Whites: are you a liberal who is sympathetic to the plight of oppressed minorities in America, but unsure how you—a white—can help? Fortunately, god invented XO Jane advice columns for this very reason.

XO Jane writer "Lesley," a white, has been meditating upon what she, a white—and you, also whites—can do in response to the madness going down in Ferguson, Missouri, and elsewhere. "Hey, why not go down there and join the protests?" a common moron might suggest. Here is why:

All of these urges are admirable and well-meaning, even if a massive influx of untrained white individuals into a community-based situation is probably not super helpful. Of course people of color might want to go; to see a town rise up against injustice in this way, to protest the police and hold them accountable — I can't imagine the pull that must have for those who've resisted institutional racism their whole lives.

But white people? I don't know.

Lesley does know that, instead of doing something as white as "Joining in with a protest you support," the oppressed people of America will be better off if you, the whites, take the following five actions: 1) "Listen," 2) "Question the narratives you're hearing," 3) "Cultivate an awareness of privilege and racism in the world around you," 4) "Educate your own damn self," and 5) "Speak up."

All fine ideas, for whites. Especially if they are done in preparation for 6) Actually joining in with the social movement that you support rather than just sitting around thinking about things in your head.

Many whites, though, feel too unsure to do something so bold. So we would like to present our own list of suggestions:

Things White People Can Do to Help Confront Racism Even If They Do Not Want to Actually Join the Social Movement That They Support Because They Are Too Busy Having Discussions About "Privilege" and Shit Like That

1. Give money.

Solidarity, fellow whites.

[Photo: AP]