First of all, you can call Congress to get them to pass laws that prevent biased enforcement of laws, even if the laws themselves are racist, sexist, or any other -ist. Republicans or Trump himself may pass a law that targets minorities, but if enforcement can’t disproportionately target minorities, then they won’t be able to effectively implement those laws.
You can also join organizations like NAACP, and yes, even if you’re not African-American. You can join any organization. You can volunteer for campaigns. You can donate to any organization. Most of these organizations fund election campaigns and initiatives that sometimes become laws that improve the lives of many minorities. Therefore, you’d really be helping if you got involved in any way you can.
If you run a business or conduct interviews for a business, continue to interview minorities, read resumes without looking at the name at the top, recruit at diverse universities, and listen to the unique perspectives that minorities can bring to your organizations. You can do the same as an admissions officer. You can also ensure that no one’s employment or education status is terminated because of their minority status.
If you’re a police officer, it’s important work as a team but also to grow as a team. Whether you’re a lieutenant with years of experience or you’ve just entered the academy, you have the power to share your voice and encourage people to understand your viewpoints and adopt more unbiased protocols when conducting searches, arrests, interrogations, and investigations and operating prisons that treat inmates equally.
Finally, we can treat people with respect. No matter what policies are adopted and no matter how harsh the Administration is on minorities, we should all attempt to feel that pain. If someone is being treated unfairly by the government, help them out, take them in, give them shelter. Next time you’re clipping coupons, set some aside for someone having trouble making ends meet. Stand up for someone who is being bullied. Actually interfere in an altercation if you can take care of yourself and de-escalate the situation. If it’s too dangerous, hide, contact the police immediately (or someone you trust if you know the nearby cops aren’t trustworthy), watch the police interact with the assailants and victims to make sure no additional crimes are committed by the police, and record what you can. While I don’t condone blanket distrust of law enforcement, it’s important to note that there are bad actors in every group.
The last thing I really want to say is that I probably have the most white privilege that anyone can ever have. First of all, I’m white. So there’s that. However, I’m also male. I also grew up with plenty of money, and I was born here. A racist or sexist person would never think to discriminate against me.
I probably have some extra strength at the end of the day because I’m not too busy getting abused every time I walk outside or identify myself
in some way. Therefore, I’m going to use my white privilege to take on any additional role that I can that minorities are just too tired to take on because they’re too busy getting hurt all day, and I ask anyone with any kind of privilege to do the same.
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