Nobody Wants You to Apologize for Being White
--
First of all, how basic is the statement I won’t apologize for being white? Who asked you to? Furthermore, what would that accomplish?
At the heart of that statement is an extremely elementary aka basic understanding of what white privilege means and an even more basic, or elementary, understanding of what is being asked for when BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and allies demand equality.
First of all, your apology wouldn’t fix anything. It wouldn’t fix systemic racism. It wouldn’t change laws. It wouldn’t provide police reform. It would literally do nothing. So what would be the point of you apologizing?
The country should do a formal apology to the descendants of slavery. It is long overdue. Also, there should be reparations, but that’s all the apology that is needed. If you want to argue against reparations or a formal apology for slavery, do that, but don’t take it to the playground and say you won’t apologize for being white.
You’re also failing to realize that this is not about you so please stop centering yourself.
Nobody wants you to feel guilty or sorry that you’re white. Not only is that not likely to happen, but it will not stop systemic racism, change laws, provide police reform, or do anything to end the repercussions of white supremacy in this country.
For the love of everything holy, please stop centering yourself and making everything about you. How can you take an argument about making things fair in this country, where human lives and livelihoods are involved, and make it about your feelings and comfort? It’s the same way you make United States history, aka Critical Race Theory, unfit to be taught because it makes you uncomfortable. This is the epitome of white fragility.
White fragility is defined as discomfort and defensiveness on the part of a white person when confronted by information about racial inequality and injustice.
White fragility is at the center of these nonsensical arguments.
