Over the past few days I’ve seen a few well-meaning white people say things like “I don’t see color”, or “I only see the good in people, not their gender or race.”, etc.
In the past, I would’ve ignored stuff like this, but I know that words matter and it’s easy for white people like me to go back to business as usual because the words of someone else (and comments under the words saying they are such a great person) don’t affect me personally.
But, there is a very real problem saying “I don’t see color, gender, etc.”
It’s very problematic to POC/gay friends/trans/etc for white cis-gendered people to say this. I know because I have heard marginalized groups talk about this many times before the past week. And right now, they are literally asking us to see them and hear them.
I get the idea and it’s nice in theory, but how can you possibly fix something that you don’t actually see?
I think part of the problem here is that you may love people for who they are, but our system doesn’t, and at the end of the day WE need to stand up and demand the people in charge to treat others the same way back. And we need to demand real change, otherwise, the thousands of protests happening in the middle of a pandemic will be for nothing.
On Facebook, I asked my friends from marginalized groups to respond with some ideas for making change moving forward, and this is what I heard:
✔️ 3 more officers in Minnesota need to be arrested. That's step 1. (which HAS happened! Thank you, protesters, for making this first step a reality).
✔️They need to include an immediate halt to qualified immunity (a law originally with the rationale of protecting law enforcement officials from frivolous lawsuits and financial liability in cases where they acted in good faith in an unclear legal situation).
✔️ Making sure city budgets are equal vs 50% to law-enforcement, while things like community and education get small slivers of the pie.
✔️ Following up with police departments to make REAL changes. These are the top eight use-of-force policies that can reduce police violence by 72%. This website allows you to look up your city and contact your mayor/sheriff/police department now. https://8cantwait.org/
✔️ Encouraging & supporting diversity in our government, and management positions.
✔️ VOTING for those who demand reform (and for the government to look more like the people they govern).
I’m also going to add listening. Simply listening to those who don’t look like you and hear how much they are hurting, because actions > than words. This way we can start acknowledging how white people have benefited from oppression. For more info, please watch this funny and educational video on redlining from Adam Ruins Everything. I saw it a few years ago and it really brought the idea that I am where I am BECAUSE of both hard work AND a history of racist tactics to keep others “out” of my grandparents neighborhoods.
If you are in the Wine/food industry — please start with @thecollectress @juliaconey & watch their IGTVs, directed at white people in the wine industry. And listen to hear what the wine industry has done to suppress black people. ❤️
📷 at the top is from @wc_solidarity from a peaceful protest in #WalnutCreek