To all the Democrats who voted to censure Al Green

[Cirsium]

138. OK, so you are offended

You are offended. You could have said "that offends me." But you didn't. You said it was racist.

Racism is not about being offended, although the right wing and white supremacist propagandists have been pushing that idea for a long time. Do you want to know what is really offensive? Equating racism with being offended.

“The ‘reverse racism’ card is often pulled by white people when people of color call out racism and discrimination, or create spaces for themselves … that white people aren’t a part of. The impulse behind the reverse racism argument seems to be a desire to prove that people of color don’t have it that bad, they’re not the only ones that are put at a disadvantage or targeted because of their race. It’s like the Racism Olympics. And it’s patently untrue”

Zeba Blay “4 ‘Reverse Racism’ Myths That Need To Stop.”

“Racism has nothing to do with feelings. It is a measurable reality that white people are not subject to, regardless of their income or status”

But what if they’re actually offended by something you said? If someone called you the n-word, wouldn’t you think it offensive?

Yes. But it is only offensive because it is inextricably tethered to the list of egregious acts that the weaker-skinned population actually commit against black people. You can’t separate the word “nigger” from 500 years of slavery, 100 years of Jim Crow, thousands of lynchings and the violation of constitutional rights. All of that is embedded in the word. That’s why it conjures up so much animosity.

That is also why there is no equivalent to the n-word. Even the word “cracker” denotes power and—while it might remind them of the embarrassingly shameful history of white supremacy—it doesn’t carry the same dehumanizing connotation. That’s why there is no word that is “like the n-word.”

- Harriot, Michael. “Reverse Racism, Explained”

Reverse racism is a myth because it attempts to ignore the power/privilege dynamic between the individuals/groups involved; the myth of reverse racism assumes that racism occurs on a so-called level playing field, when in actuality, it does not. One claim of “reverse racism” that is often made is in relation to affirmative actions programs: programs that were created to help ensure that non-white individuals are given equal consideration and opportunities, whether it is in regards to employment, school, or scholarships etc. For white individuals, programs such as this might feel like something is being “taken away.” Zeba Blay outlines how white people often “believe deserving white students are discriminated against while academically unqualified students are given highly coveted college or company positions ― just because they happen to tick the ‘ethnic minority’ box. This argument ignores the fact that affirmative action did not come out of nowhere ― there was a need for a system that would address the decades of under representation of people of color both academically and in the job world.” Sherover-Marcuse explains how “affirmative action programs are attempts to repair the results of institutionalized racism by setting guidelines and establishing procedures for finding qualified applicants from all segments of the population” . In other words, these programs do not privilege people of color but are an attempt to “level” the not-so-level playing field that has historically privileged a certain type of candidate.

https://www.aclrc.com/issues/anti-racism/cared/the-basics-level-1/myth-of-reverse-racism/

Reverse Racism is a Myth

“I am white, middle-class, and able-bodied. I would like to think that I’m a good dancer, even though my family and close friends have yet to agree with me. Though this has not happened, if a racialized person were to say in a public setting (or even to me alone) that “white people can’t dance” and therefore I can’t possibly be a good dancer, my feelings would be hurt. This statement is an example of racial prejudice because it makes an assumption about an entire group of people based on an assumption about skin colour/race—but it is not racism. The articulation of this statement in no way affects my life in any material way. I can continue to dance unhindered, because there is no power behind this statement to change my real opportunities to dance. I can sign up for/pay for dance classes; I won’t be questioned about my ability to pay, and I would bet the classes would be filled predominantly by people like me (white, female, middle-class, able-bodied). The assertion that “white people can’t dance” circulates as a joke but does not hold any kind of systemic power to oppress white people and stop them from dancing. After all, how long have European/North American ballet companies been dominated by white people and white dancers, and why? Who tells who they can’t dance and in ways that literally ban them from doing so?”

https://www.aclrc.com/issues/anti-racism/cared/the-basics-level-2/facilitator-stories/#Reverse