Editor’s note: This piece references a racial slur, which may be disturbing to some readers.
The first time I was called a nigger by a white person I was 5 years old.
It was following church. Our “progressive” multicultural church, First Church of Religious Science, had a playground out back. After service, kids would dart to play on the many apparatuses, including the favorite: a zip line attached by two trees. When it was my turn to go, a child not much older than me told me, “Get out the way nigger.” I didn’t fully understand what a nigger was, but I knew I didn’t want to be one.
Sadly, that wasn’t the last time I would be called a nigger by a white person. It would happen more than I care to remember. But the most recent time resonates differently. See, the most recent time had with it a more ominous tone (as if being called a nigger is somehow never ominous). This time it came with an implied threat of violence … of death.
On June 28 in our Community Voices email that I monitor as the editor of that section, the following message was sent: “The state except for in the twin cities is Republican because people who live outside of city have common sense unlike you fucking niggers who think money is free I HOPE SOMEBODY KILLS YOUR FAMILY”
“I hope somebody kills your family.”
I have received racist hate mail before. I received them at Insight News when I was reporting on the killings of Jamar Clark and Philando Castile. I received them at North News covering the murder and uprisings when Derek Chauvin snuffed the life out of George Floyd. I received several emails of hate following my commentary on the students of the University of Minnesota-Morris being called “too diverse” by a university regent. We’ve had to monitor our comments section on several stories written by myself and others when covering issues of social injustice and policing. On occasion, we’ve turned off commenting completely.
But this hateful message hit me differently.
“I hope somebody kills your family.”
This one cut to the core.
Threats against journalists are at an alarmingly high rate
Journalism was once revered as one of the noblest professions, but journalists today are somehow viewed as pariahs. That changing climate in American politics and increasing threats and actual violence against journalists can be traced back to 2008 and the election of the nation’s first recognized Black president, Barack Obama (several scholars argue Obama was not the first Black president, but the first openly identifiable Black president). Those threats increased precipitously with the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Trump himself verbally attacked several members of the media, most infamously esteemed White House reporter April Ryan, who, like me, is Black. Ryan was forced to employ personal security following an onslaught of death threats.
Again, threats against all journalists are on the rise, but threats against Black journalists have as much — or more — to do with the journalists’ ethnicity as with their profession. All it takes is the mentioning of certain buzzwords for the yahoos to surface. Woke, critical race theory, police violence against Blacks, Kaepernick … mention any and you’re inviting trouble. And most Black journalists do not publicly report the threats for fear of reprisals. I contemplated long and hard about penning this piece for that same reason. The words continue to ring in my head: “I hope somebody kills your family.”
It’s often hard for me to discuss the vile email sent without tearing up. My tears are of both anger and hurt. But they are not of fear. That’s not to say I am unafraid. I take the threat with the seriousness it deserves, and I have taken the necessary precautions. With the assistance and support of our executive director, editor-in-chief and director of human resources, we have reported the threat to authorities. Previous messages of hate have been noted, but none rose to the level of the June 28 email.
Purpose
Anyone who knows me knows that when I talk about my work as a journalist, I constantly speak of purpose. I sincerely feel I’m fulfilling my purpose with my work in this noble profession. I’m unapologetic in my work to better the conditions of Blacks and all people of marginalized conditions in America and around the world. For that cause, I will remain steadfast. I will not be deterred.
I will be cautious. Sadly, being cautious comes with the condition … the wonderful condition … of being Black. It’s a cross all Black people bear. In writing this, it is my hope that the overwhelming majority of those who read this — Black, white, whomever — begin to speak out fervently in their condemnation of bigotry and hatred. That’s the only way any of this will cease.
I was 5 years old the first time I was called nigger by a white person. I knew I didn’t want to be one. And I am not.
How depressing that people are willing to say and send such vile things. It’s likely no solace, but it says a lot about them, and nothing of you.
I am so sorry people think they are superior, just because they have different pigment skin. So much hate in people’s hearts. How, as a society, do we begin to educate on this? I am from greater Minnesota. They are not all Republicans up here. They are just the loudest.
I had a history teacher in middle school circa 2008, who first taught me the maxim of “Might Makes Right.” It took me a few years longer, some college credits more, and some direct exposure in Berlin on a semester abroad to both former monuments to fascism and that city’s fervent Antifaschistische Aktion (*gasp* Antifa!) movement to fully understand the meaning of the maxim.
“Might Makes Right,” is not a moral judgment; The ‘mighty’ and powerful are more often than not either morally indefensible or at least morally ambiguous. But the powerful get to set down the narrative for current and (they hope) future generations to follow.
I think that in American society, at least in the college-educated classes (and therefore especially in mainstream Minnesotan discourse), there exists the belief that whoever is the loudest is the most insecure and therefore the weakest person in the room. On an individual level, when dealing with bad bosses, disgruntled customers, or crochety relatives, I do think this is true. But en masse, this theory collapses. When the loudest people all get loud together, “Might Makes Right,” no matter how wrong it truly is.
This is why we see book bans. This is why we see a resurgence in anti-gay and anti-trans violence. This is why the narrative about crime is returning to an excessively punitive preference, once again favoring even capital punishment. This is why we see so-called ‘Proud Boys’ (so proud are they, that they must wear masks) marching, demonstrating, calling others to action. We all know what action they mean.
Whether we like it or not, however uncomfortable it might make is personally to create a conflict, unless there is a countervailing FORCE to these forces already in motion, then their Might WILL Make Right.
So I think that it might do some good if you, and people like you, were to get a little louder in counteracting bigotry and proto-fascism where you find it. The longer we wait to bring our own countervailing force to the Might of those Loud and Proud Boys, the more force will be required to overcome it, and the less likely it will be successful.
Don’t know if you were able to identify the racist email writer, but generally they are too cowardly to identify and be responsible for their actions, words or be it violence.
I am in my 80’s and have seen that today’s cowards are more blatant and violent than when I was growing up in out-state Mn where this person most likely is from. Maybe it is because in today’s world with improved communications they are more easily identified.
I hope the police do something. When I worked at the Minnesota Department of Education I was sent a vicious hate mail. It was sexist instead of racist. I was to be raped, beaten and dragged naked through the street. It came from a church email. The minister’s teen son. The police did NOTHING. The teen told them he didn’t think I was a “real” person. So police said it was ok. He didn’t even have to apologize. The church was in Falcon Heights. I worked down the street in Roseville. I was very angry and afraid. I was even more angry with the police and their refusal to take it seriously since I was just a government employee, not a “real” person. Meanwhile the teen learned it was acceptable to threaten a woman with sexual violence and brutality.
Terrible story. The minister did not call on his son to apologize? Fake Christian taking God’s money under false pretenses. It is tempting to organize a group of friends and create a picket line outside the church. Unapologetic bullies need to be faced down. You chose not to name the church or the family. I guess that is turning the other cheek. Sending them a reminder letter of their hateful actions would be reasonable.
Please provide as a follow-up report detailing what happened after you reported the incident. At least the person could be slapped with a no contact order if they violate could result in jail or a fine.
Mr. Colbert,
Thank you for your courage and integrity sharing this horrible encounter with your subscribers/readers. Keep the conversation going. I stand with you.
I really don’t know how to comment. If this was tied to a Christian pastor’s message from the pulpit, oh my goodness. Jesus and hate just don’t go together in my way of thinking. We’re in a very bad place; social media gets so many messages to go viral without accountability. While supporting the First Amendment right to free speech, how should we as a society demand that hate speech not be able to hurt a single person or even a group of persons? Laws are in place. Now we need to change one heart and mind one at a time.
Thank you for the valuable and important work you do. Sorry you had to experience this cowardly display of hatred and ignorance.
Both of these stories are vividly disturbing.
I applaud MinnPost for their active support, and Mr Colbert for the anger and courage to shout this out. I hope for more justice for Mr Colbert than that afforded Ms Skoglund by “The Authorities” in her case.
Those who hold racist and bigoted opinions seem to be more emboldened ever since a certain person was elected president. It’s more in the open now, which provides those of us who are privileged to be white/straight/male/(fill in the blank here) with an opportunity to disagree and show support for those who aren’t as privileged. Yet, it is disheartening that it seems no amount of talking or logic can overcome the fear-driven superiority and hate embedded in some people. My sympathy and kudos to Mr. Colbert, MinnPost, and Ms. Skoglund.
Hate doesn’t arise from superiority, but rather is a recognition of one’s own inferiority, projected onto others. Those who are comfortable with who they are don’t hate.
I see overt racism and bigotry as a sign of immaturity. An intellectually and emotionally mature adult would not display such childishness. It’s the rise of the man child. Unfortunately people of color are exposed to this early and often. They are very aware and to add insult to injury are again punished for it by the stupidity of the white man child. The man child intuitively knows he’s an idiot because he calls himself a Proud “Boy”… not Man because he’s nowhere near manhood. It’s like Lord of the Flies without the adults coming to the rescue. Pathetic and disgusting.
I am so sorry that you were threatened. While I can’t say that I’ve ever been in your shoes, I do recognize that gut punch feeling – the one I’ve experienced when I’ve been the target of misogynist threats (though, no one has ever threatened to kill my family – they threatened harm to just me in writing). I can’t understand the mentality of such vitriol. I can only imagine that it is a primitive and misdirected reaction to a perceived threat. The perceived threat is that they are powerless – and they recognize that it is because the social order no longer openly supports undeserving value being placed on those who have not earned it, but only inherited some superficial advantage. While it makes them pathetic, and perhaps they need some sort of treatment, that doesn’t mean anyone should have to deal with their abuse. Such threats should also not ever be taken as empty, so I’m glad that you have reported this (I am truly upset to hear that the pastor’s son in one of the above comments got away without having to make any amends). While random acts of violence scare the bejeezus out of us, violence is often committed by those who have expressed a desire to harm another. See, e.g., https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17922941/
One more thing – I hate to make this observation, but notably absent in these comments are the folks who regularly argue in the comments section that they are not racist while making racist overtures and trying to justify racist policies.
They would say, “There are good people on both sides.”
Electronic communication can be a convenient thing, but also insidious. It provides the anonymity one would find underneath a white hood and robe.