Question

Is white apologism really how we fight racism, or is it just history repeating itself?

Luna Rose Top Answerer

Speaking as a white person here: There's a huge difference between white guilt (unproductive self-blame over broad social issues) and personal responsibility. If white guilt is what you mean by "apologism," then you are absolutely right that sitting in a corner and angsting is unhelpful. It takes a lot of courage to look at something bad you said or did, and say "I messed up, I'm sorry, and I won't do it again." The goal is to take responsibility and be the best person you can be. To avoid repeating our ancestors' mistakes, we must be willing to educate ourselves and help others in the face of unequal opportunities instead of just sitting on our hands as Martin Luther King, Jr. warned against. Work on being a helper, being compassionate, and taking responsibility for your actions, even when it's hard. Then, hopefully, this generation and the next ones will be better off than the previous ones.