I had to share this letter after seeing the comments in this thread -- This fukked up brehs...this just set us back 200 yrs -- as well as the comments made by many Black people in the linked facebook video who reflexively felt an obligation to apologise to the world for something.
This letter was so important and polarizing at the time of its original posting on the Son of Baldwin Facebook page in July last year that Facebook temporarily banned the page because of it. Once you've read it, it will become clear why.
I'll conclude with the same message that the letter does. Embrace your humanity.
Bookmark this and remind yourself and others whenever you see anyone apologizing to society for simply being born Black.
Dear Black Folks:
Do NOT feel collectively responsible when an assailant is black.
White folks do NOT feel collectively responsible when an assailant is white.
If white people get to be individuals and presumed collectively innocent, then black people get to be individuals and presumed collectively innocent, too.
“Please don’t let them be black!”
We’ve been indoctrinated to feel collectively guilty/responsible when a black person commits a crime.
No matter what crime a white person commits, white people aren’t indoctrinated to feel collectively guilty/responsible.
Black people and Muslims are always asked to collectively condemn evil acts committed by black and/or Muslim individuals.
White people and Christians are NEVER asked to collectively condemn evil acts committed by white people and/or Christians.
Black people are ALWAYS asked to empathize with someone else’s pain, to make OTHER people’s struggles PRIMARY over their own.
White people look for ways to be apathetic to other people’s pain and to make their own pain primary in everyone ELSE’S struggles.
White folks who commit crimes never lose their humanity, no matter how heinous the crime.
Black folks who commit crimes are never allowed their humanity, no matter how harmless the crime.
White folks who commit crimes are regarded as individuals who made “mistakes” and have “legitimate” excuses like “mental illness” and “affluenza.”
Black folks who commit crimes are considered inherently evil and degenerate by virtue of being black, and as a reflection and by-product of ALL black people’s values and beliefs.
White people will not regard us as human beings, but we MUST regard each other as human beings.
Do not lay any unnecessary burdens at your OWN feet.
Embrace your humanity
This letter was so important and polarizing at the time of its original posting on the Son of Baldwin Facebook page in July last year that Facebook temporarily banned the page because of it. Once you've read it, it will become clear why.
I'll conclude with the same message that the letter does. Embrace your humanity.
Bookmark this and remind yourself and others whenever you see anyone apologizing to society for simply being born Black.
Dear Black Folks:
Do NOT feel collectively responsible when an assailant is black.
White folks do NOT feel collectively responsible when an assailant is white.
If white people get to be individuals and presumed collectively innocent, then black people get to be individuals and presumed collectively innocent, too.
“Please don’t let them be black!”
We’ve been indoctrinated to feel collectively guilty/responsible when a black person commits a crime.
No matter what crime a white person commits, white people aren’t indoctrinated to feel collectively guilty/responsible.
Black people and Muslims are always asked to collectively condemn evil acts committed by black and/or Muslim individuals.
White people and Christians are NEVER asked to collectively condemn evil acts committed by white people and/or Christians.
Black people are ALWAYS asked to empathize with someone else’s pain, to make OTHER people’s struggles PRIMARY over their own.
White people look for ways to be apathetic to other people’s pain and to make their own pain primary in everyone ELSE’S struggles.
White folks who commit crimes never lose their humanity, no matter how heinous the crime.
Black folks who commit crimes are never allowed their humanity, no matter how harmless the crime.
White folks who commit crimes are regarded as individuals who made “mistakes” and have “legitimate” excuses like “mental illness” and “affluenza.”
Black folks who commit crimes are considered inherently evil and degenerate by virtue of being black, and as a reflection and by-product of ALL black people’s values and beliefs.
White people will not regard us as human beings, but we MUST regard each other as human beings.
Do not lay any unnecessary burdens at your OWN feet.
Embrace your humanity
