White fragility

White navel gazing targeting the woke liberal ally and arming them with the right words to announce to the world that they “get it” without the need for further action or smartly researched treatise on white fragility that deserves its place on any anti-racist syllabus? Yes.

For the Karens in your life that “don't see colour”, value “all lives”, has a cousin who married a black man, and “would have voted Obama for a third term if they could!” - this book is their anti-racism starter kit. The thing that gets them to examine their own privilege, but in the soothing tones of a white lady educator. And really, that's what some folks need.

If only so we can stop with the arguments that start with variations on the theme of “you're being too sensitive” “can't you take a joke”, “that was never my intent”, “the PC-police and cancel culture are getting out of hand” etc. We've turned the term racist into something that an individual does consciously with malicious intent, directed at another based on their race. So essentially a bad person. And it's gotten to the point being called a racist is somehow worse than being the victim of racism. It should carry all the weight of being called an asshole. Maybe you did something asshole-like. Maybe you should apologize and not do that asshole thing again instead of spending all your time invalidating the person who called you an asshole and whining about how your asshole behaviour was all a big mistake. People are not protesting for the right to call you an asshole.

So if you come out of this with the understanding that we are living within a complex racist system that permeates all aspects of our lives and that we're part of an enduring social dynamic that has privileged whites in regards to education, health-care, housing, banking, representation, policing etc for centuries that's good. And then maybe we can stop being such little snowflakes when we're called out on our racist behaviours. And then maybe we can start having productive conversations about this because I get the feeling Blacks are frankly done calling us out and trying to teach us to be better.

It's a start and hopefully one that leads to deeper reading and an invitation to actual anti-racist action and change instead of just checking off a box on your #blacklivesmatter bingo card.