White Privilege

[terry78]

generalize much?

Isn't that just an abridged version of what you said earlier? It's pretty obvious though. There are only a handful of black guys including myself at my office, and when it comes to having events or doing anything, most of the white guys are all pretty buddy buddy and choose what to do regarding clients or just outings we may have.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Isn't that just an abridged version of what you said earlier? It's pretty obvious though. There are only a handful of black guys including myself at my office, and when it comes to having events or doing anything, most of the white guys are all pretty buddy buddy and choose what to do regarding clients or just outings we may have.

Well the clients are not going to want to go shoot hoops or braid each other's hair or play dominos.

 

[terry78]

Well the clients are not going to want to go shoot hoops or braid each other's hair or play dominos.

And why not?

 

[Erzengel]

Because they rather play a round a golf, pretend to care about underprivileged and then tell some ethnic jokes about the coloreds.

 

[bell110]

Although some of them are iffy, I wouldn't write it off as applicable to anyone.
One might bring up the point of areas that have more minorities then whites, but more often then not, the suburbs are mostly white and a black person may very well feel these pressures.
What makes her a racist, that she notices there is a problem?

She may not be a hate filled racist, but she is a white lady using sterotypes to reinforce a preception that she has not experienced. How can she talk about how black people feel about certain things?

Not everything, but the theory goes that whiteness is an asset for any move they are educated enough to make.
Thing is, you have to sit back a look at the racist roots of our countries and realize that despite the progress there are still a lot of remnants. Hell, Canada is apparently one of the beacons of multiculturalism, its much less racist then most countries, most countries if not all are racist to varying degrees... It's pretty complicated really.

Yes, racism is still around. But, not being a victim of racism isn't the same as a privilege.

Sometimes the excuse is substantiated, sometimes it's just that, an excuse. Not saying society should turn a blind eye to minority mischief because of some guilt crap, but try to rework the system so it isn't conducive to chaos.

It wouldn't be so bad if some people didn't pull the race card so quickly.

That comes with the turf, doesn't make it right but it is a trend. Whenever there is a Dominant group and a subdominant group, the subdominant will feel freer to criticize the dominant group. That may be why White people, Christians, and the like seem like fair game, because they are already in a top power position.

Come on, I could just shrug this white privilege thing off as "it just comes with the turf".

It's not demonizing white people, it's trying to raise awareness to a phenomenon that isn't all that absurd, yet, case in point, whose benefactors are usually oblivious to its existence and defencive about its possibility.

It isn't a question of not believing, it seems more of an adamant refusal to even consider it.

I believe in racism. I don't believe that I have received any special treatment because I'm white.

 

[Jerry!]

Where the hell has this white privilege been my whole life? I could have used it. Guess I didn't get the memo or something.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I got stared at, whispered about and followed when I'd enter stores all through my teenage years.
And I'm white.
Isn't that weird.

I got arrested for trespassing, and the woman who had to make a recommendation for sentencing said that she was impressed with how articulate I was.
And I'm White.


My family was poor. No way in Hell could my parents pay for college.
Now my boss is a Black lady who makes way more than I do and she shows preferential treatment to minorities.


AND, most of the cab drivers here are Black, from Somalia, etc. and I've had quite a few times where they saw me waving and wouldn't pick me up.

It's considered socially acceptable to use racial slurs against my race. It's even considered to be cute.



Seriously, ****.

 

[terry78]

[YT]MqjFd5erKq4[/YT]

This guy wants white privilege.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

It's very distracting, how obvious it is that Fred Willard did the voice.
This is why I prefer it when they use unknowns.

 

[Bubonic]

She may not be a hate filled racist, but she is a white lady using sterotypes to reinforce a preception that she has not experienced. How can she talk about how black people feel about certain things?

I'm thinking she spent a great deal of time talking to many different people who have a lived-in experience of white privilege.
Acknowledging that stereotypes exist and affect peoples lives negatively is not the same as propagating the stereotypes.
The stereotypes don't have to be true in order to have real consequences,... That's a paraphrase of W. Thomas guy who said much the same thing about the race concept.
She utilized the stereotypes because she contends that they indeed do alter peoples wellbeing and access.

Yes, racism is still around. But, not being a victim of racism isn't the same as a privilege.

It isn't.
Privilege comes about because of the racist roots of our society, which as progressive as it may be, still benefits the white experience.

People bring up the situation of whites in mostly black neighbourhoods, and that is to be somewhat to be expected when there is a collectivity of blacks or any "race" that have dealt with the white reality on the outside.

They might feel trapped within that environment for many different reasons, and there are historic reasons why minorities ended up in projects and ghettos due to previous unfair advantages of home ownership given to whites and denied to blacks who were categorically refused and sequestered one way or another into areas that weren't given a chance to flourish... But thats another discussion.

Point is a white person can get out of that environment and blend into a white neighbourhood without too much problems, but it won't work as well the other way around.

It wouldn't be so bad if some people didn't pull the race card so quickly.

How often is it pulled unjustly? I don't know, yet the amount of media coverage fraudulent cases might garner is probably disproportionate to its frequency compared to when it might be called for.

Come on, I could just shrug this white privilege thing off as "it just comes with the turf".

In a way it does come with the turf, it's rooted in history and in other parts of the world the power differentials between dominant and sub-dominant are obviously much worse... But isn't North America suppose to be the beacon of progress, change and a push toward equal rights for all people legally entitled to them?

Slavery and lynchings used to come with the turf as well.

I believe in racism. I don't believe that I have received any special treatment because I'm white.

Maybe it has, maybe it hasn't, but one of the main components of White Privilege that keeps it going is that people are obvious to its benefits because things seem as they should be.
Whites often view their lives as status quo and write off the misgivings of others as results of personal shortcomings as a collective unit.

Being white doesn't ensure a great life, they'll be ample trials and tribulations along the way, disparities because of class differences, but our worse day might not even be close to that of a black mans worse day.

 

[QueerMike]

The only privilige the white's have is control over the money and the world political scene. I don't know exactly how I relate to these bankers and politicians because I'm not overly intrested in family roots. I didn't know I was from a one of the top clans of Ireland until I was much much older. Still, it's good to know that people of my skin tone are in control.

 

[moraldeficiency]

Time to do this Chris Rock style: If you can get in front of an audience and give a speech, and no one says to you, "wow, you are so well spoken", you have just had a taste of white privilege.

Wouldn't that also apply to anyone that's just a really ****ty public speaker?

 

[raybia]

http://whiteprivilege.com

Daily effects of white privilege as noted by Peggy McIntosh.



http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac/emc598ge/Unpacking.html



Please support your responses.

Its a myth. Just like slavery, the holocaust, and black men having really big whoppers.

Well actually that one is true...most of the time. Damn interracial mixing!

 

[bell110]

I'm thinking she spent a great deal of time talking to many different people who have a lived-in experience of white privilege.
Acknowledging that stereotypes exist and affect peoples lives negatively is not the same as propagating the stereotypes.
The stereotypes don't have to be true in order to have real consequences,... That's a paraphrase of W. Thomas guy who said much the same thing about the race concept.
She utilized the stereotypes because she contends that they indeed do alter peoples wellbeing and access.

It isn't.
Privilege comes about because of the racist roots of our society, which as progressive as it may be, still benefits the white experience.

People bring up the situation of whites in mostly black neighbourhoods, and that is to be somewhat to be expected when there is a collectivity of blacks or any "race" that have dealt with the white reality on the outside.

They might feel trapped within that environment for many different reasons, and there are historic reasons why minorities ended up in projects and ghettos due to previous unfair advantages of home ownership given to whites and denied to blacks who were categorically refused and sequestered one way or another into areas that weren't given a chance to flourish... But thats another discussion.

Point is a white person can get out of that environment and blend into a white neighbourhood without too much problems, but it won't work as well the other way around.

How often is it pulled unjustly? I don't know, yet the amount of media coverage fraudulent cases might garner is probably disproportionate to its frequency compared to when it might be called for.

In a way it does come with the turf, it's rooted in history and in other parts of the world the power differentials between dominant and sub-dominant are obviously much worse... But isn't North America suppose to be the beacon of progress, change and a push toward equal rights for all people legally entitled to them?

Slavery and lynchings used to come with the turf as well.

Maybe it has, maybe it hasn't, but one of the main components of White Privilege that keeps it going is that people are obvious to its benefits because things seem as they should be.
Whites often view their lives as status quo and write off the misgivings of others as results of personal shortcomings as a collective unit.

Being white doesn't ensure a great life, they'll be ample trials and tribulations along the way, disparities because of class differences, but our worse day might not even be close to that of a black mans worse day.

To me, she sounds like she has a lot of guilt issues. She comes off as growing up with her father in the KKK, then when she got older has this sudden epiphany. I read those sites you gave and they genuinely sound like they are ashamed of white people and being white.

If I go into a bank with good credit and get a loan, yes that's the way it should be. If you go into a bank and don't get the loan, either A) the bank manager is a racist, or B) you're credit does not justify getting the loan.

My problem with the white privilege thing is that instead of pointing at the racists and saying, "You are the reason for racism.", you're pointing at the rest of white America an saying, "It's your fault because you reap the rewards of racism".

So my question is, what do you propose we do about the problem? That site made it seem like the answer is to knock the white man down to give other people some privilege.

 

[Dark Hulkness]

Our women get away with uncanny amounts of attitude. Not quite Latina levels but still enough to make you wanna strangle somebody.

Yo you wild man but thats so true!

 

[Colossal Spoons]

Yo you wild man but thats so true!

Haha, you would love that smiley.

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Why can't people see that this crap is so racist?

Being white doesn't ensure a great life, they'll be ample trials and tribulations along the way, disparities because of class differences, but our worse day might not even be close to that of a black mans worse day.

What is "a Black Man's day" ?

I can tell you for a fact that my Black boss's worst day would be cotton candy compared to my worst day and that she'd be mortified and fall over dead if she had to endure my worst day.

This doesn't make her any less Black, or me any less White.
I get ****ed with by Black people, just because I'm White, all the time.
That doesn't mean that Black people are racists, and it doesn't negate all the times that White people **** with Black people just because they're Black.

LIFE, is not Black and White.
What we have are good White/Black people, and Bad White/Black people.
We have Racists who are White, and racists who are Black.
We have poverty-stricken people who are held back, and never get a chance, that are Black, and we have ones that are White.
We have White people who are born into luxury and privilege and power, and Black ones as well.

But, people love to find a group to blame all of their problems on, and they love to divide up into "Us vs. Them" - Thinking, so hey, enjoy your idea that somehow, White people get an unfair advantage...while, insanely, acknowledging that lots of White people don't.
One would ask, what's the point of calling it "White" privilege, if, it doesn't have anything to do with being White...but, hey, have fun.

 

[Majik1387]

This entire thread is racist.

 

[raybia]

Why can't people see that this crap is so racist?




What is "a Black Man's day" ?

I can tell you for a fact that my Black boss's worst day would be cotton candy compared to my worst day and that she'd be mortified and fall over dead if she had to endure my worst day.

This doesn't make her any less Black, or me any less White.
I get ****ed with by Black people, just because I'm White, all the time.
That doesn't mean that Black people are racists, and it doesn't negate all the times that White people **** with Black people just because they're Black.

LIFE, is not Black and White.
What we have are good White/Black people, and Bad White/Black people.
We have Racists who are White, and racists who are Black.
We have poverty-stricken people who are held back, and never get a chance, that are Black, and we have ones that are White.
We have White people who are born into luxury and privilege and power, and Black ones as well.

But, people love to find a group to blame all of their problems on, and they love to divide up into "Us vs. Them" - Thinking, so hey, enjoy your idea that somehow, White people get an unfair advantage...while, insanely, acknowledging that lots of White people don't.
One would ask, what's the point of calling it "White" privilege, if, it doesn't have anything to do with being White...but, hey, have fun.

Now if we can just find a great catchy tune to put these lyrics to, it would be a hit song!

 

[Wilhelm-Scream]

I'll get to work on it.
But it's not going to sound like the Black-Eyed Peas or something, probably Death Metal.

 

[jaguarr]

Actually, if we could get an Electric Six style of dance-rock going I think that would fit best, Wil.

jag

 

[Jplaya2023]

generalize much?

i'm not it's all facts and common sense

take off your blinders my man

 

[AndThePickles]

Yo you wild man but thats so true!

I never see you on here!

 

[Obi-Ron]

I'll get to work on it.
But it's not going to sound like the Black-Eyed Peas or something, probably Death Metal.

Actually didn't Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder already do this song?

 

[Bubonic]

The only privilige the white's have is control over the money and the world political scene. I don't know exactly how I relate to these bankers and politicians because I'm not overly intrested in family roots. I didn't know I was from a one of the top clans of Ireland until I was much much older. Still, it's good to know that people of my skin tone are in control.

It might be comforting to know, but wouldn't you rather things be fairer... Or am I just being too idealistic.

To me, she sounds like she has a lot of guilt issues. She comes off as growing up with her father in the KKK, then when she got older has this sudden epiphany. I read those sites you gave and they genuinely sound like they are ashamed of white people and being white.

You can still have a sense of pride and realize that things are wrong. You don't have to have had some KKK bigot in your bloodline to realize your skin tone opens doors for you.

My problem with the white privilege thing is that instead of pointing at the racists and saying, "You are the reason for racism.", you're pointing at the rest of white America an saying, "It's your fault because you reap the rewards of racism".

But who are the racist?
I think people don't realize the multi-dimensional aspect of racism, as it isn't just about some bigot saying the n word.
By reaping the rewards of institutionalized racism, not doing anything about it, it sort of is "their" fault.

So my question is, what do you propose we do about the problem? That site made it seem like the answer is to knock the white man down to give other people some privilege.

http://www.pbs.org/race/000_General/000_00-Home.htm

This is a better site that is maybe more positive about things and offers a lot of enlightening information.
What do I propose, well right now I'm seeking to educate myself on race relations as much as I can and seeing how I can apply my knowledge.
One way is trying to reach people with information, but there's a lot of opposition and I lack a lot of experience.
I don't hate myself for being white, I don't hate white people, they aren't inherently different then any other so called race, yet the history and current social conditions can be at times appalling.

Why can't people see that this crap is so racist?




What is "a Black Man's day" ?

I can tell you for a fact that my Black boss's worst day would be cotton candy compared to my worst day and that she'd be mortified and fall over dead if she had to endure my worst day.

This doesn't make her any less Black, or me any less White.
I get ****ed with by Black people, just because I'm White, all the time.
That doesn't mean that Black people are racists, and it doesn't negate all the times that White people **** with Black people just because they're Black.

LIFE, is not Black and White.
What we have are good White/Black people, and Bad White/Black people.
We have Racists who are White, and racists who are Black.
We have poverty-stricken people who are held back, and never get a chance, that are Black, and we have ones that are White.
We have White people who are born into luxury and privilege and power, and Black ones as well.

But, people love to find a group to blame all of their problems on, and they love to divide up into "Us vs. Them" - Thinking, so hey, enjoy your idea that somehow, White people get an unfair advantage...while, insanely, acknowledging that lots of White people don't.
One would ask, what's the point of calling it "White" privilege, if, it doesn't have anything to do with being White...but, hey, have fun.

I've generalized, but I feel, from what I've learned, that whites being in positions of privilege is much more commonplace then the situation your describing. Plus I never said that all white people are just having a grand old time.
I'm taking a more macro approach. Check the link I've provided above if you wish, see if it is more concise in explaining things then the white privilege stuff.

This entire thread is racist.

I dislike how people equate talking about race issues as being racist, simply because it brings up taboo material.

It seems like many would rather turn a blind eye to such things and pretend they don't exist.