You cannot “prove” racism to most White Americans. Some white commenters seem to think that is what I am trying to do!
Important terms:
- Most: means like maybe 80% in this case, not “all” White Americans.
- “Prove”: means to move them from a state of intellectual unbelief to one of intellectual belief that racism is still a big deal in American society. I say “intellectual belief” because most of them deep down seem to know perfectly well what is going on.
- Racism: in this case it means that American society generally favours whites over people of colour – and not just because on average whites have more money or education – that would be classism – or that they have fewer “cultural pathologies” or whatever non-racist reason whites dream up.
The reasons why, in no particular order (click on the links for more):
- They are emotional thinkers. That is clear from how they put their own white feelings above facts. Many get bent out of shape when you use the word “racist”: they can no longer stay calm and think clearly.
- Their minds are bought and paid for. They benefit from racism, psychologically and often materially. This causes them to turn a blind eye, to make excuses, to believe highly unlikely things about their country – like that racism suddenly stopped in the 1960s after 300 years of skinhead racism. There is not only the carrot of thinking they are better than others, of belonging to the white club, but also the stick of avoiding white shame and guilt about the frauds that they are.
- They control the cultural institutions that determine “truth”. The press, universities, scientific journals, museums, schoolbooks, etc. Maori professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith: “We are not the final arbiters of what really counts as the truth.”
- Cultural conditioning. From this comes their scripted denials, excuses and arguments: “Get over it!”, “Blacks are racist too!”, “Africans sold their own into slavery!”, “Go back to Africa”, “You are the racist one!”, etc.
- Racism makes you blind to racism. Personal racism allows whites to live in a racist society and not notice. It seems “normal”. Blacks have twice the unemployment rate of whites? There must be something wrong with blacks. Whites live in neighbourhoods that are over 90% white? It is natural to want to live with one’s own. Wiped out the Indians and took their land? Everyone does it. Etc.
- Prejudice is not logical. That makes it hard to disprove, logically. It can be confirmed by facts (one loud-mouthed black woman) but never disproved (a hundred quiet black women). It works in a part of the brain that deals with feeling, not thought. So:
- Racism is “proved” psychologically, not intellectually. In practice, most people believe in racism not because they read it in a book, but because they experienced it first-hand. For blacks the experience is direct. For whites, it comes through seeing family, friends or lovers subjected to racism – but even then they might still discount it for one or more of the reasons above.
See also:
This post reminds me of a quote that I heard from a Black male named Neely Fuller. He said that, “You can’t prove sanity to the insane. Racism is insanity.”
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[…] You cannot "prove" racism to most White Americans. Some white commenters seem to think that is what I am trying to do! Important terms: Most: means like maybe 80% in this case, not "all" White Amer… […]
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Hi. I just want to say I appreciate your blog. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things I was not aware of, i.e., the white savior theme in movies. I strive not to be racist but if someone said I was, I would try to examine with an open mind their statement. I recognize I have privileges I was born with based on the color of my skin, white, and I am not proud to be white. I recognize your blog is not written for white people and I appreciate being able to read it.
Liz (in Arkansas).
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Reblogged this on The Racist and Unoriginal Anglo-American Entertainment Industry.
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@ Peanut
And the thing is, once you see it, will you be willing to work towards changing it the best way you can? To me, that’s the bigger task.
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This article is very well written, and while I fully agree with most of your points, there is something to be said of white control of institutions (#3). African Americans have their own strong and well-established institutions in the US (more prestigious schools like Howard, Hampton, Spelman and Morehouse, and media outlets like Black Enterprise, Ebony, the Afro-American, etc.,) that should serve as their own “arbiters of truth.” Now, African Americans finally have their own film studio, TV and radio stations, etc. The problem lies with allowing someone else’s ideals, standards and truths to be your guide.
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For blacks the experience is direct. For whites, it comes through seeing family, friends or lovers subjected to racism – but even then they might still discount it for one or more of the reasons above.
They may also believe that it is still natural for people to treat others like crap because it’s “human nature”. Worse, they may even count such “racism” against whites as just as bad or worse than the kind experienced by POC. I read an article a while back that stated that whites feel that racism against them is rising.
In many cases when it comes to interpersonal incidents, racism wasn’t a factor, but in any incident or crime against whites by POC, black especially, the first thought that goes through their minds is, “This is a hate crime!”
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@ Brothawolf
I’m a part of this forum, and a white female literally asked if dominating others was a deep-seated part of human nature. She just kept trying to justify the idea despite receiving a lot of disagreement. It was interesting to read.
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No, you can’t prove racism because the majority of the white population is conditioned to think this way.
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Racism is just the big pink elephant standing in the room where 90% of the white population is concerned. It’s just too problematic for them. Maybe they feel guilty or they are apathetic and don’t care. And some are just in denial. Even the President of the United States won’t address it.
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It’s also a major aggrevation for black people when whites respond “You people are always complaining about something, You are never satisfied.” And when they think we are just being overly sensitive about something. That makes me very angry. White priviledge conditions them to think this way.
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[…] "6. Prejudice is not logical. That makes [racism] hard to disprove, logically. It can be confirmed by facts (one loud-mouthed black woman) but never disproved (a hundred quiet black women). It works in a part of the brain that deals with feeling, not thought." […]
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Stastics on stop-n-frisk and the Prison Industrial Complex prove racism to me.
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” For whites, it comes through seeing family, friends or lovers subjected to racism – but even then they might still discount it for one or more of the reasons above.”
*******
Right – until white people like Jane Elliot, Joshua Solomon, Robert Jensen, Joe Feagin and others of that ilk come along making the SAME arguments we blacks have made for centuries – but even then it’s not a permanent LIFE changing effect among whites who are stuck in their white gaze living a less encumbered existence in their very often unacknowledged white privilege.
I agree with the the late black Harvard Law Professor, Derrick Bell’s assessment, regarding the *permanence* of racism! The situation seems utterly hopeless in this current reality, as whites love their status as “whites,”
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Liz Bliss:
“Hi. I just want to say I appreciate your blog. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things I was not aware of, i.e., the white savior theme in movies. I strive not to be racist but if someone said I was, I would try to examine with an open mind their statement. I recognize I have privileges I was born with based on the color of my skin, white, and I am not proud to be white. I recognize your blog is not written for white people and I appreciate being able to read it.”
why is it that white people feel, their only role in white supremacy is to, “strive not to be racist?”
I would ask you Liz Bliss, are you talking to white people on white supremacist blogs about how they are wrong and how they need to change, their way of thinking?
I don’t know about all my beautiful black people on this blog but i am not buying this, white self-serving, tripe. white people come here with this bleeding heart crap and try to come all, sympathetic to black people and other people of color for inequality and oppression, under white supremacy, which they benefit from.
I can speak for every black person and other people of color and say, we are not looking for sympathy from you or any white people. we want you to stop, supporting white supremacy by participating in applying it and we all want you to talk to other white people!
There is nothing white people can tell us, we don’t already know, regarding racism. I say, don’t comment on blogs like this, go to the white supremacist blogs, if you feel that strongly against white supremacy as a white person, do what’s right and fight it.
Coming to blogs like this, commenting on articles and making statements on how, “you’re not proud to be white” doesn’t do anything to change, white supremacy. So excuse me if i am not tearing up over your sentiment.
I’m telling my beautiful black people, we don’t have time to be playing these games with these white folks,coming up in here, trying to manipulate us by making these, empty statements.
I’ve yet to see one white commenter, say that they’ve spoke up against white supremacy to a family member, friend,co-worker or a complete stranger.
Hell, i haven’t even seen a white person on this blog, say they went on a white racist blog and preached the same, “anti-racism” there. Its all a hoax i tell you…its fake and not real.
They talk the talk but don’t walk the walk….
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sondis,
*Applause!* You’ve just revealed a part of white liberalism.
Coming to blogs like this, commenting on articles and making statements on how, “you’re not proud to be white” doesn’t do anything to change, white supremacy. So excuse me if i am not tearing up over your sentiment.
I’ve heard the same statement from a white woman years back concerning an article I posted.
Anti-racism blogs are not meant to make white people ashamed of being white. It is nothing like white racist websites, the media, and whatever else that constantly makes you ashamed of being a POC, particularly when it comes to black folks. It is not about shame or guilt. White people who feel this way are doing nothing but invoking their egos into the mix which does nothing productive. All it does it make them feel sorry for themselves more so than they feel anything for POC.
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@Brothawolf
But can’t the exact same thing be said inregards to PoC; how often do you think that when a white person does something negative to PoC that the individual doesn’t think racism has something to do with it?
For that matter; what are the odds that a PoC committing a crime against a white person or non-race shared person wouldn’t be doing that out of bias, especially factoring in most crimes are committed against people’s own races?
@Ms J
Dominating others does seem to be a deep seated part of human nature, just about every group or society of some kind has a leader.
@Sondis
Actually Sondis; I have had these debates and pointed out racism in my personal family and what they say/think. I don’t bring it up because there has never been a reason to do so on this blog.
In public; well that’s a whole different kettle of fish, even when you want to point out what people say is wrong you have to go out of your way to get the point across because directly calling someone racists makes their barriers come up and they get offended and won’t listen to you anymore. So it takes way more thought, effort and time for even the basic stuff.
The hardcore racists, usually not much point, essentially those guys are real-life trolls and bully’s.
What about you Sondis; how often do you confront racism of this blog, whether internalized, in society or directed by your family at other races, asian, latino, jew etc…? How often do you go to white power sites and try to debate?
@mary burrell
That or they don’t think something is racist and think you are just being too sensitive about it, not saying they are right but if they really did believe that they would still reply the same way.
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Just like some people refuse to discuss sex, politics or religion I refuse to discuss racism with white people. I refuse to allow my blood pressure to get high by getting into an argument with them. Besides most of the time white people aren’t really interested in the experiences that POC have had with racism. I hate it when they try to “explain” what really happened and they weren’t even there! Or they start crying (the women anyway) and start talking all this Kumbaya crap about how we all bleed red and that they don’t see color. Yeah, right.
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^ https://abagond.wordpress.com/2010/06/11/white-womens-tears/
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sometimes,ITS NOT THE WHITES WHO ARE RACIST, OR WHO WONT HIRE YOUR KIDS–sometimes, its the east asians, mexicans, mideasterners, koreans, who have the small businesses, who wont hire NEITHER blacks or whites, but their own families,and speak their own LANGUAGE
In some of their cultures, the father is in the childs home as a whole, maybe the women put up with more, so their kids would have dad, but IDK
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^ The target audience for those white saviour movies and books. LOL
Problem is, we have 50% of the country with the white liberal view (those poor unfortunate souls need “our” sympathy and help, and “I” need to relieve “my” guilt) and the opposing 45% which think that they created their own mess, they need to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps and it is not “my” problem.
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This title is so true because when I was commenting on Huffington Post about Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till’s murder and how it affected the racial demographics of their eras, I commented that their murders had something to do with racism. Also I commented that Whites have more privileges and opportunities than non Whites. And man, did the ignorant comments from Whites keep on coming. Only one White was honest enough to admit to White privilege and change race relations for the better.
@Ms. J
” “You can’t prove sanity to the insane. Racism is insanity”
Well said, that is why most of the White commenters on Huffington Post didn’t understand what I was saying when I pointed out White privilege. Plus most of them will never admit to their own racism. Thus most Whites in AmeriKKKlan are racists by default, some of it is subconscious and consciously and others unconsciously. I don’t suggest intermarrying with them or even dating them.
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V-4
But can’t the exact same thing be said inregards to PoC; how often do you think that when a white person does something negative to PoC that the individual doesn’t think racism has something to do with it?
For that matter; what are the odds that a PoC committing a crime against a white person or non-race shared person wouldn’t be doing that out of bias, especially factoring in most crimes are committed against people’s own races?
I agree to an extend that you can’t automatically assume that when a white person does something negative to a POC that race was involved. Yet, from what many POC have experienced personally, that is the case.
However, it’s not quite the same when it’s reversed. Many times, those negative moments, such as crime for instance, are due to opportunities. But even so, if it’s severe enough, and gets reported in the news, there will likely be white fear and resentment to the whole community.
There will be some bias in regards to certain incidents when it comes to POC against whites or other POC. The thing is that nowadays, most white people will likely believe that there is such bias when POC engage in negative incidents with other POC and whites. Yet, when a white person is the aggressor, any other excuse is used EXCEPT race.
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@ Kiwi
HAHAHA! It is white people who need “help”! They are the ones with “social problems”! Great comment.
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@jefe
You criticize white people who want to give sympathy and help, and you also criticize white people who think that non-white people created their own mess, and it is not white people’s problem.
What, then, is the correct attitude for white people to have, in your opinion?
@sondis
Would it really be productive for me to go on a white supremacist website and try to tell them that racism exists and is a problem? I’m pretty sure those skinhead types understand that racism still exists much better than the average white person does, and they are proud of their racism.
Also, I have called people out on bigoted comments, and so have other white people I know. The other day my co-worker made a joke about the supposed “irony” of being white and eating fried chicken and watermelon for lunch (we work at a grill that offers both of these foods together.) He didn’t say anything about black people, but it was clearly implied. I mentioned I had read that white and black people actually eat almost the exact same amount of watermelon in a year (a fact I learned from reading this blog). It kind of sounds like you wish white people would just leave Abagond’s blog, but if we leave it, then we will not learn so many interesting and helpful things. Liz Bliss learned about the white savior trope and thanked Abagond for opening her eyes to it, while also trying to express some sympathetic sentiments and camaraderie. Was it a little over-the-top? Maybe, but she clearly had friendly intentions. Did you really need to jump on her like that?
Plus, who asked you to “tear up” about anything? No one here asked you to feel sorry for white people, at least not that I have seen. What exactly is a hoax? That some white people really feel bad about racism? Do you think we are incapable of feeling? Come on.
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@Abagond
So are you saying I should go on Stormfront or something and argue with the neo-Nazis, or just point out prejudice and stereotyping in everyday conversation? Or both?
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@ Abagond
Wait, where did your last comment go? That’s what I was replying to.
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@ Vagabond
I decided to make it into a post.
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@ abagond
Oh good, I always wonder what you want white people to do, specifically. Opportunities to point out racist statements in conversation are relatively rare, and it is difficult to do so without seriously offending people. If you tell someone they sound racist, they will usually freak out and get really mad at you. That’s one reason why I love to have the facts. Then it’s less likely to turn into an emotional conflict; instead, it remains a calm discussion.
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“if dominating others was a deep-seated part of human nature. She just kept trying to justify the idea despite receiving a lot of disagreement. ”
“Dominating others does seem to be a deep seated part of human nature, just about every group or society of some kind has a leader.”
Wrong.
Using the defense of something being part of human nature becomes an invalid argument when the person making the argument is a member of a group that claims to be superior to everyone else.
Also, the act of being a leader is not synonymous with the act of dominating.
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@ Vagabond:
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@ Lizz
I am glad I could help. What matters more than what you FEEL is what you DO.
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@VA
First, of all, I was not criticizing white people in that respect per se; I was just making an observation that there is an issue or potential problem.
For your second question, I was thinking about a response, then I noticed that most of what I was thinking was found in Kiwi’s comment and Abagond’s new posting.
Basically, both the white “liberal” and the white “conservative” are both seeing it as a problem of the POC, as Kiwi pointed out. They are blind to seeing where 90% of the problem lies.
Both sides seem to acknowledge that there is a problem with racism, but it is the POC’s problem. The white “liberal” thinks that they can go in and help them by fixing some of their cracks; the white “conservative” thinks the supposedly victimized POC should try to learn from “successful” immigrant descendants and other “minorities” and pull themselves up (by their “bootstrap”). But neither side even sees where the bulk of the problem lies.
Abagond suggests “Calling out Racism”. That is part of it. If someone sees racism, they can call it out. As Abagond says, in the USA, it carries more weight if a white person calls it out rather than a non-white.
I would add that the white person (and not just “white” people per se, but even non-whites who are either white-washed, or who are desperately trying to adjust their perceptions to match whites) needs to self-examine themselves to realize that
– they have been whitewashed in their education, esp. re: history and sociological / anthropological theory
– they are wearing a white lens
– the media they watch or listen to or read is “white” media that has been filtered
– they need to listen to other point’s of view
– they should not be offended if either a white or a non-white calls out their racism, but try to understand why
etc. etc. etc.
How can 215 million people truly believe that over a 100 million people are imagining things? Or can they just listen to 10-15 million of those 100 million who believe in all those racist myths or have become whitewashed enough to feel that they have nearly “made” it, and ignore the other 90 million. If you even think about it for a split second you would realize that it does not make sense.
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@Anne
Can’t be a leader without dominating the group; otherwise they won’t do what you say and if they follow your orders than you are the “dominant” one.
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@ jefe
Oh, okay. I see what you mean. Thanks for explaining.
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I did a quick google search of the word leadership versus dominance and all I got was websites on how to train your dog. Weird……
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@allComenters Dear, dear!!! Again think whites THINK not exist racism… LOL, how so naïve by your part! Of course exists racism, only an person as you think whites think not exist racism.
If I say:”Blacks thinks racism not exist”, I’ll be at least an idiot.
When you say: “Whites thinks racism not exist” you made youself an joke!
Get out of your black neighbourhood and go see the world with your own eyes!
MalcomX needed do an travel to Mecca and learn the NOI has very wrong in many points!
Stop being so naïve!!!
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There are many white ppl who recognize racism. Some years ago, a wm named Andrew Hacker was a guest on Oprah. She was doing a show on race. He said that white america or most whites felt as though slavery was a mistake. When he made that statement there wasn’t anything that anybody could do about slavery anyway. He said that once slavery was abolished many whites wondered what to do with the former slaves. Since blacks had no money or jobs, IMHO I believe that slaves probably didn’t know what to do w/ themselves. I mean, what are you suppose to do w/ human property that you no longer own? That was the beginning of getting paid for picking cotton, being a maid and handyman, etc. Racism still existed as it does today. Many white ppl have acknowledged racism, but it doesn’t have to be the only thing on their minds. I know it’s not always on my mind. Racism doesn’t have to be proven b/c it exists. But not everywhere. I remember growing up in the projects and I would hear project dwellers accuse the owners(corporation) of being racist. NOT! If that were true there wouldn’t be any black ppl living on that property thats for sure. Kanye West accused Bush of being a racist who didn’t like poor black ppl. Bush came on Oprah and of course she asked him about it. His comments on the matter sounded sincere. I won’t go into detail but he didn’t sound like a racist. On the other hand, I watched a program called Gangland that featured a gang from New Orleans. One of the members described the Hurrican Katrina situation as a ‘minor setback’. They were waiting on money from the gov’t to restock their drugs and weapons since all was lost during the hurrican. Who but an idiot would consider Hurrican Katrina and the devastation it caused a minor setback? Who but somebody w/ s**t for brains would use gov’t funds for weapons and drugs? Should’nt shelter, food, clothes, water, diapers be at the top of the lists? If you ask me George Bush wasn’t racist enough.
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You are correct stating that it pays to be a racist. A black preacher stated that Jesse Jackson invented black racism and he is paid out the a** for really doing nothing.
There’s a 2-hour program on the DOC channel called What Black Men Think. Very interesting. A man name Steve Perry said, The most dangerous person in the black community is the black man himself.” I agree SOMEWHAT. I feel as though its not the black man who is dangerous. It’s black ni**ers who are the most dangerous. There’s been a difference between black men and ni**ers since Lord knows when. Anyway, I really hope you all get a chance to see it.
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@toomanygrandkids
You are just a troll. No one cares about your opinion. I don’t necessarily like Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton but you don’t even know what real racism is.
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@ Adeen
LMFAO! You just laid it out for her.
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[…] You cannot “prove” racism to most White Americans (abagond.wordpress.com) […]
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@Sharina
I was trying to prove my point by being sarcastic and funny. Most Caucasians in America will never understand what people of color go through to survive in this racist society and not give into subtle racist messages jibed at us.
@Abbas
Shut up, you are the one who needs to get out of your trailer park!
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Racism in America is not a secret. It is truly a feat of self-delusion to not see it. This country had slavery for centuries and then Jim Crow for a couple more. The Civil Rights Movement was in the 1960s-70s. It’s more recent than WWII, the Holocaust or Pearl Harbor. Black soldiers fought in Europe during WWII to help defeat the Nazis and came home to Jim Crow racism. That’s how long it took to get laws against blatant racial discrimination and it took even longer to actually begin to desegregate various institutions. Not surprisingly, the statistics indicate deep divisions along racial lines. Therefore if people are so invested in an illusion that they’ll blind themselves to the truth there is nothing anyone can do to make them see.
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[…] as many of us with any modicum of awareness have come to realize, white privilege balks at being challenged, it’s a system that can’t stand not controlling the discourse or being able to tone […]
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“Racism” as a word means less and less to me every day. Everything is “racist” now days, according to someone, somewhere.
So what is a White person to do?
I used to find that I had an emotional reaction (feeling a sense of alarm) if I heard something described as “racist”. I don’t anymore. I’m 31 years old.
“Racism” is almost always a false alarm. I regard the word “racism” as mostly static, as just another word on a screen like “tree” or “building”.
“Racism” merely means that someone is disagreeing with you about something this particular day.
If White people bent to the will of every single claim of “racism”, said “OK, sure” to the suggested “remedy”, we’d find ourselves in chains in the end – because some selfish individuals would not stop in their demands of us.
The use of “racism” is almost always just rhetorical “duct tape” for special-pleading. Or, saying that White people are not allowed to form their own opinions. And we are meant to respect it. I don’t anymore.
As a White person today, you just have to push pass that sleazy old word and live your life.
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“So what is a White person to do?”
Walk on egg shells.
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“Walk on egg shells.”
No thank you. We have a right to live our own lives, free of the stress of unreasonable, never ending demands.
In the era we are in, we use suburbia, police and prisons to achieve this.
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@Adeen Again you calm that R- word?
Want be banished from this blog? Continue act the same you’re doing!
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@Abbas
I don’t like your posts. You are just like the typical Caucasian in this country: not owing up to their own prejudice beliefs and blaming minorities. Yes I do admit that I have some biases and many of it is racial.
Why don’t you see Black people as equal to everyone else including your own race? That is the question I have for you about 70%of White Americans in this country.
The things I went through with Caucasians, you will never understand because you are a Caucasian and I am Black female in high school. Yes I have had horrible experiences with Caucasians but I don’t hate them. I have met some very nice Caucasians. I just don’t trust them like I don’t trust my own Black people or anyone else as a matter of fact.
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@Abbas
White is not the supreme race either. I hope this blog teaches you that people of all races are equal and that the White race is not the supreme race. I don’t think that Blacks are better than Whites at all or vice versa.
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@Abbas
I do apologize for my rude postings toward you living in the trailer park though. And I don’t support the NOI, too radical for my tastes plus I don’t like their teachings.
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@Adeen you are letting the dark side of the force creep in. I have been waiting patiently for some other people to tell you this for a little while. Someone, who share your views, and color, cause I didn’t think it would mean as much to you coming from me…. a so called “caucasian”….but g— da–it someone has to do it.
This is the most simple way I can break this down to you. I’m not going to get personal but I know maybe where some of these views came from. You need to realize that most of the white people you feud with, whether on these racist blogs you frequent.. and those at your school have also, at some point, let the dark side, and the evil forces creep into their soul as well. I had some of the views you are starting to portray in reverse myself. It is a very dark and hateful place to be and shame on you peops on this blog for encouraging this hate fire growing in her. Shame on you.
Just do me this favor listen to me honestly… If I were to say to you that I have no problem with 70% of blacks but trust them the least out of the entire human family you would have a problem with that wouldn’t you? Well why don’t you think I would have a problem with how you said it? You are now feeding the flames of hate instead of just getting burned by them. Congratulations my young padawan. are you becoming a jedi…. or a sith lord?
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@Dave
I am against racism from Whites and from Blacks. As a young, Black woman, I have seen people around me that I have been affected by racism and I feel it isn’t right.
Dave, you aren’t like those at my school or on here. I live in a very racist, small Southern town that is hostile to Black people and I don’t even trust the Black people who live in my town either. I feel myself always on the lookout where I live.
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@Adeen I don’t doubt it…. this world is filled with selfish, mean people on all sides. My thing is they are that way for some reason. I sort of feel sorry for them because they won’t make it as far in life with that sort of attitude. Even the people like that who make it in life aren’t really at the top of the mountain. They are at the bottom. Because there is no fulfilment. Just look for the good in people. If you frequent hate blogs, don’t let what they are spewing creep into you. You can go on there and debate.. but just remember you are the good guy. So don’t get into generalizing all, or most , or even some white people because you encountered a bad guy who happens to be white. Remember.. maybe there are some young white people who, like you, are mad about what some bad black people did, and are confused as well. They could take what you write, and get mad and not understand it fully, they only take it at face value, and it feeds the flames.
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@Dave
Thank you, very much for caring enough for me to write to me. You and Becca are slowly changing my idea on Caucasians. I am glad there are great Caucasians like you out there. I don’t want hate to creep into my minds or thoughts at all.
I already deleted my Sodahead because there was so much hate and racism on it. I will slowly realize that I should surround myself with positivity not negativity.
I don’t want to be a hateful person at all.
@Abbas
Honestly I apologize for my rants and posts.
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That’s good Adeen. I hope I wasn’t too hard on you. I think you are a smart girl and am very glad to hear you want to be a writer. See… I was paying attention. I hope to read one of your books soon ;). Maybe that would be something to think about. A book about racism with a light at the end of the tunnel. We need to get back to books with happy endings again in this country. Alot of people , white and black and everything else are hurting in this country. There has to be a time when people come together.
I would ask this to you. Do you know why segregation in prisons is encouraged?
This answer is simple divide… conquer…. control. Well that is why it is also encouraged in schools, university, cities, towns, etc. … divide…. conquer… control. Think about that. The powers that be happen to be white… but they don’t care about poor whites either.. and they are usually the ones who get hurt on backlash attacks.(when blacks attack whites)
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(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYXyaealPCc&NR=1&feature=endscreen)
@Adeen.. I have found that on this blog some have used a fight fire with fire approach to combat racism. I don’t believe that works it only fans the flames and they become rasists themselves or at least are viewed as racists.
My grandmother used to say “You are who you hang with” and my grandfather used to say “Beat ’em with kindness” (that is what the video references) I believe they are both true. Hang with the kind people and you will be kind, and be able to top anyone … white or black.
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@Dave
No, you told the cold hard truth, I do need to do some self reflecting and I do hope to leave the area I am in now because it is horrible. I used to live in NYC before moving to that area and NYC, people were more tolerant than the people in the town I am living in today.
Yes I do plan on being an author one day and publishing stories to the public to read. That is my dream and goal.
Yes you are correct about the system and poor Whites. Poor Whites have it hard too.
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@Adeen I have a comment in moderation which I’m sure Abagond will let through so reference it tomorrow.
I believe it is because it is a youtube vid it automatically goes into the phantom zone (I’m a Superman 2 fan) that’s where that came from.
You are probably right that there is no getting through to some of these people, doesn’t mean you can’t try. You have to be careful of course and pick your spots. ( you don’t want to roll up at their crib at 1 am singing kumbaya) but I’m sure a smile in line at the market. Or helping an elderly person if you see the chance, or trying to be friends with someone. Be the better person, top them with kindness.
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Dave. . .Adeen is not giving into the dark side of the force or whatever ridiculous thing you’re saying. Adeen was pissed off about being a target of racism and rightly so. Black folks have every reason to mistrust white people in this society. I’m a woman, and I’m not particularly trusting of men. That’s because the power of positive thinking only gets you so far when you are being oppressed, Dave. The fact is white people are likely to do messed up stuff to people of color when we are around them. Men are likely to do messed up stuff to women. We live in an unjust, hierarchical society, and this is how it operates.
Adeen is fine just the way she is. She does not need to trust white people more; she does not need to be more kind. She does not need your advice to become a better person. In my opinion, you are being incredibly self-righteous and patronizing right now.
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Nothing wrong with being kind
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@ Kiwi
Right: blacks and Latinos are supposed to give whites the benefit of the doubt, but it is not often returned.
I will stop myself right there, otherwise I will start ranting.
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OK, fair enough.
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@Becca and Kiwi
I had no racial reason to give her some advice. My advice was at a younger person coming from someone who has been down the road of hate and back.
You are reaching here.
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@Dave
I appreciate your advice since I have been going through a lot these days.
@Becca and kiwi
I don’t think he was trying to sound condescending to me at all. Becca, I can relate to you bot trusting men much since I am a woman as well. Anyways thanks for your opinion.
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OK, fair enough Adeen. I’m glad you weren’t hurt by what Dave was saying.
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From what I’ve noticed, some whites seem to fear that if, in the not-too-distant future, those angry young PoC of today do happen to gain majority status and / or power and control in 40-50 years, as the conjecture goes, their white children and white grandchildren will suffer retribution stemming from their parents’ misdeeds against PoC.
Perhaps some think that if they can soften up young PoC into giving whites in general (not just merely ‘some’) the benefit of the doubt, then maybe their white children won’t have to suffer a similarly racist society under PoC, as the one PoC have suffered for centuries now under whites.
I doubt I’ll be around 40-50 years from now, but it sure would be interesting to see how things will play out! 😉
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@Fiamma
What do you mean giving White people the benefit of the doubt? I maybe young but I do try to be aware of what’s going on in this country as a whole. I feel like I am the only upset Black teenage girl that hates racism in this country because most of my peers embrace this ”colorblind” crap where they don’t see color. Yes my peers don’t seem to be as racist as the past generations but they need to understand that we live in a racist society.
Sad to say I don’t have Black girls as friends around my age because they dislike me and always find fault with me so I don’t know how they feel about this topic either. I don’t even do anything to provoke them and yet they hate me.
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@ Adeen
My comment didn’t so much concern the prejudices or lack thereof of yourself or your generation as much as it did the possible fears of certain whites of my own generation.
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I just got through reading Daves’s comments to Adeen. Now if Adeen is ok with Dave’s comments I have to accept that. But it sounded condescending to me. Even though he was addressing Adeen, That tone talking down to Black people telling them how to think and feel, and I take ombrage to that. But since Adeen is ok with this I will just bow out of that. But it was condescending and very insulting from my perspective.
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@Mary
How was he being condescending? Can you explain to me about that?
I still have my views intact but I do realize I need to do some self reflecting.
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Adeen: Personally it just didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t like it. You are a very bright young lady. I don’t think you need someone to tell you how to think. I didn’t like Dave’s tone. It sounded like he was talking to someone who didn’t know how to think critically. And I know that you do. You are very good at analyzing things. In my opinion David is disaffected with a lot of the comments he reads on this blog from many of the Black commenters and I feel in my personal opinion he is not capable of self reflecting. He is very defensive most of the time when I’ve read his comments. This is just my opinion Adeen, But if you are ok with what he says, that’s all that matters. But I think you are smart enough to figure things out especially where racism is concerned. Don’t get me wrong I too believe that some and not all whites are racist. He had an issue with the some not all statement. From my perspective it sounded condescending. I know you know what condescending means. I don’t like it when white people call themselves trying to tell Black people what they think is best for them. But again that just me. If you are comfortable with Dave’s comments that is fine. I didn’t like them. You a smart and bright young woman you will figure this stuff out as you go along in life.
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@Mary
Thank you very much for your concern.
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@ Adeen: It’s ok . I was concerned. If you’re ok, I am ok.
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@Mary
You really are the concerned one here! I have been going through a lot lately and many of it is racial related too plus I want to go back to NYC after I graduate in the spring of 2014.
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@ Adeen: When you go off to school there will be racism there as well. There will be racism in NYC. You must find a way to navigate the waters. Especially if you plan on being a writer. All these experiences with racism you can use for your writing. All this stuff you learn from the trolls and commenters is stuff for your writing. But we need to talk about this on open thread. You know Abagond wants things to stay on topic.
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@Mary
You are right but what I learned is really, you can’t prove racism to the vast majority of Caucasians in America. You just can’t. They never experience real racism in their lives so the can’t relate to what POC of people go through everyday in this country.
The title of this thread is perfect and accurate.
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@ Adeen: That’s exactly what this is about, Go to the head of the class.
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Racist remarks in Big Brother house:
http://raganfox.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/an-open-letter-to-big-brothers-production-team/
In the article Ragan Fox is asking CBS not to edit it out.
Excerpt:
Houseguests GinaMarie, Aaryn, and Kaitlin referred to historically marginalized players as “tokens.” Sadly, they aren’t too far off in their assessment. Characters like Andy, Candice, Howard, and Helen are reduced to mere tokens when production fails to include micro-aggressions that they have to endure on a day-to-day basis. What’s the point of casting racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities if production’s going to edit out the racism, ethnic discrimination, and homophobia that these people encounter inside the house? Moreover, why do historically marginalized players have the exclusive burden of narrating past acts of racial, ethnic, and sexual brutalization when we see this sort of discrimination enacted INSIDE THE HOUSE?
Big Brother, I LOVE you, but, if you really want to provide a groundbreaking twist, SHOW CBS VIEWERS HOW SOME STRAIGHT, WHITE PEOPLE talk about gays, Asian Americans, and African Americans. Capitalize on the Paula Deen controversy! Hate speech is currently a hot topic in the United States. It would be irresponsible to punt on this issue. What makes Aaryn’s homophobia and racism especially insidious is that it comes packaged in a bright-eyed, pageant-like exterior. I mean, how can somebody so sweet looking spew so much venom? Viewers would have to SEE it to BELIEVE it.
End Excerpt
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Thanks for the article Origin, but sadly, I doubt CBS would give a care about this. They would not consider this letter because those are the taboos they want to leave out, especially in “reality TV”. These networks can edit programs to show the ratchetness and stereotypes of POC, poor people, women & LGBT, but when it comes to whiteness, some editing is done to minimize their prejudices, sexism, classism and homophobia. Thus, the wool is pulled over the eyes of millions of viewers who actually think what they see on TV is ‘reality’.
This may sound like it’s a little off the topic, but the media is crafty when it comes to masking its racism. It’s difficult to convince those behind the scenes (the producers, directors, etc.) what is considered racist. You can show information that backs up your claim, but it will likely get rejected or ignored in any case.
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I suppose such statements as the one above sum up what this post is about.
Unfortunately, most white people have been conditioned or programmed to believe in this basic “watered down” version of racism. But I stand corrected because its not just white people. All Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc…peoples have!
Racism=white superiority/Black & non-white inferiority -Plain and simple!
This is the pure version – the “non-watered down” or undiluted version. Once you programme yourself to acknowledge and accept this version it becomes a bit less harder to simply just dismiss !!! 🙂
What is a typical white person to do?
I can answer that question….
If you don’t believe in white superiority/Black & non-white inferiority then the answer is simple. Challenge or question it every-time you see evidence of it being displayed!
(Tip: You will need to beleve it exists otherwise you won’t see or find it!)
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[…] Abagond just recently did a blog post titled You Cannot “Prove” Racism to Most White Americans. Most POC in America understand this already, and would therefore ignore derailing trolling tactics […]
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[…] You cannot “prove” racism to most White Americans […]
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“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
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This whole blog is well written, but it’s actually a bit too extreme and doesn’t offer any adverse argumentation for opinions opposite of your own. This blog is basically saying that as a WASP I am a racist, or at least 80% of us are, and if I try to deny it, I’m only being close minded to the fact that I am a racist. It’s like the Salem which trials. I’m a witch/warlock, and I I deny it, then it must be true. Therefore I’m a witch/warlock and I don’t know it yet.How about this, there has been no racist conditioning in how I was raised. I was taught to love everyone regardless of skin color. And the more I see people of ethnicity different to mine demanding me to repent for my apparent racism, the more racist I am going to become. I was bullied by kids with darker skin color than me when I was younger because their parents told them it was my duty to put the black man down. I grew up in schools where whites were the statistical minority and I never thought a thing of it. Then I get to college and suddenly I’m looking for grants and scholarships, and I’m being told by a school official that I would qualify for more if I weren’t white? You tell me what “conditioning” my eyes have to be open too. I’ve got all the reason in the world to copy your article, switch the words white and black around and make the same dry assumptions you do.
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@Aaron
It’s part of the make-up of USA society. White privilege is something that is hard to see if you are white. Denial is the best tool for most white folk. As one of my FB friends so poignantly stated,
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@Aaron,
Why do you feel this strong compulsion to deny that you are racist (or at least have racist elements in your upbringing that still affect you today, or have reactions that reflect the racist society, or enjoy some privileges that are related to race that others do not enjoy). Every commenter on this blog is racist to some degree or another. Why do you liken being racist to Salem witch trials?
What you talk about is being colour-blind. That is also a form of racism. And the pathological fear of being labelled a racist, is, sad to say, a sign that one is racist.
and more importantly
Why not consider *admitting* one is racist and that the people here are not attacking you personally for it. They might attack certain ideas, but if people attack persons individually, I think Abagond will ban them.
Can you see how that it a racist perception (ie, a belief coming from someone who sees things in a racist way)? You feel that you have lost a rightful entitlement that has been given to someone else whom you feel might be less entitled.
People benefit from white privilege and don’t even realize it.
Many universities that use racial quotas require Asian-Americans to get 150 points higher on each of their SAT exams than they require of whites just to get accepted. So, you might be able to at least get accepted by a university that would reject an Asian-American even if he had higher test scores and academic achievement. If you were truly non-racist, you would be also be enraged that universities reject Asian-Americans in much higher proportion than they reject whites. For such a student, figuring out how to pay for college would be a much easier task than figuring out how to get accepted in the first place.
History of Asian-Americans and Mexican-Americans is basically totally absent from most US history textbooks. African-American history in US history textbooks is included only to the extent that it bolsters white self-esteem. For example, US History textbooks include Booker T. Washington, but exclude W.E.Dubois (and often Malcolm X). They include white abolitionists, but exclude slave patrols, lynching and the extensive use of forced prison labour. Did you learn about sundown towns, restrictive convenants, and blockbusting? Do these things incense you? If not so much, then you are probably quite racist, even if a colour-blind one.
It is not helpful to deny being racist. Better to admit it, then find out what one can do about it.
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Great blogging abagond , reading the article and responses really encouraged me as well as uplifted my soul . The emerging social standards and the accompanying technological edge has a vast majority of non whites and black people in their crosshairs . Born and raised in Tuscaloosa Alabama , working with a hood think tank analyzing the historical atrocities of not only natives and black people , also the Mexicans , Phillipinoes , Koreans . Yet the proof is in Stockholm victims who emulate and aspire to be clones of their tormentors converting others to their delusional way of life awhile treating others with stereotypical ostracism. This situation will continue to worsen as the age old institutions created by racist founding fore father’s. Non white technology is the only recourse to a better future devoid of this current wickedness in high places of authority.
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It’s interesting how the title reads “You cannot prove racism to most White Americans” because they get bent out of shape and call blacks and other POC racist when they feel they’re being mistreated due to being white. They scream “reverse racism” or that blacks/POC are just as racist.
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I came here because I recognize white people’s responsibility to undo a system they created. This isnt a black problem, or about black progress, but a white problem and white progress. White people are the reason this institutionalized racist structure exists (In America at least, where I am from. Had to say that because I kno wlittle of other countries’ history of racism)
White people caused this mess, we have to be a part of the cleaning up.
But time and time again, I butt heads with the racists I encounter–usually my family since I have way more social contact with them–and it seems like a losing battle. I feel like I am talking to a brick wall.
I have no idea what to do now. I have tried keeping the topic on track, I try not to use the word “racist” because I know once I do, the conversation immediatly shuts down.
I call attention to the behavior, the action, rather than the person. I don’t let them try to derail the conversation–I just keep asking the same question over and over until they stop trying to give a non-answer, or go off about something different.
Recently, my father was saying Al Sharpton was like the KKK for talking about the need for more racial representation and diversity, after this year’s Oscar awards only went to white people.
I kept asking, calmly, over and over and over “Why are you against diversity? Why is it bad?” And he wouldn’t answer for the longest time, and kept going off about Al Sharpton’s tax record, and the NFL, and how I–a white woman– hate other white people….but I just kept the topic on point, until FINALLY I got him to admit that diversity is a good thing and may actually be needed in Hollywood. I didnt get him to admit that we DO for sure need it…just that it MAY be needed..I will take what little victories I can get.
But then a second later, he just went off again about Al Sharpton as a bad character, and still refused to admit his comparison with the KKK was totally extreme.
How do you even talk to crazy people like this??? I always thought that we needed to continue calling out bad behavior, so to let people know this won’t be tolerated. I also believe if we stay silent, we allow racism to continue.
But I just want to scream and never talk to these people ever again, because they are so incredibly looney!!! I feel my own sanity slipping trying to reason with an unreasonable person.
And then I wonder…is any of this talk making a difference? Am I not talking the right way? I keep trying to follow advice on how to deal with racists, and their emotional psychology…but it seems like nothing works.
But…if white people won’t change….how can colored people ever expect equality?
What do I do? What can we do?
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@ Chantal Sorrentino
Did you run across this post?
(https://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/08/12/growing-up-white/)
Sounds like you got to stage 2 and are wondering about how to get through stage 3.
Another way besides what Kiwi mentioned is to find like-minded whites. You are not the only one. You can share coping mechanisms with them.
America’s racial problems are now on the world stage. I am living in Hong Kong and yesterday I saw on the Cantonese language news about the Oscar nominations and how all of the individual awards to people (ie, actors, directors) went to white people. They reported that movies like Selma were snubbed.
Also yesterday they reported on how North Miami police department used mug shots of black men for target practice at a firing range, and how the police denied that there was anything racist about it. (Of course, even people who have never been to the USA can see something amiss about using mug shots of only young black men as target practice.)
(http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jan/16/police-black-mens-mugshots-target-practice)
So 2 of the main headlines here yesterday were about how racist the USA is, which vied for coverage about muslim terrorism in Europe and the erosion of free speech locally.
It doesn’t mean that people overseas see things more clearly either. Local people here are learning about how racist the USA still is 150 years after freeing the slaves, but fail to see the disenfranchisement of South Asian descended people here or how the HK customs treat African-Americans different from white Americans.
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@Kiwi,
Sure, there is a double standard in Asia too. They see the blatant racism in the USA, but then are blind to what they do at home.
But not all are blind. Some do notice it, point it out or write about it.
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http://www.medicaldaily.com/changes-dsm-5-racism-can-cause-ptsd-similar-soldiers-after-war-246177#.VrZsKNHawQc.facebook
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Wow… all I’m seeing is here is “I hate white people and this is why”. This article and most comments following it are also evidence of racism. Whites control the media? That’s why every white cop shoots black man story is spun to paint the cop as being racist for the sake of ratings and newspaper sales, even if there is evidence that the shooting was justified, right? Whites have all the privilege? Minorities have the majority of the school grants and scholarship opportunities. You’re white? That’s what student loans are for. Whites are “emotional thinkers”? What the hell is that? Says who? That implies that most white people have the exact same personality. Way to generalize, there. Or does this imply that most black people are robots, by comparison? Let’s be honest here, MOST people are emotional thinkers. Why? We have emotions and shit hurts our feelings.
“Get over it!”, “Blacks are racist too!”, “Africans sold their own into slavery!”, “Go back to Africa”, “You are the racist one!”, etc. OK, I’ve heard these before, or phrases like them, and you’ve gotta be pretty damn racist to say most of that crap. Although, yes, black people are racist, too. The comments to this article prove it.
Racism blinds you to racism? So… most white people are racist? Again… this is racist generalizing.
Whites have a white club? This is news to me. I didn’t realize this was even a thing. Where is my invitation? The fact that you even think there is such a thing implies that you, yourself, have chosen to self-segregate. Maybe you even believe that there is a black club to which whites do not belong. Furthermore, white people’s minds are bought and paid for? By whom? My mind is my own and I certainly have gained no benefits from any thought I’ve ever had outside of the benefits (or pitfalls) of my own choices.
It’s a culture thing, huh? OK… yeah… most white people go around creating or maintaining constraints on black people’s lives just to screw with them.
I’m going to quote something my black girlfriend just texted me in response to this article.
I’ll also paraphrase that she questioned why anyone in their right mind, regardless of race, would continue living in neighborhoods where your belongings are likely to be stolen and wondered why people living in those communities wouldn’t do something themselves to fix the problem instead of complaining about white politicians not doing it for them. No one is here to teach your kids right from wrong but you. So do your job, parents.
She also referred to the comments following the article as “disgusting”.
Does racism exist? Yes. Is it going away? No, probably not. At least not as long as the media keeps trying to spin everything to look like hate crimes when whites and blacks are involved. We’re seeing the same thing happening with the Muslim community here in America thanks to terrorism.
Am I prejudice? Yes. I’m prejudice as hell. But race, gender and religion are not among my short list of prejudices. For example: If you’re a douche bag, I’m not going to like you. If you happen to be lack, well I’m sorry, you should be a better person. If you’re an idiot, I’m probably not going to like you. If you happen to be black, well I guess you should have studied more in school. I’d feel the same about you if you were white, brown, green, blue, pink, purple, orange (OK I might make excuses for you if you’re orange) or any other color known to man.
I digress. This whole thing pisses me off. But then again it’s probably because I’m a racist white man who thinks emotionally and does everything in his white power to hold the black man down white thinking I’m not doing anything wrong because I’ve bought into the culture my white club society has created for me.
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LOL!!!
Dean and his mythical “black girlfriend” provided a hilarious case study that proves so many of Abagond’s posts on White excuses, racist denial and myopia. He must have covered at least five posts in this rant.
Way to go, Dean! Perhaps next time you drive by for a rant, perhaps you will talk about how your family never owned slaves, etc.
Talk about “teachable moments”!
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@ Dean
Thank you for proving the point of the post and, in particular, providing an example of #5.
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@Dean:
Are you finished?
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One interesting point I’ve wondered about here is regarding this “benefit” from racism. What would the situation look like for Whites were they to give up the racism and the benefit to vanish as a consequence? How “horrible” would it be, versus whatever they (or at least the ones that defend racism) dream up in their minds and use to justify hanging on to the racism?
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The new racism is to deny racism exists.
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I haven’t owned slaves. I haven’t oppressed anyone. Yet, I keep hearing about this white privilege, as if my being white somehow has given me special advantages over black folk. I am so sick and tired of it. Guess what? I have been arrested and thrown in jail 5 different times.
Did the po-po say to me “Hey, you’re white… there’s no one watching. You’re free to go”? Nope. Surprisingly, in this white supremacist country, I got arrested along with the blacks, the hispanics, the asians, and any other skin color you want to obsess over. Do you know why? Because the police aren’t “systemically racist” and white privilege is largely bullshit.
I have no job, no house, no car. I don’t even have a goddamn bank account. So, kindly STFU about my “privilege”. Plenty of black people have more privilege, power, and influence than I’ve ever dreamed of, and you have the balls to call me a privileged racist, just because I was born white? Fuck you. I bet you have a lot more privilege than I do.
Wanna talk about privilege? How about what Will Smith just got away with? If that were a white man slapping Chris Rock, all we would be hearing about is “racist Hollywood”. Hell, blacks would probably start rioting and burning buildings and the media would sympathize!
Also, just a question for you and all of you CRT cultists: if we are “systemically racist” in the USA, that suggests it isn’t simply a question of individuals behaving badly, but that the laws themselves are racist. That being the case, why not list specific laws on the books that illustrate white privilege and dominance over blacks? Last I checked, we don’t have separate laws for blacks and whites.
In addition, I’d say we’ve done a pretty damn poor job of being a “white supremacist country” if we’ve allowed Asians to make more money than whites, a black man to become president, O.J. Simpson to get away with murder (speaking of privilege), Will Smith to receive an Oscar (and sympathy) after assaulting Chris Rock, appointed a black female justice to sit on the Supreme Court, etc.
I could go on with that list of privileged blacks, but you get the point. The average white person is no more racist than the average black or any other person. Stop using it as a moral cudgel when you really don’t have a leg to stand on.
As for the African slave trade, I think there’s a dirty little “secret” that the blacks don’t like to admit: IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP OF YOUR FELLOW AFRICANS. So, if you want to keep rehashing that the whites are devils who have oppressed the poor blacks for centuries, just remember: your own people were complicit. I know you don’t like to hear it, but most don’t like the ugly truth.
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@ Chris Henley
This is the original document that defined White privilege:
https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack
As you read it, please note that White privilege is not about financial success per se. Most of the examples of unearned White privilege given in the above essay hold true across all social classes. Most of what you’re talking about is instead class privilege. Will Smith got off lightly not because he is Black but because he is famous and rich. White privilege does not guarantee anyone a job, a house, or a car, but it still can make the lives of White people in lower socioeconomic classes somewhat smoother than their POC counterparts.
“Also, just a question for you and all of you CRT cultists: if we are “systemically racist” in the USA, that suggests it isn’t simply a question of individuals behaving badly, but that the laws themselves are racist. That being the case, why not list specific laws on the books that illustrate white privilege and dominance over blacks?”
Systemic racism is not necessarily codified in the laws themselves but how the system interprets and applies those laws.
“and you have the balls to call me a privileged racist, just because I was born white?”
No. I would call you a racist because you make statements wrapped up in racial stereotypes like this: “Hell, blacks would probably start rioting and burning buildings”
“As for the African slave trade, I think there’s a dirty little “secret” that the blacks don’t like to admit”
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@Solitaire: first of all, why can’t I reply to you directly? Whatever. This will have to suffice.
You were “cherry-picking” (if that’s the correct phrase for it). What I mean is, you picked certain things to respond to, but ignored other points. I will address both.
It is interesting how you seem to be implying that I have made my statements about Africa’s slave trade because I am a racist. To tell you the truth, I would spend little of my breath even mentioning my opinion on it if it weren’t for the fact that this ancient wound will never heal because people like you won’t allow it to go away. Despite the truth (depending on whom you ask), it was brutal and unfair, and what happened to your ancestors (I am assuming you are black) was 100% wrong.
Having said that, there are no slaves today, and no black person alive was ever enslaved, at least not in this context. Nor has any white person owned a slave, either. Yet, blacks are using this as a huge club to make whites feel guilty when they shouldn’t be. I am sorry if you don’t agree with this, but if you TRULY want this perceived racism to end, you have to forgive and forget. This is history. Let it go.
To that point, why should I apologize for something I had NOTHING to do with, nor have any of my ancestors, going back several generations? I don’t hold any sway with the rich white elites that established this system that you claim is racist, either.
Speaking of that, I didn’t just mention a single issue in our system. I brought up issues with the law (legislative and enforcement), and class, and money, and power. So, contrary to your rebuttal re: my comments about systemic racism, and even though I specifically asked for “racist laws”, I mentioned other issues in our reality that you brought up, as if I hadn’t.
However, when you use the word “systemic”, you are implying that there’s something inherent in our system of government that favors whites over blacks. And if our system of government is based on laws, well, this is why I brought it up. And I noticed, like I have many times before, that you haven’t mentioned any racist laws yet. That’s because that changed before I was born.
Even so, I cited other points: I included being arrested along with everyone else, despite the fact I am white. I also included class; I believe I mentioned money–that Asians and many blacks have, in abundance, and I do not. I mentioned blacks in leadership positions and politics, which would have been unheard of in the Jim Crow South.
As for my belief that Africa is just one big country, and that Africans enslaved their enemies from neighboring tribes and nations, all I can say is, what color were they? Don’t you “African Americans” call each other “my brother”? Isn’t all of this about race?
This must be why blacks are so confused. THEY think that WE think that Africa is just one big country that sold its own people into slavery. Nope. We are talking about RACE here. Not cultures, countries, or tribes. I do find it odd that the discussion is always about race until the slave trade is mentioned.
And by the way, I was well aware of this already. As one of the articles you linked mentioned, this practice of taking enemies as slaves was nothing new, and many cultures did it. However, I don’t see how any of this changes the fact that blacks did indeed participate in trading and owning slaves, as per your article. It is funny to me that there’s always a response like “Yeah, but the whites did it MORE!” or, “There was nothing we could do. The Europeans were too powerful.”
Sounds like excuses and rationalizations to me. You like facts. Here is one again: some Africans, like it or not, participated actively in the slave trade. Full stop. No “yeah, buts”.
Regarding Will Smith, let’s agree to disagree. In my opinion, if, say Tom Hanks had done that, they would have dogpiled on him and hauled him off. In this CRT environment though, I am betting no one with white skin wanted to touch it. Despite the fact Chris Rock declined to press charges, I’ve always thought that if a police officer sees a crime being committed, they have a duty to attempt to stop it and/or arrest the person committing the crime. If you don’t believe that, try assaulting someone in front of a cop and see what happens. The LAPD were there, and I am certain they knew what was happening. Yet they stood by, as I have seen them do before in “delicate” situations like this one. So, yeah. I think this had to do with race.
The fact you think that my belief that the blacks would be rioting and burning and looting if a white man did it and didn’t get arrested, AND received an Oscar is a racist one is silly. Ok, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it’s not like blacks haven’t done that during their “protests” many many times in the past. So, again, if facts are racist to you, let me just go get my hood and start burning crosses right now, because I do love them facts!
I have written way too much, so I need to wrap this up, even though I could continue. Let me just close with this: my definition of a racist is someone who believes in the superiority of their own race over another. Further, I think to truly be a racist, you need to do more than just think these thoughts. You must put them into action. You must embrace them.
Personally, I think hating others is too exhausting and a waste of precious time, no matter what kind of lives we are talking about. When you spend so much time dwelling on racism, it eats at you too. It is a corruption of the soul, and I one I do not participate in. I’ve got better things to do than worry about lording it over people. So, again, please stop making blanket statements about all white people. I am not “all white people”. I am an individual and I am not upset because you are calling me out for some subtle, hidden racism that I possess. I am upset because I am having to hear how evil white people are every fucking day, and I strongly disagree.
This shit is being used to manipulate others, and politically charge (mostly) a non-issue. This is just another case of keeping us all divided to keep us under control. Frankly, as hip as the blacks usually are to this kind of thing, I am surprised you all are falling for it.
On the other hand, you ARE benefitting from all of the CRT nonsense aren’t you?
A final unsolicited comment for you, because I just know you are going to make all sorts of assumptions about who I am: Let me clear that up, just in case you were wondering. I can’t stand Donald Trump. In fact, I can’t stand any of them on either side. They all need to be fired. I haven’t voted since I turned 18 almost 35 years ago, and I haven’t been to church since I was 13. So, I am not a bible-thumping, idiot fundamentalist who believes that Trump is the reincarnation of an ancient Babylonian king.
Once again, I am not a racist, nor do I believe racism is a serious issue anymore. If you think that makes me a racist, I don’t care. It is damned if you do and damned if you don’t. In other words, it won’t matter what I say. In your eyes, I am a racist and most likely, always will be, despite the fact I’ve nothing to do with the establishment, haven’t benefited from any sort of white privilege–at least, not that I’m aware of. And if I am not aware of it, exactly what great benefit did I get out of it?
There was certainly nothing that gave me any sort of power over blacks. Nor do I want that.
However, if you point out one privilege I have as a white man is the fact I can “freely go anywhere” without worries. Well, thanks to our racist system, I say so can blacks. Are there individuals who are racist out there who may want to harm you? Sure. But that has nothing to do with all whites, nor is that behavior exclusive to whites.
E.g., if I took a stroll through Compton or Watts with my white skin in the middle of the night, there is a decent chance that I may not make it out again. Does that make me think that all blacks are racist? Nope.
Again, I am not a racist either. And it won’t matter if you accuse me 24/7, or want me to confess it at gunpoint. I will not, because I know what is in my heart.
This whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and lies. But I guess that’s just my ancestors’ chickens coming home to roost, finally. Still, it feels incredibly unfair to pay an old debt that I had nothing to do with in the first place.
C’est la vie.
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@ Chris Henley
“first of all, why can’t I reply to you directly? Whatever. This will have to suffice.”
I don’t understand what you’re talking about. You did reply to me directly. Or do you mean private DMs?
“You were “cherry-picking” (if that’s the correct phrase for it). What I mean is, you picked certain things to respond to, but ignored other points.”
Everything you wrote, all of your points, have been debated on Abagond’s blog ad nauseum. Most of them have their own blog posts which can be found here:
I only replied to as much as I did for the sake of lurkers, present and future. I know from experience that 99.9% of the commenters who write long diatribes like yours are not interested in a true conversation. If you are, start at the Broken Records Department so you will already be versed in the rebuttals to many of your points, and we can pick up from there.
“It is interesting how you seem to be implying that I have made my statements about Africa’s slave trade because I am a racist. To tell you the truth, I would spend little of my breath even mentioning my opinion on it if it weren’t for the fact that this ancient wound will never heal because people like you won’t allow it to go away.”
You’re assuming this is all about slavery, and that slavery is an “ancient wound” instead of something that has lasting repercussions today. And the reason it has lasting repercussions today is because slavery in the USA was predicated on skin color.
“As for my belief that Africa is just one big country, and that Africans enslaved their enemies from neighboring tribes and nations, all I can say is, what color were they? Don’t you “African Americans” call each other “my brother”? Isn’t all of this about race?
“This must be why blacks are so confused. THEY think that WE think that Africa is just one big country that sold its own people into slavery. Nope. We are talking about RACE here. Not cultures, countries, or tribes. I do find it odd that the discussion is always about race until the slave trade is mentioned.”
Because you don’t know your history when it comes to race. The idea in Africa of a “Black race” and the idea in Europe of a “White race” did not exist beforehand. When the Europeans began taking slaves in Africa, the original line of demarcation was that they were not to enslave other Christians:
https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/05/peter-h-wood-strange-new-land-excerpt.html
This is one reason why most African Americans are of West African descent: slaves generally were not taken from Eastern Africa in places like Ethiopia because those people were already Christians — and indeed had been so far longer than many Europeans.
The change to race-based hereditary slavery was a gradual process. When discussing the origins of European involvement in the slave trade, we are in fact talking about “culture, countries, or tribes” and religion.
Africans did not originally have a concept of themselves as “Africans” and “brothers” based on skin color. You’re extrapolating backwards. This was an idea that came out of European colonialism and exploitation of the continent of Africa.
“As one of the articles you linked mentioned, this practice of taking enemies as slaves was nothing new, and many cultures did it. However, I don’t see how any of this changes the fact that blacks did indeed participate in trading and owning slaves, as per your article.”
Europeans, especially in the North and West, had almost entirely eradicated the practice of slavery within their nations prior to the mid 1400s. For example, England officially abolished slavery in 1102. There were repeated papal edicts during the 1300s banning the slave trade. No one forced the Europeans to start enslaving Africans. The fact that Black Africans participated in the slave trade does not exonerate White Europeans from deciding to take part in a practice they had previously given up as immoral. Black Africans did not force White Europeans to buy slaves. And they certainly didn’t force White Europeans to come up with a system where slavery was based on race, and was hereditary through race, and where free people of that race were always in danger of being mistaken for slaves due solely to their race. This was a brand-new development in the history of slavery anywhere.
I can’t quote much more of the article I linked to because of copyright, but I recommend you read it for a detailed account of how slavery went through this transformation in the colonies that would become the USA. And again, this is a topic that has been discussed repeatedly on Abagond’s blog, with specific posts about it available for further reading here.
“Regarding Will Smith, let’s agree to disagree. In my opinion, if, say Tom Hanks had done that, they would have dogpiled on him and hauled him off.”
In my opinion, if Tom Hanks had slapped a comedian who was also White, it pretty much would have gone down the exact same way. If Tom Hanks had slapped Chris Rock, it would also have pretty much gone the same way except there would now be added discussion and debate about whether Tom Hanks is racist. No high-caliber movie star at the Oscars ceremony was going to be dogpiled bodily for one slap across the face.
“The LAPD were there, and I am certain they knew what was happening. Yet they stood by, as I have seen them do before in “delicate” situations like this one.”
The LAPD have a known record of beating and killing unarmed civilians. Not that many years ago, they beat to death a White man for the crime of being homeless and mentally ill, while he cried out like a child for his daddy to help him. And of course that’s the LAPD in the photo at the top of this post. Funny that you portray them as helpless pacifists.
“Ok, maybe that was an exaggeration, but it’s not like blacks haven’t done that during their “protests” many many times in the past.”
I guess you didn’t see the many videos from the summer of 2020 where White protesters were vandalizing buildings or looting or starting fires and Black protesters were trying to make them stop? Even pleading “You know they will blame what you’re doing on us, on all Black people?!”
Many many times Black protests are nonviolent and peaceful, but somehow they still get categorized as riots.
“my definition of a racist is someone who believes in the superiority of their own race over another. Further, I think to truly be a racist, you need to do more than just think these thoughts. You must put them into action.”
Putting those racist thoughts into action doesn’t just mean burning crosses. It can be as simple as coming to a Black-centric website to lecture the Black folks about how wrong-headed they are.
“Personally, I think hating others is too exhausting and a waste of precious time, no matter what kind of lives we are talking about. When you spend so much time dwelling on racism, it eats at you too.”
Hating others =/= dwelling on racism. When someone’s life is adversely affected by racism, of course they are going to think about it. Ignoring racism doesn’t make it go away.
“I’ve got better things to do than worry about lording it over people.”
Then what are you doing here?
“So, again, please stop making blanket statements about all white people.”
SMH. Abagond went out of his way in this post to clarify, repeatedly, that he wasn’t talking about all White people. The title of the article is: You cannot “prove” racism to most White Americans. He also writes, “Some white commenters seem to think that is what I am trying to do” and “Most: means like maybe 80% in this case, not “all” White Americans.”
“I am not “all white people”.”
Agreed. There’s that ~20% of White Americans referenced above who get it, unlike you.
“I am upset because I am having to hear how evil white people are every [moderated word] day, and I strongly disagree.”
Where in the post does Abagond say White people are evil?
Also: https://abagond.wordpress.com/2012/05/30/whites-are-not-uniquely-evil/
“On the other hand, you ARE benefitting from all of the CRT nonsense aren’t you?”
How so?
“A final unsolicited comment for you, because I just know you are going to make all sorts of assumptions about who I am”
As if you haven’t just made all sorts of assumptions about who I am??
“I can’t stand Donald Trump. In fact, I can’t stand any of them on either side…. and I haven’t been to church since I was 13. So, I am not a bible-thumping, idiot fundamentalist who believes that Trump is the reincarnation of an ancient Babylonian king.”
If you had spent a reasonable amount of time lurking, you would know that almost all the frequent commenters here reject the idea that racists come solely from right-wing religious fundamentalists.
Also: https://abagond.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/black-people-the-white-liberal-users-guide/
“They all need to be fired. I haven’t voted since I turned 18 almost 35 years ago”
So you’re not doing your part to help fire them? How do you expect to see the change you want?
“Once again, I am not a racist, nor do I believe racism is a serious issue anymore. If you think that makes me a racist, I don’t care. In your eyes, I am a racist and most likely, always will be”
Once again, you haven’t lurked enough here:
I generally subscribe to Abagond’s opinion on this, and in fact already did so before I found his blog. Under this line of thinking, there is no such thing as a racist and a non-racist. You and I and Abagond are all racists — we grew up in a racist society and imbibed racism before we knew what it was. The difference lies in whether or not someone is actively a recovering racist: someone who is trying to identify and root out their racist beliefs and attitudes, someone who is working towards a society free of racism. You act like “racist” is a dirty word, when it should be a starting point for discussion and introspection.
If it’s easier for you, put aside the term “racist” and think about prejudice instead. Some people hold many prejudices, other people hold a few. Can you admit that you might hold some prejudices, maybe even without being consciously aware of them?
“despite the fact I’ve nothing to do with the establishment, haven’t benefited from any sort of white privilege–at least, not that I’m aware of. And if I am not aware of it, exactly what great benefit did I get out of it?”
Are you aware of the racial disparities in sentencing? You’ve been arrested five times, you say. Statistically you as a White person have a greater likelihood of a lighter sentence than your non-White peers. You also have a better chance of not being stopped by police to begin with, which means you’re more likely to have fewer arrests.
“E.g., if I took a stroll through Compton or Watts with my white skin in the middle of the night, there is a decent chance that I may not make it out again.”
This is an old trope, and yet how often do we ever hear of a White person getting killed just for taking a stroll through Compton in the middle of the night? Much less in broad daylight, like what happened to Ahmaud Arbery?
What do you think would happen to you if you took a stroll through a nice middle-class Black neighborhood around noon?
“Again, I am not a racist either. And it won’t matter if you accuse me 24/7, or want me to confess it at gunpoint. I will not, because I know what is in my heart.”
What exactly is in your heart, then, to make you come to a Black-centric blog and repeatedly declare that you aren’t a racist? Why do you think anyone here would want to make you “confess it at gunpoint”?
“This whole thing stinks of hypocrisy and lies. But I guess that’s just my ancestors’ chickens coming home to roost, finally. Still, it feels incredibly unfair to pay an old debt that I had nothing to do with in the first place.”
I think most people would be satisfied if you started working on yourself instead of wallowing in your emotions about your ancestors. Deal with your own attitudes about race, your reliance on stereotypes, your lack of knowledge concerning the history of racism. No need to apologize for your ancestors when you have yet to deal with your own shortcomings.
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I am not the one with article after article about whitey. YOU ARE. Yet I am the one writing a “diatribe”?
I think you are missing a major point. I WOULDN’T SPEND A SECOND OF MY BREATH on this if I didn’t see “white men are evil” every second of every day on every platforn I can think of.
I was born white. That’s all I am guilty of. So would it make you feel better if I apologized for being born with Satan’s favorite skin color? There is nothing I can do about that, so stop acting as if that automatically makes me a racist. It does not. Period. When I hear total nonsense like “Yes, Dear, All Whites Are Racist”, I want to fucking tear my hair out.
I don’t care what black people do. In fact, I don’t care what other white people do, either. As long as they aren’t hurting me. But guess what? This shit is hurting me. Because I am a white male, I am public enemy number one, and I strongly disagree that I have anything whatsoever to do with black folk’s lives. You are barking up the wrong tree. I am not Trump. I am not David Duke.
Now, if you want to say that I am complicit in racism, so be it. I say, how can I possibly be racist if I truly don’t care? I am angry because you want to insist on putting that label on me. Let me just say again: I DON’T CARE WHAT BLACKS DO. YOU HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS THAT I DO AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. If it isn’t that way in your mind, that’s not my problem. I can only do what I am capable of doing. And that, sadly, is very very little, so leave people like me the fuck out of it.
Now, you STILL want to call me a racist? I DO NOT WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME. Stop dragging people into this who want nothing to do with it, and just want to live their lives.
You should probably just relax and let this shit go. As for “not wanting to have a “real discussion”, you are just wrong. Let’s see if you really want to have a discussion, and not just an echo chamber. Here is my personal email: cnhen001@gmail.com. Email me. I will even give you my number. We can talk personally, like human beings. Not like robots.
If it is so important to you, then talk to me, black to white. I have never had this conversation with another black man/woman and I welcome it. I hate this format, believe it or not.
No, I would much rather have a real discussion. Please consider it. I am not a monster. I am a person like you, and this would help establish that, I think.
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@Solitaire:
I forgot, since I am on a diatribe, why not add some more fuel? Africans were not only willingly participating in the slave trade, they were actually conducting raids:
“Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani has written a sensitive essay, published in the Wall Street Journal, on the African role in the trans-Atlantic and trans-Saharan slave trade. She observes that the four-hundredth anniversary of the arrival of slaves in Virginia coincides with questions about guilt and responsibility and a debate in the United States about reparations to the descendants of slaves.
“She observes that this fraught debate is largely absent in Africa, even though Africans were deeply involved in the slave trade. Africans raided for slaves often in connivance with local chiefs and then acted as middlemen with European and Arab purchasers.”
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well, i must admit i got ‘triggered’ by the unz report and also cwbchicago had an article about how high the murder rate has increased lately, i pulled the crime stats card, i was told that the media spin is to defame? black people and normalize police shootings, racism, etc
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@ Chris Henley
“I am not the one with article after article about [moderated racial slur for White people]. YOU ARE.”
First of all, I am not Abagond, just someone who has been frequenting his blog for several years. The blog posts I’ve been linking to are all written by him (unless it’s a guest commentary, which is always noted at the start).
Secondly, Abagond writes a lot of posts exploring aspects of racism because it’s a topic of importance to him. Not all of those articles are about Whites — and for that matter not all of them are about Blacks.
Thirdly, not all of Abagond’s articles are about race. For example, he’s written quite a lot on his blog about the philosophy, literature, and histiography of the Ancient Greeks, in which he often talks about the great influence they’ve had on him. He has a large amount of material here on Christian theology, the early Church Fathers, the Scientific Revolution, and the NASA space program.
He’s also written positive articles like these about White people:
“I think you are missing a major point. I WOULDN’T SPEND A SECOND OF MY BREATH on this if I didn’t see “white men are evil” every second of every day on every platforn I can think of.”
Why are you spending your breath here? Why come here and complain about it on a blog where the author has written articles about how Whites are not uniquely evil, that everyone of all races have racial prejudices to overcome?
“I was born white. That’s all I am guilty of. So would it make you feel better if I apologized for being born with Satan’s favorite skin color? There is nothing I can do about that, so stop acting as if that automatically makes me a racist. It does not. Period. When I hear total nonsense like “Yes, Dear, All Whites Are Racist”, I want to [moderated word] tear my hair out.”
This is what I’m talking about when I say most commentors like you don’t really want to have a conversation. It’s like you didn’t read anything I wrote or linked to about all people being racist. Not just Whites, everyone. Not because of the color of skin you’re born with but because you’re born into a racist society and every single child learns thought patterns of racial prejudice before they’re old enough to fully understand. You’re not responding to my actual words and my actual opinions. It’s not possible to have a true conversation under those conditions.
“I don’t care what black people do. In fact, I don’t care what other white people do, either. As long as they aren’t hurting me. But guess what? This [moderated word] is hurting me. Because I am a white male, I am public enemy number one”
How exactly is it hurting you? Can you give me two or three concrete examples of how your life has been negatively impacted? How does it affect your well-being, your prospects, your family, etc., on a day-to-day basis?
“Now, you STILL want to call me a racist? I DO NOT WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME. Stop dragging people into this who want nothing to do with it, and just want to live their lives.”
Dragging people into it? Who forcibly dragged you here? This is a Black-centric blog where Black people from around the world come to discuss issues that matter to them amongst themselves. No one is forcing White men like you to come here. You can stop reading and step away any time you like.
“Now, if you want to say that I am complicit in racism, so be it. I say, how can I possibly be racist if I truly don’t care?”
If you truly don’t care, why are you here yelling at Black people? Why are you trotting out one old prejudicial stereotype after another? Do you expect the handful of Black people who gather at this website ]to wave a magic wand and change the world for your liking?? Maybe they can write a memo to every other Black person on the globe that says, Hey, everyone, lay off Chris Henley from now on; he’s not David Duke so don’t call him the R-word???
“You should probably just relax and let this [moderated word] go.”
Why don’t you take your own advice?
“As for “not wanting to have a “real discussion”, you are just wrong. Let’s see if you really want to have a discussion, and not just an echo chamber.”
This blog is not an echo chamber. If it was, none of your comments would have made it out of moderation. As I said in my previous reply, many White people have come here in the past to express the same opinions as yours. Some of them stick around for years to promulgate their opposing views. (Maybe even over a decade in Biff’s case?)
“I will even give you my number. We can talk personally, like human beings. Not like robots”
You’re already using profanity and yelling at me in all caps. You’ve given me no reason to believe you would behave more appropriately via e-mail or telephone.
Everything I’ve said here is exactly what I would have said in an e-mail or over the phone. I believe I’m already talking like human beings do. I’m fully aware there is a living, breathing human person at the other end of the screen behind your username.
“I forgot, since I am on a diatribe, why not add some more fuel? Africans were not only willingly participating in the slave trade, they were actually conducting raids”
Why do you think I didn’t already know this? I also know that it has had lasting repercussions between certain tribal/ethnic groups in Africa. This fact doesn’t change anything I said before: Africans were complicit in the slave trade, but they are not responsible for European participation in it, nor for the way Europeans transformed slavery into being predicated upon skin color. They are not responsible for the long legacy of racial hatred in the USA. They are not responsible for the Black Codes, for the one-drop rule, for the KKK, for lynching, for Jim Crow segregation, for anti-miscegenation laws, for the Red Summer and other pogroms of the early 1900s, for racial steering in housing, for sundown towns, etc., etc., etc.
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@Chris
“I have never had this conversation with another black man/woman and I welcome it. I hate this format, believe it or not.
No, I would much rather have a real discussion. Please consider it. I am not a monster. I am a person like you, and this would help establish that, I think.
I’m quite certain everyone here knows you’re a person. What kind of person remains to me seen. If you truly wish to engage in conversation, one of the first steps will be to realize how unique you aren’t. As Solitaire mentioned, almost every one of your positions has been expressed by others before you. Some out of genuine ignorance who were willing to do a little work to learn and some just to “stir the pot”.
The fact you wrote that you’d never had this type of conversation with a Black person is informative. On the one hand,I suspect there’s not a soul who regularly reads this blog for whom that point wasn’t blatantly obvious but, on the other hand, your need to share it speaks to you current lack of understanding.
That’s not an insult so, please don’t take it that way. I’m not writing to you as some kind of “expert” or anything. Most folks here have significantly more knowledge on these things than me.
While Solitaire’s post was quite lengthy, it included many excellent points and links. If you’re serious about having a discussion, review them so that whomever chooses to assist you with your education doesn’t need to expend effort repeating the basics.
Lastly, as Solitaire mentioned, remember that you chose to come here. Nobody sought you out to push their views on you. Metaphorically speaking, you burst into a room being all “loud and wrong” and ended with an invitation to serious conversation. I wouldn’t expect the privilege of the benefit of the doubt after a performance like that. You can choose to do a little work or not. Being able to ignore racism and pretend it doesn’t exist is a privilege you should learn to appreciate.
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