Signs of a Passive Racist

We see you. 

1. If you claim to mourn the murder of George Floyd while simultaneously showing more outrage for the loss of material things, then you are not an ally and you have failed to understand the significance of what is happening in the world right now. Why aren’t you this openly outraged when white people riot for winning or losing a sporting event? Does it suck? Yes, but we will recover. Innocent people dying sucks more.

2. If you are using MLK quotes to allude to the idea that he changed the world solely through peaceful protest, then you are excluding a major piece of history. And if you think that the Civil Rights Movement was not met with violence, then you are delusional. Did you forget that he was assassinated?

3. If you have found yourself using anything similar to the phrase "violence never solved anything", then you must have conveniently forgotten the history and foundation that this country has been built on. When is the last time our military showed up in the Middle East to peacefully protest? If violence never solves anything, why are police officers inciting violence on peaceful protests across the nation? They were literally macing elected government officials yesterday.

4. If you have ever made reference to #BlueLivesMatter and/or #AllLivesMatter, why do you only use this rhetoric when we say Black Lives Matter? We know that the lives of police officers matter because we’ve seen them protected and acquitted time and time again for murdering innocent Black people. If you are angry because you feel like ‘good cops’ are being targeted, why haven’t you been equally angry when ‘good black people’ are still being racially profiled and killed by those sworn to protect them? No innocent life deserves to be taken, but this is not a competition to see whose life matters more. Although if it was, I think that past and current actions have shown us a clear answer.

5. If you were outraged that Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in peaceful protest against police brutality, why do you think that peaceful protest is the answer now? Clearly that did not help. You all still did not get it. Hopefully you weren’t one of the people rioting and burning your Nikes when they endorsed him afterwards.

6. And lastly, if you’ve found yourself saying, “I can’t be silent anymore” – please please please ask yourself why you’ve made the decision to EVER be silent about the mistreatment or murder of an innocent person. 

Nothing in this post is up for debate. If you find yourself feeling offended or defensive, check your privilege and educate yourself.