They say it’s divisive to point to bad policies as the racial problem and not people. Meaning they think it’s unifying to go after certain racial groups as the problem. 1/11
They say it’s divisive to say the racial groups are equals. Meaning they think it’s unifying to claim certain racial groups are superior or inferior. 2/11
They say it’s divisive to recognize and respect different cultures. Meaning they think it’s unifying to tell proud cultural groups to assimilate into a supposedly superior White American culture. 3/11
They say it’s divisive to say #BlackLivesMatter. Meaning they think it’s unifying to respond to #BlackLivesMatter with All Lives Matter, even though all lives are not dying at equal rates from state violence and COVID-19. 4/11
They say it’s divisive to diagnose racism in America. Meaning they think it’s unifying to tell Black and Brown and Indigenous people crying out “I can’t breathe” that the knee of racist policies is not on their necks. 5/11
They say it’s divisive to root out racist power and policy. Meaning they think it’s unifying to maintain or defend a White supremacist nation with racial inequities and disparities and people suffering all around us. 6/11
They say it’s divisive to say someone is being racist. Meaning they think it’s unifying to tell the person on the other side of the racist act that pointing out the problem is the problem, and not the racist act. 7/11
They say it’s divisive to render “not racist” absolutely meaningless. Meaning they think it’s unifying to allow people who are being racist to keep telling their victims again and again that they are “not racist.” 8/11
They say it’s divisive to critique American exceptionalism. Meaning they think it’s unifying to preach American exceptionalism to people who have been systemically terrorized, enslaved, impoverished, disenfranchised, exploited, raped, segregated, incarcerated, and deported. 9/11
They say it’s divisive to teach Americans the complex truth about American racism. Meaning they think it’s unifying to teach Americans simple lies about America—about other Americans. 10/11
Mark my words. There are few things more divisive than racism.
Mark my words. There are few things more unifying than antiracism. 11/11
Mark my words. There are few things more unifying than antiracism. 11/11
