Fellow white people in the US – we’ve been conditioned since birth by systemic racism and white supremacy.
It doesn’t matter whether you wanted it or recognize it. It doesn’t matter if you grew up in a “Conservative” or “Liberal” Household or how you vote.
Even having friendship, romantic, or familial ties to Black, Indigenous, Asian or other marginalized people doesn’t magically undo the systemically indoctrinated, sometimes insidious prejudices and behaviors that are part of US culture.
In order to dismantle and abolish racism and white supremacy from our culture, we must first begin the process of identifying and dealing with the corrupt ideas and beliefs that we have ourselves. In order to be successful in our efforts, we must simultaneously recognize and fix the fragile ego that we’re encouraged to have in this individualist culture. That means not allowing being embarrassed or angry about being called out for reinforcing systemic racism and white supremacy with our words and actions to put us on the defense. Rather, we must be willing to accept that our hurt feelings are not the same as being oppressed, and recognize that this is an opportunity to improve ourselves as a human being.
in order to truthfully say,
“I don’t have a racist bone in my body.”
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American Exceptionalism is a deeply racist myth. It has affected us all, whether we know how it’s manifested in ourselves. We are surrounded by its propaganda everywhere – in fact, that’s why most of us think it’s “normal.” We are raised to believe that white culture is the height of humanity, and that everyone around the world wants to live like us.
“The Greatest Country In The World” is one of the more common US Capitalist propaganda slogans.
But most of the rest of the world – outside of US/NATO countries – is actually fed up with US foreign policy and are beginning to form alliances with one another that are mutually beneficial, rooted in peace, and that bypass US Hegemony. The US has military bases all over the world that exist to protect the interests of Western Capitalists & their corporations. No other nation has that much military presence outside its own borders.
So if you aren’t already working to become anti-racist, it’s time. Keep reminding yourself that your impact means more than all the best intentions in the world. Also focus on how you are helping to fix a systemic corruption instead of continuing (even unintentionally) to propogate it. Develop friendships with others doing their anti-racism work and try to help one another. If a marginalized person tells you or confronts you about your racist belief or behavior, LISTEN TO THEM. Don’t attack them. Take some time to ruminate.
White supremacy and racism are core elements of Capitalism, which needs those to function; one way we can all help dismantle it is by working to identify and correct how those have manifested in ourselves. Keeping the masses divided is another requirement for Capitalism to exist, because we outnumber the Capitalist ruling class, and they know it. That’s why our culture encourages divisions, selfishness, and even dehumanizing.
With a United Front – the masses can overturn the Capitalists. But how can people trust one another to unite against a common foe, then defend and maintain a successful revolution afterward, if some among that “United” Front believe themselves superior to others?
If humanity is to survive the multiple crises we face, we must look at things the way they actually exist in material reality, not what we wish was ideally true.
I can recommend from my own work to learn unsanitized, declassified history. The history we’re taught is biased to favor the ruling class and reinforce their values. Check the Reading Recommendations history section for suggested books. If you’re on Twitter, you can find my bookshare threads of things I’ve read/am reading.
