From: Sondra Bolte
Columbus
One of the privileges of having white skin is that we don’t have to notice what is happening to people of color.
We are starting to learn, through cell phone video, some of the things we didn’t know were happening to them. We are now in a position to learn about what systemic racism is doing to our non-white brothers and sisters and look for ways to eliminate the harm.
We shouldn’t be creating more systemic racist policy.
White people now need to shut up and listen. The impacts of our laws in Indiana have had terrible consequences for people of color since day one. I believe that many good legislators voted for those bills without racist intent. But INTENT doesn’t really matter if the EFFECT is negative or harmful to a group of Hoosiers.
It is time for our state legislators to shut up and listen when Black members say that a bill is racist. It is time to do some research on the likely negative impact (intended or not) on a group of people. They shouldn’t walk out because they don’t like what is being said.
People of color are speaking up and giving us a chance to understand the impact of what is being proposed and fix it. Let’s calm our internal white fragility and listen and learn. If the impact is harmful then find a different way to solve the problem without an unintended consequence.
Consider it a gift when people of color have the courage to speak up.
