Observed 'White Guilt'

[1StrongBlackMan]

32. Here's a Thought Exercise ...

Imagine you joined that same reading group. Upon joining you are introduced to the members. Being the smart and quick study that you are, you commit the names to memory and as the respectful person that you are, one use the member's name, whenever you address them.

One of the members is introduced to you by the name of "Piggy."

During the gathering, one of the member who was introduced to you as "Piggy", makes a particularly insightful and cogent point, which you acknowledge. Then, he/she makes another, then another, point that you find to be spot on ... clearly, "Piggy" is one of the brighter, more insightful people in the room

After the event, while having coffee you strike up a conversation with "Piggy" ... and find that he/she really enjoys the intellectual stimulation that the reading group offers; but he/she confides that she/he is deeply hurt by people calling her/him "Piggy", and that he/she prefers her/his given name, Bobby/Bobbie.

In subsequent meetings, people continue referring to her/him as "Piggy" ... but you, with the knowledge that that name is offensive to him/her, refrain and refer to "Piggy" as Bobbie/Bobby.

Now ... you have two choices: you can raise the issue, expressing to the larger group that she/he is offended by the name; or, you can remain silent and allow the practice to continue ... after all, you had/have nothing to do with Bobby/Bobbie being over weight, nor did you have anything to do with the group's using that name.

Now ... to address the OP ... If you choose the first option, you would be like the "Observed white guilt" woman ... she recognizes a phenomena and communicates that observation to the larger group ... whether the group accepts or even acknowledges the phenomena, or not. On the other hand, if you choose to remain silent (even as you personally refrain from engaging in the conduct), you cannot say that your silence does not perpetuate the status quo (i.e., the continuing use of the hurtful name).

Also, the "white guilt" that the right likes to talk about is the mere mention of, but more particularly, any actions by white people to address racism.