Introducing The Next Generation Of Leaders And Thinkers

Why Black America Won’t Applaud White People for Not Being Racist: Part Two

Attempts to Reverse the Effects of Slavery 

Rewarding white people for not being racist buys into the “slavery happened years ago” and ” my ancestors did it not me” rhetoric that white people often use to dilute the effects that the brutal enslavement of African-Americans still has on not only the United States, but the world today.

I can remember my third-grade teacher asking all of the white kids in my class to tap themselves on their hands and say “bad ancestors” in some sort of odd hope that this would fix racism and the United States’ roots in slavery. Look at how far that got us. The remnants of slavery constantly situate themselves in the sides of African-Americans and work to lessen the quality of the lives that African-Americans live. So why should revering someone for not being racist or standing in a carefully crafted mirage of “helping” African-Americans be allowed to cover up the actions of white people’s ancestors and deny the toxicity of the past that has bled into the present?

In her book Fatal Invention, Dorothy Roberts, professor of Law and Sociology and Civil Rights at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, gives the perfect explanation of how slavery has continued to affect the world as she writes,

The only  way we know which racial designation to assign each person is by referring to the invented rules we have been taught since we were infants. And the only reason we engage in this exercise is the enormous social consequences of classifying people in this way.

The constant racism that plagues the United States and manifests itself in police brutality, everyday discrimination and lynchings to this day is a direct product of the roots of slavery in the United States. Society should not be trying to act like this happened and “right” wrongs with actions with little to no substance; instead society should be focusing on how to become effectively proactive and combat the ills of the nation that plague African-Americans daily.

The remnants of slavery constantly situate themselves in the sides of African-Americans and work to lessen the quality of the lives that African-Americans live.

Recently, Kris Jenner donated over 100 gourmet meals to people in need on skid row through a foundation called Red Eye. While it is great that Mrs. Jenner donated this food, Red Eye’s Instagram caption about the donation rings problematic, as they stated “Got a Christmas call from Jenner / Kardashian Home saying they wanted to donate some food… 100 gourmet chef prepared meals for those on Skid Row. No publicity. No press release. Simply an amazing family loving their city.”

The last line “Simply an amazing family loving their city” overshadows the deed done as it works to display the greatness of the family for what they have done, which is not all what the donation should be about. No one is saying that the Kardashian/Jenner clan should not have donated to Red Eye, but it should be said that there is no need to mention the family’s name when discussing and working to fight such huge epidemics like poverty and hunger because it only lowers the stature of those being helped, and elevates the status of those helping.

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