Durham Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson's warning to white people: Don't listen to "those" Black People

 Durham Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson has a warning for white people. She says Black people use racism as a political tactic. 

 

“Perhaps someone has recently told you that the chairs of the Durham County Commission should be Black in order to ‘heal’ Durham’s racial divide,” Johnson states in a Facebook post she called “controversial at 8:00 a.m.”. “But when someone tells you to listen to the ‘Black community,’ it’s worth taking a moment to think about the values, goals and political positions of the people doing the talking.” 

 

Johnson’s warning to white people attended to soothe hostility stirred after newly sworn in Durham County Commissioner Nida Aziz Allam nominated Wendy Jacobs to take the seat of the groups vice-chair. Johnson defended the politics of a decision based on the assumption that others were using racism as a political weapon. 

 

As the public spokesperson of a countering Black perspective, Johnson felt it critical, at 8:00 a.m., to offer white people comfort in supporting Jacobs. It matters that white people know, shortly before Allam assumes the position to having her head chopped for opposing the wishes of “those” Black people, that not all Black people think the same. 

 

Those Black people are motivated by a different political agenda. Look at me. I’m Black. Stand firm girlfriend. We got you! Let’s go white people! 

 

Is this a rallying cry for white folks not to succumb to the rhetoric shaking the earth like Moses crying “let my people go?” Is Johnson playing the role of soothing white guilt after a few days of social media messages that read like dissertations on critical race theory? 

 

“Claiming that a person’s race is more important than a person’s politics in an electoral decision is a political tactic,” Johnson posted. “Accusing politicians whose decisions you disagree with of racism is a political tactic.” 

 

Johnson is correct in stating all Black people don’t think the same. It matters that not all women think the same. Not all queer people think the same. It’s far too much pressure to bow to the ungodly temptation of thinking like and conforming to the whims of everyone within your demographic box.  

 

I get and support Johnson’s thesis, but what’s with the impulse to warn white people?  If she’s correct, isn’t this a case of politics playing politics while battling the legitimacy of racist claims?  

 

What are the consequences related to Black people dismissing claims of racism to protect decisions made by white politicians? Are we giving white people permission not to listen to Black people when they show up demanding to be heard? Is this the first step toward delegitimizing the concerns of Black people because, well, racism is a “political tactic” 

 

In other words, don’t listen to “those” Black people. 

 

Johnson challenges white people to gauge the merits of what Black people say from the lens of their values, goals and political positions. She’s giving white people permission to dismiss thoughts framed from the perspective of Black people shaped by institutionalized racism and white supremacy. White people are told to disregard Black people when their values and political positions are aimed at undoing racism. That is unless she tells you otherwise. 

 

That’s a political tactic. Those letters, emails, phone calls and social media postings have nothing to do with racism. That’s the warning. None of it is real.  

 

What does that mean?  

 

Hey, white people. Those Black people don’t know Black people. Listen to me. 

 

What about the Black people who talk to Black people? They are the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins of the Black people begging to be heard. They are the grandmothers and grandfathers who are part of a family legacy of people wading through the waters. They are the people who carry the burden of racism in their bones after hearing and living with assumptions of white people’s privilege. We meet them on Sunday mornings at the virtual church pews to sing songs about “troubles in my way, I have to cry sometimes.”  

 

These are the people of eye-to-eye introductions met with a slight nod to announce, I see ya bruh. These are feet wearied by long days protesting inequality coupled with strength like the Holy Ghost when common bonds conjure the spirits of ancestors. 

 

The life and witness of Black people is not a political tactic. Warning white people to measure what Black people say is a permission pass not to believe racism is real. 

 

I’m wondering if there’s a warning for Black people.