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How to be an alien: excerpt from How to Be an Antiracist
January 1, 2022 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Ibram X. Kendi’s How to Be An Antiracist has a very amazing section on his youthful view that white people were aliens. When I mentioned it offhand to my daughter she laughed and was incredulous that an adult human would believe such a thing. I’ve decided to excerpt that part of the book so you can see it in context.
I did not knock on Claren’s door that day to discuss Welsing’s “color confrontation theory.” Or Diop’s two-cradle theory. He had snickered at those theories many times before. I came to share another theory, the one that finally figured White people out.
“They are aliens,” I told Clarence, confidently resting on the doorframe, arms crossed. “I just saw this documentary that laid out the evidence. That’s why they are so intent on White supremacy. That’s why they seem to not have a conscience. They are aliens.”
Clarence listened, face expressionless. “You can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. This explains slavery and colonization. This explains why the Bush family is so evil. This explains why Whites don’t give a damn. This explains why they hate us so damn much. They are aliens.” I’d lifted off the doorframe and was in full argumentative mode.
“You really are serious about this,” Clarence said with a chuckle. “If you’re serious, then that has got to be the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life! I mean, seriously, I can’t believe you are that gullible.” That chuckle turned to a grimace
“Why do you spend so much time trying to figure out White people?” he asked after a long pause. Claren had asked this question before. I always answered the same way.
“Because figuring this out is the key! Black people need to figure out what we are dealing with!”
“If you say so. But answer me this: If Whites are aliens, why is it that Whites and Blacks can reproduce? Humans can’t reproduce with animals on this planet, but Black people can reproduce with aliens from another planet? Come on, man, let’s get real.”
“I am being real,” I replied. But I really had no comeback. I stood and turned around awkwardly, walked to my room, plopped down on my bed, and returned to staring at the ceiling. Maybe White people were not aliens. Maybe they became this way on earth…