Why I Give Not a Damn About Your Dictionary Definition of Racism
Black people are not new to this.
I’ve had this in my drafts for a few weeks, but I think now is the right time to polish it up and hit publish. Some of you have it in your minds that you can tell me how to think, what to say and what my points of reference should be. I’ve written a whole PSA to clue you in on how much your opinion of me does not matter, but since you insist on hate-reading my work here’s one more you can be pressed about.
Black people have always known what racism is, what it looks like and who it’s meant to harm. Therefore, I do not care what your dictionary says racism is. I trust my elders, my ancestors and my gut more than the White academics and others who wrote the definition you had to look up in order to understand. My people have experienced racism firsthand for more than 400 years. We are the only experts on anti-Black racism that I recognize.
Racism begins and ends with the false sense of White supremacy leading you to believe you can tell me what my experience and that of my people is and isn’t.
Racism begins and ends with the false assumption by White supremacy that the sources you accept as valid are the only sources that are valid.
Racism begins and ends with you believing your people can define something you’ve never experienced and that you can teach those who have experienced it what it is.
Hold on, let me stop laughing before I continue.
Racism is produced by White supremacy. Point blank and period.
The “reverse racism” you like to go on about is a misnomer. What you’re actually describing is human reaction to all the bullcrap your people have done for centuries. Black people making judgments, decisions and noting observations based on several hundred years of White assault and oppression is not racist, it’s reaction. You get what you give. Don’t like that? Don’t like people making assumptions about you based on history? Don’t like being prejudged? Then get your people in check, don’t come for me or mine.
While you’re at it, learn the difference between a bigot and a racist. I almost want to suggest that you ask a Black person since your dictionary is less informed, but I’m not going to do that. We are tired of your troll questions and not here to hold your hand especially since so many of you just refuse to listen. Instead, I’m going to tell you to read the thousands of articles, blog posts and books written by Black people who’ve tried to explain all of this to you over and over and over again. If you’re reading this, we know you have a computer and the Internet, use them for more than throwing tantrums about Black commentary you don’t like.
Lastly, no one is bullying you with words when we discuss racism. Each time you click on a story, you are opting into an experience. You may opt out anytime you like. You don’t have to read or comment and you can even block those you truly hate to see. But don’t read and then click ‘Respond’ to whine about your hurt feelings… your feelings are your responsibility. Go seek content that makes you feel good if you can’t handle it around these parts. Nobody is going to baby you here.
Before I go, I want to shout out all the White people who regularly read my stories and the stories of others writing in this space and who clap and offer sincere discussion. Y’all are welcome to continue and I hope you are learning something new every time you select a reading. How you all “get it” while so many of your people do not and refuse to never get it, I don’t know. It’s just weird to me how that works.
