THE TRUTH ISN’T FOR EVERYONE: WHY SILENCE IN THE FACE OF RACISM IS COMPLICITY By SDWJR | TBA News Network There is a certain truth that was never meant to be comfortable. It isn’t designed for applause, approval, or mass acceptance. It is meant for those who are real — those who understand that justice has never advanced through silence, and freedom has never survived through fear. I recently said something that unsettled people: my family supports people of all races, but I do not support racist behavior in this country. That distinction matters. Standing against racism is not the same as attacking a race. It is a moral position — one rooted in humanity, accountability, and the refusal to normalize evil simply because it has become familiar. Racism in America is not theoretical. It is lived. It is enforced. It is embedded in systems that decide who is protected, who is believed, and who is disposable. For many Somali and Black Americans, racism has not been an abstract debate but a daily experience — one that strips dignity, safety, and even the basic recognition of humanity. Silence has always been racism’s greatest ally. History shows us that injustice thrives not only because of those who commit it, but because of those who witness it and choose comfort over conscience. When people are made to feel less than human — whether through discriminatory policing, demeaning rhetoric, or institutional neglect — calling it out is not hatred. It is responsibility. That is why exposure matters. That is why naming the behavior matters. Accountability is not cruelty; it is correction. Systems that harm must be examined. Power that abuses must be challenged. And communities that are targeted must be defended — loudly, clearly, and without apology. This is not about demonizing people. It is about confronting behavior. Racism does not disappear because it makes others uncomfortable to discuss. It disappears only when it is exposed, challenged, and dismantled. Justice has