The Opportunity to Oppress Shouldn't Overly Impress
Last week, I wanted to write about Jeff Bezos stepping aside and the fact that another white male will take his place. I hoped for a Black CEO. But then I remembered how bad Amazon is.
Last week, I wanted to write about Roz Brewer becoming the CEO of Walgreens as a Black woman. But then I remembered how bad capitalism can be.
Last week, I wanted to write about Jennifer King at the Washington Football Team. But then I remembered that the NFL is the worst of us.
Last week, I wanted to write about Lloyd Austin becoming the first Black secretary of defense. But then I remembered that the defense department defends whiteness.
Does everyone deserve an opportunity to ruin the planet, expand inequality, and kill people? We all deserve the opportunity to be human and make mistakes. But I’m thinking there are some things Black people and people of color should not do. That is not what we tell ourselves, and it’s probably not something most want to hear.
The desire to be it all, have it all, and do it all, can be a white one. I think part of those desires for it all comes from wanting equality with whites. I’ve written that Equality with Whites Is Not the Goal.
In her book Reproducing Racism, Daria Roithmayr says whites functioned as a cartel to gain their advantages. That means white advantages come by oppression. Getting what whites have doesn’t mean systems have changed. Such movement may be progress for an individual, but it isn’t necessarily a giant step for humankind.
The hope is that diversity and inclusion will change entities and systems. I want to believe that Black presidents, vice presidents, and CEOs are good changes that will change things for good. But rarely is that change transformational. Whiteness will let you drive, so long as you’re going its way at its speed. We learned that from Obama. White power can and will accommodate and include diversity.
I suppose the possibility that change could come from diversity and inclusion should keep us hopeful. But some systems and entities need to end. Because the U.S. hasn’t done a good job at elimination, people focus on inclusion, and people want to be included. Because the U.S. doesn’t like abolition, it opts for reform. White power has reformed itself too.
Whiteness allows many people to join in its oppression. Whiteness can be multiracial. That has long been the case, but it is increasingly so. I’m not saying we shouldn’t celebrate gains. But the opportunity to oppress, or oppress less, should not overly impress.