Being an anti-racist is different from “not being a racist.” “Not being a racist” does nothing to undo racism and is, in the end, just complicity with racism – because we are all part of racist systems. Not working against those systems serves to validate and perpetuate them.
Racism in America (and on this site)
Racism is alive and well in America. But for white people it is mostly hiding in plain site.
Why Does White Supremacy Persist?
What is it that continues to drive white supremacy forward in the United States? Robert Jensen, in his little book, The Heart of Whiteness, explains...
- The Heart of Whiteness (Robert Jensen, 2005, City Lights Publishers).
- Desmond Tutu
Origins of Whiteness
Educator/activist Jack Straton outlines the history of "whiteness" and how it is used to divert attention and resistance away from policies created by the rich for the rich.
Confessions of a White Ally
Tom Hastings, long time activist and Conflict Resolution instructor at Portland State University, discusses the role of the white ally in events involving people of color.
Combatting Racism with Relationships
Founder/Director of Race Talks (Portland) discusses how to develop relationships with people who are different than you.
Racism – Public Health Crisis
Leslie Gregory, Founder/Director of Right to Health in Portland, Oregon, makes her case to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) for racism being a public health threat.
How to Recognize White Privilege
White privilege is a set of advantages provided to white Americans simply for being born white. Whites have privilege regardless of whether they see, acknowledge, condone, or agree with it; it’s not a choice.
- Christine Emba, Washington Post, January 16, 2016
White People – Think Before Using an Anti-Racist Label
Are you wearing a safety pin? Do you have a BLM sign in your yard? Do you consider yourself to be a "white ally"?
- Dictionary.com
Gerrymandering
Every 10 years many states are allowed to redraw their district boundary lines to influence elections...
Missing the Mark – A Prominent White Evangelical Defines Racism
In July of 2016, Rick Warren felt compelled to preach a sermon on racism at his church in Lake Forest, California. A white evangelical sent me a link to the sermon, adding, “This is a talk by Rick Warren that expresses my feelings about race very thoroughly.”
- A Little Matter of Genocide, Ward Churchill, City Lights Publishers, 1998.
- Racist America: Roots, Current Realities, and Future Reparations, Joe R. Feagin, Routledge (New York), 2001.
What Does it Mean to Show Respect?
Am I morally obligated to show someone respect - or to respect their opinion? Is there a difference? Is there a difference between respecting someone’s opinion and acknowledging their right to have an opinion that’s different from mine?
