This Week's Opening Thought: December 4, 2023

Image description: A man is leaning back, removing headphones from his head. He has a look of disgust and anguish on his face as he recoils. Above him are the words, "Me when a person of pallor starts telling me a story about why they're racist like it's a valid reason for being racist."

This week's opening thought for people of pallor: I don't want to sit with you as you spin a yarn about why you're justified in your racist ideology and actions.

I don't want to hear about how you, at age 57, are racist because a Black kid almost stole your wallet when you were 13.

I don't want to engage with your story of being one of the only white kids in a predominately Black, Brown, or melanated neighborhood and how you were picked on in high school when you're currently in your mid-40s.

I don't want to hear your tale about having a crush on a Latine kid when you were in the ninth grade and being dissed by him and his friends, leaving you embarrassed and humiliated unless you're still in the ninth grade for some reason at the age of 30.

What I want is for you to process your trauma through therapy (EMDR is your homey).

What I want is for you to understand that while any incident can impact and traumatize you, one interaction with a melanated person that didn't go your way is not a reasonable bar for developing and cultivating a lifetime of hatred for any particular race.

I want you to digest that I don't want to hear your supervillain origin story.

I want you to be better and do better.

And I want you to understand that damn near every melanated person you meet in life could have a supervillain origin story, but we decided to make a left instead of a right when we got to the fork in the road.

Racism is villainy. It ain't even super. It's just villainy. And it is significantly so if you're a person of pallor who regularly benefits from dominant culture and white supremacy. Stop trying to justify and seek validation for your hate.

Save the supervillain origin stories for the comic books.

You ain't fly enough to be Doctor Doom.

(Note: every example above is true. I have had those situations and many more shared with me over the years by "well-meaning" "professionals" of pallor.)

[Image description: A man is leaning back, removing headphones from his head. He has a look of disgust and anguish on his face as he recoils. Above him are the words, "Me when a person of pallor starts telling me a story about why they're racist like it's a valid reason for being racist."]