Privilege in the United States
POSTED BY: RiveR6213
UPDATED: Saturday, July 26, 2025 06:23
VIEWED: 20076
PAGE 5 of 20
Quote:
Originally posted by BigDamnNobody:
You said Blacks have trouble getting loans, apartments, etc., you did not say most Blacks. Perhaps my problem is I read too well.
Just disregard the points I brought up if they undermine your cherished ideals.
I remember years ago when I was in school, I was on a bus heading for home, and the bus stopped at a location and picked up some people. One of those people was a woman who didn't have money to pay for the bus so the driver asked her to leave. She started screaming that she was white and she had rights! And then she yelled “I have rights! I'm not a…” (Place N word here) I guess that was a good example of white privilege, though at the time I was too tired to really think about what she was carrying on about. This woman believed that her being white allowed her certain privileges above other people, even a free ride if she needed it.
Another good example that you might want to try at home boys and girls is if you have a friend that is Black, Hispanic, or an Asian. Go to some public place and simulate a fight with them. When security, or the cops show up I'll bet you $100.00 that the cops will go for the minority first. White privilege once again in action.
*Total Sarcasm MODE ENGAGED*
If I wanted to be a serial killer, I would be the last person that the police would suspect. I think I would be able to kill over 100 men if I were smart before I finally made a mistake and get caught. My being a white woman and having white privileges would enable me a long, rich, killing spree. Once again white privilege in action. Also, I can always expect a smiling face at stores and restaurants, and I can leave a cafe and say "The money's on the table." Because with white privilege, I am automatically a trusted soul whom even God will turn a blind eye. White Privileges, it’s the gift that keeps on giving if you are aware of it or not.
*Total Sarcasm MODE DISENGAGED*
This is a sick world do you not agree?
-River
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by RiveR6213:
I remember years ago when I was in school, I was on a bus heading for home, and the bus stopped at a location and picked up some people. One of those people was a woman who didn't have money to pay for the bus so the driver asked her to leave. She started screaming that she was white and she had rights! And then she yelled “I have rights! I'm not a…” (Place N word here) I guess that was a good example of white privilege, though at the time I was too tired to really think about what she was carrying on about. This woman believed that her being white allowed her certain privileges above other people, even a free ride if she needed it.
Do not confuse rampant racism with white privilege. Did she end up getting a free ride (white privilege) or was she left wailing at the curbside like the impotent racist that she is/was?
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
True and also you might also like to add that the biggest beneficiaries of the United States welfare system is white people, but we have all been condition to think of black people when the welfare system is ever mentioned.
I wasn't thinking about White privilege as racism, but now that you brought it up isn't White privilege a form of racism? I notice that we whites in the news, in books, and on the radio claiming that Black people are always screaming about racism. If I were to go by what every white I've ever heard say in the media, I would have to believe that there is not one white racist in all of America. We whites seriously believe that we are not racist and that the racism that our fathers and mothers demonstrated in the past is IN the past. Another benefit of White privilege I suspect. If you get enough people that believe that the moon doesnt exists I guess it ceases to exist.
strange planet with its strange people if you ask me.
-River
dunno, we all have stero types stuck in our heads; for instance, you say welfare, I think poor white women with more kids than you can count living in a trailer. Is that -good- sterotype to have in my head, or even necessarily accurate? No. But it's what's up there.
Last September, someone stole my rather large snow blower; if you ask what I envision, poor white dudes with a pickup about to fall apart making off with it. Fair, perhaps not. Interestingly enough, when I mentioned it to my neighbor he went on a rant about the "brown skins" (which after a bit, I determined he meant Mexicans; which rather surprised me because we don't have that many in the neighborhood); on the flip side he recently had someone of a darker persuasion recently captured in his garage, so he might have really been riffing off that.
But yes, what you are calling "white privilege" I would call racism. Subconcious or unconscience, but there none the less. It can be hardest bit to stamp out. And I for "full accountability", I must admit if I think "scary dude in the dark alley way late at night", I hate to admit I flash on a young, angry black man. Why? Not sure. Frankly, if it is late at night, if I saw a young angry white dude, I'd probably find a different way home also.
How do you combat that? Not sure. I can only say I try to not let it rise to the level of conscious action; and I know at times I deliberate push a hair "the other way" to cut a color person a break... which can also lead to resentment. It's not a trivial problem.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I should amend I am willing to believe that there's still racism about; to which I can only say what can you do but strive against it? If you see it, challenge it.
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by BigDamnNobody:Quote:
Originally posted by RiveR6213:
I remember years ago when I was in school, I was on a bus heading for home, and the bus stopped at a location and picked up some people. One of those people was a woman who didn't have money to pay for the bus so the driver asked her to leave. She started screaming that she was white and she had rights! And then she yelled “I have rights! I'm not a…” (Place N word here) I guess that was a good example of white privilege, though at the time I was too tired to really think about what she was carrying on about. This woman believed that her being white allowed her certain privileges above other people, even a free ride if she needed it.
Do not confuse rampant racism with white privilege. Did she end up getting a free ride (white privelege) or was she left wailing at the curbside like the impotent racist that she is/was?
Thank you for pointing that out. Sometimes white privelege and straight up racism have a habit of sometimes looking like the same thing. She ranted and raved and you could tell that she made the driver of the bus look ashamed, or disgusted; I wasn't really certain which one, but he let her ride for free, and no one (including myself) said a word about it, and in a way our silence supported that unspoken privilege.
-River
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by BigDamnNobody:
Thanks SignyM. I know we should strive to be better than others but I can't help but think how the reverse would be true if a white person tried to rent an apartment in say Zimbabwe.
You would get the same treatment in any other country but my focus is in this country. When people are defending their right to be racist, or subscribe to white privilege they are quick to point out that this sort of behavior is also going on in other countries. This is a way of saying that it is natural and normal for humans to treat each other that way so they are not being a bad person if they believe the guy down the street who is another race is an inferior person.
I believe that the majority of every racial group thinks that they are god’s gift to the planet Earth. I also believe that there is a minority within each racial group that doesn’t give a damn about any of that privilege and racial garbage and only cares if you are a nice or honest person. I’m with this group of people even though on occasions I would like to end all life on Earth.
-River
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I've always been of the opinion that realizing it, challenging your own perceptions, and then quietly neglecting any reinforcement of it is the way to go.
Me, I don't much care about someones color, race or creed, like I said previously whatever makes folk seek a group and then dislike other groups, I was just plain born without it.
The fastest way to kill racism is to simply neglect it, stop feeding it, and ignore racial (not cultural, that's a different thing) differences utterly... but getting from here to there, that's the part I couldn't explain to ya.
-Frem
It cannot be said enough, those who do not learn from history, are doomed to endlessly repeat it
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Sexism too.
One of the ways around it is to make written applications "blind". For example grant and loan applications with NO NAME, so you have no idea if you're dealing with Jaheed McShaun, Clarissa Beau or Winston Wetherby III.
Another way is to expose kids (white kids) to blacks in position of authority: black teachers, principals, ministers, doctors, police. THAT would shake things up a bit. But how to to do that? I don't know.
---------------------------------
Always look upstream.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by Fremdfirma:
The fastest way to kill racism is to simply neglect it, stop feeding it, and ignore racial (not cultural, that's a different thing) differences utterly... but getting from here to there, that's the part I couldn't explain to ya.
If it were that easy people would have done away with that poison long ago but it appears that human social groups have a deep need to have another social group to look down on. This is the one of many consistent things about the human animal, and just ignoring it doesn’t go very well either. I'm looking at some photos right now of a scene taken from one of Hitler death camps. It's pretty awful, and is evidence that ignoring the ignorant, hateful, yet motivated types of people out there only ends up getting a lot of people killed, tortured or worse. Racism is not something to ignore because it will never, ever go away, and if it does, it won't be our life time.
If you really want to see some “enlightened” and justified hatred that’s presented in a loving, and motivated way just visit the White Pride World Wide site on the internet. These creative idiots really believe in what they are saying and their hate is hidden in words of love and God and country. They talk about how great it is to be born White and what a great people we are, which is good for any race to think, but if you read closer you will find that this is an unnerving group of complete xenophobes who have no problem with killing a Black, Asian, or Jewish child if they knew they could get away with it. I went through this site very carefully and I’ve come to the conclusion that some races (ours) really need to learn to not be so full of ourselves. It’s one thing to be proud of one’s race and another thing to use that pride as a way of putting down and demonizing other races. If Hitler didn’t have the Jews to blame for everything the whole Nazi machine would not have worked. It seems that “White Pride” needs a scapegoat to work. Without a scapegoat White pride falls on its face.
So ignore the hate and the class games people play out there? No, I don’t play them at all and I don’t allow myself to be played. This is one of the reasons I went into business for myself so I didn’t have to deal with the job market and all of the competing people who are fighting for scraps and trying to be superior in the process.
White Privilege is poison waiting to happen but it is so ingrained in our culture, and is totally unspoken that it’s future trouble waiting to happen.
-River
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I think the only real point I'd disagree with is the 'waiting to happen' part; it's been around a long time. It has happened. Yet... you are likely right, it's waiting to happen again. I agree it's a human tendancy, and needs to be kept an eye on at the least, and the occaisional wack on the head with a two by four to say the very least.
====
Please vote for Firefly: http://richlabonte.net/tvvote/index.html
BBC poll is still open, vote! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6517155.stm
Consider $5/year to support FFF: http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/pay/T39WWCGS4JYCV4
NOTIFY: N | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME