Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.1

Whiteness of a Different Colour A look at a new age of whiteness, using white guilt to motivate us towards a more productive socially equal future.

Fig.1 both white and black civil rights protesters holding hands during Martin Luther King’s rally in 1963 to create a safety barrier around the event

White guilt...

White sins...

White shame...

White guilt, a divisive phrase in our current society.

Some reject the existence of it through rejecting the concept of white privilege or even the reality of racism. Others feel so defined by the actions of our ancestors and current white counterparts that they don’t know what to do to help the situation when it comes to police brutality, systemic racism and the general race related injustices that happen every day.

Trump ruling America like his own kingdom along with very little actually being done to improve the social situation we find ourselves in, in Western Europe its being left up to us - the general population to change. Protests, petitions and civil action are key to the change we are trying to bring about, showing law makers that the current situation isn’t okay and we want something new from society.

Something that is severely limiting the effectiveness of this is White Guilt, people who could be out there supporting the Black Lives Matter movement aren’t. We need everyone and I mean everyone to create this huge societal overhaul.

This little publication is going to delve in to, what guilt is, the ways that we as a collective may feel guilty and the reasons for each

of these. To give us some sort of resolve and steps forward I also then want to look in to how this grief and guilt can spur on positive action, creating a better situation for all of us.

I feel that I am in a pretty good position to write about white guilt, I am a white man, born in the late 90s. I haven’t experienced any of the huge injustices conducted against black people that were carried out in the preceding centuries. I am part of generation Z, the most interconnected informed generation the human race has seen, and I feel guilty.

I feel so guilty.

Watching innocent people lose their lives on my twitter feed almost weekly is killing me inside.

If this is the pain I am feeling I can only imagine how minority communities are feeling losing brothers and sisters left right and centre. George Floyd’s murder was the last straw for me, I couldn’t do this anymore without trying to say something, do something, anything to help change.

Read, learn, act. We will change the world.

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

What is guilt?

We’ve all felt guilty after doing something we shouldn’t but what actually is it? In its most simple form its our response to doing something that we know is wrong. Willard Gaylin, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeon, wrote: ‘Guilt is the emotion that shapes so much of our goodness and generosity. It signals us when we have transgressed from codes of behaviour that we personally want to sustain. Feeling guilty informs us that we have failed our own ideals.’

So really our sense of guilt means we care for one another and are responsible for one another. Guilt implies that our relationships are somehow broken. Guilt involves an inner feeling which we express when we say “I feel guilty.”

As well as all this I believe that what we call guilt actually encompasses a number of different feelings. Reflecting on the injustices of history I feel pain, horror, remorse, and sadness.

How do we feel when we contemplate the injustice of our time today? If we as white people are true to our feelings do we say “Oh this is terrific? I am so glad that people of colour are being oppressed” Of course we don’t!

We say I feel outrage, anger, sadness, and betrayal.

When we feel guilty is dictated by our cultural and societal norms, those living under the rule of ISIS will have a hugely different concept of right and wrong as those would in a small town in England. But guilt is more than just about us on our own, we can feel guilt more collectively, even in whole societies or cultural groups.

The best example of this kind of guilt is the German people after the Second World War.

We have these feelings because we experience the pain of living in a racist society. We see the suffering, violence, and the disorder it creates in the lives of all our people. We may even feel empathy and compassion.

I believe that what we call white guilt is actually shorthand for all these complex feelings.

From what I have experienced guilt is more than just that. It also includes pain, horror, despair, confusion, uncertainty, and feeling overwhelmed. In brief, I don’t feel good about racism. How could I? I feel bad about it.

fig.2

5

Fig.2 Pete Seeger (left) adopted and helped popularize “We Shall Overcome� by teaching the song at rallies and protests.

Here he sings with activists in Greenwood, Mississippi in 1963

What is guilt?

A list of just a few things that white people can count on but people of colour may struggle to: Written by Peggy McIntosh in 1988

1- I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.

Whiteness of a Different Colour

We’ve all felt guilty after doing something we shouldn’t but what actually is it? In its most simple form its our response to doing something that we know is wrong. Willard Gaylin, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeon, wrote: ‘Guilt is the emotion that shapes so much of our goodness and generosity. It signals us when we have transgressed from codes of behaviour that we personally want to sustain. Feeling guilty informs us that we have failed our own ideals.’

So really our sense of guilt means we care for one another and are responsible for one another. Guilt implies that our relationships are somehow broken. Guilt involves an inner feeling which we express when we say “I feel guilty.”

When we feel guilty is dictated by our cultural and societal norms, those living under the rule of ISIS will have a hugely different concept of right and wrong as those would in a small town in England. But guilt is more than just about us on our own, we can feel guilt more collectively, even in whole societies or cultural groups.

The best example of this kind of guilt is the German people after the Second World War.

As well as all this I believe 2 - I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to that what we call guilt actually encompasses a number ofmistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me. different feelings. Reflecting on the injustices of history I feel pain, 3 - If I should need to move, I can be horror, remorse, and sadness.

How do we feel when we pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford contemplate the injustice of our and in which I would want to live. time today? If we as white people are true to our feelings do we say 4 - I can be reasonably sure that my “Oh this is terrific? I am so glad neighbours in such a location will be that people of colour are being neutral or pleasant to me. oppressed” Of course we don’t!

We say I feel outrage, anger, 5 - I can go shopping alone most of sadness, and betrayal. the time, well assured that I will not be followed by store detectives.

From what I have experienced

guilt is more than just that. It also 6 - I can turn on the television or open includes pain, horror, despair, the front page of the paper and confusion, uncertainty, andto feeling see people of my race widely and overwhelmed. In brief, I don’t feel positively represented. good about racism. How could I? I feel bad about it.

7 - When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am We have these feelings because shown that people of my colour we experience the pain of living made it what it is. in a racist society. We see the suffering, violence, and the 8 - I can be sure that my children will disorder it creates in the lives be of given curricular materials that all our people. We may even feel to the existence of their race. testify empathy and compassion.

I believe that what we call white 9 - If I want to, I can be pretty sure of guilt is actually shorthand for all ƓQGLQJ D SXEOLVKHU IRU WKLV SLHFH RQ these complex feelings. white privilege.

10 - I can be fairly sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.

11 - I can be casual about whether or not to listen to another woman’s voice in a group in which she is the only member of her race.

12 - I can go into a book shop and FRXQW RQ ƓQGLQJ WKH ZULWLQJ RI P\ race represented, into a supermarket DQG ƓQG WKH VWDSOH IRRGV WKDW ƓW with my cultural traditions, into a KDLUGUHVVHUōV VKRS DQG ƓQG VRPHRQH who can deal with my hair.

Fig.2 Pete Seeger (left) adopted and helped popularize “We Shall Overcome” by teaching the song at rallies and protests.

Here he sings with activists in Greenwood, Mississippi in 1963

13 - Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin colour not to work against my ƓQDQFLDO VWDWXV 14 - I could arrange to protect our young children most of the time from people who might not like them.

15 - I did not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own physical safety.

16 - I can be pretty sure that my children’s teachers and employers ZLOO WROHUDWH WKHP LI WKH\ ƓW VFKRRO DQG workplace norms; my chief worries about them do not concern others’ attitudes toward their race.

17 - I can talk with my mouth full and not have this put down to my colour.

18 - I can swear, or dress in secondhand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.

fig.2

19 - I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.

20 - I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.

21 - I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.

22 - I can remain oblivious to the language and customs of persons of colour who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.

23 - I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behaviour without being seen as a cultural outsider.

24 - I can be reasonably sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race. ,I D WUDIƓF RIƓFHU SXOOV PH RYHU RU if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

What is guilt?

We’ve all felt guilty after doing something we shouldn’t but what actually is it? In its most simple form its our response to doing something that we know is wrong. Willard Gaylin, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeon, wrote: ‘Guilt is the emotion that shapes so much of our goodness and generosity. It signals us when we have transgressed from codes of behaviour that we personally want to sustain. Feeling guilty informs us that we have failed our own ideals.’

So really our sense of guilt means we care for one another and are responsible for one another. Guilt implies that our relationships are somehow broken. Guilt involves an inner feeling which we express when we say “I feel guilty.”

As well as all this I believe that what we call guilt actually encompasses a number of different feelings. Reflecting on the injustices of history I feel pain, horror, remorse, and sadness.

How do we feel when we contemplate the injustice of our time today? If we as white people are true to our feelings do we say “Oh this is terrific? I am so glad that people of colour are being oppressed” Of course we don’t!

We say I feel outrage, anger, sadness, and betrayal.

When we feel guilty is dictated by our cultural and societal norms, those living under the rule of ISIS will have a hugely different concept of right and wrong as those would in a small town in England. But guilt is more than just about us on our own, we can feel guilt more collectively, even in whole societies or cultural groups.

The best example of this kind of guilt is the German people after the Second World War.

We have these feelings because we experience the pain of living in a racist society. We see the suffering, violence, and the disorder it creates in the lives of all our people. We may even feel empathy and compassion.

I believe that what we call white guilt is actually shorthand for all these complex feelings.

From what I have experienced guilt is more than just that. It also includes pain, horror, despair, confusion, uncertainty, and feeling overwhelmed. In brief, I don’t feel good about racism. How could I? I feel bad about it.

fig.2

9

Fig.2 Pete Seeger (left) adopted and helped popularize “We Shall Overcome� by teaching the song at rallies and protests.

Here he sings with activists in Greenwood, Mississippi in 1963

Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.3

fig.4

Fig.3 Two black men holding hands in front of the main march group in a 1960 civil rights march on Washington Fig.4 A white man holding a black baby at a prointegration event in the American south

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still Why are we feeling guilty?

So it’s been over 60 years since the end of school segregation in the US and nearly 30 years since the end of apartheid in South Africa and there is still a great big grey cloud hanging over white people. The past still lives on through memories, stories and the actions of a small number of people who still continue these racist acts in to the 21st century.

Most of us want full equality, want everyone to feel safe in their own neighbourhoods but there is this white guilt that is holding some people back from contributing to the cause of social change. In this section I am going to look in to the reasons I think there are for white guilt, how these come about and how these may affect people and their actions towards the Black Lives Matter movement.

Taking on the guilt of familial connections:

In the US and around the world there are huge numbers of people who are descendants of those who were involved in the slave trade, the extermination of Native Americans or any other atrocities caused by the invasion and ‘discovery’ of the outside world by Western Europe in the 1500-1700s. Many of these descendants ‘own’ the crimes that their ancestors committed, one

example is Katrina Brown who worked with her family to make a DVD called “Traces of the Trade.”

“Traces” tells the story of the De Wolfs who were the largest slave trading family in early America. The film follows ten descendants of the De Wolf family as they retrace the triangle of the trade; visiting the family home in Bristol, Rhode Island, the slave forts in Ghana, and the family plantations in Cuba.

Katrina’s family members grapple with their ancestor’s involvement in this horrible enterprise. They genuinely struggle with the issues of white privilege that they experience on their journey. They express genuine remorse. This group can go two ways, their guilt can either paralyse their efforts to help the BLM movement or they can spur them on to be really beneficial working hard to right the wrongs of their ancestors.

Another way that white people may feel a familial guilt is rejecting their ancestors passionately declaring their innocence of the crimes. They will say “Yes, my ancestors were involved, but I personally didn’t force people to come from Africa.” “I didn’t enslave people.” “I didn’t kill the Native Americans.” “I wasn’t born then.” “I didn’t have anything to do with what happened back >>

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

then.” “I am not responsible for what my ancestors did.” “I can’t apologize for them - that is their responsibility.” “I don’t feel any obligation to do anything today.”

They may even see themselves as victims feeling they are accused of being racists. This is almost a subconscious guilt that can manifest itself in to negative feelings towards the BLM movement as they feel as if they have done nothing to contribute towards the discrimination of people of colour, this can lead to a lack of action as there is that disconnect.

And a final way that people are connected to the actions of their ancestors is those who still participate in white supremacy groups, Confederate Army memorial gatherings, and states rights organizations as a way of honouring their white ancestors.

There is no remorse or moral reckoning among these folks – only anger, bitterness, and the desire to keep white power in place. They feel guilty that they haven’t kept ‘white power’ in the same way it used to be they desire to get back to the dominance of the previous centuries. Clearly this group will actively work against the BLM movement but as they are only a small minority they can be

easily overcome if the rest of us all work together.

Those who moved to a country after discrimination was enshrined in law:

Whites whose families came to the US after the Civil War or those that moved to South Africa during Apartheid will often make comments similar to the descendants of colonial families.

Instead of saying they weren’t born in the days of slavery they will say their families were not here when these terrible things happened. They will assert, “My family wasn’t here at the time of slavery so we aren’t responsible today for what happened back then.” Often these people are unwilling to acknowledge the opportunities that were open to them as white immigrants that were not open to people of colour.

Often they won’t acknowledge that following World War II white veterans got educational opportunities, access to housing and praise from the general public that soldiers of colour did not get.

Indian soldiers were heavily used in World War II but there is little to no recognition of the huge losses the country faced fighting a war for their colonial power they had absolutely no say in, the soldiers were made to do the worst tasks >>

Fig.5&6 A photo form the Soweto Uprising, where hundreds of school children rioted against the Apartheid system in South Africa. 170 were killed by the police and up to 1000 injured, this event in 1976 marked a turning point for the country

fig.5

fig.6

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

then.” “I am not responsible for what my ancestors did.” “I can’t apologize for them - that is their responsibility.” “I don’t feel any obligation to do anything today.”

They may even see themselves as victims feeling they are accused of being racists. This is almost a subconscious guilt that can manifest itself in to negative feelings towards the BLM movement as they feel as if they have done nothing to contribute towards the discrimination of people of colour, this can lead to a lack of action as there is that disconnect.

And a final way that people are connected to the actions of their ancestors is those who still participate in white supremacy groups, Confederate Army memorial gatherings, and states rights organizations as a way of honouring their white ancestors.

There is no remorse or moral reckoning among these folks – only anger, bitterness, and the desire to keep white power in place. They feel guilty that they haven’t kept ‘white power’ in the same way it used to be they desire to get back to the dominance of the previous centuries. Clearly this group will actively work against the BLM movement but as they are only a small minority they can be

“No, t only ti I was, tired o giving

easily overcome if the rest of us all work together.

Those who moved to a country after discrimination was enshrined in law:

Whites whose families came to the US after the Civil War or those that moved to South Africa during Apartheid will often make comments similar to the descendants of colonial families.

Instead of saying they weren’t born in the days of slavery they will say their families were not here when these terrible things happened.

They will assert, “My family wasn’t here at the time of slavery so we aren’t responsible today for what happened back then.” Often these people are unwilling to acknowledge the opportunities that were open to them as white immigrants that were not open to people of colour. Often they won’t acknowledge that following World War II white veterans got educational opportunities, access to housing and praise from the general public that soldiers of colour did not get. Indian soldiers were heavily used in World War II but there is little to no recognition of the huge losses the country faced fighting a war for their colonial power they had absolutely no say in, the soldiers were made to do the worst tasks >>

Rosa Parks

Fig.5&6 A photo form the Soweto Uprising, where hundreds of school children rioted against the Apartheid system in South Africa. 170 were killed by the police and up to 1000 injured, this event in 1976 marked a turning point for the country

the ired was of g in.â&#x20AC;? fig.5

fig.6

15

Whiteness of a Different Colour

then.” “I am not responsible for what my ancestors did.” “I can’t apologize for them - that is their responsibility.” “I don’t feel any obligation to do anything today.”

They may even see themselves as victims feeling they are accused of being racists. This is almost a subconscious guilt that can manifest itself in to negative feelings towards the BLM movement as they feel as if they have done nothing to contribute towards the discrimination of people of colour, this can lead to a lack of action as there is that disconnect.

And a final way that people are connected to the actions of their ancestors is those who still participate in white supremacy groups, Confederate Army memorial gatherings, and states rights organizations as a way of honouring their white ancestors.

There is no remorse or moral reckoning among these folks – only anger, bitterness, and the desire to keep white power in place. They feel guilty that they haven’t kept ‘white power’ in the same way it used to be they desire to get back to the dominance of the previous centuries. Clearly this group will actively work against the BLM movement but as they are only a small minority they can be

easily overcome if the rest of us all work together.

Those who moved to a country after discrimination was enshrined in law:

Whites whose families came to the US after the Civil War or those that moved to South Africa during Apartheid will often make comments similar to the descendants of colonial families.

Instead of saying they weren’t born in the days of slavery they will say their families were not here when these terrible things happened.

They will assert, “My family wasn’t here at the time of slavery so we aren’t responsible today for what happened back then.” Often these people are unwilling to acknowledge the opportunities that were open to them as white immigrants that were not open to people of colour. Often they won’t acknowledge that following World War II white veterans got educational opportunities, access to housing and praise from the general public that soldiers of colour did not get. Indian soldiers were heavily used in World War II but there is little to no recognition of the huge losses the country faced fighting a war for their colonial power they had absolutely no say in, the soldiers were made to do the worst tasks >>

Fig.5&6 A photo form the Soweto Uprising, where hundreds of school children rioted against the Apartheid system in South Africa. 170 were killed by the police and up to 1000 injured, this event in 1976 marked a turning point for the country

fig.5

fig.6

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.7

fig.8

Fig.7 Image titled ‘Time of Change’ in 1962 two ladies sat at the same lunch counter - something impossible before desegregation. Fig.8 Signs held by those protesting Apartheid in the 70s

and were given little to no benefits alongside the huge amounts of racism they faced from officers and their white counterparts. This group can lack urgency in seeing the issues that people of colour face, they don’t necessarily work against the BLM movement but they definitely don’t contribute to the cause.

Acts of our own doing:

For some whites guilt is a response to our actually acting and doing racist things. In moral theory actions that people actually take are acts of commission.

So here we are talking about actual racist acts be that physical, verbal or digital abuse. People feel “bad conscience” or real remorse. Since the turn of the century most white people have woken up to the errors of this cultures ways, dozens of white people have confessed their sins of commission. For example, there was a man who participated actively in George Wallace’s presidential campaign who expressed his regret. A man who threw rocks at busses transporting African American students during school desegregation in Boston who expressed remorse. And a woman who refused to date an Asian man because of his race who shared her feelings of shame.

These feelings of shame and regret are very personal so most often lead to lack of action in the community as they often are felt by older generations raised in the more racist accepting society of the past. These people don’t know how to act to benefit the community they are not a part of, so education really would help them learn.

Non-action:

While some white people feel guilty for racist acts they have committed other whites feel guilty because they have not acted! Sins of omission occur when we fail to do the good things we should do and stop the bad things that go on around us. We feel guilty for not speaking out and for not doing more to work for justice. Here we are talking about our response not simply as people who commit individual acts of racism. Here we are concerned about the collective sins of our whole racist society. I once had a discussion with a white woman at the end of some anti-racism training. She told me “I dreaded coming to this training I know these terrible things are going on. I have felt so helpless and powerless to do anything. And this inaction makes me feel even more guilty!’ This >>

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

is the category that most people these days fall in to, don’t know what to do, don’t know what to say – want to help but don’t. Taking part in BLM marches may be the extent of the contribution this group have towards the cause, it’s almost a superficial attempt to make themselves feel better rather than actually to help out in the movement. Reading around and an introduction to new ways to help out the movement may help this group to branch out and start some action from their negativity.

The pain of benefiting from an immoral system:

Another form of white guilt – related to the sin of omission - is the response to our participating in and benefiting from an immoral system. As whites, we live in a society based on race, almost every single situation you can think of is affected by engrained systemic racism.

In education history is white washed told from the white man’s perspective ignoring the negatives of colonialism and the good things that people of colour achieved, in the justice system police are more predisposed to stop people of colour , the UK up to 9 times more likely, in the US black people are 60% more likely to have force used against them in a stop, when it

comes to government the majority are white men in the US only 60% of the population is white but 80% of the government is controlled by white people . This makes our system immoral. Some of us who enjoy white privilege cannot help measuring our lives against the pain and deprivation that people of colour experience.

We feel guilty for benefiting from the pain and exploitation of others. This awareness causes us moral pain. In terms of white identity today many whites are sensitive to the immorality of our racist system. We are aware of the powerful contradictions between political power for whites and the oppression of people of colour and our commitment to a meritocracy that serves the needs of white people while it excludes people of colour. We experience ourselves as being immoral people benefiting from an immoral system. We feel burdened by the guilt of this awareness. This group overlaps with the group guilty about their inaction, often people are inactive while recognising the injustice of the system, these people need to wake up. The only way to change is to get involved.

fig.9

21

Fig.9 The 1920 Duluth Lynchings, 3 black men were taken from jail by a mob of over 1000 people and hanged, 2 visible in the photo, one lies on the floor at their feet

26 - I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magazines featuring people of my race.

27 - I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out of place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance, or feared.

28 - I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.

Whiteness of a Different Colour

is the category that most people these days fall in to, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to say â&#x20AC;&#x201C; want to help but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Taking part in BLM marches may be the extent of the contribution this group have towards the cause, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost a superficial attempt to make themselves feel better rather than actually to help out in the movement. Reading around and an introduction to new ways to help out the movement may help this group to branch out and start some action from their negativity.

The pain of benefiting from an immoral system:

Another form of white guilt â&#x20AC;&#x201C; related to the sin of omission - is the response to our participating in and benefiting from an immoral system. As whites, we live in a society based on race, almost every single situation you can think of is affected by engrained systemic racism.

In education history is white washed told from the white manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective ignoring the negatives of colonialism and the good things that people of colour achieved, in the justice system police are more predisposed to stop people of colour , the UK up to 9 times more likely, in the US black people are 60% more likely to have force used against them in a stop, when it

29 - I can be fairly sure that if I argue for the promotion of a person of another race, or a program centring on race, this is not likely to cost me heavily within my present setting, if my colleagues disagree with comes to government even the majority me. are white men in the US only 60% of the population is white but 80% 30 - If I declare there is a racial issue of the government is controlled at hand, or there isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a racial issue by white people . This makes our at hand, my race will lend me more system immoral. Some of us who credibility for either position than a enjoy white privilege cannot help person of colour will have. measuring our lives against the pain and deprivation that 31 people - I can choose to ignore of colour experience. developments in minority writing

and minority activist programs, or We feel guilty for benefiting disparage them, or learn from them, from the pain and exploitation EXW LQ DQ\ FDVH , FDQ Ć&#x201C;QG ZD\V WR EH of others. This awareness causes more or less protected from negative us moral pain. In termsconsequences of white of any of these identity today many whites are choices. sensitive to the immorality of our racist system. We are 32 aware -My culture gives me little fear of the powerful contradictions about ignoring the perspectives and between political power for whites powers of people of other races. and the oppression of people of colour and our commitment to anot made acutely aware that 33 - I am meritocracy that servesmy theshape, needsbearing, or body odour will of white people while itEH WDNHQ DV D UHĹ´HFWLRQ RQ P\ UDFH excludes people of colour. We experience ourselves as being immoral 34 - I can worry about racism without people benefiting frombeing an immoral seen as self-interested or selfsystem. We feel burdened by the seeking. guilt of this awareness. This group , FDQ WDNH D MRE ZLWK DQ DIĆ&#x201C;UPDWLYH overlaps with the group guilty action employer without having my about their inaction, often people co-workers on the job suspect that I are inactive while recognising got itthese because of my race. the injustice of the system, people need to wake up. The only - If my day, week, or year is going way to change is to get36 involved. badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it has racial overtones. , FDQ EH SUHWW\ VXUH RI Ć&#x201C;QGLQJ people who would be willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps, professionally.

39 - I can be late to a meeting without KDYLQJ WKH ODWHQHVV UHŴHFW RQ P\ race.

40 - I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.

41 - I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.

42 - I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.

Fig.9 The 1920 Duluth Lynchings, 3 black men were taken from jail by a mob of over 1000 people and hanged, 2 visible in the photo, one lies on the floor at their feet

38 - I can think over many options, social, political, imaginative, or professional, without asking whether a person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do what I want to do.

43 - If I have low credibility as a leader, I can be sure that my race is not the problem. fig.9 , FDQ HDVLO\ ƓQG DFDGHPLF FRXUVHV and institutions that give attention only to people of my race.

, FDQ H[SHFW ƓJXUDWLYH ODQJXDJH and imagery in all of the arts to testify to experiences of my race.

46 - I can choose blemish cover or EDQGDJHV LQ ŏŴHVKŐ FRORU DQG KDYH them more or less match my skin.

Think about that - these aren’t big things to us white people, these seem like trivial things we would take for granted. But if we were not born white then these are things we wouldn’t necessarily feel that we could attain, even in this so called ‘progressive’ society. Aren’t these securities that everyone should feel they have? This list was written in 1988 in a paper called ‘White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies’ that’s well over 25 years ago, shouldn’t we have progressed further in that time?

We need to change.

23

Whiteness of a Different Colour

is the category that most people these days fall in to, don’t know what to do, don’t know what to say – want to help but don’t. Taking part in BLM marches may be the extent of the contribution this group have towards the cause, it’s almost a superficial attempt to make themselves feel better rather than actually to help out in the movement. Reading around and an introduction to new ways to help out the movement may help this group to branch out and start some action from their negativity.

The pain of benefiting from an immoral system:

Another form of white guilt – related to the sin of omission - is the response to our participating in and benefiting from an immoral system. As whites, we live in a society based on race, almost every single situation you can think of is affected by engrained systemic racism.

In education history is white washed told from the white man’s perspective ignoring the negatives of colonialism and the good things that people of colour achieved, in the justice system police are more predisposed to stop people of colour , the UK up to 9 times more likely, in the US black people are 60% more likely to have force used against them in a stop, when it

comes to government the majority are white men in the US only 60% of the population is white but 80% of the government is controlled by white people . This makes our system immoral. Some of us who enjoy white privilege cannot help measuring our lives against the pain and deprivation that people of colour experience.

We feel guilty for benefiting from the pain and exploitation of others. This awareness causes us moral pain. In terms of white identity today many whites are sensitive to the immorality of our racist system. We are aware of the powerful contradictions between political power for whites and the oppression of people of colour and our commitment to a meritocracy that serves the needs of white people while it excludes people of colour. We experience ourselves as being immoral people benefiting from an immoral system. We feel burdened by the guilt of this awareness. This group overlaps with the group guilty about their inaction, often people are inactive while recognising the injustice of the system, these people need to wake up. The only way to change is to get involved.

fig.9

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Fig.9 The 1920 Duluth Lynchings, 3 black men were taken from jail by a mob of over 1000 people and hanged, 2 visible in the photo, one lies on the floor at their feet

The two types of white guilt...

Whiteness of a Different Colour

White guilt the negative feeling that it is can lead in two ways as I alluded earlier – either towards increased level of action spurring people on to change society; or it can go towards inaction, focusing on the negative feeling people have within themselves rather than the cause of these feelings, the injustices of the racist system we live in.

Unhealthy White Guilt:

These white people will not want to engage in discussion or action about race because they don’t want to feel bad in themselves, ignorance is bliss, if they don’t recognise its still happening then they can let the racism pass over their head. This is not a choice that POC have so why should white people. They say that people who are working for racial justice are trying to make them feel guilty. But if we actually notice what happens here; the focus becomes how we feel as white people and not on racism.

If we focus simply on our feelings then it becomes about us and our feelings and not about the injustices of a racist society. As whites we don’t want to feel bad do we? And so we don’t deal with racism and the root of the actual problem that we face.

This becomes another part of our amnesia and our denial. It is another dynamic that stands in the way of our making change.

There is another form of unhealthy white guilt. Our guilty feelings may be so strong that we feel overwhelmed with guilt. We can be so overwhelmed with guilt that we become paralyzed and unable to act. This is the unhealthiest form of white guilt. Theologist Letty Russell wrote “The poor do not ask us to feel guilty, for they can’t eat guilt. What they ask is that we act to address the causes of injustice so they can obtain food.”

Letty Russell helps us to see this distinction between our guilty feelings and real action in the world. If we are feeling bad about racism, we need to ask ourselves does our guilt lead to change or is it simply self-absorption. If it is all about how we as white people feel, then it is unhealthy white guilt.

This is not about us – this is about fixing the problem for minorities, for people of colour, for everyone – to produce a better world for everyone to live in, a more equal accepting and understanding place. Wallowing in pity because we feel bad about something that we can change benefits no one, not even ourselves.

Healthy White Guilt:

Through the experience of white guilt we can become empowered to break out of the usual benefits of white privilege to create new and positive ways of being white. In Janet Helms’ theory of identity development of white people there are six stages: (1) contact or pre-encounter (2) encounter or disintegration (3) reintegration, (4) pseudo – independence (5) immersion and (6) autonomy. In the second stage – encounter or disintegration - white people experience guilt, shame, and anger. In this second stage a white person has an encounter - an experience that shows us the reality of racism. We realize that race does matter, that racism does exist, and that we are white. This experience shatters the white person’s ego structure – he or she feels they are falling aparthence the term disintegration.

There is a loss of innocence. There is recognition that whites are part of “the system”. This leads to feelings of guilt, shame, and sometimes anger.

Following an encounter experience a white person can respond in one of two ways.

Whites can go into denial or withdrawal convincing themselves that racism doesn’t exist and

people of colour create their own problems. In addition, if we as white people begin to speak out about racial injustice in the white community other whites will put on pressure to conform. We may be rejected by other white people.

This can lead to stage three which Helms describes as reintegration with the white community. We go back to where we were before we had the encounter. Some of us may refuse to deal with the moral dilemma of white power and privilege, but for the rest of us the moral discomfort (guilt) we experience leads us to face the reality of racism and make change.

We can acknowledge how whites benefit from a racist system while people of colour are oppressed by this system what Helms calls pseudo-independence. We can learn about white anti-racist identity and history – what Helms describes as immersion. And we can engage in anti-racist action – which Helms calls autonomy.

Once you have recognised your white guilt it is much easier to turn it in to healthy white guilt, to turn these negative feelings you have towards a more positive goal to contribute towards a less racist society. Even if this just means speaking out when your Granddad says something >>

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.12

Fig.12 One of the first 9 black pupils to attend Little Rock School - she faced fierce violent racism from current high school children and their parents, making one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era

he shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t; all the small acts mount up, slowly eating away at the parasite that racism is. But the more you act and the more involved you become the easier it is, start by signing petitions (like the successful petitions created to ensure the murders of George Floyd were fired and charged), emailing representatives in your government, talking to your boss, even just watching marches from the side lines helps support the community. Anything you can do, you should.

Fig.10 Ghandi practicing nonvioloent resistance (Satyagraha) against British colonial rule in India. Fig.11 The Sharpville Massacre in1960 the police killed a huge number of 7,000 people demonstrating against apartheid in a township, image shows a number of dead on the floor

fig.10

fig.11

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.12

Fig.12 One of the first 9 black pupils to attend Little Rock School - she faced fierce violent racism from current high school children and their parents, making one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era

he shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t; all the small acts mount up, slowly eating away at the parasite that racism is. But the more you act and the more involved you become the easier it is, start by signing petitions (like the successful petitions created to ensure the murders of George Floyd were fired and charged), emailing representatives in your government, talking to your boss, even just watching marches from the side lines helps support the community. Anything you can do, you should.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our l begin end th we bec silent things matter

lives to he day come about s that râ&#x20AC;?

Dr Martin Luther King Jr 1965

Fig.10 Ghandi practicing nonvioloent resistance (Satyagraha) against British colonial rule in India. Fig.11 The Sharpville Massacre in1960 the police killed a huge number of 7,000 people demonstrating against apartheid in a township, image shows a number of dead on the floor

fig.10

fig.11

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Whiteness of a Different Colour

fig.12

Fig.12 One of the first 9 black pupils to attend Little Rock School - she faced fierce violent racism from current high school children and their parents, making one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era

he shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t; all the small acts mount up, slowly eating away at the parasite that racism is. But the more you act and the more involved you become the easier it is, start by signing petitions (like the successful petitions created to ensure the murders of George Floyd were fired and charged), emailing representatives in your government, talking to your boss, even just watching marches from the side lines helps support the community. Anything you can do, you should.

Fig.10 Ghandi practicing nonvioloent resistance (Satyagraha) against British colonial rule in India. Fig.11 The Sharpville Massacre in1960 the police killed a huge number of 7,000 people demonstrating against apartheid in a township, image shows a number of dead on the floor

fig.10

fig.11

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How we can help: So now we’ve recognised our guilt we can use it. If it was unhealthy white guilt before now we can turn it in to something healthy, something beneficial. If it was already positive you may be able to learn some more places to go or things to do that will help to progress the cause.

Whiteness of a Different Colour

If you haven’t already you can go to blacklivesmatter.com and sign up to join the movement and you will receive email updates with action happening in your area, petitions to sign and other issues to support – this does it all for you straight in to you inbox.

You can also follow your local sector of BLM to hear about local demonstrations and protests that are organised near you so you can head down and show your support in person. Another way to help is through donating to BLM and associated causes such as the lawyer fund (which helps those arrested at marches): this funds the vital research and media campaigns and supports those wrongfully arrested across the world.

An important way to support the cause also is through government – using civic action such as emailing, sending a letter or

phoning your local representative to ask them and encourage them to support BLM and policies that reduce the engrained systemic racism across the globe. As well as this crucially you should use your vote, bringing in progressive political parties that will benefit minority communities – be it in a local election or national. Every vote counts.

Another easy way to support BLM is on social media, even if you feel like most people are ‘over’ the movement showing consistent support and promoting new petitions and websites to your friends may help change people’s minds and introduce new people to the movement. And one final thing is as a white ally we can never stop listening and learning – we will never fully understand the struggle and emotional strain of being the persecuted minority in the same way. But having an open mind and open ear we will be able to be there for the black and ethnic minority community learning new ways to help and support them.

Content collated, partly written and designed by Sebastian Lansdowne, University of the West of England

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#BLACKLIVESMATTER

Sorry, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re late.

We had a lot to learn.