Owning racism, owning shame
I’m not overly afraid of sharing my views or ideas. So why is this post — responding to the brutal murder of George Floyd — so hard to write? Why do my words feel small and hard to find?
It is shame. I am ashamed of my race. I am ashamed of my white privilege that means I can read about the abhorrent actions of a white man, I can watch the precious life choked out of a black man, and in my heart know that whatever life may throw at me, I will never face that threat. And no child of mine will ever risk that kind of horrific death because of the colour of his skin.
The colour of his skin.
The death of a precious, unique person.
This is not ok. This is not “let’s move on” territory.
This is how barbaric and simple racism is. How devastating and disgusting. And why, if you have white skin, you have unfair power in the world whether you recognise it or not.
I have it.
Because of the colour of my skin.
When it won’t ever happen to you or your child, it’s so much easier to look away from the violence. To say: “It’s just too awful, I can’t watch that … I can’t think about it…” That is it — the privilege. I have that privilege. I have exercised it. And I’m ashamed.
I’m ashamed of what happened to George Floyd. I’m ashamed of the centuries of racism, the mind-blowing levels of barbarity, cruelty, destruction, trauma and grief that leave a bloody trail through history. My history. The underpinning of my privilege.
But I must own it. Shame is a cop-out. I must say it out loud. And then I must raise my voice and demand change, demand justice. Above all I must take responsibility for educating myself and actively doing all I can to keep seeing my own privilege, to challenge when I see racism happening — overt and covert — and call it out. Not feel downhearted or like I can’t make difference.
Doing nothing is complicity. That’s hard to hear but I know it’s true.
This is a white people problem. If you are white and you are reading this and it makes you uncomfortable: feel it. Own it. Then step through the shame and raise your voice. Take action. It’s on you. It’s on me.
How to take action? Start here: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd
Now get others to do the same. Talk about it. Pass it on. Don’t forget about George Floyd. Keep asking for justice and change.
Love to all who read this.
