As long as we allow this to continue unchecked, as long as there are not consequences for the worst of those of our own demographic, we cannot honestly blame anyone for grouping us in with our own worst element. And sadly, we have more than a few. We’ve empowered them into the highest levels of our government, economy, and social structure.
People with beliefs just like Dr. Jennifer Schulte are teachers, loan officers, police officers, politicians, firemen, ambulance technicians, doctors, plumbers, contractors, bus drivers, and more. And if this is the way they behave when they expect anonymity and/or preferential deference, you know that they’re unleashing far worse on their targets within their professional capacity to do so at every opportunity they believe they can get away with it.
We’ve allowed them to establish the laws, regulations, rules, policies, procedures, and algorithms that permit them to enforce their bigotry and hatred upon their victims.
We often even benefit from the systemic racism they’ve established, it’s become so entrenched that we may not even notice it. And when it is pointed out to us, we often become defensive. We say we didn’t make the rules. We say we don’t have the ability to change them. But, we don’t go out of our way to avoid the benefit of them either.
It is no longer enough, it really never has been enough, to be not-racist. We must all be aggressively anti-racist.
We must call it out whenever we see it.
Every instance.
Every time.
This is the pro-active strategy that we can implement:
Be alert and vigilant in public spaces. Look for a “suspicious” white person when a black person or a group of black people walk into the space.
Such a person will appear nervous, agitated, or angry. If they call the police:
1. Begin to record the scene.
2. Approach the black individual(s) and explain that you are an ally as a witness.
3. Call a friend or relative to let them know what you are doing and that you may get arrested.
4. Remain on site as a witness until the police arrive.
5. Once the police arrive, engage with the police if they detain or arrest the black individual(s). Get names and badges numbers.
6. If the black individuals are handcuffed and taken to the police station, DO NOT post your video on social media.
7. Instead, call local media.
8. Call the local bar association to get a pro bono attorney to follow up.
If arrested, do not say a word while detained in lock-up.
You have privilege.
Don’t just talk about how bad things are, or worse, ignore overt and systemic racism as “Not my problem, not my responsibility.”
Use it to create equality for those that do not.
Until we take it upon ourselves to bring about the necessary change, nothing is going to change.
You have privilege.
Don’t just talk about how bad things are, or worse, ignore overt and systemic racism as “Not my problem, not my responsibility.”
Use it to create equality for those that do not.
Until we take it upon ourselves to bring about the necessary change, nothing is going to change.
Changing the #Culturalinertia 
Good post. I’ve seen news about the Starbucks, Airbnb and the dorm cases but wasn’t aware of the bbq incident until I read your topic. You make some good points and suggestions for a pro-active strategy, however I stumbled at your comparison of Chemical Engineering to Eugenics. This point became a distraction for me as I completed reading the remainder of the post. What this woman did was racist but this doesn’t mean that the profession she chose exists to advance a racist agenda. Did I miss some point to support such a claim? As you mention later, racist people can be found in any profession or trade.
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I did not claim the profession she chose exists to advance a racist agenda. I said that if you combine the abilities of the chosen profession with the racist agenda of the person who chose it, you get a pretty clear picture of her intent.
The same is true with racists legislators, racist law enforcement officers, racists doctors, and others…..It may not be the profession as a whole that is the problem, but add the ability and authority of the profession to the racial hatred of the professional and a far more nefarious intent often becomes exposed.
Eventually, if enough people with those beliefs and intents join a particular profession than the intent can and does become embedded within the polices and procedures established and accepted by others who join. They may not have the same intent, but by nature of following those same long established polices and procedures may unintentionally be further them. At that point it has become a systemic problem, not an individual problem.
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