But if you do not know that history — have never even contemplated it and what it can do to those against whom its weapons have been deployed — you are not ready to enter this conversation.
First off, if you do not know and have not contemplated the history Tim Wise refers to, you must have been living under a rock your whole life, and you probably don't give a shit about the "slap". Many people who do know and have contemplated the history don't give a shit about the slap - because there are far more important things to worry about.
Ignore the mandatory "none of this can justify what Smith did" statement, it's completely meaningless taken in full context here. Leave it to Tim Wise to invoke racism and blame white people for a black man slapping a black man. But then, that's how Tim wise makes his living, right?