Standing up for what you believe in can be difficult. But not for this incredibly courageous woman: 22-year-old Abigail Doherty refuses to tolerate racist rhetoric from anyone, with the exception of her parents.
“All my friends know: If you’re gonna say something racist around me, I’m gonna call you out right to your face,” said Abigail. “Unless my parents are the ones saying the racist stuff. I usually just let it slide in that case, I don’t want to start a fight. I love them!”
Abigail, whose parents once fought strongly against the bussing of inner-city black children to their wealthy school district, went on to explain her strongly-held opinions on racism.
“I know that I benefit from white privilege and it’s my job to use that privilege to stop racial discrimination whenever I see it happening,” said Abigail. “And I do just that with almost everyone, with the one small exception of my parents. Yes, my mom openly says that she avoids our Chinese neighbors because they’re ‘hard to understand’. But like, she’s my mom, you know? She’s not going to change her problematic thinking because of me.”
Wow, we’re amazed at Abigail’s willingness to immediately abandon her values if it means keeping the peace with her parents!
Abigail’s friends are definitely confused.
“I think it’s weird that Abby is so okay with chastising strangers, but won’t have a simple conversation about racism with her parents,” said Lily Peron, a friend of Abigail’s. “She keeps saying that they’re too ‘set in their ways.’ But wouldn’t someone close to her be more inclined to listen to her than a random stranger?”
“I don’t think that Abigail has changed the mind of a single random drunk white college dude she’s berated for saying he wants to try hooking up with a ‘black chick’,” added Reggie Lind. “But you could tell your parents to stop referring me as your ‘urban friend.’”
But Abigail is firm in her beliefs. Her beliefs that she shouldn’t confront her parents, that is.
“I am an ally, which means I will never back down from challenging anyone on their shitty racist garbage,” she said. “With the exception of the two people who raised me and who I spend the most time with. I know they’re just kidding around!”
“Sometimes I just laugh and go along with their racism because it’s easier,” she added. “And that’s not racist because no one knows about it but us!”
