White privilege is what all white people just from being white. All those special little things in life that whites take for granted because many of them are non-monetary. White supremacy is the doctrine of the elites that enforces white privilege. By becoming president Obama will be becoming the new face of white supremacy. If people want to call that progress then I have a three dollar bill you might want as well. Electing Obama is sweeping the race problem under a rug, the same thing America always does when whites start suffering from racial fatigue.

by Nfamous (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 104 comments [48 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008 at 5:11:00 PM

This should be read in schools. I  feel like a totally shallow mind: it never occurred to me  to consider the most of those perceptions. Very powerful. Tim Wise at his best.

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008 at 6:22:21 PM

I'm tempted to use it in the classroom (I teach a course on race), but I'm reluctant to do so because it's so politically loaded.  Sure, I happen to agree with its politics, but white privilege crosses political lines, and if I take an overtly liberal stance that is critical of conservatives, I will immediately turn off the more conservatively oriented students.  This is a constant tension for me, not just with this piece, which I really like.

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 6:11:12 PM

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_mark_sas_070107_slimy_love__racism_a.htm

 Please, have a look at my article ' Slimy love. Racism as a Private Hell', published in Jan. 2007

BTW, Racism is  a tool as all such diseases. White Privilege did  not stop  Condi Rice, Gonsales and  some others. That is because when necessary  it is being turned on and when necessary - turned off. Racism is a disease of the heart but no heart would acknowledge that, much less the infected one. And that is the problem. You have to look into the mirror and say,' I can be a racist or even worse if I need to.' If you say that you  are on the way to  be cured.

 

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 10:19:23 AM

Racist drivel like this is a turnoff and not helpful to Obama, especially in light of his unfortunate book titled "Dreams From My Father".

 

 

by pft (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 601 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Sep 16, 2008 at 8:31:36 PM

This is not drivel nor racist. White privilege exists now even though we have made progress from the past.

We've still got a long way to go.

by JC Garrett (40 articles, 65 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 604 comments [10 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 2:36:24 AM

This was written by Rev Jer Wright.  If there is so much racial hatred in this country why is there a black man 50 days away from possibly being elected president?  Sure, things were not good for black people in this country 30-40 years ago.  Things have gotten better and things will get even better unless  the haters get their way.   Senator Obama was supposed to bring people together and I can see with articles like this and people calling for race wars in Philadelphia if Senator Obama is not elected that we are not going to come together anytime soon.  And this is the white community's fault?

by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 2:28:19 AM

Comment from Ratings:   It is becoming more and more apparent that if you do not vote for Senator Obama you are a racist. If that is the case then the Democrats have 18 million racists in their party. And if you question anything about Senator Obama's past or any of his policy proposals you are racist. If you criticize Senator Obama's wife, minister, bomb throwing friend, his use of the word lipstick, etc. you are a racist. If you use one of the hundreds of forbidden 'code words' you are a racist. If you do not fluff Senator Obama's pillow you are a racist. I can't see how anyone can avoid being labeled a racist. Being a racist is sort of like being a Jew in the 1930s and 40s in Germany. Racists, the Jews in Germany, are (were) the blame for everything. Our only hope is to elect H.. er, Senator Obama. OOPS!!!! Sorry, that was racist. In fact all this is racist.

by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 2:41:59 AM

Comment from Ratings:   The cold hard truth. Real

by Michael Green (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 5:02:35 AM

A person describes what we've seen happening before our eyes, and they're racist for saying it?

by Hargrove (22 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 26 comments) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 7:42:28 AM

 How you are all hung up on the word 'racism'. Whoever said that if you don't vote for Obama you're a racist? How extraordinarily you manage to twist that word out of all meaning.

This article is about white privilege and if you can't see it clearly in this case and in thousands of other cases, you must be willfully blind. Isn't it as clear as daylight that a black woman with Sarah Palin's poor background and credentials, her lying and her opportunism wouldn't stand a chance as the candidate for ANY elected office at all. She is ignorant, she is immoral, she doesn't  think twice before making a decision to fire anybody who goes against her. She doesn't know the meaning of the word politics (which includes diplomacy). She grabs what she can get, that 's her game. Is that who you want as a person on a vice-presidential ticket who would be, in this case, a heartbeat away from becoming the President of the U.S.

The fact that the American people doesn't see through the hype about Sarah and discards her with a big laugh says a lot about their ignorance, their indifference to the fate of their country, their general laziness. Get yourselves educated, for pete's sake!!! Are you even aware of the way she ran that little two-horse town in Alaske where she was a mayor? Are you aware of her record as the Governor of Alaska?  There is nothing pretty to be seen there, only ugliness and opportunism.

That is called WHITE SUPREMACY!!! (Yes, I am white and a woman)

 

 

by Siv O'Neall (30 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 43 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 10:56:51 AM

Noticing race is not racism.  It is not even related or correlated with racism.  It's true that one must notice race in order to be racist, but the opposite is also true: one must notice race in order to recognize racism and other forms of racial injustice. 

For those here that want to equate noticing (and discussing) race with racism, I would point out that, in my opinion, that is the biggest privilege that white people enjoy: to be able to pretend that race no longer matters, that racism no longer exists, and in so doing, be congratulated by their white associates on their "progressive" and "anti-racist" beliefs.

Here's a link to an abbreviated version of Peggy Mcintosh's classic article on white (and male) privilege.  If you've never seen it, it's absolutely essential reading.  I cannot recommend it more highly.

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

 

 

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 6:00:40 PM

Thank you Professor Lyubansky.

That is exactly the way we should look at it. Forgiving is not the same as forgetting, and to forget is to create a situation ripe for allowing history to repeat itself.

Does anyone else remember just a few short years ago when almost NOBODY, especially in the national media, was talking about illegal immigration? Only the most extreme fringes of society were spouting the hate that we now hear every day from every direction. When it started, the economy was doing relatively well, so that isn't an excuse.

What happened was 9/11.

It became acceptable to hate Muslims and Arabs. When people first started transferring some of that hate to Mexicans, most people were uncomfortable with the tenor of the rhetoric that was starting to emerge. It grew until it seemed like like you couldn't turn on the radio or TV, or open a newspaper without seeing open, overt racism. It's now okay to say almost anything you want to say, even in the national media, no matter how disgustingly bigoted, and face no significant outrage or backlash -- as long as the targets are Arabs, Muslims, or Mexicans. Or any of those with a hyphen and "American" following it.

The new rise of overt racism in America is one of the most tragic things that has come from our "war on terror."

I hope there will again come a time when slurs are not considered acceptable in polite company.

by JC Garrett (40 articles, 65 quicklinks, 7 diaries, 604 comments [10 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 8:29:14 PM

Thanks for the link, I have bookmarked it under wonderful reading to use with teaching my grandchildren, who happen to be of many races...for them to see the playing fields of their lives.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 3:22:51 AM

What absolute racist drivel! This is like something I would expect to hear spewing from that ultra-racist hate-monger Louis Farrakan's mouth. One might as well write an article entitled "Black priveledge" and go on and on with endless examples of "the other side of the coin". Black priveledge wherein when you're arrested or charged you can scream 'racism' rather than accept responsibility while others have to accept their punishment. Black priveledge wherein you can scream 'racism' everytime something doesn't go your way as a scare tactic to end reasonable discussion or debate. Wherein you can be as racist as you want and degrade white people and it's accepted as funny, but the rest of society has to walk on eggshells for fear of being labeled as 'racist'. Wherein you can target white people for crime and it's a crime, but if a white person commits a crime against a black it's a 'hate crime'. Wherein we must respect your pride for your black race and devote an entire month to celebrating it, but the to be proud of being white is taboo (it automatically makes you a Hitler-loving KKK member.) Wherein scores of young white children are raised to be ashamed of who they are and for the crimes of thier ancestors. Wherein slavery is often used as a crutch to explain all your woes even though no person alive today was either a slave or a slave-owner. Wherein you can go on and on about how you don't have the same opportunites due to imagined "white oppression" despite having a black woman as Secretary of State (formerly a black man held the job), a black man making a serious race for the white house, black men in Hollywood making untold fortunes, black people in every high-dollar segment of our society (doctors, lawyers, bankers) who are called "sell outs" or "Uncle Toms" by black people who are lower income. Wherein you can make movies like "White Men Can't Jump" and it's funny, but a movie about NASCAR called "Black Men Can't Drive" would be evil and racist. Wherein you can preach about the past evils of whites and slavery as though it's just a "white problem" and omit the fact that those slaves were purchased from other blacks in Africa (where slavery still thrives!). Where blacks can listen to rap music making threats to white people and it's 'art', but if it were reverse it would be racism.

Don't give me this crap about 'white priviledge' in modern society. Yes, once upon a time you would have had a point. But today it's worn out and tiresome. More than that, it's blatantly hypocritical and puts any hope of race relations back decades. How can we ever expect to find racial peace with people like this fanning the fires and creating disgust in middle-class Americans that might otherwise have not had racial issues? The United States government has spent BILLIONS (don't believe me? then you don't know your history! Look it up!) on programs to help disadvantaged black people following beginning in the 1960s. Segregation has been eliminated. Equality is and has been a law for decades. Yet there are those that insist on pretending it still exists as a form of unfair leverage. Society has progressed beyond these people, yet they cling to thier phantom disadvantages.

Oh, and the obvious political message hidden in here? One of the Democrats biggest success stories has been convincing black people that they are "their party". Never mind that it was Democrats of the South who declared a civil war rather than give up their slaves and it took the nations first REPUBLICAN president to set them free. Never mind that it was REPUBLICANS that fought in Congress to abolish 'Jim Crow' laws and segregation while Democrats fought hard against it.

 Oh, and if you're wondering....I am white. I am the only white in my house. My children are mixed and my brothers and sisters (adopted) are Hispanic. If you're black and you're reading this I know full-well that you're knee-jerk reaction will be to say "OH! A RACIST WHITE MAN!" just for not agreeing with you. You'd be wrong. I don't believe in being "color blind",....I believe in the notion that we ARE all different and that SHOULD be OK. I'm tired of militant and flagrant black racism being tolerated and even promoted in this country with the attitude of "well, it's OK because white people deserve it" or "now it's OUR turn!" With attitudes like that, as I said earlier, there will NEVER be racial peace in this nation.

Editor's Note:

Usually, a rant like this, full of nothing but talking points routinely put forth by opponents of equality to deny or minimize the very real problem of racism that still exists today, would be deleted. However, considering the content of the article itself, and the excellent opportunity for readers to debunk the validity of the straw man arguments made in this comment, we'll leave it.

 

by Ben Compton (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Wednesday, Sep 17, 2008 at 9:45:17 PM

How can someone debate an alien from the Twilight Zone? That was mean. I mean how I can take any point presented by Mr. Compton and repudiate it to his acceptance and agreement? It cannot be done.

We do not live on the same planet.

There is nothing that an empathetic and a sociologically aware person can say to someone who is not and hope sway them.

Any response brings out the ditto, repeat rant entry again answer...

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 3:32:50 AM

Ben's arguments are problematic in many aspects, and I don't agree with any of them, not a one!  In a minute, I'll respond to a few, but in all honesty, I was much more put off by the editor's note.

I don't agree with how Ben sees the world, but his worldview is (unfortunately) not unusual, and I respect his willingness to put his beliefs out in a public domain under what I presume is his real name -- particularly on a progressive website where he probably realizes they are not likely to be well received.  It's true that the "rant" comes across as somewhat meanspirited, but let's be honest: a lot of contributions on opednews also fit that description.  I find it extremely objectionable that the editor would even consider deleting an opinion that did not support his/her own.  I would think that the spirit of free speech would predominate here (hate speech is of course unacceptable, but this is not even close to that).  And putting a bulls eye on the response is not much better.  Have enough trust in the readers and contibutors here (a talented and passionate group) to act independently.

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 8:48:17 AM

and I thank you for the gentle chiding.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 2:40:00 PM

I don't think you're racist by intent, but you do come across as being out of touch with the lives and experiences of people of color in this country.  Black pride and White pride are not comparable because we live in a country in which most decision-makers are white (that there are people of color in important positions is relevant but does not change the fact that they are the exception).  What that means is that the needs of white people are pretty much always considered and taken into account.  Consider what is covered in elementary and high school history classes: When I was in high school, I was required to take a course on U.S. history (taught from a very white-centric perspective) and one on European history.  I was not required to take (nor were such courses available) courses on the history of any other part of the world.  And this seemed perfectly normal to me back then.  Black History Month was created to facilitate a more balanced curriculum, to create a time and space to learn about the history of a different group of people, a people that represent a significant portion of our country.  There is no White History Month, because every month is, for all practical purposes, White History Month.

You mention "Black Privilege".  You know what, you're right: There is such a thing (though I don't agree with many of your examples)...but it's not the same as White Privilege.  You and I have the privilege to surround ourselves with whiteness and completely separate ourselves from everything non-white.  I realize that your household is racially diverse, but this comes from choices that you and people close to you have made.  This is one specific privilege of whiteness that you chose to give up, but many White Americans make different choices -- choices that very few people of color have.  For them, living in our society requires interaction with the racial other on a daily basis, constantly wondering if this rude comment or that bad service was just rudeness or ineptness that had nothing to do with race or if it did, in fact, have a racial foundation.  Because all too often, it does!  And this, I suspect, is where we disagree most, because you are convinced that racism is mostly erradicated.  I could cite numerous studies or provide countless examples of expert testimony, but until you're ready to really try on a different way of seeing the world, you'll find reason not to believe me. This isn't something I or anyone else can convince you of.  When you're ready, you'll find all the evidence you could ever want.

 

 

 

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 9:53:39 AM

We not only have double standards in this nation, but triple and quadruple, depending upon just how many need to be carted out for each new instance of 'the explanation for this particular happenstance'.

I want to be on your debate team. Thanks for putting it so clearly for those who find all this 'not to be so'.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 3:06:26 AM

This article was cross-posted on buzzflash and generated a "lively" discussion there.  Here's the link: http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/contributors/1755

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 9:10:44 AM

The main fallacy of the article is that it confuses a political fight with a racial fight.

John Kerry, a rich white man, was attacked in the same ruthless way or have you already forgotten the term swift-boating?

If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen, etc.

I shudder to think the depths of white-hating vitriol there will be from racial writers like this if Obama loses this election. However, it won't be due to his race, but for the same, or similar, reasons Kerry lost and Colin Powell could win - conservatives are very good at winning elections and there are a lot of them. Conservatives also tend to have more money which is useful in politics. Why? Because instead of endlessly worrying about how the world is so unfair, and trying to find some one to blame for it, they get back to work.

by Jack McDaniel (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 12:53:21 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,424484,00.html

This story shows what would NOT have happened at a home filled with white distressed parents and relatives who could not YET let go of their baby girl and have her little body taken away, as their grief was larger than anything else on Earth at that moment.

They were pepper sprayed and the body forcefully removed in a timely manner, I'm sure. Grief and devastation ignored.

And although color is not mentioned in this piece, the police actions tell me that the family was not white.

by abuelitaromo (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 36 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 2:45:54 PM

The video didn't show, but it appears the mourners refused to allow the rightful authorities to do their job. Of course there was a problem. Guaranteed if I yell at police and don't allow them to do their job they will pepper spray me regardless of color. If the police come to my house and tell me to do something, I might politely ask if there is another solution, etc. but if they insist you better believe I comply and save it for the judge.

Again, this is a problem in search of some one to blame.

by Jack McDaniel (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 at 7:15:07 PM

here are some more white privilages - my parents came to this country with nothing. we moved to a not so great neighborhood and my parents with their broken english each worked two jobs and made sure we went to school. I was in 4th grade and it was hard, as I did not even speak the language. My neighborhood had plenty of people who just were happy to be on welfare and sit in their front porches. their children had bad attitudes in class. I struggled but my parents told me it was my ticket out.  with their hard work we were able to move out and all of us went on to college. today we are all happy and financially secure. my parents actually retired and are doing well. now I worked very hard to be where I'm at and where I live. Yet we can not send our kids to the public school in our neighborhood b/c its bused by other neighborhood who do not have our values - dont care about school. So there is no real white legacy anymore - that went out years ago. All you have now is excuses and just jealousy that someone gets up and works and maybe gets better in their lives. you know you can do it too, its just you dont want to - however you do want to complain. Obama'a Afrincan father got 2 scholarships to grad school - one he could take Obama and mom - yet chose the other.  Michelle also studied under these scholarships and in the med school I went to many African American kids got in with much less scores that I (European) had to. Lastly I tried to give back and worked in headstart. a program to help underpriviledge families. the opportunities were all there, better than I could give my kids - yet, the parents had bad attitudes towards it. 

you know why dont we just give everything you want, the rest of us should stop working and maybe we can all go on wellfare. whose is going to pay for it ?

by CW Blanchett (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 34 comments) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 8:23:57 AM

There are lots of white kids (and adults) with bad attitudes too.  Immigrant kids are not immune either.  And of course, there are many success stories among all groups of people.  We can probably agree that there is tremendous within-group variance on all sorts of personal characteristics that are associated with socioeconomic success, including intelligence and work ethic.  All this is true and none of it has anything to do with "white privilege."

White privilege is getting bad service at a restaurant and not having to wonder if it was because the server was busy or just wrote you off because he/she assumed you'd be a bad tipper.  It's being stopped by the police and not having to wonder if it was because you were "driving while Black".  It's being able to earn a masters degree or a JD and not having someone wonder if you were only able to do so because of affirmative action.  These are real phenomena that happen to people, regardless of their education or attitude. 

And the people who write about this or point it out in other contexts are not looking for a handout.  What they (we) want, almost without exception, is for other people to realize and acknowledge that white privilege exists.  Another reader here wrote (in reference to another response) that she and this other person "live in a different world."  This is a common perception among those who do not feel part of the racial (or religious) majority.  The literature on privilege (in relation to gender, race, religion, or anything else) tries to help the majority group connect in some way to the minority group experience.  

The goal is not charity; it's understanding.

 

 

 

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 3:41:25 PM

sorry, but that's something different. when I went to buy a car they ignored me, my husband came and they spoke to him right away. that's called biases - everyone has them wether they admit it or not.  teachers sometimes prefer a gender, ie my son's coach and teacher has easier time with male students. this is not privilege. 

Unfortunately certain minorities feel they are deserving - if they dont get it, then its the white man keeping us down attitude and your so-called "white privilege."  

by CW Blanchett (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 34 comments) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 7:29:08 PM

What your husband experienced (relative to you) when you went to buy a car was "male privilege".  Yes, it's bias...that's exactly what it is...but it's systematic bias.  Men are presumed to be serious and competent at purchasing a car, not because of their income or their mechanical abilities, but just because they're male.  This is male privilege, and it's a privilege that men enjoy no matter which car lot they go to, whereas women often get lousy service and have no way of determining if it's because the salesperson is busy or because they're female.

White privilege operates the exact same way.  If you grant that male privilege exists, what's stopping you from acknowledging that white privilege exists too?

You'll notice that I am not responding to your comment about handouts.  That's likely true for some and not true for others.  We could debate how often it's true, but I'm not interested in that debate at this time because it has nothing to do with the kind of privilege that is being discussed here.

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 9:16:15 PM

McCain is just as 'untested' as Obama.  I guess it's white privilege that keeps anyone from criticizing him.  Or the Keating Five.  Or his votes against the interests of other POW's.

Neither Senator has run a business or built anything on their own.  Both Obama and McCain have received GOVERNMENT CHECKS as pay for over a dozen years.

Both are socialists.  To pretend that we are a free country when our leaders are so into government centralization and misuse of power and resources is a bad joke.

by UncleSim (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 512 comments [74 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Friday, Sep 19, 2008 at 4:55:46 PM

Comment from Ratings:   most worthwhile thing I've read in months. I'm "daring" several friends who need it to read it.

by vthom (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 49 comments) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 9:01:06 AM

right here on OEN comments. The comparisons were real. The author was right on the facts. The letter presented crucial insight and in your face truths.

The "privilege of white elitism", white "sins" and most certainly "chrisitan sin" (it's a lesser of evil somehow on the books?). When a black population has unwed mothers, well dare I say what they call them? When the Palins have had TWO, not just Bristol, IN ONE FAMILY, unwed pregnancies, well god bless them for they just don't know what is causing all those babies. Yes, Palin was PG before she married Mister Sarah Palin. BWAHAHAHA.

It's the double standards and many Americans, more on the right, and in christian circles, have big Double standards. The racial profiling that Bush just pushed through for FBI agents to use says it all.

If you are Brown, you are a target of Bush goes into the thick brush to weed out "enenmy combatants". Don't worry, if you are under 7'2", he probably won't find you. Heck Osama Bin Laden hasn't been found and he is that tall.

As a white woman, I have been the viictim of "male superiority" or patriarchial rule (;]) for the most of my life. However, I learned how to beat it. Now when they see me coming, they don't plot, they hide and push the next guy off with the sale. Kinda like, 'you wait on her, no you, uh huh, you'. At just under 5 ft and hardly 100 pounds, the power just gives me a hoot. But, it took all my life to turn into this grumpy old bit*h, don't spoil my fun now!!

I think brown ppl, in most cases, have been given the worst rap in this society but so have women. We(USA) rank 68th in the WORLD on women in political and business CEO type positions. 68TH! Come on, ppl, let's pull out of this "Little house on the Prairie" renaissance era and get equality on the agenda. I guess monetarily, 'those that have the gold, make the rules' still rings true and most certainly if you are a rich white male.

 And what makes the souls of dark races so different than white male souls? From every thing I have researched, this jesus was a Libyan by country location. Jesus was a brown person. Rest the case with the chrisitans. Now for the FBI...

by shirley reese (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 592 comments [98 recommended, 1 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 20, 2008 at 1:41:31 PM

I would send this to all my "conservative" friends but it wouldn't make any difference.  They sure don't mind sending all the lies and hype about how great Sarah Palin is. 

 Just thank you.  It feels good just to read something that finally makes sense!

by Julee Pearce (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008 at 4:53:33 PM

I'll believe that there is a true desire to achieve racial balance when I see as much attention given to other minority groups in this country as the attention we give to African-Americans. When we celebrate Native American History Month (and others) with as much attention and passion, especially in the public schools, as we do African-American History Month...then I'll believe.

As far as the "Editor's Note" added to my last comment...it demonstrates that this is not a forum for objective, fair and open debate and severely damages the credibility of this site. Shame on them.

by Ben Compton (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Monday, Sep 22, 2008 at 2:23:30 AM

Even though I'm a white male, I agree with most of the assertions in the article and acknowledge that racial bias is still strongly with us, if largely unconcious, and is playing out in the current election cycle.

But I also believe that more of the imbalance in perceptions about the two pairs of political party flag-bearers is due to the unflinching strength of the conservative mindset.

Several recent polls (http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/22/race.politics/index.html) indicate that racial attitudes (40% of white Americans negative toward blacks) could play a deciding role in the current election. But several scientific studies of the effects of misinformation on public beliefs (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/14/AR2008091402375_pf.html) show that, while liberals will only partially amend their opinions in the face of corrective information, conservatives will as much as double their negative beliefs when confronted with countervailing information.

This quality of what passes for conservative ideology in modern America (the Rush Limbaugh effect, one might call it) has well described in the 1950s by Eric Hoffer in his book The True Believer. Hoffer pointed out that ideological fanatics believe (like Reagan and Bush) that opposition to their beliefs only proves their rightness.

Though I am no supporter of Obama (I view him as just as hypocritical and politically opportunistic as McCain, though with marginally more integrity), I see most of the antagonism toward his campaign as deriving from the fanatical nature of American conservatism and the timidity of American liberalism rather than the unaddressed racism of America (though the latter is clearly a factor).

The abiding ignorance and lack of historical perspective of the American electorate, as well as media bias, also contribute towards public attitudes and political choices.

But I thank the author for expressing his perspective on a subject which is still taboo in our "enlightened" information age.

 

by Robert Riversong (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 11:00:49 AM

Now that I've investigated the background of the author, Tim Wise, I can understand his narrow focus on race issues and white privilege. He is considered perhaps the pre-eminent writer and speaker on this issue, and has devoted his career and his life to this cause. He is to be admired for that.

But, as they say about a carpenter with only a hammer seeing everything as a nail, the same is true about any devotee of single-issue campaigns - and, unfortunately, it diminishes the credibility of such advocacy.

As some of the feedback on this article in other forums suggests ("it's really male privilege", "it's really class privilege"), the issue is complex and multi-faceted. While Wise's itemization of possible race-related perceptual differences is compelling, it ignores the many other factors which are also at work. His arguments might be articulate, but his single-minded focus on race, that paints the American political landscape in simplistic black & white tones, ignores the vibrant panorama of today's socio-political-economic reality.

 

by Robert Riversong (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments) on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 12:34:34 PM

This is a fantastic article, really, and I was schocked and appalled by many of the facts I learned thanks to it. But as I read it it struck me as being more a compilation of paradigmatic examples of the truly outrageous conservative hypocrisy and of the bias towards the democrats in what comes to so-called "values" rather than plain racism, though of course this discrimination ought not to be overlooked. Robert was spot on in his comment.

by Pedro Querido (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 11:41:50 AM

Comment from Ratings:   Folks, if those who complain of being "picked on" because of their race would stop complaining, there probably wouldn't be a racist problem. Racism is such an old & tired issue, but it's the ones who complain who have a hard time with it. Stop using excuses and take some responsibility.

by Heidi Betke (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1 comments) on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 1:32:13 PM

Heidi,

This same argument that you make above was being made 100 years ago, both by the white majority that wanted the race problem to go away and by some "negro" leaders, most notably Booker T. Washington, who W.E.B. Du Bois called "the great accommodator."  With the benefit of hindsight, you'll probably agree that the argument was misplaced at the time. 

It was made again during the period that we now refer to as the Civil Rights Movement, when the white majority urged disgruntled "negroes" to "be patient", that their day would come.  Again, I think you'll agree that this argument was disingenuous back then. 

Today, our social reality is once again different.  Racial discrimination and segregation are against the law and explicit racism no longer socially accepted by the majority.  But by any meaninful outcome (e.g., income after controlling for education, incarceration rates after controling for crime and previous criminal record), there continue to exist significant race group differences that favor whites and the way we judge a person's worth, as the literature on white privilege demonstrates, is still considerably influenced by race.   So, with due respect, I suggest that your argument now, as it was 100 years ago and 50 years ago, does not apply.  The problem will not go away if we pretend it doesn't exist.  To the contrary, any meaningful social change that has ever happened was the result of citizens being dissatisfied with the social Zeitgeist and agitating, sometimes at considerable risk to their own welfare, for awareness, for accountability, and for justice.

P.S.  Most of the white privilege literature (including this piece by Tim Wise) has been produced by white writers 

by Mikhail Lyubansky (15 articles, 11 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 184 comments [7 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 5:37:36 PM

It was an outrage of an equal.

 

by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 2:19:38 PM

It really doesn't get any clearer than this, the examples given make it undeniable. I have been passing this beauty around, and it's spreading like wildfire!!! All feedback has been extraordinarily positive, there were numerous kudos given for the excellent writting style too.

It is awful telling when it comes to the "issues" that people seem to be paying attention to this election cycle as well - sad. I can't believe that Americans STILL appear to think that having a competent intellectual in the Oval Office is a bad thing. Go ahead and enjoy a beer with your REAL buddies, but stop trying to put their illperceived equivalents in office!  

I just wanted to send a huge BRAVO!!! your way - thanks a lot.

by Heather Meyer (0 articles, 3 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 12 comments [1 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Saturday, Sep 27, 2008 at 9:36:31 PM

These responses prove that what Tim Wise has said over the years is dead on. White people know that blacks are not inferior but whites do not want to give up the privilege bestowed upon them by their collective white ancestors. Whites come to this country and gladly give up their country of origin as long as white privilege is immediately conferred upon them and it is. If you supprt equality it's not about giving what you earn to poor people. It's about razing the system that keeps people of other races from obtaining equality without killing themselves in the process from overachieving. White people should just admit. You love white privilege and you don't want to give it up because it makes your lives easier. Whites have becom dependent on white privilege. With the economy in the tank the effect is even more pronounced because whites are getting a taste of what it's like when their white skin doesn't matter. If poor whites had teamed up with other poor races instead of waiting on the crumbs of white privilege to trickle down to them then this country would still be a leader in the world. The white masses made the wrong choice and now we all have to pay.

by Nfamous (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 104 comments [48 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Sep 28, 2008 at 9:50:03 AM