That whole white privilage thing? Still a Hornet Nest.

Link

For when you get into that random part of the internet. Most points, I would ultimately see as straw grasping. Historically speaking, whites are no stranger to the same treatment, and by their own race no less.(The Irish, anyone?) But, there are a few points where I can personally relate.

Being mixed, I've found myself in rather awkward situations that completely relate to some the article's points. It's worth a mention, I suppose, that it's not just talking about blacks. Parts all over the world would suggest that the term is utter nonsense, however I get the feeling it's the U.S. "issue" that's being examined. In reality, it's a subject that gets as far as the U.S. gun debate . As Bill burr so accurately put it; www.imright.com

First you say the article is ultimately grasping at straws on most points, then say you can completely relate to some points. Care to mention those.

#5. Details on this in relation to my particular experiences would do nothing, but serve to further beat a dead horse.

#11. Quite familiar with this one. Luckily, I don't get it as bad, since I "dress and speak well"

14. Does this really need examples?

As I said, most of it I see as simply reaching in an effort to build the tally. Some perhaps, with a shred of meaning But there are little things that I can relate to on a personal note. I didn't check the other bullet points mentioned in the article. It's not something I agree with one way or the other. I feel like I can directly relate to some points, understand a couple of them from a neutral p.o.v., and dismiss the remaining.

sounds whiney to me

For the benefit of others, ^^^^^^^^ points were:

• 5. White Privilege is never being told to, “get over slavery”.
• 11. White privilege is having your words and actions attributed to you as an individual, rather than have them reflect members of your race.
• 14. White Privilege is being pulled over or taken aside and knowing that you are not being singled out because of your race/colour.

• Well, first we would have to define what "get over slavery" is. I mean, slavery happened, it is on the history books and it is a crucial point on US history, and now slavery is no more. I would say get over it to some who still think this is 1959 and can't get pass the remnats of slavery and how the Civil Rights movement helped deal the final blow to institutionalize racism. But I guess some old people just need to die. You know, old white racists, Al Sharpton and all the "grievance" industry types, people against gay marriage or pot. The sooner they die, the sooner we can go on with our lives.
• You can see this too when sometimes people questions a white person motives when they say (instead of doing) something: "Well, according to evidence George Zimmerman should be found not guilty". Nah, that can't be, there must be an ulterior motive, that white person must be secretly a racist.
• Are talking literally pulled over as in when a cop stop you? If not, wtf? This just so fucking general, specious and seemingly coming from an insecure person (I'm taking about the author not you OP). So if a college professor takes me aside I cannot be sure that it isn't because on my race or color if I were to be black? GTFO. Perhaps you stop seeing everything through the race prism.

The whole underlying basis for the hornet's nest is the assumption that a person can understand another person's (or group of persons') experiences and history at all, let alone on the basis of race.

I'm white. I will never, ever understand what it means to be black. I will never understand the significance of black history. I will never understand what it means to be Asian, Native American, Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, or otherwise.

Nor will I ever understand what it means to be Peter McWhitey, the white guy next door.

The conflict comes in when I pretend to understand what I don't.

That is the root of white privilege, racism, sexism, xenophobia, homophobia, and most forms of general assholery in the world.

I feel this is bullshit. In today day and age people are so sensitive so afraid to step over anybody's toes that you concede some arguments just to not ruffle some feathers. Do you read what you write? Are you saying that not matter how much you studied something, reading books, thesis, talking and conversing extensively with African Americans, trying painfully exhaustively to immerse yourself into black culture and history you could NEVER understand, not one iota, not 1% about the significance of black history? I don't buy that and I will never buy it. And this one of the reasons I find the left so enraging.

Come now. You've read what I write. Do I really seem like the type of person who gives one half a shit about ruffling feathers?

I'm a social worker. "I understand" is the worst possible thing you could ever say to anybody who walks into my building, because it's absolutely false. Can I pity someone, empathize with them, try to use some life experience of my own (or of someone else) as a frame of reference? Sure, but none of this classifies as true understanding, and if you think it does, try saying "I understand" to somebody when they're in a really tough situation and see how it works out.

And lets not even talk about the fact that so called "black" history is just really American history. And to even insinuate that I don't understand, for example, the contribution that Dr. King made to our society as a whole and to American history/black history is frankly insulting. This balkanization the left wants to promulgate isn't healthy and I won't be a part of it.

Now if you excuse me, I will go see some people shoot each other on The Wire.

Ah, so black people only struggled in America? They never had a problem in, say, pre-Colonial Britain?

Balkanization only starts to exist when you claim to understand the struggles of a people to which you do not and will not ever belong.

Understanding/empathizing is one thing, but actually living through and experiencing it is another. I think that's where the conflict lies.

@Master_Live:

• As an example, a fairly friendly debate/discussion revolving around Cause and effect of past to present, prompting the retort in question.
• No doubt. I think that's a different approach to the point, but it's fair. More along the lines of purse clutching, crossing the street in order to avoid walking past each other like normal people(kids included), being looked at like a thug when I decide to put on a slight hip hop wardrobe. Things along that line, if you will.
• Indeed, Officer troubles. I haven't had much trouble at all when it comes to being behind the wheel, as I keep my eyes to myself, and I drive normal. Being singled out...that's another story.

I'm off to bed. Just thought I'd share the article, and see what you guys thought. If you think privilege has merit or not, etc. but I'll keep an eye out for updates on the thread tomorrow, and your response ML.

I'll be taking a very important test.

✓Listened to B*Witched? Damn, I must be white.

At least the survey works for non white people.

Didn't read the thread but is this about whites complaining about nonwhites complaining and then whites complaining about unfair treatment like the non whites

I don't get the point being made by clarifying that black history is just american history. Isn't that like the point everyone pretty much agrees with. Or at least the lovely ones

My thoughts:

Stop it Mak, you know I'm talking about American history. The only history that matters of course.

I'm sorry I gave that site a hit.

White privilage, a.k.a. non-white saltiness.

The title is hilariously ironic (as it directly contradicts point 2), but with the exception of #7(people can definitely be racist against white people), #9 (that's true of anyone whose been here more than 2 generations), and #17(St. Patties Day comes to mind) those points are more or less true. The problem that I see with this article (judging from it's title and intro) is that the author's intent is to bring white people down instead of bringing everyone else up. That's not helpful to anyone, and is counter productive to what should be the ultimate goal of the betterment of society for *everyone*.

Being white has a lot of benefits, and I don't think that's right. But I wish the "PC" employers (like the police) and colleges would stop trying to make "diversity quotas", which see a lot of qualified applicants passed over for less qualified people because they're trying to even stuff out by having a certain number of women, people of this race or that race or X religion or even sexuality nowadays. That's not helping anything, that's just putting one group above another which is just more of the same problem we're having already.

I will never ever try to say white people do not have privilege, because we do. We are treated, often, as above other races and that's not fair. Everyone deserves a level playing field and bringing anyone down a peg to push someone else up will not fix the privilege problem, it will just be another inflammatory thing.

Everyone deserves to be the same and given all the same chances and I don't feel like that can happen when North America especially is in this "We are being super-duper inclusive to everyone, look at us we don't hate black people! Look, we just hired four of them today!" phase and it's more for show than for actually eliminating racism. The focus is not in the right place to actually solve the rampant racism problem.

When people use white privilege it is to cover their own failings and blame someone else for them.

1. Tell that to my parents.
2. Must be a US thing.
3. Again, a US thing (we have entire firms here made up of immigrant ethnicities).
4. LOL
5. Okay, this is a serious article?

hey man look. i'm busy over here trying to hold civilization together so can you cut me a break that i'm not sensitive to others needs all the time?

jesus, i can't do everything.

Herein lies the problem. People still want to separate by race.....and this goes to all races....instead of saying we're all humans. Period. But dwelling on the past is no way to move forward.

I stopped reading the article at #1. That is so wrong, I can't help but laugh at the stupidity of the writer.

Problem is American black people have no past but what the white slave master gave them. Even today Black people still have their slave name and have no history and speak English. I could go on but you just don't get over that. Imagine all the white people just woke up and had no idea who they were.

For example I always used to think my uncle was weird. He went to Nam and I thought he was just using that as an excuse. That shit was a long time ago I remember thinking. Not till I joined the military and went to war did I begin to understand what happened to him. This is similar to white people talking about black people.

you do realize only 2% of white people owned slaves right? also did you realize the first slave owner was a black man named Anthony Johnson

@Flubbbs: sources?

But the what people don't get is that there is a difference between racism and prejudice. Black people cannot be racist against white people since racism is a system, being denied voting rights is racism. Thinking black people are less intelligent is prejudice.

But on that silly notion of diversity quotas as I've always said WHITE WOMEN ARE THE BIGGEST BENEFACOTRS OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TO AN OVERWHELMING DEGREE. AA doesn't let more qualified ppl get looked over, it makes sure that employers are not looking over qualified minorities in a particular field. Also it only applies to institutions that receive government funding ie schools

How could he have been the first slave owner when he was a slave before earning his freedom and getting his own slaves? Also slavery has existed for thousands of years. People of all races have been slaves and taken slaves

you're stupid

@Flubbbs: great rebuttal dude...

Nothing stupid about what I said.

prior to 1655 there were no legal slaves in the colonies.. he was an indentured servant

yea everything you said was stupid

@Flubbbs: so no facts? I'm just assuming since you have said anything of note

Yeah your clueless got it. No matter how you look at it the effects of slavery and the system that supported it are still being felt in the 21 st century. The Native Americans shit when was the last time you saw one. So Indians almost go extinct and put on tiny crappy tracts of land. Guess they should just get over that too cause that happened a long time ago.

It's easy to talk about things when you never lived it. Right now Americans enjoy this stolen land that was built by slaves. The very same GOV that shited on them is going to do the same thing to you if you let it. Americans are just giving away their freedoms that were earned in blood casually. If that day comes most Americans will be so obese and out of shape they won't be able to fight back.

Hell how many Americans have guns and know how to use them??

How many Americans know who their congressman or senator is ??

Yet they know about some idiots on a reality tv show it just makes me sad.

So would a black person assaulting a white person because of their race count as racism?

Your definition of racism is rather odd.

my goodness black people are so racist

How does that prove anything? Just because some guy on a video says something doesn't mean it's true. Besides we're talking about individual racism not racism in the government.

some random redneck doesn't have any political power, does that also mean poor white people can't be racist?

@-Sun_Tzu-: lol stole my post

An individual can be a bigot not a racist. Unless they have social,economic or political power to effect a large group of people by their actions. For example the justice system is racist as 1 out of 3 black males will end up in jail. America makes up 5 percent of the world population but has 25 percent of of the world's prison population. Blacks and Hispanics make up 25 percent of the American population but of more 60 percent of the American prison population last I checked. That is an example of racism.

Not some neck dropping the n-bomb and starting a fight with a African American in a bar. So Black people can't be Racist unless President Obama for example kicks all the white people out the military.

So only politicians can be racist? good to know.

Also America isn't the only country in the world. There are countries that are mostly black where their politics are racist towards other races.

Long story short you need a position power to be racist to effect change on a group. People seem to confuse prejudice/bias with racist. I can for example say I hate Japanese people and beat up a couple of them that is prejudice. To be a racist I would need power to effect Japanese people on a economic,political or social scale in a section of the world. For example I could round them up and put them in camps or drop a couple a-bombs on them or seize their bank accounts. I could put trade sanctions against Japan and limit their military power and charge them to fix back their country after I killed millions of them. I could also depict them negatively in the media ect ect you get the idea now right.

you're all messed up and wrong.

You do not need power in any way shape or form to be racist. Why in the world you would think otherwise is just beyond me.

Why is is so hard to understand bias is personal and racism has an negative effect (social/political/economical) on a group. I gave plenty of examples of racism. I also gave examples of bias/prejudice it's personal singular. I also explained why Black people can't be racist as they don't have social/economic of social power in America.

Now Black people can be bigots for example but not racist.

you and marth are both stupid and i hope you both do not reproduce