How to have more productive conversations about racism: Stop focusing on individual intent

[llashram]

2. When I engage in any

talks about racism I have always concentrated my facts concerning the historical systemic institutional intent of white racism over the last 350 years.

The massacres of whole black neighborhoods and towns by American white racists on the level of a Rosewood Fla or Tulsa Oklahoma. I have many to pick from. If I have to focus on the individual's intent in perpetuating white racism, I ALWAYS use a Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin et al. Many cases such as these to choose from. I don't try to "persuade" anyone anymore that they are racist or have done a racially stupid thing. I just try to show how a Rosewood or Tulsa or the individual situation/people mentioned they are involved in contributes to that individual's racism.

America has been racist over 350 years, actually from the day John Smith screamed "after the savages" and that genocide began. The Qmerican racism is so ingrained now I think it is part of a racist's DNA. It definitely is not going away. What I hope is to send any person to the historically American context mentioned above. Then I ask them to research and study. Any person once shown has the individual responsibility to change.