Racism 101: Are you a Racist?

Entitlement. Although you think you have it. You do not. You don’t need an innate understand of my struggle. You need to acknowledge that there is a struggle. You do not need to walk in my shoes to know that there are holes in them. The reason it’s hard for you to see this as a problem is because you don’t have it. You are represented in each and every aspect of your life, American culture, politics, media, the work force, etc. There is a question because you don’t know who we are or what we are going through. I get it. I understand. I know why you are asking.

What I don’t know is why you are asking me. Why you are asking any other PoC you happen to know. Why are you feeling like we are the teacher of your PoC experience? That thinking, shows your privilege. 

How else are you gonna learn?

This is your question, right? Not once, not one single time when you felt entitled to ask someone about how they felt about something dealing in race, NOT ONCE did you consider looking up the EXTENSIVE library of literature written BY PoC talking about the very topic you are asking us about? Not even a consideration, huh?

Never crossed your mind.

You see, contrary to your belief, we are not here to service you. Not in that “I was just curious” kind of way. Not in that “Well, you’re here so I’ll ask” kind of way. Not even in that “Go to source” kind of way. There are people who get paid for the time it takes to answer these questions. No, it isn’t about money. It’s about the fact that you feel OWED answers for my feelings, reactions and my fucking existence.

That IS what you are asking me about by the way.

YOU ARE ASKING FOR ANSWERS TO MY EXISTENCE. Not just MY existence but you want explanations for the existence of my ENTIRE RACE.

This is why my asks are off. This is why.

On my personal tumblr, I wrote something about race and the questions came flooding in. All shit like “Is it racist if I…” and “Would a black person think it was racist for me to…”

You feel ENTITLED to ask these questions to your “Friends” though, right?

If you just read that and thought “I’ve asked questions but nothing stupid like that.” YOU ARE WRONG TOO.

Do your homework. That is what it is. YOUR homework. It’s not my homework. I don’t have these questions, you do. Look up Authors that are PoC talking about the lives of PoC. Those books exist. 

I AM NOT ONE OF THE BOOKS.

YOUR FRIEND THAT IS A PoC IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BOOKS.

Your questions, no matter how “Good intention-ed” are insulting, irritating and let me know that you don’t respect me or my race enough to know that I AM NOT YOUR WORK STUDY PARTNER.