Is Reverse Racism Real? Anti-Racism School Is In Session™, Episode 3, with Ashani Mfuko

In this episode, Ashani shares the actual definition of racism, and the distinct differences between racism, prejudice, and discrimination, to help you get a better understanding of where the term "reverse racism" comes from. She also breaks down why creating equitable systems, laws, policies, and programs, and giving reparations to African-Americans, who are the descendants of the enslaved, is not "reverse racism".

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Transcript

Speaker: 0:01

Anti racism school is in session It's in session Anti racism is not a diet It's a lifestyle commitment 365 days a year Live a life that's anti racist Ashini, teaching you, giving you That truth with love, straight with no chasing It's a graceful and mindful. Open your third eye and take off your blindfold. You ain't gotta agree to understand. But understand you gotta take a stand. Anti racism school is in session. What? It's in, it's in session. Anti racism school is in session. What? It's, it's in session.

Speaker 2: 0:41

Ashany Mufuko wants to educate people about racism. She created a family friendly monthly seminar called Anti Racism School Is In Session, and every month she'll be talking about different ways to be anti racist.

Speaker 3: 0:57

Welcome to anti racism school is in session, bringing you an uncommon perspective to common issues related to racism. I'm your host Ashinee Mfuko. And on this show, we talk about how to become anti racist, how to live an anti racist lifestyle and how to raise anti racist kids. Why? Because we want to work together to create a more beautiful, safer, and more equitable world for all people. Remember, anti racism is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Let's get into today's topic because this is something that I see coming up all the time on social media. I've heard people talk about it in every conversation about race and I think it's time that we set the record straight. Set the record straight and make it clear once and for all. The topic of today's show is, is reverse racism real? Let's talk about it. And I think the first thing that we need to do is get clear on what racism actually is because apparently a lot of people don't even really know what racism really is. So let's talk about what racism is and then let's talk about the distinction and the difference between racism, prejudice, and discrimination. Because these three words are not interchangeable. They are not synonymous. They have three distinct definitions, and once you understand the definitions of each word, then you know how to use them properly, and how to not create terms that don't really exist. Okay? So let's get into it. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, I'm going to read you the definition from the Merriam Webster Dictionary. Okay? So that you can get a clear understanding of what racism is. Racism is a belief that race is a fundamental determinant of human traits and capacities, and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. It is also the systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another racial group. Let me read that last part again. The systemic oppression of a racial group to the social, economic, and political advantage of another racial group. Do you understand that? Do you hear the power dynamic aspect? Of racism. Do you understand that? Do you hear the power dynamic aspect of the definition of racism? There is a power dynamic that is at play in order for racism to exist. That's why we talk about systemic racism, institutional racism, structural racism, right? There's a power dynamic there. So it's not only someone believing that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race in our society, that would be white people are the superior race. That's that belief that's the racism, but it's also the social and the economic and the political systems of oppression that are put in place to advantage one race. over another race. Putting systems in place that give white people advantages while they oppress black people and indigenous people and other people of color. Is that clear? Do we all understand what racism is now? Okay. Let's talk about the definition of prejudice. I'm gonna read it from Merriam Webster dictionary once again so we can be crystal clear! that prejudice and racism are not the same thing. Prejudice is a preconceived judgment or an adverse opinion formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge. So you're prejudging someone without sufficient knowledge. That's prejudice. Okay, now discrimination. Discrimination is a prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment. It's basically how you act out your prejudice towards someone. That is discrimination. Does that make sense? Is that clear? Okay. So racism is not prejudice, and prejudice is not discrimination. They are three different words with three completely different definitions. They are not interchangeable. They are not synonymous. Now that you understand the definitions of these three words, you can recognize a few things. As a white person, a black person being mean to you is not racism. A black person making you feel uncomfortable for some reason is not oppression. Discomfort is not oppression. Someone saying something mean to you is not racism. Does that make sense? Okay. Now when you think of something like the term Karen, right? We all know the term Karen. No one wants to be called a Karen. But If you are being called a Karen, right, that's not racism. That's not racism. At worst, it might be prejudice. It might be prejudice. At best, it might be accurate. So you need to check yourself. Are you behaving like a Karen? Right? Wielding your white woman tears, or white woman power, against a black person in order to cause harm. If you are, that's not reverse racism. So in fact, there's actually no such thing as reverse racism. Let's just get into that. There is no such thing as reverse racism. Black people cannot be racist. Towards white people. Why? Number one, we don't have the social, economic and political systemic power to create laws and policies that oppress white people. As a group, that's a part of racism. We don't have that. So to say, oh, well this, this is reverse racism. This black person is being racist towards me, not so much. They may be prejudice, they might be acting prejudice towards you. That is a possibility, racist. Not so much. And remember, it's also believing that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. So, you don't see that showing up for black people either. Okay? So, what you may experience from time to time is prejudice. Now, in some cases, that prejudice, if it's a black person having some sort of prejudice towards a white person, Um, I won't say whether it's right or wrong. What I will say is that there may be reasons for it. There may be reasons for it based on history based on real life experiences Okay, so that's prejudice and if it's acted upon it might be discrimination But again who has the most power we talked about this in the first episode who has the most power who has the most wealth? Who has the most money? Who has, who controls all the political and social systems in our country? Is it black people? It's not us. So reverse racism is not a thing. So you can stop using that term as of today. Another thing you need to understand is that creating new policies and programs that attempt to level the playing field or correct the historically racist exclusionary policies of the past is not reverse racism. That's not it. When we talk about creating equity, when we talk about getting reparations, that's not reverse racism. We are talking about correcting hundreds of years worth, generations worth of government sponsored systemic displacement. Exclusion, segregation, criminalization, discrimination, and racism. Government sponsored, meaning it was legal to do these things, okay? Trying to correct those things is not reverse racism. Does that make sense? Is that clear? Because I don't want you to ever say that something is reverse racism ever again, because now you know better. But what you can do is self reflect and ask yourself, why do I feel attacked? Why do I feel triggered by this? Why is it when black people talk about systemic racism and anti black racism, my immediate response is to try to defend or to deflect, or to say that it's reverse racism or that they need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Knowing that these systems were put in place for generations. Purposely to give advantages to white people and to oppress black people point blank period government sponsored government approved social economic political You can't do that for hundreds of years for generations and think that there's not going to be an impact and think that there's not going to come a time where Work has to be done to reverse the damage. It has to be addressed. It's not going away. It's not going anywhere. We're not going to let it go. You know why? Because it's still harming us to this day. And if you don't understand that, then that means that you need to spend some time getting educated. You need to spend some time asking yourself, why am I okay with this when I know that it's wrong? I'm getting unearned advantages, unearned benefits. Well, if I'm going to receive these unearned advantages and benefits, shouldn't I have to also? Deal with the consequences of that? Shouldn't I also be accountable and responsible for correcting the damage that has been done to groups of people for hundreds of years? Why do you think you can just sit back and receive these unearned benefits and these unearned advantages and never be held accountable for your part in this whole puzzle? It's time to correct the damage that has been done by systemic racism. It is time to start building bridges and not walls and trying to separate ourselves. We need to come together to make things better. And if you are white, you need to step up. You need to step your game up. Because sitting back and being quiet and telling everybody, I'm not racist. I'm one of the good white people. Well, show us. Show us your work. Show us what that means. Being anti racist is an active thing. We need to see it through your actions. You just saying, I'm not racist, doesn't do anything, doesn't help anybody. What are your actions telling us? What are your actions showing us? And if you are committed to making a positive difference and correcting the wrongs that have been done and to bringing healing instead of causing harm, if you're committed to speaking up instead of staying silent, we need to see your work. We need to see your actions. Don't tell us. Show us. Don't talk about it, be about it. Now that we're all on the same page about what racism is and what it isn't, and the fact that reverse racism doesn't actually exist, let me give you some resources to help you on your anti racist journey, to provide you with some anti racism education that you never got in school, that your parents never taught you, and that you may have never seen or heard of before. But remember. Your job is to be open minded, to do your own research, to keep learning and growing, and to not just take anybody's word for it, not even mine, do your own research and get educated. And I'm going to help you with that today by sharing two incredible books with you that will help to open your eyes to things about systemic racism that you've never known and that you've never seen. So here's the first book. This first book is called How to Fight Racism, and it is by Jamar Tisby. It is Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice. This book will change your entire life, especially for Christians. Every Christian should read this book. If you are white, if you are a white evangelical Christian, get this book today, right now, immediately. Read it within the next 48 hours. You need to read this book and you need to get a clearer understanding of what your role is in this whole thing that we call white supremacy and systemic racism. Get into it. The next book is another great one and also considered a classic at this point and it's called The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. If you want to learn all the details About how the government supported and sponsored segregation in America and the wealth building opportunities for white Americans while they intentionally oppressed black people and kept us from building wealth. This is the book for you to read. So get educated, get the knowledge that you have been missing your whole entire life that have caused you to say things like that's reverse racism. You don't have to be ignorant. You can know better and you can do better. And I'm here to help you do that. Remember, I'm a truth speaker. You're a truth seeker. And in this together, we're going to make the world a safer, more beautiful, and more equitable place for all people. Because anti racism, it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Thanks for watching. Make sure you download, share, and subscribe. And I'll see you in our next episode.

Speaker: 13:51

Anti racism school is in session. It's in session. Anti racism is not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Commitment 365 days a year. Live a life that's anti racist. I should be teaching you, giving you that truth. With love, straight, with no chaser. Understand graceful and mindful. Open your third eye, and take off your blindfold. You ain't gotta agree to understand. But understand you gotta take a stand. Anti racism school is in session. What is in? It's in session. Anti racism school is in session. It's in session.

Speaker 2: 14:31

Ashini Mufuko wants to educate people about racism. She created a family friendly monthly seminar called anti racism school is in session. And every month she'll be talking about different ways to be anti racist.