To The White Liberals, I Don’t Have A ‘Best Ally’ Gold Star For You

To The White Liberals:

Today as I walked into my friendly neighborhood Starbucks the barista got extremely excited when she saw me. She proceeded to tell me that she loved my patterned jumpsuit. Before I could get a thank you out, she explained that she used to live in South Africa and that seeing me reminded her of her brothers and sisters there. She said this with a smile on her face as if I should be grateful for people like her. As if my existence was just to make her feel good about her time in South Africa.

As I smiled I could only think one thought: I am not here for you. I am not here to make the white liberals of the world feel better about their lack of racism. I’m not here to display the entire African race (I’ve never even been to Africa or even know where my slave ancestors came from). I’m not here to make people feel better about not being like the other white people.

So often American (white) liberals think that they should get a pat on the back for knowing something about another culture, for not being racist or prejudice. But let me tell you all something: you don’t deserve a pat on the back, you don’t deserve an award for being less racist than your next door neighbor, you don’t get a gold star for not being a shit person.

Do you want to know who deserves a gold star? Black people for not hating white people. Black people for not hating the police that kill them. Hispanic people for not hating immigration officers who tear their families apart. Hispanic people for not hating white people. Muslims for not hating Christians who call them terrorists and women-haters. Women for not hating men who rape and beat and disrespect them. Anyone in the LGBTQ+ community for not hating straight people who think that they deserve a Straight Pride Month. Disabled people for not hating able-bodied people for pushing them out of spaces. Minorities and the oppressed for not hating the majority and the oppressors. That’s who deserves a gold fucking star, not those who benefit (whether they want to admit it on not) from the struggles of the oppressed.

I’m so sick of people telling me and other minorities of the great things they did for these communities. Good job not being a shit person. If I got a nickel for every white person who told me about their good deeds, I wouldn’t be broke due to the years of oppression from their ancestors. If I (or any minority) got a job offer for every white person who told me they don’t see color, there wouldn’t be a lack of diversity in Fortune 500 companies. If people didn’t think they were the goddamn greatest for being decent then we might actually have some real progress in the world. But no, everyone just wants a trophy for not being terrible.

But the people who really deserve the trophies and the awards, the people who fight every day to be heard, the people who have to apologize for their very existence? Those people? We get nothing. We fight, we protest, we exist and we get killed, beaten down, torn from our families, put into poverty, and told to get over it.