We Don’t Hate White People, We Hate The Oppressor

“Papa Doc in Haiti hated everything white… but he moved all the white people out and HE took over to be the oppressor… And if people had been educated, they would’ve said: ‘We don’t hate the white people; we hate the OPPRESSOR, whether he be white, black, brown, or yellow.’”

-Fred Hampton

In my experience, the main criticism I receive back on my politic is “you hate white people.” I often laugh this off as an ignorant statement, but in light of several conversations I have had with Black and Brown Indigenous folx who are not as versed in Black Radical theory, I felt this piece might serve a purpose. While I can admit that in my youth, in the midst of reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X I fell in love with the militance of Black Radicalism, it was the most logical position for me to take. I grew up with a father who had been drafted into the Vietnam War in 1968 and served at Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive and came home to become involved in The Black Panther Party (BPP). I had no choice but to grow up with a soldier’s mentality and I do believe it is necessary to preface this argument before proceeding. My father knew intimately the violence amerikkka is capable of inflicting on human beings and it influenced his approach to violence. “Never start no fight but you better finish it” was the sentiment of our household, so naturally…