Post image can be found at the B’hai Community of Ottowa
A few years ago, I was talking with Cornel West about “woke-ism,” and he made the funniest comment: “Some people are so woke they have insomnia.” I still laugh every time I think of it, but honestly, isn’t that the truth? I do believe it’s crucial for survival and progress that we remain aware of racism, racist systems, White supremacy, and bigotry. These issues often show up in such subtle ways, though, which is frustrating because those of us on the receiving end often can’t provide concrete evidence to prove what we’re experiencing. As a result, we get dismissed as being too sensitive, holding onto the past, or just paranoid. This lack of acknowledgment from those in power often means nothing gets done when these issues arise.
When I share my experiences with racism, I often hear a White person ask for more proof or suggest that it’s all just a misunderstanding. They might even say I need to forgive the past and stop making everything about race. This ongoing struggle can sometimes lead people of color to see racism everywhere, out of sheer frustration. It creates the temptation to just give up and claim that everything is racist, that we’re perpetually oppressed by everything, and no one will ever address it. So, we quietly go on, feeling the weight of oppression, trying our best to make something good of it. Or we become activists, speaking out for every instance of racism we encounter, which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings and false accusations.
Oh, America. We’re still fighting the same battles. How will we ever get off this endless rollercoaster of racism, hatred, bitterness, denial, and fear? Honestly, I don’t know. But I’ve put together a little list of things that probably aren’t racist, and I hope it might help someone:
- Teaching and learning phonics
- Christianity (not to be confused with American Christianity… I mean the one that started with Jesus’ followers and the early church)
- Being bilingual in English and your home language
- Bringing the literature of your heritage into conversation with the classical tradition and other human stories
- Believing in America’s democracy
- The ever-changing and evolving Constitution (not the one with the three-fifths clause, etc.)
- Some Republicans and Conservatives (we can’t assume they all are, because omg, some ARE NOT)
- Some Democrats and Liberals (we can’t assume they all are NOT, because omg, some ARE)
- The Bible
- Teaching and learning about Western Civilization… as long as it includes the civilizations that intersected with it
- Latin
- Greek
- Trying to live according to Western culture—just as long as your heritage isn’t forgotten, dismissed, or discounted (I know it’s part of my culture to be late, but omg, we’ve got to do better with being on time to things! LOL)
- A WHOLE LOT OF WHITE PEOPLE
- Jesus (not the one Michelangelo painted, but the one born and raised in the Middle East and Africa)
- Ancient Rome
- Ancient Greece
- Celebrating American holidays and culture, as long as we tell the truth about their origins and history. I love me some Thanksgiving and July 4th, y’all.
- The CONCEPT of America… it’s meant to be a place where all men are created equal, but unfortunately, its leaders don’t always carry out that vision the way they should
- The blueprint of America’s government… sadly, because many of us don’t trust it, we don’t engage with it, and that leaves the racists to continue to ignore the blueprint. If we ALL understood it, participated in it, and raised our voices to hold people accountable, we could see it so differently.
I think that’s enough for now. I just thought I’d share in case anyone needed some clarity.
Peace, love, unity and blessings,
Dr. P
Dr. Anika T. Prather 