This holiday season, white progressives need to remain consistent with their supposed commitment to social justice — they need to stand up to their racist loved ones.
While the results of the election spurred celebration across the country, white progressives must not be complacent. Yes, a proto-facist leader has been defeated, but the hateful rhetoric, conspiratorial thinking and virulent racism, xenophobia and sexism he espoused during his tenure remain deeply entrenched in American political discourse. Thus, not only is the fight for the rights of marginalized communities ongoing, but our new president — while better in a myriad of ways — must also be held accountable and face demands to execute a progressive agenda. While there are many ways white progressives can help in this mission, a necessary component of this involves debunking misinformation and combatting hateful rhetoric within their own families.
While white progressives may attend protests, hold phone banking sessions or donate to mutual aid funds, none of this serves as adequate allyship if they are unable to stand up to those closest to them. Thus, if white progressives truly care about the causes they so often — and so publicly — claim to support, it follows that they must stand up to their families, friends and anyone else in their social circles who espouse hateful views, conspiracy theories or other misrepresentations of facts.
In failing to stand up to their families and friends — whether their statements are “meant well” or not — white liberals show a distinct complacency with white supremacy, sexism, xenophobia and the countless other ways in which bigotry rears its ugly head.
To be clear, this article is intended to argue that you are obligated to put yourself in a physically or financially dangerous situation in order to argue against your family’s beliefs.
Ultimately, telling your family members that their bigotry is wrong is not activism. However, it is still an incredibly important way not only to show that your moral principles — and the individuals and communities whose lives and livelihoods are in the crosshairs of these conversations — are more important to you than your relationship with racists. The reason to stand up against your loved one’s bigotry is not just to be persuasive — clearly and decisively showing your family that their bigoted beliefs do not have a compliant audience is also a valuable action. No matter the outcome, standing up for your principles disrupts the presumption of agreement so often assumed by bigots. Hateful beliefs may continue — but at the very least you can make it clear that they are not welcome to at least one person at the dinner table.
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