SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — “White silence” is a term used to describe Caucasians that are enraged by police brutality against black residents, but don’t take any steps to spark long term changes.
Over the weekend, protesters of all races rallied across the county to show support for black residents who have long been the victims of discrimination for no other reason than the color of their skin.
Francine Maxwell, President of the NAACP's San Diego branch, said she's seen it before: Wwhite residents coming out at the beginning to support equality for all, but then they quickly disappear.
She said long-term change takes a long-term commitment.
“We need people who are here for a marathon and not a sprint,” Maxwell said. “Stop standing on the sidelines and being silent. Join one of our 23 committees and let's be about change.”
The discrimination has deep roots that were highlighted by Amy Cooper's now infamous 911 call to New York City Police last month after a black birdwatcher asked her to leash her dog.
“There is a man, African-American, he has a bicycle helmet,” she told the dispatcher. “He is recording me and threatening me and my dog.”
“That incident in Central Park most clearly showed that she understood how the police would operate, right?” said Dayo Gore, outgoing Chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies at UCSD. “She had an expectation that saying African American male would trigger something when the police arrived. And if she knows that, we all know that.”
Gore adds that there is a lot of work to be done and it starts with all of us immediately calling out discrimination because silence can be seen as consent.
“What do you do when you see acts of anti-black violence? Do you say something? When you see vulnerable people under attack, do you use your privilege to sort of blunt that? When you have resources, who do you donate to?”
The bottom line is that an end to discrimination won't come overnight so long term actions show more than short term words.
Maxwell said the local NAACP does have several white residents serving in key roles and she hopes others will now be inspired to join them.