‘It’s Okay to be White’ Flyer is a dog whistle, very racist

A recent letter to the editor argued that a flyer stating “it’s okay to be white” is objectively true and not racist. While my first instinct was to ignore this letter as a piece of trolling, I feel like it’s a great starting point for a larger discussion on the importance of context in deciphering racially coded messages.

First, we must question why this flyer appeared on campus. What is it about the current political and social environment that would prompt someone to post this message in a public place? Many in alt-right and white nationalist circles argue that the white race is in decline as white fertility rates continue to fall. They will also argue that as their numbers decline, it is they themselves who are the victims of prejudice by minority groups. Saying “it’s okay to be white” both enforces the notion that discrimination against whites is real, and emboldens susceptible minds to take a stand against this perceived threat.

Now, the letter I am responding to argues that no white nationalist group would ever refer to themselves as just “okay”, but this is a weak argument; the “okay” is actually the key to the whole message. By using weak wording, there is plausible deniability that the flyer is racist. The alt-right recruits people through these types of tepidly worded yet racially charged and provocative statements, using the cover of plausible deniability to reach further than any overtly racist flyer ever could. Look no further than alt-right icon Milo Yiannopoulos, who would always deflect criticism of his most outrageously racist/sexist statements by writing them off as jokes. This messaging strategy makes candidates for alt-right indoctrination think in racially charged terms, while letting them deny that they are racist themselves - there’s a reason that many white nationalists nowadays describe themselves as “racial realists”. That people can make arguments defending this flyer without being perceived as racist, all while it continues to prime people to think in its racist terms speaks to the efficacy of this recruitment tactic.

Finally, this flyer sends a message to minorities that white nationalists have a presence on campus. With all that I have argued, I think that it is obvious to most people that this flyer has racist intentions, and to minorities seeing this type of imagery on campus and understanding the context, the message of exclusion is very clear.

While one can argue that the statement doesn’t elevate one race over another, or actively disparage any particular group, the context surrounding the appearance of this flyer clearly demonstrates its racist intent: it reinforces notions of prejudice against whites in an attempt to recruit more people to its cause, while to minority students seeing this intent, reminds them that people who hold these disgusting ideas have a real presence on campus.

This flyer is clearly racist.