One thing that’s frustrating is your insistence on centering yourself in the conversation. While it’s not uncommon for white people to center themselves in racism even though they are the masters of racism, it’s exhausting because centering and derailing are a well-known tendencies that white people exude, especially when discussing racism (look up white fragility).
In regard to this need of yours to continually compare racism against Black Americans, as well as marginalize it, and go as far as to tell a Black person that, “it’s not that bad” is… well, it’s a new level of white privilege.
There’s also this tendency of telling me what you think I believe, when much of the beliefs you’ve mentioned aren’t mine or words that I have used or sentiments I have expressed in any manner.
As far as to the definition of racism that I have provided, it is not mine personally. Upon educating yourself further on racism you will find that the logic behind prejudice + power are main components in racism is not only correct and proven, but it makes all the sense in the world. Anyone can prejudge, and most people do. However, it is only when privilege — which is power that opens the door for racism.
Lastly, rather than sealioning this post and playing 21 questions with me, ask yourself these questions: “Am I, a white man, in a position to really be telling a Black woman what racism is and how it affects society and Black people? Why am I spending more energy trying to prove to this woman that I am not racist, opposed to educating myself on racism?”
Also, before you make a chart on who’s got it worse than who (which is really, a form of oppression Olympics that is offensive to any group of people you are comparing), you must make sure you are thoroughly educated on the American experience that Black and Brown Americans live on a daily basis. Parents whose children are afflicted from lead poisoning and severe dehydration in Flint, as well as Latina immigrants who don’t report their sexual assaults because of fear of deportation do not deserve to live in a society where white people say, “You could have it worse over there.” Furthermore, the crises that take place in other soils do not alleviate the nearly 1000 murders of Black men and women by police, or the staggering rate of maternal mortality deaths that take place among Black American women, or the huge fraction of the Black community that’s wrongfully incarcerated. The notion of what is better or worse is one that only benefits white people who don’t deal with any of these issues or crises. A serious check in privilege is necessary for this way of thinking.
Because your grasp on comprehending racism is so weak, and your privilege in ‘educating’ a Black woman on racism is so absurd, it’s quite underwhelming engaging on this discussion any further. Too much personal and hypothetical, not enough logic and humility.
