Yes, you can be ra.cist to white people.
Let's go
into detail, ignoring for a second the blatant
generalisation here.
1. What is ra.cism?
I read a tumblr post that said it was "prejudice +
intstitutionalised, systematic oppression".
That is buIIshit. You don't need
organised, concious oppression. You don't need a
government or a 'system' or a preached belief to
breed ra.cism. All you need is hatred, and ignorance. That
is all. Ra.cism is prejduice, and that's all. Stop
flowering it up to be some political agenda, stop building
podiums and ditches because you want to wax lyrical about
how unfair people's lives are. It's ignorant,
it's rude, and more than anything, it's stupid
because it's so offensive to people who HAVE suffered
ra.cism, WITHOUT your
'the-whole-world-needs-to-be-out-to-get-you'
belief. Let's look at islamaphobia for example; muslims
have the same right as every other citizen in the UK (for
example, just as applicable in the entire western world).
We are not depicted as monsters. They do not teach in
schools that we are below anyone else. Muslims are not
oppressed in the western world. But there is rampant
ra.cism, inexusable ra.cism, and very obvious and tangible
ra.cism. THAT happened, not because white people colonised
the land and preached about how they were overlords, but
because of fear, and ignorance. And when your father is
killed by a stranger in a war your government has waged,
who you can identify by only their faith and ethnicity, and
you need someone to hate; when you hear about terrorists
who call themselves Muslims, and you don't know /real/
muslims; when you're scared, and you don't know
anything else, you're going to hate. And you're
going to need someone to hate. And hatred can be blinding.
THAT is ra.cism. Right there. Don't you dare tell
anyone that there are 'criteria' that must be met
for someone to be ra.cist. Because you know what happens if
you do that? If you tell people that there is 'no such
thing' as being ra.cist to a certain group? When
someone IS ra.cist to them, it can be overlooked. And you
create all the problems you claim don't affect
them.
2. Who can be ra.cist?
You. Me. Everyone and anyone. A slave or a king or a mother
or a teacher. The oppressed can be ra.cist. Someone from a
minority group can be ra.cist. There are no 'rules'
about this. There are no boxes that need to be ticked.
3. To whom can someone be ra.cist?
Right. This is where the issue is. I was having a
conversation earlier, and one of the replies I got when I
made my point was this: "You cannot be ra.cist towards
white people. Even if white people are a
"minority" in places, they still have privilege
over POC. Remember colonization?" -- and then, also
this: "there is not a system that oppresses
whites". Really? Okay. I'll talk about
colonisation and your 'oppressive' regimes in a
second. First, let's please look at the fact that
'white people', as you so gently put it, are not
magical or on a pedestal, are not anything but human - so
of course they're going to be hurt when someone denies
them something for their colour of skin. Anyone would be. I
would be (and sometimes am...*sob story*). Who you are
doesn't stop you from getting hurt. Who your ancestors
were doesn't exempt you from being targeted. And how
rich you are or how much power you have does not mean
people cannot hate you, and will not hurt you. I just-
can't- sldkfjsdlkfjds. ACCEPT THAT YOU CAN BE RA.CIST
TO WHITE PEOPLE LIKE YOU CAN BE TO ANYONE. ANYONE.
AANNYOOONEEEEEE.
4. Where can ra.cism happen?
also titled -- Where is ra.cism towards white people
present?
Because maybe it's just me being exposed to only
privelaged kids who can only see as far as they're back
garden. Maybe it's just me who's been to places
like Pakistan, the USA, Dubai (JUST to name very few
examples) and can compare them. Pakistan = white people are
a minority, and where you will get glares, curses, and
perhaps worse depending on how unlucky you are, if you are
white. A word in Urdu, 'gora' means white person;
it is not very often said without negative connotations,
and is the only word in common language to refer to white
people. You know why that happened? Because hatred, and
fear. Because colonisation and years of oppression do not
breed respect or kindness in the indigenous people, as
surprising as that muuuust be to read. Then the USA = where
I've gotten glares and stares and curses for wearing a
hijab, for saying a prayer under my voice, for speaking in
Urdu. Why did that happen? Because fear, and hatred, and
ignorance. Dubai = one of the most multicultural places
I've ever been. You will not get stares if you are
white. Or if you are like me, and wear a hijab. Why?
Because a lot of people from different places live there,
because it is a city in the middle of a desert and most of
it is made of people who are not 'from' there.
Because there is not as much ignorance. So where can
ra.cism happen? It can happen anywhere where people
don't know. Where that skin colour might be unusual.
Look at North Korea - whenever ANY white people go there,
which is very rarely and usually a reporter or something,
you will get stares, and so much fear. And that's for
other reasons, too, obviously, but it's a prime
example. Do don't you dare say that it's impossible
to be ra.cist to white people because there are no regimes
that oppress them - there are, there can be, and there
needn't be one in the first place. White people (again,
apologies for the gross generalisation) did not, believe it
or not, take over the entire world. They did not COLONISE
EVERYWHERE. And that thing about how 'even if
they're a minority, they still have privileges' -
privileges? WHAT PRIVILEGES? How ignorant must someone to
be to actually believe that no matter where you are in the
world, white people - whether the minority or majority -
are considered 'better' because of who was there
first? Because firstly, they weren't everywhere first.
Secondly, it's not just ABOUT who was there first.
Thirdly, even if they WERE there first and they oppressed
the indigenous people (for example, Australia? - correct me
if I'm wrong on this one, sorry), it does in no way
exempt them from hatred or fear or prejudice.
5. The issue of reverse ra.cism.
Okay. I haven't addressed this yet, and it's really
important. I'm assuming if you've read this far,
you'll know what it is (although it does speak for
itself). And I think that in, for example, the USA
(although I can't speak from experience), reverse
ra.cism isn't a thing. I agree that there isn't a
system of oppression in generally, the Western world as a
whole, towards 'white people'. However, I think
it's the stupidest thing in the world to say that just
because this isn't the case, it's impossible to be
ra.cist towards white people based on their skin colour.
That's not true. Besides, it's naive to think that
ra.cism is just about skin colour, because it isn't -
it's about what is associated with those people, it is
about prejudice of what people OF that colour are like, and
it is both personal AND societal views. There is more to it
than just feeling uncomfortable because 'they don't
look like you'. There is more to ra.cism than a society
that hates you - and while that's important, and
that's an issue, and it may not apply to 'white
people' wherever YOU happen to be from, don't dare
say that it means that ALL ra.cist acts towards white
people are nonexistant and it doesn't happen anywhere
else in the world. I kindly ask that anyone who is
convinced that you can't be ra.cist to white people
because they are white pull there head out of the sand, and
look beyond their back garden. The world is bigger than a
privileged area. I could say so much more on reverse
ra.cism, but this isn't the place to.
7. Why do I care so much?
Because I think it's important. Because I know that if
people start saying that it's impossible to be ra.cist
to a particular group of people, bad things happen. Because
anyone came up to me and said "it is impossible to be
ra.cist to people of your skin colour," I'd be
scared, and furious. Because you cannot know the entire
story across the world. Because you cannot generalise to
such an ignorant degree. Because you have no f.cking right
to tell someone whether or not they are ALLOWED to be
offended. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THAT. None. Because the
world is bigger than what you see right in front of
you.
Oh, and guess what,
angry commenter? I'm not white.
I'm just not stupid. Go on and TRY and accuse me for
just writing this because I was offended because 'i
want the right to be pitied'. Just. F.cking.
Try.
Okay. That's my
rant.
Bye.
Kidding. Anywho. You're so wise and perfect and amazing. Thanks for being you because honestly, I think people need to grow some smarts or something. Except you don't. You have so many smarts. You should share some of your smarts. You're a brilliant, perfect person. So yea.
http://media.tumblr.com/0a04eac5ac759d8ed88c052f4d3dd507/tumblr_inline_n8072hcbgg1riqfqx.jpg
and whoever's thumbing down all the comments grow up you're pathetic
I'm tired, I've ranted for like two hours, and I'm done with this topic. Good f.cking night.
>.<