Can we stop this “it actually goes back to” argument style.

Look I understand that racism is very entrenched in America from its very beginning, just like every other country on Earth. To frame an argument like that is to say through subtext that no act of reformation can ever be enough.

It reframes humans as inherently ignorant which I hope we all know isn’t the case, any of us who know better only do so because we were taught to think critically.

I understand it’s important to have historical context when defining issues of race and inequity but the issue comes from it being a way to sweep all talk of change under the rug.

It also gives current figures moral cover by saying that no one person is specifically responsible, letting any recent figures off the hook when they’re very culpable. It frames racism as an issue of human nature which it may be but it’s in tandem with ignorance, something only some of us were able to escape because of education.

It’s weaponizing historical context to take away our feeling of agency which is something that has been a tactic on the right and particularly in Russia for years.

Racist rhetoric didn’t begin with Trump but the scale, centrality, and normalization is like no other.

Deep roots should never be a way to absolve recent actors. So while I think historical framing is important, I think it’s also important that we’re mindful we don’t weaponize it to both belittle our progress and erase the possibility for change.

Of course the system has systemic inequality and racism, of course we should work to change that and we should use historical context to identify the disadvantages that have been given to people and how we can fix them. But in the meantime we can still hold the people here and now accountable for what they have done to accelerate the normalization of direct racist tones.

To spend your life tracing only original sin would be to miss the nuance of how it’s evolved.

To frame an argument like that is to say through subtext that no act of reformation can ever be enough.

That’s the point though. When you frame it that way you turn it into an extreme issue, to which you allowed an extreme reaction. You can never acknowledge progress or growth or change. It’s can therefore be perpetual ragebait.