What is "being divisive"?

Last edited Wed May 23, 2018, 09:29 AM - Edit history (2)

It feels like I've danced around this when I try to speak with other white folks for the last damn decade regarding race in America.

And unfortunately I've had entirely too many conversations with my family start with some variation of "well you're the damn N***** Lover in the family so why don't YOU tell me what this bullshit means"

So...

How are we to react when we are told about the hurtful experiences of POC?

What should we offer in support and how do we do that? Or should we just step away?

Well I tried my best but my best was lacking and I've never managed to be this succinct:

We share our stories so that you, as a white person, can understand what we encounter in this country. We hope that you then join us in taking up the mantle of racial justice so that we can all fight against racism and white supremacy. If your answer to this is to dismiss our experiences, then you are divisive. And racist.

I feel that the ideal response would be for us to think back to times we saw this type of event - From the opposite viewpoint.

Think back to when we saw or participated in an event like the one described and thought nothing of it or even approved of it.

The Shitty but very common responses are to minimize its impact, deflect attention from our acceptance of it or deny it's validity.

All of those strategies are attempting to do 1 thing - Allow white people to remain comfortable with and inactive in changing the status quo.

We all know this too - It bothers us to hear about racism, but it really doesn't bother us to live in racism.

The discussion of racism is uncomfortable but actual day to day racism is a fucking old sweatshirt we lounge in every day.

Nothing will change until WE figure that out and decide that it is no longer OK

https://medium.com/LeciaMichelle/if-you-want-to-call-me-divisive-because-i-talk-about-race-im-here-for-all-of-it-55822d459f3a