subject: Something I Said/You Needn't Be Racist To Benefit From Racism [print this page] Something I Said/You Needn't Be Racist To Benefit From Racism
Something I Said/You Needn't Be Racist To Benefit From Racism
Dwight Hobbes
Insight News archives
Writers aren't, as a rule, supposed to come out from behind their words and tell readers, "I'm saying this, not that." For one, it implies the writer failed to himself or herself clear in the first place. Or it infers the reader missed the original point. It is audacious to tell readers they are dense. Well, I'm gonna break the rule. Not because I wasn't clear but because, yep, one thing of which I have no small supply is audacity. That said, white readers of Insight News and reprints in the Minnesota Daily should spend less energy whining about how racist they think I am toward Caucasians and look more realistically at what I've written.
I am suspicious of white people in general. Because most I've met -- even "good" ones -- treat black folk with a condescension so ingrained, so second nature that said white folk often are unaware of their own discriminatory attitude. So. I don't hate all white people. I simply deplore society that supports that condescension. And I believe every single white person who benefits from that society should be held accountable for its continued existence. To cite the profound philosopher Dick Gregory, "[I] ain't got time to dislike white people. It's their stinkin', white racist institution! That's what [I] despise." With an absolute passion and a seething vengeance. As Brother Greg put it, "If my dog bites you, who you gon' sue, the dog or me? Although, I didn't bite her, right? Now, if my dog bites my daughter and your little girl, you wouldn't be quite so upset, 'cause we both have the problem. If the dog goes to bite your daughter, I grab him and the dog damn near kill me you wouldn't be upset at all. Well, [I'm] uptight over your dog biting me [and people like me]. And [I'm] gon' stay uptight 'til you either change the dog or get in a position to where he gon' bite you, too."
White readers who still don't get it, I can't make it any plainer than that. Lose some of that damn privilege you get by virtue of your birthday suit and you won't blame me at all for complaining so much about you and your society. Hell, you might just start complaining about it your damn self.
