I’ve Never Met The Covington Catholic Boys, But I Recognize Them

Originally published on Not Sorry Feminism.

I want to state right off that I’m white and have no idea what it’s like to experience racial abuse, let alone what it’s like to be a Native American having to listen to a bunch of rich white kids in MAGA hats chant “build that wall” at you when they’re the descendants of the real invaders who committed genocide upon your people and is still making life hell for you upon your stolen land to this day.

But I have been harassed by a group of mostly white boys who knew targetted me because I was vulnerable and knew they’d be shielded from any consequences. And I know much of my fellow white people are more likely to listen to me about this than any person of color, so listen up.

The video of the kid standing in Nathan Phillips’ face with that smug smile on his face while his shitty little friends cheered him on and laughed at Phillips did something strange to me, and it took me a few hours to realize that it was triggering old memories. Me, greasy-faced and hunched over on the school bus seat as the boys behind me quickly lean over to whisper obscene things in my ears, kick my seat, yell and laugh as loudly as they can, all while the bus driver does nothing.

Anyone who was bullied as a kid recognized the look on those kids’ faces. Many, many women flashed back to the men who have gotten in their personal space with that same kind of look, intimidation and threat written all in their…