What I've Been Thinking About
Channel: vlogbrothers
Date: 2017-08-18

Race is uncomfortable for me to talk about, and I often have the impulse to, like, stay in my lane, to just amplify voices that are more credible than mine as a white man who knows nothing about racism except for the times when I discover my own bias. 

But I have been encouraged by Black friends and Black Nerdfighters to talk more about this stuff because, like, I'm an American too. Watching the situation in Charlottesville unfold was a horror, and it's been terribly present in my mind ever since. America has a shameful history, but we also have a history of progress, and that continues now as we fight against a new wave of hate that has found new life. 

I also want to be clear that having racist thoughts does not make you a Nazi. We all have bias, we all have fear, and sometimes we even have hate. It's what we do with those things that matters. Do we give in to irrational bias...or do we work hard to keep the hate from creeping in. 

Here are some other great and important things I've read this week:
Rhett McLaughlin - Thoughts on Confederate Statues from a Southern White Male: https://medium.com/@rhettmc/thoughts-on-confederate-statues-from-a-southern-white-male-b81a2693113d

What white parents can do for black parents right now - https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2017/08/17/what-white-parents-can-do-for-black-parents-right-now/

This thing about "white pride" https://twitter.com/AdrianXpression/status/897978833151852544

White Americans Have to Make a Choice
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/08/white_americans_can_end_the_fight_over_confederate_monuments.html

Secret Project - email already went out, you can read it here: http://mailchi.mp/b89eabef63d4/build-a-turtle-cake-happy-birthday-john





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