Discussion: Is Racism Considered A Disease?

Trevor Noah appeared on The Breakfast Club morning show on Wednesday to justify his reasoning for meeting up with Tomi Lahren after their debate on The Daily Show. You may recall, Noah received a lot of blow back after he met with Tomi for drinks following the show’s taping. The literal icing on the cake was when Trevor Noah continued his peace offering a week later and sent Tomi Lahren cupcakes on Tuesday. Tomi posted the baked goods on Instagram with the caption, “When @trevornoah sends you cupcakes and you realize a mutual love of sugar might be the common ground you needed!”

According to Trevor Noah, racism is a disease, much like alcoholism, passed on generation to generation. It’s hereditary. While I believe that racism is passed down, I don’t believe that racism is a disease … and I don’t think Trevor truly believes that nonsense either.

Something being hereditary is not the same as it being a disease. For example, hair color is hereditary, not a disease. Diseases are things that are treated in hospitals or with medication, not by debates, conversations, drinks and cupcakes. You can’t talk cancer away. You can’t debate away AIDS. It doesn’t matter how many Long Island iced teas you drink, your diabetes is still there.

If Trevor Noah truly believed that racism was a disease, why did he not recommend that Tomi Lahren be hospitalized for her hateful views? Instead, he invited her to his show to debate. You can’t debate a disease and make it go away? Why didn’t he recommend medication for her illness? Instead, Trevor bought her cupcakes. Hell, had Martin Luther King knew that all it took was a high-sugar baked good to cure racism, I’m sure he would have said f*ck the civil rights movement and just bought everyone Cinnabons. Why weren’t we given these keys decades ago? Maybe I should send Bill O’Reilly a pound cake and all will be right in the world.

As much as I love Trevor Noah, I don’t believe for one second that he truly believes racism is considered a disease. I’ve never had to reason with an alcoholic about why my life matters, and have conversations with them about oppression. Racism isn’t a drug habit that one feeds, and when they need more, they pawn your DVD player. That’s not how racism works. You are taught racism, by family, your society or otherwise. Babies aren’t born racist, the way they can be born with a disease.

Tomi Lahren is simply using these African American men as an opportunity to say “I have black friends” the next time she spews some racist, hate-filled rhetoric on her show. These men played themselves. When will we stop feeling as though we have to make people feel comfortable with us? Why do we constantly have to prove ourselves to others? When will we stop selling ourselves out and selling ourselves short for the first pretty face? Tomi Lahren is no less dangerous than the Rush Limbaugh’s and Bill O’Reilly’s before her.

Watch Trevor Noah’s entire Breakfast Club interview below.

Now, someone tell Trevor Noah I like Oatmeal Raisin cookies.