So, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my new book, ‘Black Prophetic Fire’, by Dr. Cornel West, PhD., as well as an essay by educator, Tim Wise, ‘White Denial is an American Tradition: It’s Time to Bury It’. Both works are deeply informing my social philosophies, ideologies, historical perspective, and worldview, especially the later. It also informs my theology and reading of passages like Colossians 3 (more on that in a minute). Mr. Wise says that white denial (yes, this is a living, yet diseased reality in our American context) must be buried… Well, I slightly disagree. Reason being: how can you properly bury something that is not dead yet? Frankly, it must die first!

“Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature…” – Colossians 3:5 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Mr. Wise suggests that “white folks have rarely ever believed racism to be much of a problem”, which is very true, but it’s more than that. We have to think about why that is, and then ponder how much of the truth does that naivety actually represent? When reading this quote I thought of 20th century community organizer and civil rights activist, Fannie Lou Hamer’s famous words: “They [white racists, supremacists, paternalists, and deniers] know what they have done to us [black people].” These white deniers are not just simply unconscious to the atrocities that have occurred throughout American history; many of them consciously dismiss it as unimportant and irrelevant. Why, because in their privileged mind, it doesn’t affect them. No one who’s lived in the U.S. for any prolonged period of time can be THAT oblivious of the poor race-relations existing within this nation, nor its history. I think the greater percentage of white deniers are well aware of what is going on and what has happened in the past, but they consciously choose to ignore it because the oppressive system, their majority status, and racial privilege afford them the ability to do so. “Whenever a system works to your benefit, taking that system for granted becomes second nature. We don’t see what others who are harmed by that system see, because we don’t have to (Wise, 2018).” This is white privilege, and I commend Mr. Wise (a 49 year old white man) for owning the truth; I wish more people like him would.

“Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, and have put on the new self [Christ], which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” – Colossians 3:9-10 (Berean Study Bible)

White denial is historic. Most white slave owners never questioned their systems of oppression, no matter how many black and brown people it hurt or even killed. Whites that didn’t own slaves never questioned these systems either, neither did many of them join abolitionist movements, nor support them; this makes them all complicit. If you don’t seek to correct injustice, you are complicit in it; if you don’t stand against injustice, you are complicit in it; if you don’t speak against injustice, you are complicit in it (contextually speaking). Mr. Wise calls this being: “implacably aligned with white supremacy (2018).” This may seem like a large, deep, and general indictment…well…that’s because it’s true and it’s real. For example: if someone is dying in your home and you don’t call the emergency services or rush that person to the hospital, guess who will possibly get in trouble…? We cannot stand by and watch people suffer and do nothing when we have the power to do something. When we choose to do nothing, we become complicit, feeding the various cycles of oppression. Moreover, white racism deniers cannot get off the hook by only calling out the most blatant iterations like slavery or indigenous genocide—that’s weak consciousness and cheap justice, or as Mr. Wise says, that kind of condemning takes “no more courage than crossing the street (2018).” Furthermore, it’s a gimcrack attempt to divest themselves of having to do any further social, moral, ethical, spiritual, and/or humane work; again, its weak consciousness and faux-justice. Real freedom fighters righteously condemn the macro-aggressions and the micro-aggressions; the covert and the overt; the evil and the bad—condemn it all!

“Bear with one another…” – Colossians 3:13 (New Revised Standard Version)

“But just because truth isn’t pleasing to one’s ears doesn’t mean it’s any less accurate (Wise, 2018).” White racism deniers have never properly allowed black people (or any minority) to own their own truth so easily; they have always sought to diminish the severity of the African-American (and minority) plight and appropriate our protest, dissension, and resistance. But here’s the funny thing, they will crown our heroes, leaders, and activists decades down the line like Dr. King, Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali, Fredrick Douglas, etc. But never are these people admired by white deniers while the system disruptions, reformations, and agitations are taking place; it’s always after the fact. Here’s a weaponized statement white deniers often employ: “All these protests are divisive.” PLEASE TELL ME HOW WE SHOULD PROTEST OUR OWN OPPRESSION, PLEASE!!!???

The white denier narrative: “Colin Kaepernick is dividing the country and making everything about race; I hope he never plays football again, THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!”, says the white racism denier (2018); “you know…I always thought what Colin did was brave and he really woke us all up; let’s give him a holiday…”, says the white denier (2038). “BLACK LIVES MATTER ARE JUST A BUNCH OF THUGS…”, says the white denier (2018); “…you know…I’ve always supported BLM; I even bought a t-shirt…”, says the white denier (2038).

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” – Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)

I peppered this writing with Christian Scripture because I think it’s important to think about these things in the light of faith, hope, love, justice, and reconciliation (major themes in the Bible and the Christian faith). Moreover, no matter what happens in life or who we engage, as Christians, we are called to encounter and contend with all things through the love-ethic we find in Christ Jesus. I love white deniers, especially the ones I grew up with, but as a conscious, religiously devout, and educated black man, I must challenge and be critical of them because in many ways they pervade white racism. We all must challenge the denial of racism in our American context no matter what creed or color it comes in, but white denial is pervasive and historic, and so, it deserves that much more attention. Don’t be afraid to confront the (white) lies of AmeriKKKa (a historically oppressive, racialized power structure) with the truth of oppressed people. Speak it and live it toward the betterment of humanity.

Confront and resist the denial of white racism. The greatest trick of the enemy is to convince you that he doesn’t exist.

T.K.E.G. (Think – Know – Experience – Grow)
~My 2 Cents~

Read Part 2 here.
Read Part 3 here.
Read Part 4 here.