White people say they want to be an ally to black people. But are they ready for sacrifice? | Kelsey Smoot
If the White people in my life could hit a button and instantly remove the privileges afforded to them along racial lines, would they hit that button?
In the days immediately following the widespread media circulation of the video displaying George Floyd’s tragic killing at the hands of Minnesota police officers, my phone buzzed incessantly with text messages from White friends and colleagues. As protests erupted around the nation, in the wake of additional incidences of state sanctioned violence towards Black Americans, these messages too increased. Some texts featured a preamble of apology, well-wishes and a disclaimer that “no reply was necessary”. Others were phrased in the form of questions: “Is thereA few made the offer to have me redirect other White people to them for educational purposes while I “protected my energy and emotional labor”.
