I'M TOO OLD, and so are my children, to set out cookies and milk for you. But I’m still hopeful enough to write you another letter.
Last year, with all the earnestness I could muster, I asked you for a white people intervention—many white progressive and evangelical Christians in the same room for a cleansing flood of white tears, some deep breathing and healing prayer, and time to plan to dismantle white supremacy from the inside.
But I have not received word that an intervention took place. I assume invitations to it went out or it got canceled, postponed, or taken over by the announcement of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement. (Was that supposed to be a Christmas-in-summer gift?)
Thank you, however, for putting together the Committee of Elves of Diversity and Inclusion, who brought us the gifts Black Panther; A Wrinkle in Time; Love, Simon; Ocean’s 8; Sorry to Bother You; BlacKkKlansman; Crazy Rich Asians; To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before; Searching ; and the announcement of a sequel to Crazy Rich Asians. Several movies released this year were rich with representation, and I think of them akin to the Twelve Days of Christmas, little gifts spread out through the year to divvy up joy in the midst of knowledge that Flint, Mich., remains without clean water, almost 500 migrant children remain separated from their parents (while almost 325 of those children’s parents have already been deported), and the president attempted to tweet away the death of almost 3,000 Americans in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. (By the way, White Santa, I have never spent so much money seeing first-run movies in the theater multiple times, and I know I am not alone. If you had anything to do with the theaters that have fancy seats, cash bars, and gourmet food, my white friends thank you. I like the seats too, but I still bring in my own food and drink.)
I ask, once again, for a white people intervention. I’m still hoping my white siblings who consider themselves woker than the 81 percent will gather their people and intervene in subversive and obvious ways. And if you, White Santa, don’t want to play favorites, you can send invitations globally, because colonialism is still so 21st century.
Since I’m also still working on raising my voice, I’ll go ahead and add to my Christmas 2018 wish list. Can you convene a complicated, intersectional conversation on patriarchy and its symbiotic relationship to white supremacy? Maybe this ethnically and generationally diverse group of siblings could meet a few times and come up with a statement or white paper to set some new ground rules for engagement as the white people intervention group seeks to dismantle white supremacy. I realize you may need to get the help of the Committee of Elves of Diversity and Inclusion; they did such a great job with the movies. There is so much potential there, and if you have any connections to White Jesus, this could be the best Christmas ever.
Thank you for your consideration.
Kathy Khang is a writer, speaker, and coffee-drinker in the north suburbs of Chicago. She is the author of Raise Your Voice (InterVarsity Press, 2018).
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!
