Panic. A wave of confusion and fear hit me when I heard about the goals of House Bills 1218 and 1231. This is a perfect example of the systematic oppression that minorities face under white society. Our history, our safe spaces, our celebrations were almost all destroyed because of white guilt. White people are oppressors, in the past and in the present and foreseeable future. These bills are so in your face with their oppressive intentions that I am appalled that they ever saw the light of day. How was I sitting now in 2021 and not reading between the lines to find racism, homophobia, xenophobia, but instead having it served to me on a platter?

I was outraged. I am still outraged even after the house bills have been stopped. This was an attempt to silence the voices of oppressed groups by our oppressors. This line from HB 1218, “promotes the division between, resentment of, or social justice for a” illustrates that white people are so very aware of the hardships faced by minority groups, and resent that we have built spaces for ourselves that they are not allowed, the only escape surrounded by our peers. They would see these safe spaces torn down before feeling a small taste of otherness that minority groups feel on extreme levels day-to-day. They deem our spaces unfair because they are not welcome, and our history as dangerous because they are undeniably the villains. How delusional can you be? Any resentment I feel is born from the horrors your people did to my ancestors and the effect that it still has on my life, your hatred is from being called out on it. You are telling me straight to my face that my history has no place being taught because it makes you uncomfortable?

Your comfortability from learning the truth about your past and PRESENT actions will never equal the pain from being on the receiving end of such hatred. The fight for equality is never-ending as long as the opposition is convinced that the goal has already been reached.