Recently the cheerleaders of Utah’s Weber High School have been dragged to hell and back by social media after a video surfaced of the girls shouting “f*ck n-word[s]” repeatedly, except like, not saying “n-words” and instead showing an incredible lack of racial sensitivity or depth or common sense or simply not being racist garbage. It appeared as if one of the girls posted this video to her “finsta” otherwise known as a “fake instagram.” Finstas, usually used to post private jokes, nudes, or lengthy paragraphs bemoaning one’s sadness/teen angst, are in fact, not a free zone to use racial slurs, contrary to the understanding shown by these young ladies.
If you, too, are a Weber High cheerleader, or even in some way simply another youth who has considered or feels a desire to use your social media presence to promote yourself shouting racial slurs, here’s a simple guide of 6 things to do that aren’t overtly racist. NOTE: THIS SHOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT. NOT RECORDING YOURSELF SHOUTING RACIAL SLURS – OR BETTER YET, NOT SHOUTING RACIAL SLURS AT ALL!! SHOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT.
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TALK TO A DOG
Ask a dog why you feel it’s acceptable to be an absolute racist toaster. Let the puppy stare you down, sniff your genitals and question your inner desires and impulse to be a drain on the human race. As you ruffle the good boy’s fur and scratch him behind his cute lil ears, reconcile within your psyche why racist behavior seems to fall within a social norm in your short-sighted perception of society.
2. LISTEN TO TAYLOR SWIFT
Even Taylor is less problematic than broadcasting your racial bias via snapchat. Plus, the Red album is just really, really phenomenal.
3. GET A MANICURE!
Know that you don’t deserve it as she paints your nails. Know that the manicure industry is within a legacy of Vietnamese immigrants making their way in a brutal America, with full intent to demean their personhood on racial grounds. As she paints your nails, contemplate that every nail technician has contributed significantly more to society than you have, you silly racist compost pile.
4. GO GROCERY SHOPPING
Allow me to emphasize literally the simple act of purchasing lettuce is more productive and beneficial to the world than your racist nonsense, you foolish bigoted buffoon. Buy your oranges and other produce and contemplate that the reason you are able to purchase these items is because they are produced at a low cost margin as they are picked by immigrants who face a cruel and inhumane lifestyle. Firmly grasp an orange, understanding that the laborers were forced to work at a grueling pace and was paid less than minimum wage for their efforts. Selecting a perfectly ripe bunch of bananas, remember there is a labor system within the world explicitly exploiting economic imbalances and the political climate of the global south. As you pick between raspberry packages, ruminate on the socioeconomic burden placed on Latinx immigrants solely so you can get your Vitamin D.
5. FART
This is being added to emphasize how many things are literally so much better ways to spend your time than what these bowls of rotten lettuce in disguise as teenage girls did.
6. GO CLUBBING
Okay, so like, the Weber High teenagers should not be clubbing. But illegally sneaking into a club is still probably better than screaming slurs, so. As “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B blasts and you take your third vodka shot, possibly consider that black performers are commodified to be enjoyed by a white audience who simultaneously consumes and appropriates black culture (i.e. listening to rap, getting dreads, appropriating black slang, being Miley Cyrus, you get the point, right? Cool) and says stupid shit like “all. lives matter” and flying a confederate flag. As you twerk in whatever gay bar you forced to endure your straight, white, cis presence, ruminate on the dehumanization of black people. Slur to your friend “it’s lit!” and she will try to look past the dead expression in your eyes.
IN SUMMATION: don’t. Don’t record yourself shouting racial slurs. Don’t say racial slurs! This isn’t to say that unlearning racism is easy. The girls of Weber High grew up in a culture, and possibly home environments, that condoned and encourage racist behavior, whether they were conscious of that or it was an understood reality. You, me, and everyone you know grew up and continue to exist in an inherently racist world, from the election of D*n*ld Tr*mp to your uncle with the confederate flag bumper sticker to, yes, your lemons that were probably picked by a Latino man desperately trying to support his family
If you don’t have time for a manicure, or clubbing, you certainly have time to reconsider how racism plays a role in your day to day life. You definitely have time to work to unlearn the racism you’re packing in your psyche. And you owe it to every oppressed individual to do so.
PS – seriously, don’t record yourself shouting racial slurs. Seriously. WTF motivates you to do that?