This post is aimed at my white friends. My thoughts aren't fully formed about this, but if I wait until they are, I may not post. It is an uncomfortable post. If you don't want to read my ramble, please just watch the video. 🙏❤️
I've been thinking about the subject of this video, and about when I first fully faced and realised what racism meant and how it showed itself in (my) every day interactions. I remember the shame at realising my contributions. In particular an event when I lived in Hackney over 15 years ago, and two black guys with hoods up were chatting near the bushes of a park I had to go through to get to my home. As I passed, with some anxiety, I heard one saying about how important it was that they helped set up some youth group to get the kids off the streets. And in passing, how cold it was. Hence, presumably, hoods up. Part of my anxiety was due to them being men and it being dark (as any woman will understand), but part, to my shame and horror, was due to them being black. I felt incredibly deep sadness when I realised how awful some of my (to me) tiny unconscious actions must have felt to other people - holding my bag tighter, crossing the road etc.
Once we have a full realisation of the truth of racism, it is extremely uncomfortable for us. We have to make a choice. Are we willing to face our own prejudices and banish them, or do we want to return to the bliss of our ignorance, the comfort and security of our white privilege? It's not just the blatent obvious racism that has to be addressed, but the (currently) unconscious actions of us all.
