Why (North American) Racism Is Stupid
Racism, this country’s longstanding oppressive system against Blacks — and other people of color — is stupid once you look at why it was constructed, economics, and the things some white people have written and said about what makes them superior. These reasons, documentations, and theories do not make any sense and should therefor not be considered in the realm of rational and reasonable thinking.
I am a thinker, first and foremost. I am always taking a step back or taking a deeper look at what is ailing this country, our communities, and analyzing the systems that make up the way North America has operated over the years. I believe in order for us to make progress regarding racism, oppression, mass incarceration, anti-Blackness and the other hurdles in the way of equity and equality in the United States, we must take deeper looks and analyze what keeps these poisons active in the membrane of this country.
How can we take different approaches towards racism? How can find new paths towards equity and inclusion when other paths have either not worked or have been ignored? What keeps people — especially so-called white activists — from making the power moves they need to advance towards effective activism or organizing?
These are some of the questions that can be answered with these thoughts I am sharing with you. Anti-racist activism should never be static, never should the work be stagnant. Not when our ancestors have fought and died to get us where we are now.
Firstly, yes, race is a social construct. Race was indeed made up to create the notion of white supremacy, to advance the concerns and causes of white people who eventually became land owners and eventually rich. Any thought other than this is ridiculous. As a human being, who would choose to look at someone and say “That person is black?” Of course, our skin, us Black people, has never been black and white people’s skin have never been white, and so forth.
Our skin tone does not come close to being the color black. It is utter nonsense. Race as a social construct has this world more divided than ever, conversely, it has turned people who are lighter pigmented against their own. We are basing our relationships and connections to one another on the fact that someone said “This person is this color, that person is this color.” Think about it.
Regarding economics, this thought came to me the other day, “Why would bank owners (and the like) deny Black people and other people of color loans when if they did, ultimately, the people who provide the loans benefit and the communities where the money is being used benefits as well?” It is stupid when they do deny us loans for houses or property because economically, many people benefit. Isn’t this the way capitalism and economics work?
When banks deny Black people loans and redline our communities, it makes communities and cities look bad. Think about this: When a visitor from another city who has money to relocate to another city and invest in land, homes, cars, etc, but goes into a specific neighborhood and sees blight and worn down houses, they will not bring their money to that neighborhood or that city. The city just lost out on more dollars to help it sustain itself and look good.
This here is economic and/or financial stupidity. Why aren’t city leaders and the like recognizing this when this happens? Overall, it is hurting everyone. Maybe because they are stupid?
For some white people to discuss the size of one’s brain or even where someone was raised as a means for a person to be lesser than them are also stupid ways of looking at race. How these theorists or scientists have been able to get aways with this for such a long time is beyond me. None of these things have anything to do with superiority or who is smarter or more productive.
This country has allowed so many falsehoods and narratives to exist that many people have either believed them or believe these theories about themselves here in North America. Mass media has not done enough to oppose these theories and make them apart of the overall narrative.
When a group of people are unknowingly defeating themselves by living on such destructive narratives, thoughts, and practices, it is stupid. And many people who live outside of the United States see us in this light. We have become the laughing stock of the globe because of how we think our go about inclusivity — particularly race.
Don’t get me wrong, there are other places that are not far behind, but the way we practice our own brand of racism is stupid. In order for any equity to be achieved in the coming decades this stupidity, and the underlaying causes of racism, are going to have to end. People are dying because of this stupidity.
How will you think yourself into a transformative path towards racial equity, especially if you are a “white” person?
