This was a reply to this article before the author courageously deleted it.

This is a shockingly disingenuous take, and if you're smart enough to write this, I think you're smart enough to know that. First, if you redefine racism to ONLY mean systemic racism, then sure, black people can't be racist. But this simply isn't what racism is, or at least, not all it is. And what makes me angry about this is that redefining it this way only muddies the waters for the most egregious types of racism.

How should we describe somebody who says that they hate black people? Or refuses to serve us in their restaurant? Or burns a cross on our fu**ing lawn?! Are these just "opinions that can hurt feelings?" They're certainly not systemic. But guess what? They're still racism.

Then you give these laughably insipid examples of racism towards white people. "Saying white people can't season food well." Seriously?! Is this the worst thing you've heard a black person say about white people? Because if it is, you haven't been paying attention. I read more offensive generalisations about white people on a daily basis in this very publication. None of this helps us.

We don't need to separate racism and prejudice, racism is a subset of prejudice. It's the practice of assuming that everybody whose skin is the same colour thinks or acts in the same way. For it to stop, EVERYBODY needs to stop it. These stupid mental and verbal gymnastics only serve to keep racism alive and well.