Too many of us white male Americans have spent our lives with our heads buried in the sand in ignorance or at worst fully aware that the structure of our nation is weighted severely in our favor at the repeatedly tragic expense of everyone else. The fact of this cruelty is undeniable, statistically certifiable and historically reliable, the consistent oppression from the very beginning is hellish with minimal improvement to date. Now is the time for change and I want to help bring this about, Silence is Complicit is one of the tools I’ll use.
The last number of years has been a complete train wreck in the US as well as several other nations causing me to question what is so wrong that we could elect such an obviously damaged president and then allow him to begin destruction of the marginal gains towards equality we had made over the most recent 150 years. The answer is unmistakably fear, and the of what, is losing our power and position of superiority. This fear is so prevalent that in 2016 74 million Americans (even more in 2020) voted against their own best interest in order to maintain their perceived dominance. Which reminds me of a quote from Lyndon B. Johnson, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.” Which is exactly what we’ve increasingly witnessing.
There is much to be done, this is the struggle for the soul of our nation with lives on the line daily. We must come together to end racism and the policies allowing it to continue flourishing. Here’s where to start:
- Listen to those wronged (people of color, women and those in the LGBTQ community).
- Join and support their organizations.
- Speak out, confront racism when you see it and hear it.
- Vote (always) and do all you can to encourage others to do the same.
I am sorry I’m late to the cause, my silence and tacit acceptance of these “norms” has been inexcusable, my justifications have been many, but my conviction is sincere. Making essential changes to our culture is not only what is right but what is best for everyone, yes everyone, even the very few that benefit politically and economically from the system as it is. Collaboration is the key to a thriving society, not competition as our current structure is founded.
My hope is to help change minds by sharing on this site and working together with others to make this country what it could and should be. If I can help you in any way, please get in touch.
Let’s make America good at last,
Silence is Complicit
Updated March 13, 2024