One of These Kids Is Not Like the Others

You like coffee. I like tea.

You enjoy jazz. I enjoy reggae.

You prefer knitting. I prefer reading.

You say and do and think racist things. I say and do and think antiracist things.

Remember "One of These Kids Is Not Like the Others" from Sesame Street?

Four quadrants with a kid in each one. Three kids doing something similar – playing a sport, wearing a coat, eating a banana – and the fourth kid doing something totally different.

For three-year-olds, it was a good lesson to identify similarities, recognize differences, and group things.

All adults – Sesame Street veterans or not – should be able to do the same.

So why are so many adults unable to see that their racist views are not just a "preference" or a "different opinion" or an "alternative point of view" or "another side of the argument"?

Racism isn't a preference. Racism is racism. And either you say and do and think racist things. Or you say and do and think antiracist things.

It's a choice. Every single time.

The good news is that one of the most antiracist things you can say or do or think is admit when you've said or done or thought something racist.

And then stop saying or doing or thinking that thing.

I'm cool with us liking different beverages, enjoying different music, or having different hobbies.

I'm not cool with you being racist.