A few points I'd like to make now that 2 incidents have happened to me in the past 48h This goes for both POC and Allies
- Stay safe when calling out racists. Even though this happened in a safe environment in a supermarket, a friend validly pointed out that they could wait outside or around the corner for you if you confront them
- it's very VERY hard, and scary to call people out. You are often in shock in the moment and you don't know what to say or you don't feel safe enough to say something: all over the news people have been victimised for speaking up and sometimes violently assaulted so don't blame the victim for not standing up for themselves. It's not their fault.
- the bystander effect: no one ends up getting involved or helping or saying anything because they all assume someone else will intervene, and it ends up with the victim feeling alone and helpless. If you see this happen, even if you don't want to start a shouting match, go to the victim afterwards and ask if they are okay and validate their experiences.
- people like to dismiss the experience by saying "thank god the racists make up the minority". This is said with good intentions, and is meant to comfort us, but it does the opposite. It distances them from the situation completely and diminishes the severity of the situation.
- Just because you wouldn't scream at someone on the street or in a supermarket due to their race doesn't mean you're not racist. Microaggressions and racism on a smaller scale still exists. I've heard horrible comments from people I consider(ed) friends or my peers, who demonstrate to be perfectly respectable people otherwise. That is still racism.
- no one is perfect, neither are we as POC. We all have unconscious biases and prejudices that we need to constantly try and think about and be aware of in order for change to happen. Saying "the racists are in the minority, I would never do that" is not enough.
- being "not racist" is not enough. We must be ANTI-racist. Not speaking up for or validating someone when needed is a form of violence in itself.
I would just like to finish with the fact that speaking about these things and listening to others experiences is so important for raising awareness. I often feel like it's not happening to other people because I don't see others posting about it and so that's why I do it because I know it helps people reach out and relate and connect with the conversation, as well as educate people. It is not easy so don't take POC for granted when they have to relive horrible experiences and post it publicly to raise awareness.
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