Why It’s Not Okay to Be White
Taken by George Seibold for the Vermont Cynic
Last spring, flyers with the words “IT’S OKAY TO BE WHITE” began popping up on college campuses across Burlington. Just a little over a month ago, at least one more flyer was found on Champlain College’s campus. The school’s president, Donald Laackman, sent an email to students and faculty, stating that we as a community rejected the message of hatred that these flyers expressed. If someone told me a few years ago that these words had been meant to incite white nationalism, I would’ve been surprised. Because how do you argue against the point that it’s okay to be a skin color?
As a queer person of color, I live in constant fear that I’ll lose my rights. I’m afraid of encountering someone who will walk up to me and say that it’s not okay to be me. I watch the news with bated breath because I wonder what politicians are saying about people like me now. So it’s laughable to see someone say “it’s okay to be white” because nobody ever said it wasn’t. However, there are plenty of people who thought it wasn’t okay to be darker. The current social climate doesn’t exactly help either. When Trump was elected, there were people who thought it was okay to tell people who’ve lived here their whole lives to “go back home.” White neo-Nazis began crawling out of the woodwork to express that they wanted to take America back. In their minds, what makes America “great” is the lack of people of color.
Here’s the other thing about the phrase “It’s okay to be _____”—people like me needed to hear it. Not those specific words, but we needed to hear “It’s okay to be black/gay/trans/etc.” because so many of us were ashamed. It became a pride phrase. Something that instilled pride in our identity. The difference between white and black? I can’t and won’t speak for black people, but they need that phrase because a thing called slavery happened and they don’t know what else to be proud of. They don’t know what parts of Africa their ancestors came from so they have the word black instead. But white people can be proud of their French or Irish heritage and forget about the whiteness that comes with it. Because what’s attached to that whiteness is colonization, slavery, segregation, and racism.
It’s always been okay to be white. But don’t take pride in that. The reason why the rest of us can is because we’ve been told it’s not okay. So we’re taking back the time that we lost. The time we spent being ashamed or trying to hide, we want it back. And we don’t want to be afraid when we step onto campus thinking someone doesn’t want us there. Because we don’t have the time to worry anymore.
“Because what’s attached to that is whiteness is colonization, slavery, segregation, and racism. It’s always been okay to be white, But don’t take pride in that.” So, because I was born a white person, I am now a part of slavery, racism, segregation, and colonization. I am the one who did that. 100%.
You talk about the Irish like they were never oppressed.
“Because what’s attached to that whiteness is colonization, slavery, segregation, and racism.”
Yeah, because no people of other races or ethnicities ever had any of these.
What about Italians and southern Europe being oppressed, enslaved, and rapped by moors? Or the black muslims claiming white people are devils, it’s not ok to be white, and evil and need to be destroyed? Both sides have groups and individuals speaking against and oppressing the other. It’s ok to be proud of yourself and heritage just don’t think you’re better or above anyone. We’re all humans on this tiny rock and deserve the freedom to express ourself and celebrate our differences and similarities without persecution. And the minute you tell someone what they can and can’t do you’re talking away that freedom.
Okay. So Irish people were oppressed by the British. Quite people oppressing white people. Guess where they came? To America. To change their name, and continue the cycle of oppression, only standing behind the label of ‘white’ this time. Moreover, at least you know they’re Irish. And you don’t have to use white as an all inclusive term for pale and fair skinned people. Next. “Moors” … isn’t that a derogatory term for Muslim people? Funny that. Because in the example you brought up, when they were named that, it wasn’t only given to dark skinned Muslims, it was a name Europeans came up with for all Muslims, including white European Muslims, which yeah, totally a thing… it’s not tied to ethnicity so I see where your head is at. Next. The whole white devil thing? Idk much about that but it sounds like more religious garbage. And white Christianity has a lot of that. Have you even heard of manifest destiny? Religions been used to pin humans against each other since the beginning of time. Next. I agree with the rest of your statements. However, understand that a near 300 years of oppression is dangerous. So much so that there are black people who hate themselves, and genuinely feel their inferior and there are idiot hick whites who think they’re genuinely superior. Notice I said idiot. Most educated white people are very aware of the political climate and the disgusting history of systematic racism in America. It’s ok to white and it’s ok to be black. The difference is I’m proud of my ancestors and what they’ve pushed through to get me to where I am today. I know a lot of white people arent proud of their ancestors, but instead of pushing back and saying “It’s still ok to be white” (and it is), try making your descendants proud, instead of this icky white-guilt, your ancestors left you. You shouldn’t be guilty for being white. But don’t act as if whites and blacks have had the same experience in America.
these comments are valid but quite frankly ridiculous.
first, we’re talking about AMERICA right now. minorities are being oppressed in America, so we need these phrases, to let us know that we’re okay and still standing. in AMERICA, white people have ALWAYS been at the top of the food chain. y’all don’t need an ‘it’s okay to be white’ phrase because it’s ALWAYS been okay to be white (in America). you can’t say to same for marginalized communities. to this day. it’s not that hard of a concept to grasp.
Just wanted to point out that more saltine AMERICANS are the descendants of union soldiers than confederate ones. Imagine if someone argued that modern blacks should pay repirations to the descendents of union soldiers that died fighting to liberate them, im not making that argument its ridiculous, besides im first generation american my parents were born in germany, i got my own ancestral baggage but %0.00 personal ancestral guilt for american slavery. my point is that a fraction of a percent of the white population in america were ever slave owners at any time up until WHITE people fought a war to end slavery in america and in my opinion that is why there is still so much resentment and hatred and why race is still such an issue in the US that “Its ok to be white” can be considered a white supremacist or racist statement. I cant imagine feeling any resentment towards modern italians for example, they (the romans) enslaved my ancestors and destroyed “our” culture ect. but as far as i can tell rome was destroyed and the world was plunged into a dark age over it (thats the power of german engineering hehe). On the other hand i feel like i tend to be easily offended by steriotypes of heavy russian/eastern european culture and attitude tendencies and social etiquette. (rudest neighbors and thrift store shoppers ever lol) im no psychologist or mindfulness guru but i really think theres some deep down psychological sensitivity around the fact ‘my people’ didnt save themselves from the soviet union, they were liberated by Americans. I think it hurts somewhere deep down in my monkey brain. im also extremely stoned as i type out this thought experiment or whatever so i am well aware that my opinions and ideas and so on are indefensible and absurd. im not really being serious, Lex Friedman is dabomb lol its only banter. We germans arent known for humor either but we ARE in fact, actually capable of sarcasm and jest, unlike russians 😉 teeheehee. im not sensitive about nazi jokes or whatever so feel free to laugh at me in russian for my ancestral cold weather resilience or affinity for crystal meth/ sourkraut ect or straighten me out about the whiteness of the jewish/semetic/hebrew peoples or what the founding fathers might think of my “swarthy” immigrant parents 😉 hashtag in this together and all that <3
This is a disgusting racist article.
Every race has been involved in slavery, on an enormous scale. (There are more slaves today in 2020 than in colonial times).
Every race has engaged in racism and segregation. (Right now South Africans are killing Nigerian immigrants).
You cannot understand what it’s like to be a white person, to be constantly told they should be ashamed of their history and everything is the white mans fault.
People need to take responsibility for their actions today.
No historical excuses and no double standards. Just simple equality.
It’s not a hard concept to grasp.
So let me get this straight….
There can be a “Black Lives Matter”. A “Defund the Police”. Both of which can be easily taken out of context, and/or their meaning misunderstood.
And there are those who do voice clarification. “Defund the Police does NOT mean….”, or “Yes, of course ALL live matter, but BLM is a statement that….”
Yet, with “Its OK to be white”, there is no wiggle room. No benefit of the doubt. Nothing like “huh, OK, what do you mean by that”. Judge, jury and executioner have already spoken and determined that it’s not OK for this statement to be displayed.
And, angry black girl said “minorities are being oppressed in America”…..oh really? Could it rather be that some people can’t avoid getting into trouble with the law, and then blame that on ‘oppression’? Why are Asians VASTLY under-represented in any of these national spotlight fiascos? Could it be that sub-culture societies bring problems on themselves by their lifestyle choices and values?
If there is oppression, its just that there is a demand to live freely of laws, and to enjoy lawlessness.
So black people didn’t sell other black people as slaves? You’re everything wrong with the fight for civil rights. You’re a racist that hates whites and believes we’ve bm never faced difficulty or oppression. The level of oppression towards black people in America today is so minuscule it’s not even funny. You literally just had a back president for two full terms. I have no white guilt whatsoever. Black people have been free to run their continent for some time now and they haven’t progressed whatsoever. You’re race doesn’t emphasis progression. It emphasis blaming others for any issues you have. It’s never the black persons fault that they have disproportionate rates of violent crimes and single mothers. No that’s wypipos fault right? You and this writer seem to be a little lost. I think the root.com is your place to racially insult and discuss your “systemic racism”
I love you all and hope we can find peace and common ground.
Well you’ve never been white, so it’s weird for you to speak as if you have had that experience. How do you know that we feel it’s okay to be white? Obviously a number of people weren’t feeling that way, which is why the flyers were produced.
I’ve never been black so I can’t comment on any aspect of what it would be like. But I can tell you, especially in 2020, being white is not particularly comfortable. If I feel like embracing my nationality and being proud of being white, I would almost certainly be attacked online and maybe even physically.
When I’m around people of other races, I used to think absolutely nothing of it, and maybe that was white privilege.. the fact that I could actually ignore race.. because you guys didn’t have that privilege.. but I can’t help but think you could ignore it, if not for being brought up with the idea that you’re going to be mistreated by society. And maybe you have been mistreated. Again I haven’t been black so I can’t say what the experience is like.
Nevertheless, I don’t always feel like it’s okay to be white… At all.
How does the over 2 million white Jewish people are slaughtered by filthy disgusting German Nazi trash. Jewish slaves to the filthy disgusting Egyptian trash cans and then Nazis almost killed them all. How do Native Americans who had a worse than any other race on the planet
So this seems interesting to me – I feel like the phrase ‘it’s okay to be white,’ is meant to make me say it’s not okay to be white, which I am not saying. But I think that the baggage that comes with saying I’m proud to be white is unnecessary, but it has always been like that due to the connotations it evokes, especially with the segregation and systemic racism still in American society. Now, I dislike comparisons with other white groups who were enslaved or similar. That’s bad. But we’re not telling Jews to ‘get over the Holocaust,’ right? Also, what is considered white now was very different, due to race being a social construct – European immigrants were considered not ‘white,’ so I feel that’s where the idea of ‘proud to be Italian, Irish, etc’ comes from – instead of subsections of white.
But my main argument against the ‘okay to be white’ thing is – Blackness is a thing, because of systemic discrimination and racism – segregation has meant they have close, though impoverished, communities – whilst ‘whiteness,’ at least to me (mixed btw) doesn’t seem to be as much of a thing, a culture you could even say (though culture as an argument against systemic racism and police brutality is flawed), perhaps due to the more different income and wealth tiers white people fill. Blackness has come to be a thing, whilst whiteness as a concept has not arisen.
Other thing is, context matters. nobody is trying to say it isn’t okay to be white – and you individually don’t have to feel responsible or guilty for ancestors 50 yrs+ back. But saying ‘it’s okay to be white,’ has arisen in such a context that it feels opposed to the racial justice movements – which its timing makes it seem racist – it’s okay to be white, but that sounds like it’s trying to discredit something – and the fashion and time at which the phrase arose makes it seem racist. The phrase Black Lives Matter or proud to be Black for example, is not out there to discredit hardships some white people face or that you shouldn’t be proud to be white – that is not the intention nor should the phrase, due to context, really be implying that. However, proud to be white feels disingenuous, a feeble counter (like ALM), that is interpreted as exclusive or blind to the systemic injustice and racism Black and other groups face. Also, a good point raised by someone here mentioned how it’s pretty much always been ok to be white – which is true – the ‘proud to be Black’ isn’t meant to be exclusive because it is meant to highlight how it hasn’t always been okay to be Black, how the effects still ring true in America – it brings awareness to to ‘Black culture’ and its diversity – which is something I don’t feel rings as true (existence of ‘white culture’).
Also, I’d like to address white slavery, or the Barbary slave trade – the Atlantic trade was much larger first (and brought a ton of slaves to Brazil) – the trans-Saharan slave trade is probably a fairer comparison – but then we have to distinguish whether it was race-based or religious, of which the trans-saharan was the latter (also there’s a huge ? over the race of North Africans.) the Atlantic one was initially religiously justified, but was later a race-based trade, and therefore heritable. Whilst the Barbary trade had an escape route through conversion to Islam – so slave descendants there were pretty equal with Arabs. However, race-based Atlantic – you cant convert to white, so \_(‘^’)_/ go figure (later then systemic racism). Also, it was sort of a big thing between muslims and christians – muslims had jews and christians as second class citizens, whilst christians forced muslims to either convert or die – and I mean, quite a few Barbary sailors were european islam converts.
Luz Mec
I understand this and I’ll never go around saying it’s ok to be white and I will be an ally on the terms of BIPOC, not on my own and I will listen not talk. I’ll speak only for a couple of minutes now to admit how empty it makes me feel to not have a cultural history to be proud of, to know that my British and French heritage holds colonization and slavery connotations and that’s all that really matters. I feel alone and ashamed with no ancestors that I can admire. I’m sure it’s true that this unanchored feeling is similar to marginalized groups having their cultural roots taken away and it’s just the pendulum swinging back to equalize things. I don’t need to have attention, and I don’t need my problems to matter but if it makes a difference to anyone who experiences bigotry, if it gives hope or provides any relief – I have done my best, I will continue to do so, and I hope I’m believed when I say that I try to listen adjust accordingly, help where I can and I swear that I genuinely want equity in the world, and I want to show love and respect to the movement to end racial injustice. If that’s white fragility, I suppose I can live with that – and if my words don’t help, feel free to discard them. I can deal with my discomfort.
“Everyone” should be proud of themselves. All God’s creations. Let’s stop the nonsense – our shared planet is heating up and people in hot climates are very vulnerable. The worst is yet to come. Let’s
Stop the racist talk and get on with it. Racism is everywhere, China, Japan, Africa, India….get a grip world! Canada is actually the most tolerant nation on earth – other nations need to follow its example.
This comment is a response to the user above, “Yes you’re mad because you’re a black girl”
First of all your user name itself really shows how racist you are so that in of itself followed by everything you wrote furthervproves you are the REAL racist here and your intentions. It is indeed YOU that hate black people.
Next I don’t want to hear that bullshit argument about black people selling themselves as slaves, white people ain’t been through shit. White people are not victims and white people like YOU are what’s wrong with amerikkka. White people like you can never take responsibility at all and blame black people and use STEREOTYPES to justify your racist claims which is PATHETIC AF. Of corse your racist white eyes can’t see reality of how oppressed black people really are because you choose to not see it or admit to it. Black people are opressed now at an alarming rate and your HATRED for black people explains why you you believe otherwise. The pathetic argument of Having a black president is rediculous. That does not mean oppression and discrimination against black people magically went away. In fact it got worst. Obama legit got DEATH THREATS!! Also he’s the First black president out of 43 white presidents and all of the sudden you think that makes racism goes away, give me a break. Of corse you have no white guilt because you a heartless white supremacists who cares about no one but white people. We don’t need your guilt, I don’t give a shit but what your not going to do is degrade my people and dismiss our suffering that’s still present today. You wanna know why Black people haven’t been have to progress, it’s because of SYSTEMATIC RACISM that you can’t see if you tried because it’s an unearned invisible advantage EVERY white person has and if you took a second to research you would know why that is. Systematic racism holds black people back and racist individuals like yourself can’t comprehend that because you never had to. Black people CAN be successful BUT how can we when theres a racist system that works against us. It’s white peoples culture to blame black people for EVERYTHING when it is in fact WHITE PEOPLE who makes everyone’s life ESPECIALLY black peoples lives a living hell. Your attitude is the problem and you are the prime example of why racism is alive today. You blame black people left and right and use the racist streotype of “single black mother’s” thinking your making a point. You don’t know SHIT about black people and that’s another problem you have, if you did you wouldn’t resort to using stereotypes and false statistics. You said it’s black peoples fault that we have high crime rates. Black people do not have a high crime rate and it’s been confirmed several times by the FBI. White people are the ones with the highest crimes and have yet to do something about their high rate of white one white crime that everyone loves to ignore. White people are violent and is the race with the highest crimes, most gruesome crimes, racially motivated crimes and they get covered up by white America and your racist pet pigs. Police go out of their way to harass black people going about their day and push the narrative that black people are violent thugs. White people are the violent thugs and we got cases and cases of proof that the media and police cover up to save your white asses. Yes it is white peoples faults because you got us in this shit and I have never seen a more disrespectful, hate-filled, inhumane, delusional, childish and pathetic group of people like yourselves. There is nothing wrong with what the writer said and your mad because your race is blamed because they are. Why is it so hard to take responsibility, I know, white people don’t know how to take responsibility and they don’t know how to deal with being called out on their actions so they Blame black people to avoid doing it. I think you have a real problem with black people and what have black people done to you? Nothing!! White people are masters at calling everyone racist but themseleves. Your fucked up mindset is exactly why “it’s okay to be white” shouldn’t be posted!! I bet you have a problem with “it’s okay to be black” too!! The difference between the two is black people are shamed to this day and told we don’t belong in our own country. White people have never been told that. That’s the difference. I love white people but it’s frustrating when each and every day I come across people like you that slowly but surely make me more and more uncomfortable with being black in America and make me feel self-conscious around white people in my day to day life. So you can miss me with that disrespect and I refuse to let your racist comment linger without being addressed!!! It’s a shame in 2020 I have to address white people like you to this day. You do take after your ancestors mentality I will say that much and it’s honestly sad. Find a hobby and drop the white people are victims shit. I love white people but I don’t like you!!
Being a German-American, I get the guilt of my people on both sides. I just want to feel okay not being “a person of color”. I wish a time would come, when people do not equate their success in life by slamming all of their feeling of victimhood in other peoples face. I have had to work hard for all my accomplishments, no one gave me a free ride. I have endured loss and pain, but pushed forward anyway. That is how the real world works…nobody gets to ride for free! My father died for this country, my mother raised me on her own. I am a victim of sexual assault! I have suffered from PTSD. I am a nurse, I care for my fellow human and guess what? I am white…
I love being white, western people owe nothing to anyone, we have nothing to apologize for.
We should speak up and start public debates centered around the fact that there is nothing morally wrong with wanting to maintain a white majority in the countries we founded and built. We have to learn from the Japanese and be totally unapologetic and proud.
@Eva Shaw, I too am a whyte and would spit on my ancestors if I could. You are not alone. You articulated certain feelings and withholdings and learnings I am also hoping to move through in a way that serves. Bless you and stay joyfully tenacious in the movement for love.
@Author: I agree that taking pride in “white” identity is strange. Race is a false categorization of people with certain DNA, so really none of us should be “proud” of race, because it was invented by a bunch of crusty European cis guys who wanted to prove they were better than everyone else, meanwhile having significant Neanderthal DNA %’s, so whatever they were measuring was pretty fake and abstract and groundless. I think people of color and descendant-survivors of American slavery, AS WELL as the modern day slavery occurring in our prisons and detention centers, as well as the genocide in the streets by our police, MUST be given reparations–not only financial, but cultural, moral, interpersonal, infrastructural, environmental, health and safety, nutritional, housing, and fulfillment of other demands and requests. I think that people of color built this country, and their vibrancy in our communities must be centered and celebrated. It’s okay to be white, but it’s not where the conversation should center at this point. We all have a responsibility to learn about our own ancestries and process our ancestral traumas. Need I say that again for the “wHaT aBoUt tHe iRiSh” people in the back?
Good opinion piece and great info. Bookmarked it for my class 🙂
Yes white people are often being told it’s not ok to be white (or straight, or male) by the media today.
And yes some of us do need to hear that it’s ok to be white when most of what we hear is demonisation.
It is ok to be white. Stop the lies
I have ancestry going far back into Massachusetts. A relative of mine was friends with Paul Revere. My ancestors fought in the revolution war. So one day I said that I am American. This guy told me that I am not American because I am not American Indian. Whatever? My other side is from Russia. So I feel differently than others. My Dad would talk about smart Europeans. I got sick of it. People told me that I was prejudiced. He put my Mom’s side down which caused anger in me. They grew up practicing different religions. Maybe I look down at myself because kids said stupid things like myself looking stupid. I have dyslexia I believe. My Dad would tell me that I am dumb. My mom told me that we descended from
a Native American lady named Mariah who was born in Vermont. I identify as white. I am extremely fair complected because of my grandfather from Atlanta, Georgia. So, I have my grandfather’s coloring. People said mean things about my hair being light. My Dad was an Ashkenazim. I was accused of being a skinhead. I would be called blondie. It is a type of bullying. As I was considered good looking by my boyfriend though. Others thought that I was downright ugly. My Dad would talk about how messed up Irish people were and that they were ridiculous to come up with leprechauns. My dad was the master of getting me to not like myself. I am part Irish. My eyes are dark. Even though I am fair, I don’t look Irish. That I could not get along with this fellow Irish kid, a boy who showed tremendous hatred towards me. He gave me the dirtiest look. I will not blame myself for people not liking me over my appearance. Now, I like being Irish descent even though people have trouble believing me since I have dark eyes. My mom came down with a type of acne that has to do with how fair she is. I just remember to say that I know my ancestry. Now I am proud of every bit of it. You can be prejudiced against yourself. I do believe I was against myself. Now I am not. Because I don’t give a damn about other people if they don’t like me. If you don’t like me, I don’t like you.
This article raises some good points. Whereas white people (such as myself) were never told that there is anything wrong with being so, those of other races have not historically had the same arm of acceptance extended to them. I understand that, and can at the very least be grateful of two things: 1- That I have the fortune of being a race that has not endured discrimination to any severe degree, and 2- That we live in a time where other races are offered the same acceptance having acknowledged the wrong in this way of thinking.
That being said, my issue is the leap from “It’s okay to be _____”—people like me needed to hear it. Not those specific words, but we needed to hear “It’s okay to be black/gay/trans/etc.” because so many of us were ashamed”.
To this idea that taking PRIDE in their particular race is somehow connected to acceptance of that race.
Acceptance of things such as race, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc., are not bad. For these groups of people it can really help them come to terms with belonging to a group of people that have been told for so long that they don’t belong, or that something is inherently wrong with [fill in the blank].
Taking PRIDE in these things though, is something entirely different. It suggests more than acceptance, but that there’s something special about belonging to either one of these groups. This is an issue. Taking pride in something that one has no control over is not only silly, but when it comes to a topic such as pride in ones race, it can be very dangerous. It’s this kind of thinking that contributed to the racism that African Americans faced in the past and still face today to varying degrees.
My underlying point is this: While it certainly is okay to teach acceptance of things such as race and gender identity, etc., it certainly doesn’t pay to teach pride for these things. Feeling special, or superior due to something that one has no control over is simply put, silly and ignorant. What should be and is enough is the understanding that regardless of race, no one person is better or lesser than another. What makes a person great isn’t his or her skin color, or his or her preference of sexual partner, but what that person does in his or her life time, and how that person treats other people during it.
People in “minority” groups are fond of saying that they are stereotyped, pigeonholed, etc.; and then turn around and do the EXACT same thing to others. ALL whites are racist, All whites are responsible for slavery, All…i could go on ad nauseum. Of course, there’s racism, in all races. Go back far enough in history and you’ll find virtually EVERY group was downtrodden. This is not to say that we should not recognize racist behavior where it DOES exist and eliminate it, but to automatically assume the worst in someone speaks very loudly of your qualities.