I think this is a great book to start discussion about racial injustice as well as checking your own intentions ,actions and language. I especially appreciated the action items at the end of each chapter. This book gave me some things to think about.

So this was a good commentary and I appreciated that it included some specific reparations. it's friendly and challenging. Perhaps it would be worth cutting and pasting parts of it as a response to your racist family member on social media. It's a beginners guide but for many White people in my circle would come across as condescending and obvious.

Kerry Connelly challenges readers of “Good White Racist” to do the hard work of noticing, repenting and changing their racist tendencies. And yes, we generally all can be “good” and racist.
I won’t get into all the topics Connelly discusses, but I can say that reading this book made me feel anxious and uncomfortable. That’s the point. Being uncomfortable showed me that I have a problem and prompted me to #NoticeTheSystem that’s part of me. It was also helpful for me to remember that this book is a conversation starter and not a cure for racism. Overcoming racism is a lifelong journey, and I must remain sensitive to hear from God about what racial biases I carry and learn how to overcome these sins.
One thing I liked about the book is the Learn, Think and Act prompts at the end of each chapter. These features help readers think through their biases and offer practical ways to move toward change.
Throughout the book, Connelly is generous with her profanity. And in some places, the author comes across as rude, harsh and condescending, even assuming at one point that right wingers do not use their brains. These sections are dismissive of others and do not model what she wants readers to do.
I definitely recommend this book. It made me think. While it’s not a perfect look at racism among white people, it’s a conversation starter. I know I will make time to process this book as I fall more deeply in love with Jesus and the people around me. As Connelly writes, “I am a good white racist. And I am in recovery.”

Every white person needs to read this book. You learn about gaslighting, micro aggression, and cultural appropriation. I wasn’t aware of all of these terms prior to this book and I’m so happy I’m become more educated in doing so. It made me uncomfortable to read. And that’s a good thing. It should have. It hits many important points to help people understand white privilege and what me, as a white woman, can do to make the change our country needs. Well written. Thank you for helping me better understand and act

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC copy in an exchange for an honest review

This was an interesting read in the context of what is happening in the world today. As we see protests arising from police brutality and a variety of mistreatment of minorities, this book is an important look at what your personal role in keeping the status quo going and how you can start to make changes to become antiracist. A thought-provoking book that can set people on the right path toward a better future for all people.

Now, more than ever, as overt types of racism is becoming more commonplace and even acceptable to some quarters, this book shows that those who would never consider themselves “racist” in the traditional sense, are in fact “good racists” by remaining silent on injustices, by benefiting from racist systems of power and privilege, and through unconscious acceptance of beliefs grounded in racism.

This book may be an eye opener for anyone who thinks they aren’t racist.

<strong>Summary: A White Christian talking to other White Christians about racism.</strong>
<p style="text-align: left;">If you have read my post on <a href="http://bookwi.se/myth-of-the-american-dream/">The Myth of the American Dream</a>, you know I am ambivalent about Good White Racist and several other books I have been reading lately. They are good books, among the best I have read from Christians, which I appreciate. But the fact they exist, in some ways, is a sign of the reluctance of White people to learn from minorities who have been saying many of the same things for a long time.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The description of the book opens with the following:</p>

<blockquote><b>good white racist noun</b>
1. A well-intentioned person of European descent who is nonetheless complicit in a culture of systemic racism
2. A white person who would rather stay comfortable than do the work of antiracism</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">One of the positives that immediately struck me was the preface. There are several pages devoted to acknowledging the people that have previously taught her all of the things she will later say. The Black women (primarily) that have taught her personally and paved the way academically to write about race. There is humility with that opening that caused me to text it to some friends immediately and think that maybe this book would be different.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">And then the introduction opens, "Hi. I'm Kerry, and I'm a racist. (This is where you're supposed to say, 'Hi, Kerry.'" She continues in the next few pages noting that White people trying to address race often "talk a great game on the one hand while maintaining the racist status quo on the other." Like White Fragility, this is a book primarily is targeted toward people that have some awareness of the reality of racism, but also consider themselves a 'Good White person.' As she says, "It is our job--white people, not anyone else's--to acknowledge this power dynamic and dismantle it, making space for the power of others to emerge."</p>
A friend posted a quote from Martin Luther King Jr's book <a href="http://bookwi.se/where-do-we-go-from-here/">Where Do We Go From Here</a>:
<blockquote>"Whites, it must frankly be said, are not putting in a similar mass effort to reeducate themselves out of their racial ignorance. It is an aspect of their sense of superiority that the white people of America believe they have so little to learn."</blockquote>
The importance of the book is that Good White Racists:
<blockquote>"...benefit from that assignment in a social system that privileges whiteness...are generally nice people who intellectually do not approve of racist behaviors but who practice them anyway...[and] are concerned (possibly obsessed) with two things: their own comfort and their own inherent goodness." (p15)</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">What Good White Racist points out throughout the book is that paying attention matters, and the desire to not pay attention is exactly the problem that prevents real change. (<a href="http://bookwi.se/myth-of-the-american-dream/">Similar to the theme of Myth of the American Dream</a>).</p>

<blockquote>"To not pay attention is to exercise my privilege and power and do harm to others. To not believe people when they tell me about their experiences is to participate in evil. To insist that I'm not racist while refusing to either pay attention or believe people makes me a good white racist. The first step in my own healing is to awaken to the psychological games that whiteness plays ion the whole of society." (p39)</blockquote>
What makes racism so hard to deal with is that racism is not comfortable to address.
<blockquote>It's not fun to be confronted with your own racist behavior, and it's definitely not comfortable. For good white racists, talking about race causes a psychic discord, because hidden beneath our positive self-images and our ideological Americanism is a deep river of shame--shame over the brutality of our ancestors, shame over the inhumanity of our skin-kin, shame over the privilege we enjoy while others do not. The problem with the maintenance of our own comfort is that it prohibits us from seeing the very brokenness we need to heal. (p48)</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: left;">I could keep quoting for a long time. This is a book by a White person that has thought significantly about racism. I did not write the book, so I would like to see differences or alternative descriptions in places. I think that she would benefit from <a href="http://bookwi.se/backlash/">George Yancy's language</a>, 'the best I can become is an anti-racist racist.'</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The message of the book is essential and "the very first rule in antiracism work: stay in the room, even when it gets hard and uncomfortable." There is much here that is good, discussions of gaslighting, white empire, self-justification, education, the consumption of Black bodies and culture, 'niceness' as a means of social control, and the role of the church in the perpetuation of racism. But again, there is not much that is new here. Good White Racist is a well-written book. But it is a book that exists because of good white racists who do not want to submit to the leadership of Black pastors or that will not read books written by Black or Native American women, listen to the actual people of color in their lives.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">So I am ambivalent, this is probably the book written by a White Christian for White Christians that I will most recommend at this point. But at the same time, the fact that the book exists is part of the problem. I also know exactly where many of the objections will come. I want a perfect book that will not have any objections. That book does not exist because many of the objections cannot be separated from the reality of the racism that this book is confronting. The tools of gaslighting and whataboutism will exist regardless of the actual content of the book. There will always be an 'if only' response. And at some point, we have to actually deal with the main point, and not the tangential objections.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>

I'd give this book an A for effort. I appreciate and support the thesis, but the delivery fell short of what I hoped. This could be a good intro book for someone just beginning their journey into confronting their personal biases, but someone who is further down the line will be left wanting.

Whew, this is a tough book to read. It's necessary but it is also necessarily difficult. Connelly doesn't pull punches here, pushing White readers to be anti-racist while also acknowledging the privilege that allows her to speak so freely. Highly recommended.

Great book. Finding true allies is this fight of racism is not always easy, but Kerry comes through. His words may bite for those who feel as if this is not their fight, but this is all our fight. If you have breathe in your body tearing down systemic racism is all our fight.

A book written for white people who are interested in learning more about what being antiracist looks like, how we play into racist systems and structures, and what we can do to become educated and use our privilege for the benefit of others. The topics are straight forward and may feel uncomfortable but it’s an important issue that sometimes seems to big to do anything useful and how that thought can be used as a cop out for white people.

I had not thought of myself as a good white racist but realized that choosing willful ignorance and inaction are attributes of one. It is pushing me to get involved in the work already being done. I appreciated being challenged and the end-of-chapter action items under the headings: learn, think, act, to make the content personal and applicable.

The ebook was acquired through Netgalley so I’m wondering if it was an unfinished manuscript because there were a lot of missing capitalization and formatting issues which was a bit distracting at times. Hopefully the final versions aren’t like this because the content is good.

One woman's take into tackling white privilege. The author does a great job not only explaining it through different examples but also gives ways for people to have a deeper understanding on why certain things are not acceptable. If you're looking for a book on race relations and how to make things better, this would be a very good book for you to read.

I received a copy of this book via netgalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Just kind of “meh”. Felt like the same overhyped “advice” given on social media. I wanted a deeper more meaningful book.

Kerry Connelly the author of Good White Racist?: Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice leaves no doubt this is a topic which she is deeply, authentically and somewhat militantly passionate about. It's clear in her long, rambling sentences, in the examples she uses to hammer home a point, in her repetition of the same thing over and over using similar but different words and phases, as if she is talking to a doddering old auntie who still refers to POC as "coloreds".

But - however much she should - this is not a book Auntie will read. The language and structure is wrong for that audience. The tone - part condescending professor and part newly-minted social justice warrior - is wildly more uncomfortable than the actual content and messages. As someone who likely fits into at least the age demographic Good White Racist?: Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice seeks to confront, I had a difficult time getting through the book, despite having a fairly deep understanding of and appreciation for the topic.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Good White Racist?: Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice was written for young people who missed out on Racism 101 class in middle school or who live under a rock. If that's the case, they'll likely enjoy the slightly snarky and conversational style, and completely miss the condescension. But again, they aren't the folks who need to hear the message.


This review is based on an advanced copy reading.

A reality check for white people. It was a very educational read as she doesn’t just spew her opinions on race, but she backs up her claims with facts and experiences. I definitely recommend this for people on the verge of wanting to fight for racial injustice.

Good White Racist?: Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice by Kerry Connelly is a book “by a white person for white people.” A good white racist is defined as “a well-intentioned person of European descent who is nonetheless complicit in a culture of systemic racism.” It is a white person who would acknowledges that racism is evil but stays silent against racism rather than confront injustices and racism. According to Ms. Connelly, most white Americans are obsessed with two things: defending their own inherent goodness and maintaining their comfort levels. So, to be a racist, one must be openly hateful and discriminatory; however, Ms. Connelly sets out to show that being racist is more than saying racial slurs to be an accomplice in America’s inequality. In Good White Racist?, Ms. Connelly exposes how she feels white people participate in, benefit from, and unknowingly continue racism, regardless of their best intentions. Using examples from history, sociology, psychology, education and economics as well as personal experiences, Ms. Connelly shows how racism still thrives in the American society. She attacks and counters the common defense statements that many white American would make. Each chapter ends with an Active Learning section to Learn, Think and Act for further discussion and contemplation. Certified as a life coach, Ms. Connelly, is the author of the “no nonsense Jersey girl, JESUS blog and host of podcast White on White” and currently pursuing a Master’s in Divinity at the Christian Theological Seminary. Are you a Good White Racist? If so, how can you help stop the system of inequality in America?
Good White Racist? is a hard book to read. Ms. Connelly doesn’t pull any punches and hits right where most white Americans feel comfortable and safe. Designed to make the white readers uncomfortable, I was prepared for those feelings. And sometimes she hit the nail on its head, and I had to nod and agree, yes, that happens and yes, I do know people who act the ways she describes. However, I don’t agree with all her statements; however, I know she would probably write off my comments because I am white and another example of a white person pushing aside the issue. There are parts I feel she has written to minorities to show that she, as a white Christian, truly understands which misses the mark if it is a book for white people, why would a person of color even read it? I also didn’t like the fact that she curses in the book. At one point, she assumes the white person reading the book would be more upset at the curse word than the statement itself. I do not feel that authors need to curse in order to make a statement impactful. There are better ways to emphasize the horror of a statement without throwing the F-bomb. Plus, I hate slang. I don’t care who uses it and the author likes to show how hip she is by using slang and, to me, it cheapens her mission. I do like that she challenges the “I don’t see race. I am color-blind” statement of many whites to show how non-racist they are. I applaud Ms. Connelly’s attempts to shine a bright light on the issue; however, I feel she has ignored the growing number of interracial families. Overall, Good White Racist? is a good book and I recommend it.

Good White Racist?
is available in paperback

If you are white, you are more than likely a racist. If you object to this statement and declare you are not a racist, Kerry Connelly will vehemently insist you are wrong. She fills her book Good White Racist? Confronting Your Role in Racial Injustice with plenty of anti-white accusations and finger-wagging. What's that you say, you work with black people? You have black neighbors? Some of your best friends are black? You married a black person? You adopted a black child? Don't kid yourself. You. Are. A. Racist. Maybe even a white supremacist. You are "using people we say we care about as props to create a universe in which we are always good."



Anyone who is an actual racist won't give a flying flip about what Connelly has to say. But anyone who has friends and family members from other races, and who really believes that racism is horrible, will be irritated and annoyed by Connelly's "arguments." I think she's writing this book as a penance for her own past racism.



I want to give a couple of examples of the absurdity of this book. These examples aren't necessarily the core of her argument, but illustrate her perspective. First example: Connelly remotely interviewed a "queer latinx" writer for her podcast. Even though the interview was not face-to-face, Connelly felt like they had a good rapport, and carried on a correspondence with her, with plans to get together at some point. In an online exchange, she said, "one of these days, my friend, a meal together." The writer was deeply offended that Connelly called her "friend" when they had never met face-to-face, because "as a latinx, I take friendship seriously," unlike "white folks [who] have a habit of assuming particular relationality when there has been no defining of relationality." Now, I have lived among Hispanics, and have known them to be exceedingly friendly, welcoming, and dedicated to family and friends. "Mi casa su casa" and all that. I don't think this latinx writer rebuked Connelly's friendliness due to race, but due to the fact that she is thin-skinned, over-sensitive y groserx. But to Connelly, she bows to accusations of racism because, well, she's a "good white racist."



Second example: For this one, I will quote her at length because I find it so ridiculous. (She is favorably referencing work by another author.)

A white child would understand that the question "Is that where the scissors belong?" really means, "Put the scissors on the shelf," while a child who had not been raised with this type of coded language might receive the question as a literal one, with several possible answers. His response would be considered cheeky at best; at worst, it would reinforce a "problem child" label.

To attribute such a miscommunication to racism seems racist in itself. It reminds me of Joe Biden's gaffe: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids." People like this attribute any behavioral or academic differences to race, rather than poverty, parents' education levels, home environment, or other non-racial factors. I have known plenty of well-behaved, respectful students who understand the "codes" of the classroom perfectly, not because they are conforming to whiteness, but because their parents taught them manners, courtesy, and self-discipline. Parents of any race can and do raise kids this way.



One stylistic point: Connelly has a potty mouth. The book is full of casual swearing that takes away from her arguments, with a style and tone that makes social media interactions look scholarly. She even draws attention to it at one point with that stupid old trick, "If you're more offended by my swearing than by the larger point I'm making, then, well, you're beyond help." Yes, I agree, clergy accepting slave children as a tithe was horrible, much worse than using the F-word, but that doesn't mean I think it's constructive or acceptable to use the F-word to make a point about this or any other moral argument.



Writing Good White Racist? was probably a good exercise for Connelly. I'm sure she feels better about herself for writing it. But I think she missed the mark and will only annoy her intended audience. Racism is bad. So is this book. I didn't need to read this book to know that racism is bad. Neither do you.





Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

This is a book about race by a white woman for white people.

If you are a white Christian who doesn’t believe privilege, racism or white supremacy exists today this book is for you. If you are a white Christian. This book is for you. If you are a white American Christian, this book is for you. It’s to offended us, make us uncomfortable, make us think and then break and reshape our perspectives. However, if you really NEED to read this book, you will likely not buy it. It will likely be read by white people who are already actively seeking this information elsewhere.

Without a doubt there is nothing written in this book that hasn’t already been better written by a black author. However, hearing these things from a white Christian may help people relate to the information differently.
I liked the learn, think, act challenges that the end of each chapter. I thought the section on white tribalism and neurology was a great addition.

I wanted to love this book. I want to recommend it to every white Christian I know (as I think that is the target audience) however I found the from the intro Kerry had me totally struggling to dig in. Not because I am uncomfortable with the material, I actually embrace uncomfortable conversations about race because I feel like I am being transformed into a better wife and mother. But Kerry Connelly’s delivery is not as engaging as I’d hope for a book like this. I don’t know if she’s trying too hard or maybe it’s me- because this is my first introduction to her I am having a hard time hearing her voice and understanding her intentions. If you already like this author you may not wrestle the same way that I did.

I eventually made it through the book and I think it’s a good introduction to understanding racial injustice in America. It is also a good springboard to help make changes. Kerry clearly has done incredible work and research. The book is well organized. The author references incredible work done by people of color, hopefully reading this book will lead us all to read those works as well.

The publisher made a copy of this book available through Netgalley. The opinion and thoughts here are my honest review.

I appreciated this take on how to dismantle white privilege. I do feel that "Good White Racist" is a book for beginners who are just beginning to scratch the surface of racial tensions. I did like how Kerry broke down common insensitive and racist comments such as "I don't see color" and why this is a problem in the effort for reconciliation. I think that is the most useful piece of the book.

Good white racist by Carrie Connelly is a very thought provoking read. This book was not what I thought it would be.