Please don’t turn to a place of guilt when reading this. This isn’t about guilt but instead about realizing what is happening so that we can work towards change.
I’ve been talking quite a bit about race for the past few days over on Instagram. For some of you, this is a side of me that you’re unfamiliar with. I posted a topic in my Instagram stories that received quite a bit of response, so I decided to bring the discussion to the blog. The topic: Why is it okay for there to be organizations centered around black people but not okay for organizations to be for white people only? Anything dealing with race and equality is complicated. This is just a small attempt at shedding some light.
An article about a yoga group for only white women circulated online about a week ago. Of course, this brought a lot of criticism. I am often asked about this type of situation so here are my thoughts on situations like this. Did you know that this country used to be quite segregated? Did you know that black people couldn’t attend the same schools as white people? Did you know that black people were enslaved by white people in the United States? Did you know that racism still exists today? Did you know that this country is based on the idea of whiteness? None of this is new. When black people weren’t let in the door, they created their own building. When they didn’t have a seat at the table, they created their own institution. When American society didn’t want black people, black people embraced their own culture. Then America saw that these black people are resilient. Despite the oppression, black people in America continue to strive and make the most of each situation.
So why are these whites only gatherings frowned upon? Well, this country is white by default. Don’t believe me, look in Target. What color are the nude pantyhose? What color are the bandages? Look at the makeup gift sets and think about how those colors would look on black skin. You get the idea. I don’t think that’s a secret and if you honestly think about this, you’ll agree.
There are organizations for people of color because we have a unique set of experiences. These organizations are started when black people are excluded. We come together and are able to bond and uplift each other. We’re able to show that we ARE worthwhile, and more than society thinks we are. Groups for black lawyers, black doctors, black photographers, black business owners, black congressional members, and more exist because black people are treated as outsiders. These black groups are not created to criticize white people. The focus isn’t even about white people. The focus is on uplifting and supporting each other. Historically, whites-only meant that black people weren’t welcome because black people were believed to be inferior. Even today, whites-only groups are hate groups. Look at the White Nationalists, the KKK, and the neo-Nazis. The question is, why do you want a whites-only group anyway? Let’s talk about that.
I’d love for you all to comment, ask questions, and discuss.
1 comment
Whites today are not the whites of the 50’s and 60’s. Whites today have been taught that all people truly are created equal (I have taught my children to not see color as a reflector of education, talent, etc.). Now, I’m smart enough to know that not all people are raised this way, but my experiences in life have shown me that majority are. Additionally, the younger, up and coming generation of today has shown to be the most tolerant group of individuals this country has ever seen.
With that being said, telling these young whites that they are to be ashamed of themselves, or that they have not actually achieved anything in life, or that they are the root cause of all evil is not of the most counterproductive arguments to be made. If you can, for a moment, pretend to be a white youth who has been raised to believe that all people are equal, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, etc. Now, fast forward to your adult years, only to have blacks tell you that your a terrible person because your white. I truly truly truly believe that this type of mentality is going to bring racism back with a vengeance. We have to stop seeing everything in black and white, and agree that the past cannot be undone. My family emigrated from Europe to the US in the 1800’s. This is the most free country on the planet. Blacks in this country are more prosperous than anywhere else in the world. I get scared at the thought of going back to segregation, but it seems that that is what blacks want anymore.
I grew up in inner city Baltimore, and I attended majority black schools all my life. As a white person in a majority black school, I experienced a great deal of racism everyday of my life. Even some of my teachers were blatantly racist toward white students. Heck, even today, I have personally experienced outright racism from blacks. I did not, however, let those experiences turn me into something I did not want to be: a racist.
The black community should indeed support each other, as should the white community, the Asian community, and so on; however, we need to agree that we are a new generation of people who are hell bent on moving on from the past as we have learned from our mistakes. We will never have true equality when one race is allowed to segregate, when one race is allowed to have black only clubs, when one race is allowed to have black only school days, when one club is allowed to be blatantly racist, when one race is allowed to poke fun at another race wi try out recourse. Equality will never exist until the day I don’t have to explain to my son that it’s just the way it is when a black kid can call him a cracker during a soccer game, but he better not dare saying something in return.
Most white people do not have the glorious lifestyle many minorities assume we have. I for one grew up extremely poor, as did everyone around me.
I pray to God that one day we truly can live in a the world that MLK envisioned. One day maybe my children and I won’t have to face constant scrutiny from a race of people that truly believe I have harmed them merely by the color of my skin.
We cannot avoid the fact that slavery existed. It’s existed in every society on earth, far and near. Heck, it still exists today in many parts of the world. Every race has been enslaved and oppressed. We are all God’s children. It’s high time we start acting like it. We are all brothers and sisters. Let’s be one, not divided.