ANTI-BLACK RACISM
Why White People Want to Dictate What's Racist to Black People
And why muting, blocking, or ignoring their comments should count as self-care
As someone whose written over six hundred articles about race and racism, I've spotted an obnoxious pattern in the comments section. Some White readers deny race played a role in the circumstances described in the prose. And, while it's obvious their critique is designed to deter people from meaningful conversations about race, I thought this the perfect time, as we reflect on the ending year, to discuss why some White people want to dictate what is or isn't racist.
In Cultured, I discussed some ways systemic racism in American lending and zoning practices made Black homeownership an uphill battle in an otherwise prosperous country, recommending that "city planners engage in equitable development," as opposed to gentrification; someone commented that "not race, but money," was the culprit for Black people's displacement. Of course, with enough money, Black people could overcome many structural barriers to homeownership.
Still, such an influx of money could not be given to Black people without acknowledging the economic, racial disparity is the byproduct of the chattel slavery system. And race-neutrality…
