Time for the top 10 things White people don’t do—written for all my basketball teammates, friends, poets and the countless others who faced down racism’s evil. It should be stated for fairness that these only apply to some, not all, White people (WP).
WP don’t understand what it’s like to drop off one of your son’s friends in an affluent neighborhood and then be forced (for no reason) from the car, to the ground, at gun point.
WP don’t get the facts when they are clearly presented, always defending White police officers, killers of young Black men since time began.
WP don’t comprehend just how racist they are in their daily speech, thoughts, acts, attitudes, perspectives, views, deeds and overall lack-of-mannerisms.
WP don’t feel the pain they cause. They would never do what they do if they did. (It is almost as if they can’t feel or have empathy for anyone except for their own.)
WP don’t admit racism is still alive and well, because they don’t want to or won’t change.
WP don’t know what it is like to fear the police instead of respect them.
WP don’t experience the horrors, pains, indignities and injustices of all they have done and are still doing. If they could, they might be different and change.
WP don’t clearly see their own role in the past, present and future of unfairly oppressing Black America and the other peoples of color, worldwide.
WP don’t do the right thing; they do the “White thing.” Many times they don’t even do what they say they’ll do.
WP don’t care as long as it doesn’t personally affect them or their money—dollar bills ya’ll. Everyone and everything else is expendable in their eyes.
WP don’t come to grips with reality, the Golden Rule, math, science, human nature, reason, logic, empathy, and the obvious, to name a few.
OK, that was 11 plus, but some WP have a lot of things on their plate. They’re so busy making decisions for minorities, women, the poor, the elderly, and our young that they just can’t seem to find the time to do the right thing or at times, even see straight.
Keeping America safe and profitable for WP can’t be easy. Creating all those loopholes, slanting all those programs, rigging all those districts, elections, courts, rules, and laws takes a lot of time and energy. Hell, WP are just as sick and tired as they can be of all the extra paper work they have to go through to kill, or frame, imprison, execute and bury a brother. In their minds, there’s got to be an easier, faster way and they will make it happen and legal once they find it.
WP are just fed up, what with how much extra work on their part it takes to keep a brother down. They used to do a fraction of the oppressing and keep all the profits. Now they are actually working really hard and making less off Blacks’ backs…go figure.
This isn’t what those White founding fathers had in mind at all.
Those “3/5’s of a man” idea guys were the original “OLD-G’s,” pimp-slapping the Native Americans and their Momma (Great Britain). Taking Blacks because they could and they wanted ’em. Now, that was gangsta.
If the flip flop was on the other foot, if the wife beater was on the other chest, if the prison look (beltless-saggy-baggy pants) were hanging off the other cheek, White people might start to get a clue—an inkling—of just what Black America has had to try to deal with and overcome.
It is a true testament to Black folks everywhere: their resiliency, tolerance, patience, forgiveness, and acceptance, especially in light of the way WP don’t and won’t ever apologize. It feels as if the Black leaders like Dr. King are the best examples of what America could be and is supposed to be about. Imagine that: Black folks setting the bar at the highest level for the betterment of everyone, all could follow. Now there’s a higher calling WP just don’t understand or agree with.
Sean C. Bowers is a Norfolk, Va.-based progressive youth development coach, author and poet and has been a Black press contributor for 16 years. His recent book of more than 120 articles detailing multiple issues is available via e-mail at V1ZUAL1ZE@aol.com.
