Fellow white folks: Does blocking someone on social media stop racism?
Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of social media posts with white people lambasting other white people for misguided racist commentary. “Disconnect and block” seems to be the ultimate “solution” for letting these individuals know that we disapprove.
While I wholeheartedly support the decisions of Black and Brown individuals to completely disengage with any and all racist commentary or individuals to protect their well-being and safety, I believe there’s another side to this coin that we, as white individuals engaged in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work, should consider.
By disconnecting entirely and ‘canceling’ someone from our circle, are we missing an opportunity to bridge the gap? For one, simply blocking this person isn’t necessarily doing anything other than making our networks more insular, allowing these types of racist beliefs to fester all around us.
Instead of erecting barriers and further polarizing our communities, could there be room for one-on-one open dialogue, where we can provide alternative viewpoints or perspectives that might be missing?
Let me be clear, I’m not advocating for engaging with hate speech or white supremacy. Disengaging is often the best approach there. However, when it comes to misguided beliefs, isn’t there value in sharing knowledge and fostering understanding?
As white folks, how do we effectively address misguided racist beliefs without further polarization? Can we create a window for dialogue rather than a barrier?”
