White Guilt, Paralysis, Amnesia & Fragility in Action: An Analysis of Louis CK, Gervais & Seinfeld

We recently released a blog piece titled “5 Social Justice Terms to Help Name and Deconstruct White Supremacy” meant to help facilitate the interruption of whiteness by those of us interested in seeing the dismantling of white supremacy. Shortly after we released that piece the clip of Chris Rock, Louis CK, Ricky Gervais, and Jerry Seinfeld in conversation and Louis CK using the N word went viral. We thought it may be helpful to analyze the clip using the 5 terms as a way to highlight examples in real life of these phenomenon taking place…

Truth TellingIan McLAughlinJanuary 8, 2019louis CK, Ricky Gervais, Senfield, White Guilt, White Fragility, White Paralysis, White AmnesiaComment

5 Social Justice Terms to Help Name and Deconstruct White Supremacy

Racism, the erasure of Native People, and anti-Blackness was all created to uphold White Supremacy: which encompasses the systems and institutions that benefit people considered white. White Supremacy has reigned in America for the past 400 years; dating back to the invention of the term in Anti-Miscegenation laws written by white men during the 1600’s. From James Baldwin to Rosa Clemente, prominent activities of color have noted time and again that deconstructing White Supremacy is the burden of white people - as we created it. However, one of the biggest issues with deconstructing whiteness is the idea that it hides itself in plain sight - especially to white people. Below are 5 terms related to whiteness that can help to sharpen our lens so we can see and name whiteness in efforts to break it down…

Incivility of White America: #WhiteAmnesia

Apparently there is an "uncivil war" breaking out in America. The declaration follows some high profile incidents such as Sarah Huckabee Sanders being asked to leave the Red Hen, Homeland Security Secretary Kirsjten Nielsen being jeered, booed at and, eventually, forced to leave a D.C. Mexican restaurant, and Stephen Miller, the Trump advisor largely seen as the architect of the separating families policy, being confronted at a separate Mexican restaurant. This was followed by a report from Politico that Trump staffers are having a hard time finding dates and otherwise socializing in D. C.. On Saturday Maxine Waters encouraged "push back" against Trump and his staffers. On the other hand Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic establishment are urging for “unity from sea to shining sea.” …