Monday, March 12, 2012

Privilege?

 Is there really such a thing as "White Privilege'?
If so - how does it manifest itself?
Whenever I hear Blacks at my bar complaining that some mysterious White Man is to blame for their own misfortune, "What can he do for you?", I ask.
"And what can he do to you?", I continue.
"Then why do you even care?", I conclude.

If being white was all it took to do well in America today - the Klan -ridden town located just five miles from my own would not even exist.
Is having an all-white trailer park (even if it's the deluxe model) really what most people want anyway?
Do whites really understand and practice brotherly love any better than any other race or nationality?
("Squeal like a pig"!!!)
 So what, some belong to groups which limit their membership predicated on one race or ancestry.
 Some are associated with a specific drug use.
 Some are entrepreneurs on the lowest levels.
 Others believe in their Constitutional right to practice whichever religion one chooses.
 Down here in the South - many whites eat some fairly strange foods which most people in other regions of the country would view as being scraps fit only for their dogs to eat.

 Just look at any local or national newspaper - just the front page - and count the negative news stories.
How many are caused by whites acting poorly?
If being white was synonymous with being superior, these stories would not exist?
So my question is; What is White Privilege and how do whites benefit from it?

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5 comments:

  1. BrohammasMarch 13, 2012 at 11:31 AM

    Don't fool yourself the privilege does absolutely exist. Many, especially whites, point to white poverty as proof it does not, but this is a complete misunderstanding of what the privilege is.
    Whiteness is a plus-1 to any given role in society compared to blackness being a minus-1. so if any given black is a 20 to begin with and a white is a ten, the black can afford to lose the minus point and the bonus does nothing effectively to help the white... but it still exists.
    A white person can go an entire lifetime without being told they are white,or without any given trait or situation being attributed to their race. not only can they, but they very likely will. Most all black people at some time will have their blackness pointed out to them in one form or another, and something about them will be attributed to that blackness by someone else. this freedom from such attribution is part of what the privilege is. It is not a silver spoon.

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  2. theoreoexperienceMarch 13, 2012 at 12:47 PM

    Privilege (whether white or male or whathaveyou) isn't about being given stuff without having to work for it.

    It's a lot quieter than that, but still very real and definitely has an effect on people.

    WP does not mean at all that every white person will be successful and every black person will fail at life. Those who try to make it that black and white (no pun intended) are missing the point entirely.

    This essay says it better than I ever could and is worth the read:http://www.nymbp.org/reference/WhitePrivilege.pdf

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  3. amandaMarch 14, 2012 at 7:51 AM

    I will leave the issue of privilege aside and only comment on Brohammas'. I have been aware of my whiteness since very early childhood. I feel it and am aware that people position me by it, for jobs, buying goods, even what is considered appropriate behavior to exhibit. Yes mostly it is to my benefit but I am still slotted into place and held there.

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  4. Thabo MophiringMarch 15, 2012 at 2:44 AM

    I really struggle with these awful arguments. Teher is astudy showing employes in the USA would prefer to hie a white ex-con over a black non-con. Does not exist when it limits opportunities - WTF?

    There USA Black prison population and its' causes. So can you please try to wake up?

    Thanks

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  5. ReggieMarch 19, 2012 at 5:00 AM

    Don't hate on that "squeal like a pig" shot from Deliverance. Whenever I see that movie I'm filled with joy to see poor white trash get what the black man has been getting ever since we came to this country.

    For most of the rednecks I know, that's like a home movie.

    Hey and don't hate on crawfish, that shit is delicious with an ice cold beer.

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