The pier symbolizes how white people’s defenses against racism are often propped up by false assumptions. Like a pier, it first appears that certain statements can simply stand by themselves, like the phrase “I was taught to treat everyone the same,” which is often used as a defense against receiving feedback on racist behavior. But these statements are propped up by an underlying framework of beliefs, just as a pier is propped up by pillars. For example, the idea that a person was taught to treat everyone the same relies on the false idea that anyone can be objective. DiAngelo shows, however, that no one can be free from bias—and particularly not white people, even though they often believe themselves to be objective. In another example, the defense that someone can’t be racist because they know or work with people of color relies on the underlying belief that racism only consists of conscious intolerance, and that racists can’t stand to be around people of color whatsoever. DiAngelo argues that it is not enough to take these statements at face value—it is necessary to investigate their underlying beliefs, which are often false assumptions.
The Pier Symbol Timeline in White Fragility
