The American Foundation
Today, and every day, we are calling on ALL of our white American friends, family, and internet strangers:
It is time that we outwardly condemn white supremacy and acknowledge that this country was founded on the roots of racism and white supremacy.
It is not enough to remain silent anymore.
We cannot afford to remain silent anymore.
White people: It is OUR job to call out racism, and to call out white supremacy. It is unfair of us to expect the Black community to address and fix the rampant racism in this country.
We as white people must be at the frontline equally fighting and confronting these issues that are deeply rooted in America. And we are truly shocked and disappointed that after four years of chaos, lies, violence, and hate, that we still see plenty of white people turn the other way.
And THAT is white privilege, being able to turn away because these things don’t affect you.
As the great Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote:
“First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate.
I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can’t agree with your methods of direct action;” who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a “more convenient season.”
Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” (Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 1963)
We must continue to educate ourselves and call out racism when we see it. Because we know it’s there, right at our family dinner table. We must unite and stand up for those whose voices are not being heard.
White American allegiance to the moderate side is equivalent to enabling the white supremacy bully.
Bystanders are complicit to the bully.
We must not be compliant bystanders anymore.
We CANNOT afford to be compliant in our government, both local and federal. We must pressure our representatives and congresspeople. We must press on for equality for all races, genders, sexual orientations, and religions.
We must remember where this [stolen] land came from. We must remember our history so we stop repeating it.
We must acknowledge our hateful history as a country in order to begin to heal.
We truly hope that one day we can unite as a country. But we cannot do that until justice has been served and until history is acknowledged… until we as white Americans stop being bystanders, re-educate ourselves, and actively, collectively call out any type of inequality, discrimination, racism, intolerance, prejudice, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, bigotry… etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.
Staying silent means being complicit. There cannot be true American unity without accountability.
This SH, LLC post was co-created with staff writer & editor Hayleighhuston ❤
