You Know When You're Experiencing Racism!
When it comes to making racially-based allegations against a White person, many in the so-called mainstream society will call you names like a “race baiter” or will say that you’re “playing the race card.” But, you shouldn’t be held hostage because of labels or change your thoughts or actions based on racially-based name calling.
Here’s the fact. If you’re Black and you’re reading this blog, then you’ve obviously been Black your entire life. You know when you’re experiencing racism. It’s that simple. So, I want you to say it out loud…“I KNOW WHEN I'M EXPERIENCING RACISM!”
You know racism when you encounter it as an adult, just as you knew it when you first encountered it as a child. As a child, you knew a certain comment or action had something to do with your color or race and you didn’t need anyone to tell you. You just knew in your gut that something was wrong and it made you feel confused, angry, and possibly afraid. That’s why you went home and told your parents about it and that’s when you got “the talk” about American society and racism.
When it comes to racism, especially at work where you’re entitled to earn a livelihood, trust your instincts and don’t allow those, who you know are abusing your rights, to get away with doing so simply because they threw around a few names.
Too many Blacks have learned to rationalize racist actions as having some other motivation. Any other motivation, besides racism, allows us to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what’s happening to us! However, there are STILL some battles that need to be fought, STILL some mentalities that need to be challenged, and STILL some policies and practices that demand change.
Racism hurts! That’s the point of it. It’s meant to be active, not passive—like “simple” prejudice.
That’s why people, consciously and subconsciously, use racism as a tool to oppress and degrade others. Racism has psychological, emotional, financial, and even physical repercussions for those who are repeatedly subjected to its effects. Racism can paralyze lives, temporarily and permanently. It’s that powerful.
That’s why feigned ignorance to racism in the workplace—or anywhere else—seems to be as blissful as the cliché suggests. But, pretending something isn’t happening for the reasons it’s actually happening (racism) doesn’t lessen the negative impact of the offense. See the quick tips, in the post below, for some strategies to consider.
Here’s the fact. If you’re Black and you’re reading this blog, then you’ve obviously been Black your entire life. You know when you’re experiencing racism. It’s that simple. So, I want you to say it out loud…“I KNOW WHEN I'M EXPERIENCING RACISM!”
You know racism when you encounter it as an adult, just as you knew it when you first encountered it as a child. As a child, you knew a certain comment or action had something to do with your color or race and you didn’t need anyone to tell you. You just knew in your gut that something was wrong and it made you feel confused, angry, and possibly afraid. That’s why you went home and told your parents about it and that’s when you got “the talk” about American society and racism.
When it comes to racism, especially at work where you’re entitled to earn a livelihood, trust your instincts and don’t allow those, who you know are abusing your rights, to get away with doing so simply because they threw around a few names.
Too many Blacks have learned to rationalize racist actions as having some other motivation. Any other motivation, besides racism, allows us to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about what’s happening to us! However, there are STILL some battles that need to be fought, STILL some mentalities that need to be challenged, and STILL some policies and practices that demand change.
Racism hurts! That’s the point of it. It’s meant to be active, not passive—like “simple” prejudice.
That’s why people, consciously and subconsciously, use racism as a tool to oppress and degrade others. Racism has psychological, emotional, financial, and even physical repercussions for those who are repeatedly subjected to its effects. Racism can paralyze lives, temporarily and permanently. It’s that powerful.
That’s why feigned ignorance to racism in the workplace—or anywhere else—seems to be as blissful as the cliché suggests. But, pretending something isn’t happening for the reasons it’s actually happening (racism) doesn’t lessen the negative impact of the offense. See the quick tips, in the post below, for some strategies to consider.
posted by S. Mary Wills at 1:31 PM
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