[Note: When J. Elliot refers to her being classed as one of āyour peopleā in relation to black people of color, itās based on her reputation of being an outspoken, anti-racism ally].
- Jane Elliot on the Oprah Winfrey Show panel on racism in 1992.
White people get deeply offended hearing black people speak this truth, so maybe hearing Jane Elliot say it will cut through the white fragility: White peopleās default setting is racism. Because Americaās default setting is racism. That doesnāt mean they cannot unlearn it, but anti-Blackness is so ubiquitous in Western culture that unlearning racism is not something that just magically happens because you think youāre a good person. Itās not something you attain and then forget about. Itās a perishable skill.
Nobody becomes ānot racistā by repeatedly declaring āBut hey, IāM not racistā on social media. Becoming ānot racistā is defined by conscious choice, coupled with actionsālike listening to black people, calling out racism, and not saying or doing racist thingsāthat prove you arenāt racist. Being ānot racistā is something that needs to be worked on CONSTANTLY.
