5 ms·

The video you linked espouses the same ideas. To be anti-racist isn't to simply understand the things one can and cannot say. To be anti-racist is to fundamenta

The video you linked espouses the same ideas. To be anti-racist isn't to simply understand the things one can and cannot say. To be anti-racist is to fundamentally understand the lived experiences of the Black community and how it relates to other structures of power. It's akin to just memorizing a list of microagressions like curse words and never saying them for fear of being fired. Anti-racism provides the tools to contextualize and understand why certain phrases are racist or biased.

Avicebron 6y ago
> Anti-racism provides the tools to contextualize and understand why certain phrases are racist or biased. Can you expand on this a little bit? It sounds a lot like: >It's akin to just memorizing a list of microagressions like curse words and never saying them for fear of being fired With extra steps. What are these tools and how do they avoid accidentally putting the cart in front of the horse in terms of goals vs. reality?
- GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
  It's the difference between actually understanding what makes something offensive, and not just the knowledge that it is offensive.
lesstenseflow 6y ago
> To be anti-racist is to fundamentally understand the lived experiences of the Black community and how it relates to other structures of power. I thought “fundamentally understanding the lived experiences of the black community” was impossible for non-black people. What white person has achieved this goal? If none, is it impossible for a white person to be “anti-racist?” I acknowledge racism is a real issue but think it’s reasonable to disagree what the best solution is. This stuff (white fragility etc) just smells way too much like “original sin” and “we are all sinners but must strive towards holiness, however unachievable” to me.
- callmeal 6y ago
  >What white person has achieved this goal? I know at least one person who has. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/27/black-like-me-john-howard-griffin https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/27/black-like-me-... I know it's not possible for everyone to do what John Howard Griffin did, but reading that book and living that experience vicariously can be a start.
  - GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
    I don't think that's the best example. How does one separate: "They're treating me poorly because I'm a black person" and "They're treating me poorly because I'm a white guy trying to be a black person"
    - klipt 6y ago
      Rachel Dolezal?
    - carapace 6y ago
      I read this book. He fooled people both black and white. FWIW, I think reading it would help some people understand.
    - callmeal 6y ago
      You just made his point. "They're treating me poorly because I'm a black person" and "They're treating me poorly because I'm a white guy trying to be a black person" translate to "They're treating me poorly because of the color of my skin".
- GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
  Fundamental being the key operative here. Understanding the Black lived experience is an approximation of the actual experience. Of course there's no singular Black experience, but there are fundamentals underlying all, which can be understood and approximated by people with non-Black lived experiences.
wolco 6y ago
What does understanding one community extremely well have to do with anti-racism? Anti-racism is being against making judgement based on race. Nothing more. No laundry list of buzz words or actions. Understanding 'the Black community' doesn't even make sense at all. Like all Black people are part of this community where if you truly understand and experience the worst pain only then you can start to find racism in society and yourself. Racism can come from anyone and be directed to anyone or group.
- the_omegist 6y ago
  Exactly. And the irony is that by saying such things, they essentialize black people, denying their individual qualities, merits and experiences...like you know...back in the slavery days...
bsanr2 6y ago
Baldwin said that the only way for a black American to know the racist or anti-racist stance of white America is by the state of their institutions. There is something to be said, from our perspective, for people simply exemplifying anti-racist behavior, because I can never know what's truly in your heart; I can only know you by what you do. If you learn anti-racist behavior and perform it only to manipulate, eventually you're caught, with ramifications for your life or your legacy. In any case, white America certainly needs to try to understand black America better, but also of great importance is that they begin to understand themselves better. Their history (e.g., "The Lost Cause" is a myth), their personal and communal psychology (e.g., white fragility and guilt), and their behavior (e.g., white flight and opportunity hoarding); and to square that with what they claim are their higher ideals.
jimbokun 6y ago
Maybe it would be more productive to hire more black people and give them more venture funding to start businesses?

Avicebron 6y ago

> Anti-racism provides the tools to contextualize and understand why certain phrases are racist or biased. Can you expand on this a little bit? It sounds a lot like: >It's akin to just memorizing a list of microagressions like curse words and never saying them for fear of being fired With extra steps. What are these tools and how do they avoid accidentally putting the cart in front of the horse in terms of goals vs. reality?

GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
It's the difference between actually understanding what makes something offensive, and not just the knowledge that it is offensive.

lesstenseflow 6y ago

> To be anti-racist is to fundamentally understand the lived experiences of the Black community and how it relates to other structures of power. I thought “fundamentally understanding the lived experiences of the black community” was impossible for non-black people. What white person has achieved this goal? If none, is it impossible for a white person to be “anti-racist?” I acknowledge racism is a real issue but think it’s reasonable to disagree what the best solution is. This stuff (white fragility etc) just smells way too much like “original sin” and “we are all sinners but must strive towards holiness, however unachievable” to me.

callmeal 6y ago
>What white person has achieved this goal? I know at least one person who has. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/27/black-like-me-john-howard-griffin https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/27/black-like-me-... I know it's not possible for everyone to do what John Howard Griffin did, but reading that book and living that experience vicariously can be a start.
- GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
  I don't think that's the best example. How does one separate: "They're treating me poorly because I'm a black person" and "They're treating me poorly because I'm a white guy trying to be a black person"
  - klipt 6y ago
    Rachel Dolezal?
  - carapace 6y ago
    I read this book. He fooled people both black and white. FWIW, I think reading it would help some people understand.
  - callmeal 6y ago
    You just made his point. "They're treating me poorly because I'm a black person" and "They're treating me poorly because I'm a white guy trying to be a black person" translate to "They're treating me poorly because of the color of my skin".
GaryNumanVevo 6y ago
Fundamental being the key operative here. Understanding the Black lived experience is an approximation of the actual experience. Of course there's no singular Black experience, but there are fundamentals underlying all, which can be understood and approximated by people with non-Black lived experiences.

wolco 6y ago

What does understanding one community extremely well have to do with anti-racism? Anti-racism is being against making judgement based on race. Nothing more. No laundry list of buzz words or actions. Understanding 'the Black community' doesn't even make sense at all. Like all Black people are part of this community where if you truly understand and experience the worst pain only then you can start to find racism in society and yourself. Racism can come from anyone and be directed to anyone or group.

the_omegist 6y ago
Exactly. And the irony is that by saying such things, they essentialize black people, denying their individual qualities, merits and experiences...like you know...back in the slavery days...

bsanr2 6y ago

Baldwin said that the only way for a black American to know the racist or anti-racist stance of white America is by the state of their institutions. There is something to be said, from our perspective, for people simply exemplifying anti-racist behavior, because I can never know what's truly in your heart; I can only know you by what you do. If you learn anti-racist behavior and perform it only to manipulate, eventually you're caught, with ramifications for your life or your legacy. In any case, white America certainly needs to try to understand black America better, but also of great importance is that they begin to understand themselves better. Their history (e.g., "The Lost Cause" is a myth), their personal and communal psychology (e.g., white fragility and guilt), and their behavior (e.g., white flight and opportunity hoarding); and to square that with what they claim are their higher ideals.

jimbokun 6y ago

Maybe it would be more productive to hire more black people and give them more venture funding to start businesses?