Branden Bean Drake
Seattle, WA
None of us decided to be born white, just as none of us created the social and political systems that discriminate against people based on race. You didn’t choose for things to be this way, but they are. Acknowledging that these pre-existing systems benefit you doesn’t make you a bad person; it simply means you can see. But if you don’t analyze your privilege you will be blind to it, and thus you will be doomed to repeat these mistakes and perpetuate these systems of oppression. You say that race shouldn’t matter? It’s time to start walking your talk. When you open your eyes, what you see might make you uncomfortable. You’ll likely have a powerful urge to look away. Pace yourself – blink if you must – but don’t look away. That discomfort you feel is the truth, and it won’t go away unless we focus on it.
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