YOUR BUT STINKS - Op-Ed

by Rendel Solomon

Let’s talk about the word “but.” Part of the problem with trying to have a real conversation about institutional racism is the word but. There are too many people, both white AND black, who want to show their but whenever there’s a discussion about race.

BUT we had a black President BUT aren’t black people doing better than before. BUT slavery ended over 150 years ago BUT other groups have faced discrimination BUT this is not how you protest

Your but is powerful. It says to me that you don’t believe or care about the lasting and continual impact of institutional racism. You subscribe to the notion that blacks are solely responsible for these disparities. You believe that if we only worked harder we’d be fine. You believe these are all isolated events. You believe protesters are inherently bad people. You believe there’s a justification for an unarmed black man being killed by a law enforcement officer. THERE IS NO BIG ENOUGH BUT TO POSSIBLY JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE FLOYD AND COUNTLESS OTHERS.

If you believe these things, then unfortunately you are a part of the problem. You may appear as a friend, then your but changes things. Your but shows me how you really feel. YOUR BUT STINKS!

So please, if we are going to have a real conversation about the role that race plays and how things may shift over time, please don’t show me your but!

Rendel Solomon founded One Stock One Future to turn one million youth into public company shareholders by using workshops to introduce them to stocks and ownership. With generously donated funds, the organization purchases gift certificates for public company stocks so that each student can open their first investment account. In July 2017, Rendel created the League of Superwomen, a networking and panel series designed to showcase women entrepreneurs and engage in a powerful discussion about entrepreneurship. He was also named one of StreetWise's "20 Most Inspriring Chicagoans" in 2019.