There’s an organization based in Chicago called Life After Hate that exists to shepherd white supremacists out of hate groups. This is a good thing – obviously. The stories of people who have left this world are both terrifying and inspiring.
At a gathering of people interested in hearing about the 2022 National White Privilege Conference a couple weeks ago, someone asked about inviting former white supremacists to speak at the conference. Dr. Eddie Moore, the Founder of WPC, stated that he hadn’t considered this for a couple of reasons. He is trying to avoid potential drama for one thing. The Klan has shown up at previous conferences to protest. And he doesn’t want current or former klansmen to take the attention away from a conference that works to educate people about white privilege and white supremacy – especially in its more subtle forms.
It occurs to me – as well – that inviting “former white supremacists” to an event like this perpetuates the stereotype that white supremacists (or former members of such groups) look like the guy pictured above: racist tattoos, muscular, bearded.
Actually the most prevalent white supremacists in the United States look like the other person pictured. She seems like a nice lady. She might even be a church lady. And she has very little idea about how she perpetuates white supremacy in her church, her neighborhood, and her world, but she’s trying to do the work. Still, she doesn’t realize all the times she expects things to work out for her because they always have. She doesn’t pick up on the ways the world sees her as more trustworthy than a person who is similar to her except for skin color. She doesn’t realize the subtle ways she keeps white supremacy alive herself.
This is what white supremacy looks like. It looks like me and those who look like me. We have a lot of work to do.
Top image source. The bottom photo is a picture of this blog’s author.
Jan, I appreciate you. My picture could go there, too.
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So, what’s a law abiding White Christian male to do ? Appears society (political correctness) now expects the White race to roll over and give what {those of us} have worked hard for all our lives, to someone who hasn’t done anything – and it absolutely has NOTHING to do with the color of ones skin.
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Thanks for you comment Mark. I don’t know what someone’s asking you to give away.
I’m talking about recognizing our nation’s history of privileging people with white skin and how those privileges continue. Many folks still believe that white people are superior to those with other skin colors. And some of us say we don’t believe this, but our lives – perhaps subtly- show that we do believe it.
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I keep thinking of the hymn….”God IS Working His Purpose Out.” vs. 3, March we forth in the strength of God,
with the banner of Christ unfurled,
that the light of the glorious gospel of truth
may shine throughout the world:
fight we the fight with sorrow and sin
to set their captives free,
that earth may filled
with the glory of God
as the waters cover the sea.
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