Racism's Deadly Hush: Its Toll on Everyone

In a poignant turn of events, Bridgette L. Jones, a pediatrician, felt compelled to speak out against the silence of her colleagues following the tragic incident involving Philando Castile in 2016. Castile, a 32-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a Minnesota police officer while driving with his partner and their 4-year-old daughter.

Jones's decision to break the silence was not a solitary one. Ibram X. Kendi, an acclaimed author, asserts that there is no such thing as "not being racist". Either our words, actions, and policies support racism and are therefore racist, or they work to dismantle racism and are non-racist. This perspective underscores the importance of speaking out against racism, as silence can be taken as tacit support for it.

Silence, according to Jones, is often the sound of privilege, allowing individuals to feel comfortable enough to not speak or act when racist words or actions are spoken and done. This comfort, however, comes at a price. Silence about racism prevents recognition of the ways that society's foundation is broken and hinders efforts to dismantle racist systems and structures.

Institutions, too, are not immune to this silence. They are silent when they fail to address equity and inclusion by meaningful actions and policy level changes, instead opting for limp words, muted slogans, tokenistic programs, and empty symbolism. This silence allows racist ideas to persist, causing disinvestment in educational systems, contributing to inequitable healthcare access, and leading to overall poor public health, even among those who are called white.

Jones decided to tell her story about racism to her hospital staff during a gathering service for George Floyd. She also penned an editorial for The American Journal of Bioethics in January 2021, although the author of the essay in the special issue remains unknown. In her piece, she spoke about the racism that continues to harm children in her profession, pediatrics.

Audre Lorde, in her 1984 essay "The Transformation of Silence into Language to Action", wrote that silence is not acceptable and that what is most important must be spoken. This sentiment resonates with Jones's call to action, urging everyone to break the silence and speak out against racism.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been attempts to muffle reports of disproportionate impact on black communities and responses with shrugs of silence and empty statements. Racist policies that remain unchallenged cause disinvestment in educational systems, even in areas where white children live. Racist thoughts prevent effective gun laws from being passed, contributing to increased daily community violence and school shooter drills for children, including white children.

When white people leave it up to black people to speak out publicly against racism, they are complicit in the injurious silence. Silence about racism is considered tacit support for racism by allowing it to stand unquestioned or unacknowledged. Silence, according to Jones, is the great masquerader of comfort, providing an illusion of comfort to a few at the price of discomfort to many.

In conclusion, it is crucial for everyone to break the silence and speak out against racism. The future of our society depends on it. As Audre Lorde wrote, "Your silence will not protect you."