Anti-Wokeism as a Cover for Anti-Blackness
Staying Woke to the Strategies of the Anti-Woke Movement
[Note: This article originally appeared on Medium.com on October 8, 2022.]
Those who describe themselves as “anti-woke” tend to couch their distaste for “wokeness” in terms of a general dislike of left-wing causes; but make no mistake, the anti-woke brigade’s primary obsession is an aversion to racial justice.
Indeed, the word “woke” originates in Black America; it has and continues to be used to express the idea of staying aware of anti-Black racism in society. It therefore follows that anti-wokeism evolved as a backlash against Black-led anti-racism efforts.
The Need for Code Words
Fortunately, at this time, society considers that racism is a bad thing and that (overtly) racist individuals are “bad people.” Therefore, it is difficult for racists to openly say, “I’m against anti-racism,” because it will (correctly) be assumed that he or she is pro-racism.
It is much easier for the closet racist to use code words and declare, “I’m anti-woke” because (at this time) mainstream society doesn’t equate being anti-woke with being a racist. Indeed “anti-woke” is such a good cover for racists, that there are now an increasing number of anti-Black liberals who are starting to make it known that they too are “anti-woke.”
Trashing Anti-Racism
The ultimate aim of the anti-woke crowd is to taint and obfuscate the very concept of anti-racism, and accordingly make racism acceptable once again — as it was in the “good old days.” For example, one of their goals is to convince everyone that racism is largely a thing of the past; that any racism that still exists is negligible, and not worth addressing; and that anti-racist efforts will result in non-Black people being oppressed.
Furthermore, anti-woke individuals put a significant effort into denigrating and trivializing the anti-racist movement. For example, in the case of the word “woke,” they have maliciously co-opted a positive Black American word, with the aim of making it into something ugly. Additionally, they have concocted ridiculous buzzwords such as “social justice warrior” (“SJW”) and “snowflake” to mock anti-racism activists. Similarly, they have adopted code words such as “identity politics” and “cancel culture” in an attempt to misrepresent racial equity goals.
Racism is their Life-Blood
Despite their constant whining about “cancel culture,” ironically, these anti-wokesters are the biggest proponents of cancellation when it comes to anti-racist efforts — whether it’s diversity in movies; inclusion in the workplace; or a racial equity-oriented curriculum. The bottom line is that these individuals have no sense of fair play; they hate equality and justice. Racism is their life-blood since it allows these inadequate people to feel superior to those they are denigrating.
Ultimately, describing oneself as anti-woke is a new front for racism. Anti-woke individuals won’t say what they really mean — because what they really mean is vile. Rather than working on developing healthier thoughts, attitudes and behaviors, they look for ways to legitimize their toxicity. For those who sincerely support racial justice, it’s increasingly important to “stay woke” to the strategies of the anti-woke movement.
