In a new article, activist and writer Ijeoma Oluo gives advice those who are upset about the recent public examples of police brutality but feel helpless to do anything. She starts by listing the well-meaning words she often hears from white friends who say things like, “I’m so sorry you have to go through this, but I don’t know what to do,” or “I wish I could fix it, but the problem is so big. It’s never going to change.” Oluo writes:
These conversations are rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of racism and racial oppression in America: It’s not black America’s problem, it’s yours.
Racism is your problem, not because white people are uniquely predisposed to racial bigotry (it’s a horrible trait we all share), but because the power structure of White Supremacy upholds it. It’s your system and whether or not you personally built it, you live in it, maintain it, and benefit from it. It is your house, and you need to clean it.
Ending racism is not a favor that white people do for brown people. Confronting police brutality does not make you virtuous or generous. It makes you a responsible adult addressing the flaws in your system. When we recognize this, it’s easy to see how ridiculous and even insulting saying, “I sure hope it gets better” is.
She goes on to list out some concrete steps white people can take to battle inequality including educating oneself on the city police conduct review process, pressuring the mayor and city council to improve that process, and voting for reform-minded city government. As she puts it, “Actions speak louder than words. Instead of telling your black friends that you hope things will get better, show them how you are working to make things better.”
Read the incredibly helpful piece over at Ravishly.
(Image: Students march because Black Lives Matter in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Fibonacci Blue, CC-BY)