I have white privilege. I grew up poor and I don’t feel like anyone ever gave me anything, but I still have white privilege. If you’re white, you have that same privilege. You had the privilege of not being afraid by stepping outside. If you want to help fight racism, the first thing you need to recognize is your privilege.
It’s not enough for white people to not be racist. White people now have to, need to be anti-racist. You need to speak out. It’s not enough that you “don’t see race,” and you’re probably lying when you say that. It’s OK to see race. But what you and I need to do is to join the fight against racism.
George Floyd was killed by police. Before they killed him, the police tortured him. They tortured him for 9 minutes in public, in broad daylight and in front of a crowd. The police believed they could get away with it. So far, they kinda-sorta have gotten away with it. While the cop who killed George Floyd and the three others who stood by and watched were all fired, none has been arrested or charged for any crimes. That is white privilege. It’s also police privilege.
While Donald Trump, as president (sic) has said he didn’t like what he saw, he has refused to say the police should be arrested or charged. Keep in mind, he’s screamed for President Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Congressman Adam Schiff, and even MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough to be charged and arrested. That is white privilege along with moronic privilege.
When white people see what’s going on and they have more to say about a riot and burning businesses than they do about the killing of George Floyd, that is white privilege. That is also racism.
It’s white privilege to look at burning buildings and to just pass it off as not having anything to do with the killing of George Floyd.
Refusing to try to understand why a building is set on fire after the murder of a black man by police is white privilege. You don’t have to approve of a riot, but you need to understand where it’s coming from. You need to understand why. It’s more than an opportunity to steal stuff or set the world on fire. And trust me, when that building is a police station, it’s a statement. It’s a loud statement and you still may not hear it.
It’s white privilege to scream having to wear a mask in public is a violation of your liberty and civil rights while not fighting for other people when their right to vote has been taken away.
It’s white privilege to claim you’ve never had white privilege.
It’s white privilege to look out your window and look forward to the day that we can socialize with friends, go to a bar or a restaurant, and return to normal.
When a black American looks out their window and see police killing another black man, they see we are returning to normal.
And when we can all go back outside, it will be back to normal for them because they don’t have our privilege.
White people, you have white privilege. You couldn’t get rid of it if you wanted to. But you can use it to help our fellow Americans get that same privilege. The racist dog lady weaponized race. Weaponize your white privilege for our fellow citizens because it’s just as much their country as it yours.
It’s not enough to not be racist. Be anti-racist.
But, all and any help is greatly appreciated and it helps keep me going. Think of me like a street performing busking out tunes on a corner (I won’t play “Wonderwall.” I promise). If you like the tune, or in this case, toon, throw a buck into the tip jar. It’ll help me play another song, draw another toon, write another blog, make another video, and post another snarky post on social media. It’ll help keep me alive. You can also order a signed print for $40. And if you don’t like the PayPal option, you can snail mail it to my P.O. Box.
You can purchase a signed print of this cartoon.
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CLAYTOONZ 
I went off on a rant last night that said emotionally what you just said above. Only I tried to make it personal. Who is right, your calmness or my vitriol. I’m not sure. Sometimes a person needs to SCREAM. It helps let the stress out. And racism is stressful. So is anti-racism…
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the tough part about all this is, what can you possibly say to someone about all this? What can you say to a POC about Mr. Floyd and how disgusting it is what happened to him? I think the worst thing about Mr. Floyd’s death and the manner in which is happened was that it was a very powerless moment. It was good it was videotaped (though I can’t bring myself to watch it–I tear up just looking at the pics). But with people, bystanders, screaming that Mr. Floyd is clearly dying and he’s already not fighting and handcuffed so they can let him up, and the cop just ignores them… what it must have been like to be in that crowd. Knowing that this is wrong and screaming for it to stop… and the other cops also did nothing. THAT gets me. The people watching were right–they knew he was dying and the cops were crap for what they did.
And the look on the cop’s face in some of the pictures when he looks up, like he’s annoyed and inconvenienced by what the crowd is yelling at him. He’s got all the power and he knows it. When I see that look, I see a daring look that says “What are you gonna do about it?” I wonder if he wanted things to escalate. I wonder what would’ve happened if someone had rushed out of the crowd to push him off so Mr. Floyd could get some air.
That look on the cop’s face makes me wonder. And what the other cops were doing while this was going on. Again, can’t bring myself to look at the vid–were they watching the man die, or protecting their buddy on the ground, back to him to face the crowd?
That was the most powerless moment I think I’ve heard about in that crowd. And that powerlessness… that’s what needs to be listened to. It’s insane. Some bloggers I’ve read have called it a lynching. I don’t think that’s very far off the mark. Certainly can’t think of a better word myself.
What can white folks do at moments like this? With this powerlessness in full view? Listen. That’s all I can think. Just listen to those who know, who’ve been through this powerlessness. There’s a lot to learn. I’m so angry at all this. I can’t imagine how angry POC’s are right now. And I won’t. I’d rather listen if they’re willing to speak, because they know far more than me.
Be well out there, dear readers. Sorry so long, it’s just tough to process.
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It’s not enough, but think about how helpless you feel about all the horrible things Trumplestiltskin is doing to America, and then multiply that by at least 1000. From the time people of colour, I refuse to shorten it to three letters, meet their first white person, even if that white person does not have a racist bone in their body, they
begin to feel inferior. They know something is wrong, but they can’t understand it..
At least one cop, the one directly behind Chauvin, is looking around like making sure no one will interfere. The others I don’t know, but that cop would have drawn his gun and fired at anyone approaching them.He at least was party to the murder, and should be charged with 1st degree murder, since it was caused during the comission of a crime.
Whatever, I won’t be surprised if the riots rival the ones in 1967. There is so much tension and stress.
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