Dear White People...

By KAROL QUERIDO ‘22

With the weather starting to get warmer and school finally winding down, it seems like summer is here. As the seniors prepare to receive a diploma in the mail (my condolences, by the way) and head off into adulthood, they will have to come to the point of eventually realizing the reality of the world they are entering. I am not talking about the coronavirus crisis, although that is still a very valid concern. Rather, I am talking about the blatant disregard for human life in this country: for black human lives. In the midst of a pandemic already disproportionately affecting the black community (don’t try to argue with me on this one), innocent black men are being killed on a weekly basis by police officers who are supposed to protect and serve them. Many people are prone to misinterpreting these recent incidents as an indication that racism in America is heightening or getting worse. However, if you consider the recent events of police brutality to be unfathomable and surreal, then you have had the privilege of ignoring or being unaware of the multitude of other incidents that have happened to black people in this country. I am in no way blaming people who are just now becoming conscious of the horrors we have seen in the past week regarding George Floyd. I congratulate those who have attempted to spread awareness and educate themselves because I understand how hard it is to come from a sheltered place in your mind into a world of disarray. 

However, I’ve seen a lot of backlash on social media about posting certain things and what is actually effective and what is not. Many people deem the spreading of graphic videography of murder as counterprodutive and tramautizing to that person’s family and all viewers. Videos of a person’s last breath are, of course, hard things to watch. However, they are the only things that are sparking change, rendering them necessary. By now, most people have heard of the Ahmaud Arbery incident, but the fact that it took place in February is often disregarded. Roughly three months later, the video of Arbery being shot while peacefully jogging was released, bringing it to public attention and causing people to decide to take a stand. Without the release of that video, Ahmaud would’ve been just another black life senselessly taken from us. Yes, the videos are disturbing, but if you are severely bothered by them, ask yourself what it’s like for the person in that video, or their family, or even just every black person in America to live that reality. It’s insensitive to complain about having to see someone die while protected by a shield that is your white skin as you watch the videos. I, myself, along with a large portion of the black community, have been desensitized to such horrific videos or incidents because we are constantly alert about the injustices black people face, and we have no choice but to be aware. It is extremely easy for white people to say that the riots in Minneapolis are going too far because it is extremely easy for them to ignore the corruption of the justice system, especially since they are the ones in control of this country.

 Even in times of crisis, we cannot turn to our president for solace because he is part of the problem. In a recent tweet, he called the Minnesota protesters “THUGS” and emphasized that the uncontrollability of the looting will, in his mind, warrant “shooting.” Not only is the use of the word 'thugs' problematic because of the racial and historical weight it carries, but his comment about shooting the looters is exactly what we are protesting. Trump manages to add fuel to the fire of every political or racial issue in the United States and those who do not see the problem with his actions or tweets regarding this incident need to reflect on their privilege. 

On May 1st, President Trump sided with different protestors carrying rifles and other weapons as they petitioned to get their hair and nails done as part of their 'protected freedoms.' He called them “very good people.” He called us “thugs." There is no debate here: this is white privilege. This is racism so deeply rooted and internalized that some people don’t even see a problem with it. Black people are angry and tired. That is where white people come in: this is your problem too. You will never understand what it’s like to be one of us, but you can make a difference. You can post and share and protest, but if you are doing those things for the sake of a social media presence, a facade, then you are part of the problem too. All lives can't matter until black lives matter, and we have the power to make that happen. Black people do not hate white people, we hate ignorance. We don’t want revenge, we want equality. We have every right to burn down a country we built if it means we can finally be heard and seen. And with all of that said, God Bless America!