The Best Frozen Mimosas
One of the most pervasive refrains right now is: “I DON’T SEE COLOR. LET’S JUST LOVE EACH OTHER AND STOP BRING RACE INTO EVERYTHING BECAUSE IT’S DIVISIVE.” That sounds good, but it’s a harmful approach. Here’s some help responding to this common misperception.
If you’re white, you do have the luxury of ignoring race most of the time because our American society was built by white people for white people. White friends, imagine for a moment that people of your race were at risk of being stopped an inordinate number of times and even potentially murdered by police. You could no longer ignore your race: you’d have to prepare and protect yourself and your children.
Being able to ignore race is one example of white privilege — and it’s a privilege that I don’t recommend taking advantage of. It stunts your racial identity development (which often starts much later for us, since we’re usually raised seeing ourselves as a “default,” with representation of our race all around us). Besides that, our social identities (like gender, race, nationality, ability, sexuality, etc.) — though not determinative of our personality on their own — are an integral part of who we are and change how we experience the world. It’s not a compliment to say you don’t see an important part of someone’s identity.
To address racism, we must acknowledge how race affects people’s daily lives and how it’s been used in this country. Start by reading this article, “Colorblind Ideology is Racism,” to understand why “not seeing color” is counterproductive.
After that, take a look at history. Once it fell out of vogue to be explicitly racist (now we can only long for those days), folks had to get creative with structural oppression. And they did. Read The New Jim Crow or watch the related documentary 13TH, both of which showcase how our nation has used ostensibly “colorblind” laws to differentially affect people of color with plausible deniability. Our refusal to notice white supremacy — by refusing to acknowledge people’s different experiences in our nation based on their race — is helping hide this structural problem.
Here’s a starter list of the systemic racism we’re ignoring when we “don’t see race.”
It feels scary to call out racism. It feels much safer to post about love and unity. I get it. But real love is action. Real unifying takes work. And if folks keep their eyes closed to race and how it affects people in society, they aren’t being loving or harmonious. They’re ignoring oppression for their own comfort.
One year ago: Caramelized Pineapple Cheesecake Cups
Two years ago: Hot Yellow Cake with Crackle Icing and a Blueberry Pile
Three years ago: Smoked Salmon and Whitefish Salad Melts
Four years ago: Gooey Carmelitas
Five years ago: Easy Fruity Cereal Treat Cupfakes
Six years ago: Almost No-Bake Peanut Butter Pie
Seven years ago: Oven Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- 1 (750-mL) bottle of champagne, chilled
- 3/4 cup Triple Sec, chilled
- 1 (12-fluid ounce) tube frozen orange juice concentrate
- 2 cups ice
- maraschino cherries for garnish
- Blend the champagne, triple sec, orange juice concentrate, and ice together until smooth. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, cover, and freeze overnight.
- Slush up the mimosa and return it to the blender. Blend just until slushy. Pour into glasses, top each glass with a maraschino cherry, and serve!
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom
August 21, 2017 at 9:31 am (7 years ago)Love your thoughtful post and couldn’t agree more! Thanks for sharing!
Julie Ruble
August 22, 2017 at 11:58 am (7 years ago)Thanks Marjory!
Jen
August 21, 2017 at 8:25 pm (7 years ago)Thank you for posting this. It really bothers me when people say this, because I agree–it represents a very head-in-the-sand approach to race relations and serves to keep the person saying it from thinking critically about race, or their role in perpetuating white supremacy. That being said–any suggestions for ways to say so, kindly but firmly, when you’re with someone who says that?
Julie Ruble
August 21, 2017 at 11:20 pm (7 years ago)Hi Jen! I’m not an expert, but I think these people are usually well-intentioned and more prone to enter into dialogue if they’re seen that way (and this costs me less as a white person to approach it this way than it might cost a person of color who has potentially dealt with so much more pain). So I try to start with something like, “I think you’re trying to notice how many things humans have in common to note that we should come together, and that’s a really lovely thought. I just wanted to let you know, though, that it isn’t necessary (and is actually harmful) to ignore race in conversations like these. I didn’t always know this either, but here’s an article I read about it.” The key things here are just being vulnerable with them about ignorance of certain topics and growth — which we all experience — and recognizing their good intent. I hope that’s helpful!
Jen
August 22, 2017 at 11:46 pm (7 years ago)That is helpful. Thank you!
Sandra L Garth
August 21, 2017 at 10:53 pm (7 years ago)Thank you so much for this post!
Julie Ruble
August 22, 2017 at 11:58 am (7 years ago)Thanks for reading, Sandra.
Vickie H.
August 22, 2017 at 9:36 am (7 years ago)Julie! What a God-send you are! Thank you for posting this and sharing the easily clicked links. I shared on my FB page…..I think EVERYONE should read “Colorblind Ideology is Racism”.
Julie Ruble
August 22, 2017 at 11:59 am (7 years ago)I’m so glad you found it helpful, Vickie! Thanks for being bold to share with your friends.