I wasn’t on Social Media back when this video first came across the public eye in 2020 and I found out about it late (like April 2021). But, I told myself that I would write about it once it had been around for a year (the one I saw anyway), and with it being Pride Month and Juneteenth approaching – this feels appropriately timed. Stop the hate.
The Video in Question
I cannot vouch for the validity of this video (I mean, the girl had facts conveniently ready to go and this is a collected series of clips from TikTok — for all I know she and her parents could’ve orchestrated this video just to get attention brought to a viewpoint). Still — all of that said, watch this video.
It will only cost you 4-minutes of your time.
Why It Still Matters
When I first saw this video, I went through a wave of emotions and thoughts.
I was happy to know that younger kids now feel this way and are bold enough to talk back to their elders about it. I was happy to see that this discussion taking place in a White household.
I thought about how some of my friends have told me that they have discussions like this with their families around the holidays and that’s why they sometimes hate going home (and I’ve never witnessed these conversations, but damn).
I felt bad for the girl as you kind of see her heart break as the series of collected TikTok videos go on.
I was willing to openly admit that conversations like this (about racial groups that differ from your own) probably need to take place in plenty of households across the U.S. – and not just in White ones (just being honest).
Two of America’s not-so-secret pastimes are racism and bigotry (historically speaking). I am not just specifically talking about White-on-Black Racism either. Jewish people have experienced their round of hatred. Asians. Hispanics. Native Americans. The list goes on.
The United States is a great country, but we have our collective blemishes and traumas that we still haven’t appropriately acknowledged or remedied in order for everyone to “just move on” from.
And those things continue today in both quiet and not so quiet forms. Whether it be nationally breaking news headlines from brazenly shameless acts or legislation and institutional practices that come after marginalized groups (I’ll throw in the LGBTQIA2S+ population in here also — Happy Pride Month, you all), the tradition very much continues.
And that is why it still matters.
As Juneteenth is just getting nationally acknowledged after a prior year of extremely heightened racial tensions and centuries of Black Trauma… As people argue with businesses and other citizens about gender rights and sexual orientation and identity (even as we celebrate women and boast about Pride Month)… As companies reiterate their positions of being against anti-Semitism and hatred toward AAPI communities while STILL buying commercials on programming like Tucker Carlson Tonight and literally profiting from our divisions…
I think it is important to understand that this conversation, and conversations like this, still REALLY matters because there are still plenty of us who will smile directly in someone’s face and then go home and talk about them worse than we would a dog based on nothing but their perceived notions of someone’s identity.
This video is still a call to be informed and to experience things outside of our bubble.
Trust me: You, and the world, will be better for it.
I am not perfect, but at least I’m not racist or a bigot. And if I get called out for something inappropriate or offensive (which has happened), I strive to learn from it and not just keep up the offending behavior without giving some thought as to my motives.
That is all. I just wanted to call out this video and encourage people to watch it and accept that “the work isn’t done,” because I know everyone hasn’t seen it.
Do not hate the girl’s non-visible parents and people who hold similar views to theirs; that’s only nurturing seeds of hatred within yourself. Strive to figure out better ways. Talk to those in your circle(s) that you can have heart-to-hearts with about these subjects if you see that they may be in a dark place. Have a healthy debate. And if you have to end a few associations because of stuff like this, do so – but leave the door open to healing afterward, because the world needs more of that, too.
Spread love, people.
Ok – stepping off my soapbox.
Peace, and thanks for reading.
The soundtrack for this post provided by…
Image Credits:
– Cover Image © The TikTok-er credited in the video
– Body Image © melitas (Shutterstock)