1. Many years ago I was invited by the Graun to Graun Towers for a round table discussion on racism. I had been "spotted" as someone on their Comments pages who posted a lot about it, and it was felt that my input might be valuable. So off I trotted, middle-class white me.
2. During the course of the discussion, a Black woman was talking about how racism on social media was harming her, and middle-class white me said "well, can't you just log out?" I was a bit shook by her response.
3. She said words to the effect of "It's OK for you. You can argue all day if you want, then turn off and do something else. I can't turn off being Black and the target of racist abuse.
4. I will admit it: little old middle-class white Guardianista me was irked. It took me a while to get off the high horse that I was galloping around on in my head to realise that she was damn right and I was a fool.
5. I've tried my best since. I haven't always got it right. I apologise to anyone I might have hurt or upset for not getting it right. But the thing is, I try and put myself in the shoes of the BIPOC people who are abused and vilified on SM.
6. The battle on Left Twitter at the moment is painful to so many people for so many reasons. But, as I've said, if you are white, you have an invisible knapsack with you - whether you know it or not - full of benefits and resources that BIPOC people just don't have access to.
7. If you're white, and finding the atmosphere too much to bear, log off, block people, mute conversations, whatever you want. But do remember how lucky you are to be able to do that - to go and do something else, instead of being a Black person suffering racist abuse.
8. If you're a white person hurt because a BIPOC person has been rude or abusive, or called you names, chances are you will feel upset. The answer is not to engage in trench warfare. The answer is to reflect on why it hurt you, but also reflect on that knapsack you have. Peace.🧡
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