The recent news regarding another concerted bout of racism (by a white man) targeted at Diane Abbott is not merely the latest occurrence; it is a distressingly common one. Throughout her political career, Diane has endured a level of abuse and hostility that not only surpasses that experienced by most individual politicians in Britain but surpasses the total experiences of many politicians combined. As a Black woman, such abuse likely constitutes a pervasive presence in her life.
Most Black women (and men) can empathise with Diane in relation to that pervasive presence.
A study showed that Diane was the most abused female MP by far (receiving ten times more than the next MP) during the 2017 general election – with much of it overtly/directly racist and including both rape and death threats.
Yet, astonishingly, there has been debate surrounding whether this specific recent incident (which became public in March 2024) constitutes racism, a hate crime, a mere rude comment, or triviality. It is baffling to ponder what evidence is deemed necessary to demonstrate the overt and abhorrent misogynoir - the hatred of Black women.
What intrigues me most, however, is why commentators are asking why some Brown and Black individuals are so willing to engage in gaslighting, maligning and vilifying others who share their race/ethnicity. This behaviour, though unsurprising to me, was recently brought to light by a white radio talk show host who struggled to comprehend how a Black woman could deny glaring truths and proceed to defend the perpetrator while blaming the victim.
The fact that white society finds this behaviour perplexing is, in itself, evidence of racism, rooted in ignorance of communities that have been part of Britain for decades and centuries, and in the assumption that Black (and presumably Asian) people form homogeneous collective(s) devoid of individuality – i.e. we are all the same.
Yet, the actions of one white person do not represent an entire race. As Dr Robin DiAngelo aptly states, "Individualism is a really precious ideology for white people." This insistence on individualism serves as a barrier to dismantling institutional racism, as it absolves individuals of responsibility for the systemic impact of racism, such as disavowing accountability for the actions of their ancestors/predecessors and disavowing accountability for being the recipients and beneficiaries of the proceeds of the crime of racism.
This is a complex issue, intertwined with the individuality inherent in every human being. It is crucial to consider several factors as follows:
Our society was erected upon the foundation of white supremacy, interwoven into every facet of life. None among us alive today created this system; rather, we collectively inherited it — a system engineered to disadvantage people of colour on a sliding scale based on a global racial hierarchy (complicated by skin complexion). We are all inundated with the same message: white is good, Black is bad (with Brown somewhere in the middle). Some Black and Brown individuals internalise this message, resulting in self-hatred and a desire to distance themselves from those who share their race/ethnicity. Every human being desires to feel valued, respected and accomplished. For some, achieving this entails aligning themselves with those who would, otherwise, seek to devalue, disrespect and nullify them. In this case, it manifests itself as aligning with whiteness in behaviour, appearance and, even in politics.
In a racist society, it should come as no surprise that some Black and Brown individuals feel compelled to ingratiate themselves with white supremacists; after all, how else will they attain their ambitions? Some may not even recognise the racism right in front of their noses. Either way, on realising their ambitions and understanding the scarcity of this ‘privilege’ (that is only on loan to them), they know that they then have to pull up the ladder.
The legacy of colonisation means that, despite achieving so-called independence, many former colonies have adopted British/European classist and capitalist systems. Class, race and wealth are inexorably linked. By definition, Black and Brown individuals will be stratified by skin tone, socioeconomic status and financial weight — all of which shape their politics, perspectives and practices.
Racism permeates the very fabric of society; it is ingrained in our collective DNA, infecting and affecting us all. Given our shared history, there should be no ambiguity regarding what constitutes racism. Nor should there be any confusion about why Black and Brown individuals may not always "pull together." This division was precisely the aim of white supremacy and colonialism. Consequently, Black and Brown individuals are compelled to strategize how to survive and thrive within a system designed to subjugate them.
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