Thread by @DrAndrewHuang

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
Nice racism - how progressive White people perpetuate racial harm.

This should be good.

"“nice” progressive white people frequently perpetrate the most racial harm in cross-racial spaces. They objectify Black people and people of color, enact daily racist microaggressions, & center their own feelings of shame when called out – that is, they make it all about them."

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
Wow, diAngelo isn't mincing words at all.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
diAngelo calls out ppl on diversity committees, ppl with black friends, who march for #BlackLivesMatter as "nice racists". She says they don't really understand their part in the system, & don't take responsibility.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
Individualism is a myth. Reminds me of @DrIbram's denial (racist) v confession (antiracist) stances.

Gives the example of racist policies giving whites home loans in the 1950s. Later, school funding is based on property taxes. Now schools in black areas are poorly funded because of poor revenue. But the underlying cause was the 1950s racism.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
Just because you grew up white&poor (oppressed) doesn't mean you didn't benefit from white privilege. diAngelo's white skin meant she fit in in grad school and therefore it was easier to lift herself out of poverty. Black people don't get that advantage.

"For too long, white people have used their experiences of oppression to justify not needing to examine racism."

Again, denial is at the heart of racism. #antiracist

And intersectionality gets a mention. Nudge @LiangRhea

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"Willful ignorance and a lack of humility make nice racists dangerous. White people may be racist, but they don't tend to know much about racism itself – especially the way Black people experience it."

Or how yellow or brown ppl experience it either.

"Ignorance is just one of the ways that white people perpetuate racism. Because of segregation, they rarely have to answer to Black people, which means they have little practice in dealing with the discomfort of being called out and held accountable for racism."

"Tackling white supremacy requires a willingness to deal with conflict and respond with humility when called out for racism. This can be messy and hard, and it isn’t always pleasant. But it’s how real progress is made."

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"Using people of colour to prove you're not racist is in fact a racist thing to do."

diAngelo calls this "color-celebrate credentialling". Proximity to POC doesn't mean you're not racist. As an example, enslavers tolerated Black ppl just fine.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"Trying to out-woke others is harmful and counterproductive."

diAngelo recounts what must be a particularly painful memory of going out for dinner with a Black couple. She effectively said "I'm not like my racist family! I'm one of the good white people"

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"Practice decentering yourself and learning from feedback."

This makes me wonder, what sort of sexist or racist things have I said in the past? How can I respond with humility in the future if I'm given feedback?

diAngelo also brings up the concept of tone policing - I think this also applies to the way my wife gives me feedback. I need to engage and acknowledge the content rather than focus on the delivery. 🤣🤣🤣

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…
diAngelo is raising the concept of social acceptability of emotions. E.g. angry white man=powerful; angry Black man=threatening.

diAngelo also notes many white ppl react with shame when confronted. This refers to Brene Brown's work...

Shame is an identity - who we are and something that is fixed; but guilt is something we've done - and so can be changed with practice.

Shame therefore excuses nice racists from doing anything about their behaviour.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"Align your actions with your values and become accountable for the harm you cause."

This reminds me of James - faith without works is dead.

Action means rolling up your sleeves and getting to work. You'll make mistakes but also be vulnerable.

blinki.st/c87019b62fd6?b…"racism is a system, not a personal feeling or intention. All white people grow up absorbing the messages of white supremacy and benefiting from centuries of racist laws designed to privilege them."

Wow. This was a great book summary. I really learnt a lot about how I can improve or address things regarding racism in the future.