Try to Explain Racism to a Black Person
Many white people will be quick to refer to Webster’s dictionary for a simplified explanation of racism in an attempt to blatantly ignore the fact that racial prejudices have to be coupled with the ability to oppress a certain community in order to be considered racism. The dictionary, obviously, provides an oversimplified explanation of what racism really is and, therefore, that definition should be the last thing white people reach for when they find themselves knee-deep in a conversation about racism in America.
Insist That Your Black Friend Said …
This is extremely annoying for two main reasons — a white person’s Black friend is not the spokesperson for the Black community and that friend could very well be a Black white supremacist, although he or she doesn’t know it. Regardless of who tells you something is OK, any educated adult should be able to decipher what is racist and what is not. Just because one Black friend is open to hearing a white person call him the N-word doesn’t mean it’s acceptable or no longer considered racist. Racism is racism, and nobody’s “permission” will ever change that.
