How Racism, Politics, and Social Issues Are All the Same Knot

Margriet Vermeer · 2026-07-27

### The Three Legs of the Stool Look, I get it. You scroll through your feed, and it’s a firehose of outrage. Racism here, a political fight there, another social issue blowing up. It’s exhausting. And confusing. How do these things even fit together? Honestly? They’re not separate. They’re the same knot, just pulled from different ends. You’re probably wondering how to make sense of it all without losing your mind. Let’s talk about that. Think of it like a stool. Three legs: racism, politics, and social issues. Pull one, and the whole thing wobbles. Racism isn’t just a bad attitude—it’s baked into systems. Wild, right? Housing policies, policing, healthcare access. Those systems? They’re shaped by politics. And politics? It’s fueled by social issues—the stuff people argue about at dinner tables. So when someone says “that’s a political issue, not a racial one,” they’re missing the point. Politics is where the fight over resources happens. And racism determines who gets those resources. It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s just history. Redlining, voter suppression, mass incarceration. Each one a political choice with racial consequences. Ever notice how fast a social issue like “school funding” becomes a racial argument? That’s not accidental. It’s by design. Politicians know that if they can frame a debate as “us versus them,” they win. And “them” is often coded language. Dog whistles, they call ‘em. But the echo is real. ### Why We Can’t Stop Fighting About It Here’s the problem. We’re all swimming in the same water. But some of us are in the deep end, and some are in the kiddie pool. The experience is different. So when someone says “racism is everywhere,” they’re not wrong. And when someone else says “I don’t see it,” they’re not lying either. They just have different goggles on. Politics exploits that gap. Social media algorithms? They love a good fight. They’ll feed you the most inflammatory version of every story. Because anger keeps you scrolling. I’ve caught myself doing it—getting heated about a post, only to realize I don’t even know the full context. It’s a trap. And social issues? They’re the battleground. Abortion, immigration, police reform. Each one is a proxy war for deeper questions. Who belongs? Who decides? Who pays? The conversation gets loud, but the signal gets lost. What we need isn’t more shouting. It’s more listening. There’s a skill to disagreeing without dehumanizing. Rare these days. But not impossible. ### Finding Your Footing in the Noise So how do you navigate this mess without becoming a cynic? First, stop looking for villains. I know—it’s satisfying to blame the other side. But racism, politics, and social issues don’t have single villains. They have systems. And systems are messy. They’re made of policies, histories, and habits. Blaming one person is like blaming a single raindrop for the flood. Second, get specific. When you hear “critical race theory” or “defund the police,” ask: what does that actually mean? Who’s saying it? What’s the policy behind the slogan? Most arguments fall apart when you ask for definitions. Because the words are often just triggers. Empty calories for the brain. Third, stay humble. You don’t have all the answers. Neither do I. But you can ask better questions. Like: - Who benefits when we fight about this? - What would change if I saw this issue from their shoes? - What’s the history I might be missing? It’s not easy. It’s uncomfortable. But that’s where growth happens. The goal isn’t to win the argument. It’s to understand the knot. Because once you see how racism, politics, and social issues are woven together, you stop pulling at random threads. You start looking for the pattern. And that’s where real change begins—not in a tweet, but in a conversation that actually listens.