The Justice Department is planning to investigate affirmative action programs at universities and sue them for “discrimination against white applicants.”

1). There is no such thing as ‘reverse racism’. White supremacy is a system of power created by white people for white people – at the expense of minorities. Systematic oppression only works in one direction, it is not a two-way street.

2). Whiteness always imagines itself in a state of emergency – as being under siege by the big, bad, dark Other. Notice that whiteness always seems to be reacting to danger – as opposed to instigating it. How convenient?! This collective delusion allows white folks to justify oppression by claiming their actions were a necessary act of self-preservation. The victims end up being blamed.

3). This becomes more apparent when we realize that white applicants are not discriminated against. The entire education system exists to perpetuate racial oppression (i.e. rising costs of tuition, closing public schools, and the reliance on standardized testing are just a few cumulative disadvantages for people of color). It is absurd to argue that white applicants suffer discrimination when white students receive 76% of institutional scholarships and grants; and are 40% more likely to receive private scholarships than minorities.

4). Affirmative action does not dismantle white supremacy. There is a difference between diversity and decolonization. Diversity (or multiculturalism) is a superficial method of cherry-picking minorities to be “represented” – all the while retaining whiteness as the core and baseline. While there are practical gains under affirmative action, we must be honest in pointing out these programs also work to insulate white supremacy. Conversely, decolonization is the deep structural process of eliminating oppression and de-centering whiteness altogether. Decolonization is the radical transformation of the world as we know it. That should always be our goal.

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