A few thing I need to say about a matter that recently elicited some pretty hurtful replies from some otherwise amazing Norwegians:
1. The first and foremost judge on whether something is racist or not is the people who experience it. Typically these are people who have experienced it all their lives and *know* it when they see it. Do not gaslight them and try to question their lived experience. Listen.
2. That something is legal doesn't make it not racist. When we're talking about institutional racism, we are *literally* talking about laws. These laws are never explicit about their racism; they know they can't be. Instead they serve racist outcomes and simple not care.
3. Just coz an entity is implementing racist policies based upon legal precedents that it can't change, doesn't make it less racist. I would expect said entity to at least own up to how ugly the policy is even as it says "it's not up to us". To deny it just adds insult to injury.
4. Do not explain away our anger as hysteria, our hurt as "fragility", our refusal to accept demeaning treatment as "irrational". Respect our human experience. We didn't choose to be born in our shoes and you in yours. If you were born in our shoes, you will be as angry as us.
5. Fighting for a society in which nobody feels excluded, dehumanized, discriminated against, or treated as less than human is not a partisan issue. It's not a minority issue. It's not a cultural or sectarian issue. It concerns every last one of us. It's not my fight, it's ours.
6. When someone says "I have been discriminated against, I recognize this treatment very well, and I feel like shit about it" - you need to listen. They aren't whining. They aren't victimizing themselves. It's serious shit, they are expressing themselves and you need to listen.
7. Let's say (for argument's sake) we can't do anything about it - the very act of listening compassionately, treating another's experience as valid and legitimate, is already a big step forward. Racism is worst when it's denied and blamed on you and your "victimhood".
