Reply to Is this inappropriate-school district requiring teachers to read White Fragility?

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[quote=Anonymous]Why does everyone freak out so much about being referred to as racist?  I'm a white person and I seriously don't get this.  There is so much "OMG this book is offensive because it says I'm racist" or "OMG that person suggested that I'm racist just because I'm white, how dare they?"

Seriously, what's the big deal?  We all pick up a ton of racism just from living in a society that had racism baked in for centuries, and so virtually all white people are racist to some degree or another.  Pointing out that you're probably racist is just saying, "Hey, you're probably contributing in some way to making life harder for people of color, and almost all other white people are too.  Can you please pay some attention to how that's happening and try to improve?"   It seems like the reaction should be, "Whoa, that sucks for people of color.  You're right, it seems important for me to do my best to look out for and improve on the ways I've picked up racism so I cause less harm to people of color."

Where does this "how dare anyone suggest I'm racist?" reaction come from?  Why do you care that people think you're racist-- do you think they're accusing you of being a terrible person or part of the KKK or something?  What's so controversial about the assertion that all or almost all white people are racist?  Do you get this freaked out when people point out other kinds of commonly-held biases in society, like sexism or ableism or the way that people tend to value conventionally attractive people over less attractive people?

(I realize it is ironic to be raising this on this thread because I gather that the book in question would give me some more insight on this question of why y'all are so terrified of/furious about anyone calling you racist, but I am curious to hear it from your own mouths...) [/quote]

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