One phrase I can’t stand to see or hear is “that’s racist towards white people,” because it’s a complete misnomer. “What do you mean?” you ask. “Anyone can be a racist. Look at the definition.” I did. According to Dictionary.com:
racism: a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
This would be racism in its simplest terms: the belief that one race is better than others, and this definition would suffice if we were still in the fifth grade. However, a key component is left out of this definition: power, and this distinction makes all the difference in the world. Literally. Continue reading “Why I Can’t Be Racist: Understanding Oppression.”