What is white Noise? It is the presumption of white necessity. White noise is the sound of white privilege gone to seed. We deny our privilege while asserting its greatest offense, white voices unrestrained – uninformed – and unattenuated in its presumptive necessity.  And we do so with the grand intolerability of foregone conclusion. These are the clusters of white offense. They do exist – these deep and grand offenses – with or without our consent, acknowledgement and especially without even minute awareness. The offense upon offense upon offense that compounds the inexcusable arrogance of permeating incessance. Incessant privilege of dominant voice, devoid of contribution.  

White voice in all things is the height of its unmerited privilege. And privilege learns slowly because it has no vantage from which to witness itself. It has no low ground where its refuse collects and compounds. Where it seeps through and contaminates the ground around it. Even if it did, in the most prevailing ways, if white,  we remain unaffected and immune to its toxicity. 

There is one important way we can offer powerful support to the healing of racial harm. Harm for which white voice remains actively responsible. It’s an option white people seldom think of and much more often should. A nuance overlooked by whiteness because its opposing norm is its stalwart exemplar, and its expression the unconsciousness it carries. Privilege was designed so white folk didn’t have to think about it. That in itself, is the first tenet of privilege. Not to be bothered. This important counter-method is in fact the secret weapon of privilege. Dominant voice. It holds an arsenal of applications  universally inflicted and exceptionally well. We know its power and therefore it is never self-imposed. 

Silence

This is one valuable thing a white person can offer toward promoting racial equity. An actionable deterrent to our current relationship to racial harm, is to know when your opinion is not required. Know when the very existence of your opinion is in itself an offense. Know when silence and attuned ears, is the appropriate alternate to speaking to, or questioning of, a matter of Blackness or in the purview exclusive to communities long enduring the harm of white supremacy.  

We see glaring examples of the vulgarity of white inquiry in the processes of judicial confirmation hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson. Even if we find abhorrent, the appalling and singularly applied questions of diversion from her impeccable and unsurpassed qualifications and personal character – we must be able to see the virulent and pervasive offense of malignant whiteness that every Black person and person of color must navigate in their daily and even hourly lives. And from this, be able to understand that sometimes, in some situations, white voices simply offend. The place where we find the impetus for the capacity to simply shut up out of long overdue respect for this truth. 

Then comes The Oscars. No one has, and no one will hear an opinion of mine on that matter. And these very words should not be construed as one. I am not entitled to an opinion here and if you are white, neither are you. Sit with that a minute. You are not entitled to an opinion. There are places whiteness does not serve anything other than whiteness. And there are situations in which it is inappropriate for whiteness alone to be served. If you disagree with that – especially if you view yourself as an ally or a progressive – it is time you examine the residuals you still afford yourself as the beneficiary of the privilege you have not earned. 

When to be silent and when to speak. This is a wisdom whiteness has yet to attain. To give up voice is to give up privilege. Whiteness knows this, and has demonstrated profound expertise in silencing non-white voices through generations. Silencing has been known throughout all oppression and all oppressed peoples. If you are white, and you object to remaining silent on a single topic outside your experience – what does that say about your willingness to give up privilege that by its nature and social context is not yours. Silence is relinquishment of privilege. An exercise even the most progressive – the most proclaimed of allies is loath to do or become. 

It is time today. And there will be many more – where white people need to STFU and simply be with their silence. Allowing others to do the same. To enjoy the inextricable value of giving singular voice to a lived experience uninfluenced and unobstructed by that which long has drowned out or silenced them. What joy will come, when whiteness knows its place rather than relegating others to theirs. That among a broad society, gives deference to the music from places not our own. A world occasionally unadulterated by a cacophony of unyielding white noise.