H. Nemesis Nyx
Jul 27, 2017 · 2 min read

This is true. And I could never understand why the powder form of cocaine that you snort was less of an issue then the rock form that you smoke. I actually believed the lie that there was a difference in composition and/or affect. I literally justified harsher sentences for crack over powder because I was literally taught there was a difference that was meaningful. I refused to believe it had anything to do with the skin color of the user.

I WAS WRONG.

Later, when I sought a better education, I learned exactly why i was taught there was a difference that justified harsher sentencing for crack possession— because white people who did coke snorted it, and black people who did coke smoked it. When coke became available in the US, its use was weaponized against black people and white people were given a pass. Zero difference between the two drug forms and the disease it produces in its addicts, other than the delivery method.

It is really crazy along with all the false equivalence, there are these cases of false difference too. All serving the same purpose, to drive a wedge between us, to privilege one group over another.

White people are blind to many things, myself included. Racism is a mental illness and education is the only cure. Unfortunately, we also think someone else should do the work of learning for us, so we don’t often break free, seek out and absorb the truth. And often even when we have access to the truth, we refuse to believe it.

Because GASP! what does that say about me? Hurry! Someone resolve my discomfort for me!

Yeah. I have been guilty of all of the above. I still make mistakes. I am a racist. It will take me the rest of my life to reprogram myself, but I am determined to do it.

Thanks for saying this — it is a helpful reminder of one of the very first rude awakenings I experienced. Just how well orchestrated and planned! planned! our system of white supremacy is — none of that was a mistake. White people did that awful shit on purpose and then they poisoned their children with it too.

I have no idea how we could ever undo such wickedness.

One part cyborg; two parts glorious mess.

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