Dear Fellow White People,
I am writing to you as a fellow white person and I hope that you will continue reading despite
whatever possible preconceived ideas you may have of what I’m going to write.
These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, an experience that pales in comparison to that of a
Black person. If perhaps you live under a rock or without access to the internet, the situation I am
referencing is the murder of George Floyd, among other Black individuals, and the subsequent
protests. Some of you may view this situation as something that happened suddenly and believe
it blew up way too quickly, but the reality is that it is a situation that has been centuries in the
making.
George Floyd is not nearly the first black person murdered by the police. This has been
happening for decades, if not centuries. Violence towards Black people has been happening for
even longer. I have lived a life of white privilege, so the first time I remember hearing about a
black person being murdered for no reason and it having sparked national outrage was when
Trayvon Martin was killed. Martin was a 17 year old man who was murdered by a white
neighborhood watchman. I didn’t know what to think about the events at the time because I was
12 years old and existed within the uninterrrupted bubble of whiteness that all white people grow
up inside of. I am embarrassed to say that I was uneducated on what exactly was happening
because I didn’t have to be and I’m aware that almost every black kid in America knew exactly
what was going on because they had to be.
Today, I get why. I understand why people are protesting right now. I understand why the Black
community is frustrated and angry. Many white people mistakenly believe that racism ended
after the Civil Rights movement, but that is definitely not the case. Just because racism that could
be seen clearly, such as segregation, was outlawed does not mean that it went away. And just
because you don’t think you’ve ever seen people being racist, doesn’t mean it isn’t occurring at
all or in different ways. Racism is more than just saying and doing blatantly racist things. It is a
mindset that one has and a system of institutions enable and sustain those mindsets. In this day
and age, racism happens more so through systems and microaggressions. These look like not
hiring someone due to their last name which may seem “ethnic”, assuming someone is Black
doesn’t know their dad, or playing hip-hop music whenever you’re around black people. It
means going to a college located in a city with a large Black population and attending a college
which is composed of less than 10% Black students. It means a lack of socio-economic mobility
for Black people, redlining, unhealthy eating choices concentrated in majority-Black
communities, gentrification, and police brutality.
There have been, and continue to be, many situations where Black people are targeted and
harassed because of the color of their skin. There is case after case of Black people being
murdered during arrests for committing minor crimes or no crime at all and it shouldn’t be
happening as much as it is.
I know it is hard for many of you white people to justify protesting when you have seen these
protests escalate into riots. To you, I ask where is your outrage when you watch someone slowly
die on camera? When a kid is shot walking down the street? When a woman is shot in her home?
Or when a man is gunned down while jogging? We are not the ones who have experienced
racism throughout our entire lives. We are not the ones losing loved ones due to the color of skin.
We are not being systematically oppressed. When protests turn into riots, it isn’t our place to
judge. It isn’t our place to discredit what is happening due to some broken glass. It isn’t our place
to tell the Black community how to grieve. It is our place to stand with and advocate for the
Black community and let them know we hear them. If you feel strongly that protests are bad and
are upset about looters, use that passion to go clean up the broken glass instead of sitting behind
a screen and typing about your distaste. And ask yourselves why you are upset about damaged
property, and not murder at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve
communities.
To my white peers and readers, I hope that this letter has given you perspective on what is
happening. I also hope that some of you are wondering what you could do to help. To be an ally
for the Black community, there are many things that can be done, but the first step is
understanding the situation. If you are unclear about what is happening, find a reliable source
and get facts about what is happening. Ask Black people in and around your community. The
next step is to take action against racism and do what you can to help the cause. It is not enough
to not be racist. We must all be actively anti-racist, in order to dismantle the system of white
supremacy and racism that exist within and at the foundation of every institution in the U.S. Do
what you can to stop and call out racism that is happening around you. Figure out how it
masquerades. Donate to causes that help the Black community. One of the best ways you can be
an ally is to listen to the Black community. Be compassionate. Hear their needs. Educate yourself
on the history of racism.
Sincerely,
Carson
A person who believes that Black Lives Matter, as should every human being.
Here’s the link to the Black Lives Matter website. It is an international human rights movement
that campaigns against violence and systemic racism towards black people. The website has
news, resources, and an option to donate to the cause. It’s a great resource to get started, but
educating yourself does not stop here: https://blacklivesmatter.com/