“I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to 'order- than to justice.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.
The white moderate is a term that can not be easily defined. They aren't racist. But they aren't actively, non racist, either. So with that, they are, even without acknowledging it, a little bit racist. Racism has been watered down to a simplistic term over the years. More so than just hating a race, racism is oppressing a race by holding power over them, therefore creating inequality. With this definition then, the only way to not be racist is to be an oppressed minority or to be actively fighting against the system that gives you privilege.
For many white people, this is a hard concept to grasp. They don't hate people of color, so there is no way they are racist, right? Somewhat. They aren't outwardly or actively racist. But, they also aren't outwardly or actively trying to fight their unfair privilege. And really, why would they? They didn't choose to be in the position they are in. They didn't choose to be an ancestor of a slave master. It's not their fault that Donald Trump hates Mexicans and wants to ban all Muslims. They're just trying to live the life they were handed. This is the white moderate, and this is the tough decision they must all make. Because despite all of these factors and excuses one could make for them, people of color are still having to deal with the negative impact of white supremacy.
With a long history of deeply embedded racism in every major system in our country, it is not enough to just denounce racism. It is not enough to just dismiss racism as something of the past because it is not. The white moderate mindset says that since black people are no longer getting lynched, then racism must not really exist anymore. Or that even more naively, it is not their problem because they do not directly contribute to racism and oppression. But this same mindset is what allowed for the rise, and almost inevitable candidacy of Donald Trump. This man and his voters continue to be openly racist, with no repercussions. During this time there have been left-wing, white democrats who actively work to combat the type of rhetoric and violence Donald Trump ensues, but more importantly, the white moderate has stayed nearly silent. This is what we must fear. We must not fear right wing conservatives who we know are for the system that is against us, but rather white people who do not have a side. Because when the going gets tough, they might choose the side that is for them, the easier side to choose.
They are not helpless though. Discussion matters. Tell the kid in your class who says he does not care about politics that these policies impact your life in a big way. Sometimes all the white moderate needs to hear is that they cannot be neutral anymore. Sometimes all they need to hear is that they are needed and welcomed. The fight continues with or without them, but it sure would be a lot easier with them.
