By Monnica Williams, Ph.D., & Sonya Faber, Ph.D., MBA
Have you ever caught yourself thinking or acting in a way that you knew was racist or biased? Maybe someone else said or did something and we just decided to “go along to get along.” It's a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that we all have biased cultural habits and patterns that we've picked up from the society we live in. And unfortunately, racism and xenophobia are a type of bias that is deeply ingrained in our culture.
The problem is that it's not enough to just say "I'm not racist" and leave it at that. If we truly want to be better people, we need to actively work to deprogram ourselves from these unconscious habits and patterns. And it's not easy.
One of the biggest obstacles we face is that we've been socialized to avoid discussing racial issues, particularly when it comes to whiteness and blackness in the United States. It's uncomfortable, and it can be hard to know where to start. But if we truly want to create a more just and equitable society, we have to be willing to have these difficult conversations.
It takes moral courage to confront these issues head-on. It takes the willingness to look at ourselves, our actions, and our society with a critical eye. And really, it’s long past time to stop ignoring the elephant in the room. By discussing these issues and working to understand and challenge the existing system of racial inequality, we can start to make real change in our society. If we do so, we may find that it is worth it. Because when we start to see the world as it really is, we can start to change it, starting with our own behaviors. We can then move from being bystanders in spaces with social injustice all around us and start being upstanders.
An "upstander" is someone who speaks or acts in support of a person or cause, particularly in situations where someone is being harassed, bullied, or discriminated against. Unlike a bystander, who passively watches events unfold without intervening, an upstander takes proactive steps to support fairness and respect. This can involve standing up to aggressors, defending the rights of others, or engaging in public actions that promote positive change. This concept encourages people to not only recognize wrongdoing but also to do something about it.
“Whatever happens with my trial, the next day, someone will walk in from the desert and knock on someone’s door. … If they are thirsty, we will offer them water; we will not ask for documents beforehand.” –Scott Warren, arrested for providing water and food to migrants in need
In 2019, Scott Warren, a professor at Arizona State University, was arrested after he helped migrants who had crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. A humanitarian aid worker, he was trying to save lives in a place where so many perish when the border patrol saw him giving food and water to two migrants. Federal prosecutors put Scott Warren of the faith-based border aid group No More Deaths on trial. He was ultimately acquitted when the jury decided that humanitarian aid is not always a crime. He was, however, found guilty of a separate vehicle charge for driving into a national wildlife refuge to leave gallon bottles of water for migrants.
We often look to authority figures, or even celebrities, for guidance and cues on how to behave. We naturally want to fit in and be part of the group, and we assume that people in positions of power must know what they're doing. But the problem is that when those in the spotlight behave in ways that are unethical or unjust, it has a ripple effect on the rest of us.
Think about it—when we see people in authority acting in ways that are racist, xenophobic, or otherwise discriminatory, it sends a message that this kind of behavior is acceptable. It makes it easier for us to make the same mistakes ourselves.
And it's not just that we're following the lead of those in power. It's also that we're not speaking up when we see injustice happening. We're becoming bystanders, instead of taking committed action or being an upstander. It's not that we don't care, it's that we've been socialized not to intervene, not to speak out against what we see as wrong.
But it's important to remember that lack of empathy and lack of bystander activism is not something that comes naturally, it has to be "carefully taught.” Failing to help those in need is result of the way we've been raised and the messages we've internalized. But just as we were taught these things, we can also unlearn them. We can learn to speak up and take action when we see injustice happening. And when we do, we can start to change the behavior of those around us, even those in the spotlight, and make our world a better place for everyone.
References
Williams, M. T., Faber, S. C., Nepton, A., & Ching, T. (2023). Racial justice allyship requires civil courage: Behavioral prescription for moral growth and change. American Psychologist, 78(1), 1–19.
Abdulrehman, R. Y. (2024). Developing Anti-Racist Cultural Competence. (Advances in Psychotherapy: Evidence-Based Practice, 53. American Psychological Association.) Hogrefe. ISBN: 9781616765156
Be an Upstander, Not a Bystander
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15.04.2024
By Monnica Williams, Ph.D., & Sonya Faber, Ph.D., MBA
Have you ever caught yourself thinking or acting in a way that you knew was racist or biased? Maybe someone else said or did something and we just decided to “go along to get along.” It's a tough pill to swallow, but the truth is that we all have biased cultural habits and patterns that we've picked up from the society we live in. And unfortunately, racism and xenophobia are a type of bias that is deeply ingrained in our culture.
The problem is that it's not enough to just say "I'm not racist" and leave it at that. If we truly want to be better people, we need to actively work to deprogram ourselves from these unconscious habits and patterns. And it's not easy.
One of the biggest obstacles we face is that we've been socialized to avoid discussing racial issues, particularly when it comes to whiteness and blackness in the United States. It's uncomfortable, and it can be hard to know where to start. But if we truly want to create a more just and equitable society, we have to be willing to have these difficult conversations.
It takes moral courage to confront these issues head-on. It takes the willingness to look at ourselves, our actions, and our society with a critical eye. And really,........
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