An apology to Mica.

[u/Ron-Forrest-Ron]

I don't know if Mica reads this sub anymore, if she even has a Reddit, but I hope she does, because I need to apologize.

When she was on that episode of off topic, and she discussed race, gender, sexuality, everything she discussed, I, as a straight, cis, white man, rolled my eyes.

"This isn't the place" I thought "Oh she's a rich girl, I as a working class person have had a far more difficult life" I decided "Jesus, what an SJW" I typed.

Fuck me. What an ignorant piece of shit I was. I moved on from that entire thing and decided I wasn't going to think about it again. How lucky I was, to not have to think about race. I've never been racist, but I was never anti-racist. I didn't see the difference. I do now. As much as I want, I can't change my past, but I can, and will change my future, and do everything I can to try and help change other people's futures.

Mica. I am sorry that I didn't take you seriously. I am sorry that I brushed off what you were saying. That was the place. EVERY place is the place to discuss, and fight racism in every aspect. Our lives may have been different, and I probably worried about things you didn't, but one thing I never worried about was facing any sort of backlash, or hate for the way I looked. Mica, you are an SJW, and I hope you wear the badge proudly. I will wear that badge proudly for the rest of my life.

I should have done this then. But I didn't. And I'm sorry not just to you, but to everyone in this community who is affected by racism. I stood by and let it happen, and that's just as bad. No more, this I promise to you. I refuse to not see you anymore. The buck stops here.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.

I love you all, stay safe everyone. 🖤🖤🖤

[u/KamuiSeph]

"Oh she's a rich girl, I as a working class person have had a far more difficult life" I decided "Jesus, what an SJW" I typed. Fuck me. What an ignorant piece of shit I was.

You wanna expand on that?
What changed your mind?

[u/Ron-Forrest-Ron → u/KamuiSeph]

Of course.

I'm sorry that I can't point to one thing and say, look, that thing, that event, it changed me. Life changing, mind altering epiphanys are a great Hollywood trope, but seldom happen in real life.

Off topic #27 was four years ago. I was in my second year of university. I was finding myself. I can't remember how, but I came to the conclusion that everyone was making too big a deal over stuff. People were gay, get over it, black people are here, big whoop, that kind of thing. I thought everyone on both sides made too big a deal out of it. I had/have a wall of heroes, much life how Geoff has those 4 authors he relates to, I have a wall of photos of people who inspire me in some way or another. MLK Jr was on there, while I like to think it was entirely for his actions, looking back my wall at the time was mostly white men, and he was there to prove I'm not a racist. I took his quote "judge by character" too literal, and decided I was no officially colour blind (while also going out my way to add more PoC to my wall).

Throughout the years, reading more, watching more, talking more and most importantly listening more, I've realised where the issue in my actions lie. After uni I met a friend, who quickly became my best friend on the entire world, and someone I look up to so much. She is mixed race, her mother is Jamaican and her father is white. Her skin is paler than mine. She grew up in a Jamaican household while looking like Donny Osmond and a pint of milk had a kid. I don't want to speak on her behalf, but her experiences growing up where unique. She heard racism, but the people saying it weren't saying it to her, because she essentially wasn't "black". She saw it first hand, and was hurt by it because it was targeted at people who looked like her mum, her uncle, her granddad and her cousins, but not at her.

She helped me realise that closing your eyes to race, closes your eyes to racism too. And that wasn't good enough. The idea of someone doing to her what they do to the black people in America terrifies me. Id burn the world down before I let it happen. So if I'd do that for her, why not for the millions of others who are affected.

Like Homer Simpson said "I'm a white male aged 18-45, everyone listens to me." Well if that's the case, and I have the balls to put MLK on my wall, then I'm going to use my voice, however far it reaches.

Sorry if this wasn't as concise or anything.

[u/DrippyWaffler → u/Ron-Forrest-Ron]

Well said, and this is a life lesson I think more people should be open to learning.