Dear White People, You Have to Fix Your Racism Problem

On Episode 39 of the My American Meltingpot podcast, I explain my agenda for white America in light of recent events in New York City and Minneapolis. Essentially, it's time for white people to fix America's race problem. 

 Here's a taste of what you'll hear on this incredibly important Meltingpot Minute. 

Black Lives Matter

"Black people have been marching, protesting and reminding the public that Black Lives Matter for centuries, but it hasn’t really moved the needle in ending racism. We’ve changed laws, yes, but we haven’t dismantled racism. We haven’t been able to convince white and white adjacent people that Black lives are as inherently worthy as their own. 

Racism is Like an Addiction But We All Feel the Pain

Racism is an illness that white people suffer from. All white people. Even the white people who don’t feel like they caught the racism. Trust me, they have it. But let’s just say, you’re one of the white people who might consider themselves super woke and not racist. I’m proud of you and happy for you. But you still have to do the work that Black people cannot do. You must be the doctors that help your fellow racist white brothers and sisters out.

Racism is like an addiction. And like anyone who suffers from an addiction, you can’t solve the problem for the addict. They have to do the work themself. First they have to admit that they have a problem and then they have to be willing to do the work to rid themselves of the problem.

Black people could have the definitive 12-step Racists Anonymous guidebook or even the racism equivalent of methadone and it wouldn’t help if white people won’t accept the fact that they are in fact sick. 

#FixYourselves

White people, this is your problem to solve. And here’s the thing. You’re not solving the racism problem to make Black people feel good. You’re curing yourself from an insidious affliction that hurts you just as much as it hurts people of color. Just like a drug addict may feel good when he inhales, or shoots up, we all know he’s killing himself. The same is true for racism. And just like second hand smoke, your addiction hurts all of us too.

So, white people get to work. Fix yourselves. Fix your families. Fix your kids. Make this your number one issue. Talk about it at book club. Pray on it at church. Have conferences. Go on retreats and meditate on it. I believe in you. I know you can do it. I mean, if you can put a man on the moon, you can definitely rid yourselves of racism. People of color want you to do this for yourselves. We know you’ll feel so much better when you’ve rid yourself of racism. And we will certainly feel better too."

Resources for Further Study

Teaching Tolerance - An educational organization that provides social justice resources for parents and educators. 

Embrace Race - A parent-led organization that creates tools and resources for parents and educators to raise children who can confidently navigate issues of race and identity and be stewards of social justice. 

An Anti Racist Reading List compiled by author Ibram X. Kendi for the New York Times. 

Podcasts for Learning about Racial Justice

My American Meltingpot Resources