Racism 101: Are you a Racist?

Recently, I read a post that talked about how telling people to go look things up on Google was a problem. It was pretty interesting. The short of it was that telling people to look things up on Google would very likely link them to even more racist things instead of actually teaching them anything.

With the amount of racism that people vomit onto the internet, this seems like a pretty reasonable statement to make.

Here’s where I stop feeling bad for the poor racists though-You are here, on Tumblr, right now. Sure there are plenty of PoC who are telling you to go do your research. Rightly so. The problem is, there are PLENTY of people who have dedicated their entire blogs to doing just that. PoC who have extended themselves and who have opened their ask boxes even with the reality that their emotions will NOT be considered in any way. There are people, right here, right now, who are open to helping the poor misunderstood racists. 

Google may not be the very best place to send a racist. Here’s the bigger issue. How many of them or looking in the first place? How many of them are actually going to Google and researching why their own ignorance is not okay? Go ahead, I’ll wait…

I’d bet money that you came up with the same number that I did.

These allies that are here for the betterment of humanity, they aren’t on Google either. They found us. They found PoC to help them understand. They went in search, they knew we were here because we are everywhere. There is always some PoC who is willing to hold the hand of those who want more understanding. Frankly, the problem ISN’T that there are no PoC willing to do this. It’s that racists feel entitled to demand that all PoC do this.

I am a person who has constructed my blog in a way that would make it easier for a seeker to find information. My links are set up so you can click, search and read. My blog has been set up this way for months. Almost since it’s inception. Yet, still-to this day, I am getting replies on my posts that say “Well, why don’t you explain it then?” I have explained it. In detail. I linked it FOR YOU. I told you where to look. I did every single thing I could possibly do to make it easier FOR YOU. You still want more.

No, Google is not the problem. You are. PoC telling you to do your own research is not the problem. You are. 

I don’t feel bad for people being told to look on Google because I know that they aren’t. I know, as does every other PoC, that those who want the information, will look for it. There comes a point where everything has been said and every argument has been made. A point where we are doing nothing but repeating ourselves. A point where we are doing nothing but repeating each other. For what? For who? Those that are with us, will find us. Those that are not, won’t. Nor will they “Google it.”