend to care about their fears and concerns every election year while secretly enacting policies that continue to make us richer.
And, if the poor white people challenge our status quo, then we’ll tell them that Blacks, Immigrants, or Trans people, or whatever other social scapegoats exist, are stealing the opportunities and resources that good white people deserve. Your poor socio-economic status is a result of ‘The Others’ taking the jobs that we so graciously made for you, and not because that’s how capitalism works, because that would be too much to bear.
The government will vow to protect and respect corporations, or people who can mask themselves as such. And, even though we’ll occasionally give the others some rights here or there, your success in America is really about how closely you align with our, ideals our our whiteness, and our corporations. If you don’t fit, then good luck succeeding.
America was never made for me. And even though I can make an existence and safe spaces here for myself, this country was not designed for me, or people like me to succeed.
A full life in America is NOT a White Privilege
So stop treating it as such. Stop qualifying my existence as if I am the cause of my own death. Stop codifying my presence as if my behavior or forms of self-expression are the reason why I don’t succeed. Stop telling me that if I look more white, then I will be more accepted, more presentable. Stop telling me that if I’m peaceful, or if I adhere to your narrow views of what a person should be, then I will be respected.
Just stop. Because you don’t mean it.
I am a Black woman. I will never be white.
And you were never planning to seem me as equal. That was never your goal, so please don’t try to convince me that my rage is unwarranted, because you were dishonest from jump. The forefathers were very intentional about what they were trying to do when they sat in a room for six months trying to create a constitutional framework that would benefit them and only them. I didn’t forget.
But, still, like dust, I rise
Still, I find joy. Still, I will find ways to support those who will dismantle this framework and build something better. for all.
end. rant.
useful resources
DEFUND 12 - Pre Drafted Email Templates to Demand Defunding Police EVERY City
#M4BL - Demand your Local Officials Divest from & Defund the Police
#BLM - Link to Petitions
National Resource Guide - Link to Podcasts, Bail Funds, and other ways to get educated on the movement
