"White Privilege"

White privilege means just as much about your anscestors' opportunities as it does how police officers don't immediately ask you to step out of your car because there "may be drugs" only due to the color of your skin. No one reasonably believes, had their ancestors been colored instead of white, that their life would be any better. That'd be absurd. The term white privilege is a relative one; no one is arguing that northeastern Italian and Irish immigrants weren't poor or didn't endure hardships. Instead, white privilege refers to the marginal difference caused by race. As much as I like seeing WW2 stories (my grandfather stormed Normandy) and wish to express my appreciation for their sacrifices, does anyone actually believe that that ancestry is preferable to having your grandfather lynched in a tree (for example)?

 

I can't speak on lynching or humanitarian crimes committed in the south. My family comes from the North, Irish immigrants that planted roots in New York. I don't feel at all responsible for the crimes of the south. If anything, I probably have a distant uncle or cousin that marched with Ulysses S. Grant. America, is the land of opportunity. Everyone has a fair shot to make it to the top. I think if you work hard, make good choices and put your best foot forward you find success in America; regardless of the color of your skin. I served in the Marines. Many of my friends, the men I served with, were black, latino, asian, etc. My drill instructor was black, he told us from day one that he wouldn't play the helping out your "brother" card. We all had our heads shaven, wore the same uniforms and were treated the same. If you worked hard, you came up. I don't believe in this "privilege" bs. Nobody is going to give it to you, you have to get it yourself.

 

Lol

 

It's not about what you believe a term is; it's about what the term is. Your own example assumes the privilege of physical health.

Two-armed privilege is a label for what you consider "normal", and handicap is a label for someone without arms. For someone to call me two-arm privileged is correct: we often take normalcy for granted without realizing that things as simple as walking and living and existing are, in fact, types of privilege. Conversely, just because we take something for granted or consider it an unalienable right doesn't mean that it isn't a privilege. I consider myself privileged for having been born healthy.

Another example would be Stephen Hawking. Is he privileged for having physical handicaps? No. But is he privileged for being the smartest man alive? Of course. But to generalize and apply the "privilege" label to Hawking as an individual isn't subjectively easy.

 

So... White privilege, correct me if I'm wrong, is saying white people will have more advantages offered to them in American society, today, because they are white? To me, in the 21st Century, today, in America, I think that statement is complete bs. I think America is more competitive today than ever before. We are moving as a whole society at light speed compared to the rest of the world. We are probably the most tolerant nation in the world; most respectful of "other" peoples rights to freedom. And I believe that any man or woman regardless of race has an equal opportunity to reach their ultimate destiny based on the choices they make, the intensity they work and their own personal desire. I think "white privilege" is a cop out excuse used by those that lack initiative to take advantage of the many opportunities available in a free thinking, mixed economic environment. I believe those that take advantage of two most basic ingredients: education and hard work realize their most ultimate goals. I do not accept "white privilege" because I am white; and I know I was not given anything that either I or my family didn't work for to get.

 

Sorry, but I'm calling full out bullshit on this. Not only does it completely ignore class, it shows a great deal of ignorance of the history of human beings. It's not white people, it's RICH people. There is nothing "like minded" between a rich white person and a poor white person. They are vastly more different than a poor white person vs a poor black person. The vast majority of white people DO NOT go to private schools and have decision making power. You are generalizing all white people based on the upper class 5% of them. Humans have been around roughly 200,000 - 300,000 years and you are using the last few thousand years as a measuring stick for "since the beginning of time"? Do you even realize how rich African culture use to be? Africans ruled and controlled human society for the majority of human existence. We have a mixed race president in the white house that the 72% white country voted into office. What does that tell you about white privilege? It's greatly exaggerated. If this were 1960 you'd have a very good point, but society has changed drastically since then.

Where was my white privilege when I was arrested at 18 twice for marijuana? It sure as hell didn't help me from being asked to step out of the car while they searched it. Why do minorities constantly get promoted ahead of me? Gee I dunno, maybe society is much more tolerant these days and the workplace is more ethnically diverse than it has ever been. Where was my privileged private school? I can't find one single benefit of this that applies to my life. Trust me, class surpasses race. Race is just the easy out because it doesn't require much in depth thinking.

 

I'm heating my house with a fireplace stocked with flaming million dollar bills, bitches.

 

You're all wrong.

It's a TALL man's world.

Us little guys have to fight for everything tooth and nail.

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I knew I was forgetting one variable when I typed out my thoughts this morning on what I can recall from what I had learned in my senior year undergrad Race & Ethnic course. You're right, what I meant to say has a lot more to do with class then the generalization of "white people" that I outlined. Poor use of semantics on my part. After all, there are as many poor white suburban white people as there are poor urban minorities, and there experience of life, value systems, norms and beliefs differ. With that said however, What race is the 5% or upper-middle class realm of society made up of predominantly? White. Who holds authoritarian and leadership positions within the various bureaucracies and institutions within our society? Those belonging to the upper realm of society. It goes hand in hand. There are other variables that can be explored that tie in to this overall debate, such as the role religion, i.e. Christianity plays in Conservative Republican agendas and what their values are, and how they play into prejudices and biases when it comes to determining who gets accepted into colleges, gets considered for promotions, etc, etc.

 

Class does surpass race, correct. If you just so happen to be upper-middle class AND white, then you can play the "white privilege" card. Majority of prejudice derives from deep-seated fear. It's not existent on the surface level, but exists unconsciously. Case in point, when we see someone "different" for the very first time, within seconds our mind formulates ideas or "judgements" on what this person is like based on our perception of what they look like. These judgements can and sometimes do, affect decision making from those in power.

Just for the record I believe that being white and educated has led me to opportunities that I may not have had had I not been white and/or have had a college degree. Such as landing a competitive internship in the industry of sports (every other intern was white, went to private, DI schools, besides myself) In the end, it's up to us as individuals to create our own upward mobility. I come from a working/lower-middle class white family, went to a local state university and have had to work for and earn everything that I've achieved and acquired in life. Being white has helped, but by no means has it been a "privilege" if that makes sense. I digress.

 

I think the funniest part about this thread is mute complaining that white people get better treatment than black people when they commit crimes.

Find some depth in life, son. Breaking the law isn't how you determine who has a leg up. Check out who controls all media in this country.

Perception being reality and all.

 

That's racist.

I think you meant that for the "Jewish Privilege" thread.

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Don't put words in my mouth, I wouldn't dare disparage the smallest reported population of people in the world.

 

I don't think the phrase properly describes the idea behind it. It isn't supposed to be used to put down people and say they haven't worked hard. It's suppose to represent the idea that overall they haven't been subjugated to established disadvantages a lot of minorities have. Things like legalized housing discrimination and legalized segregation. Boston busing program comes as an example of trying to combat this established disadvantage to minorities. Things like this set minorities back in the past and present, and because of this a cumulative disadvantage occurs. The idea is that this disadvantage primarily impacts minorities and is something that primarily doesn't happen to whites because they were the ones in power enacting these ideas and rules.

I think the internet in general allows people with minority or extremist views to hijack or take over a phrase. Things like feminism, white privilege, atheism, etc. Some people associate the vocal minority that hijack these phrases. So feminism might turn into some people on the internet hating all men and saying they aren't necessary. White privilege turns into people putting down hard working people using "check your white privilege". Atheism turns into people commenting on Facebook statuses saying "pray to God my loved one gets better" by replaying "God won't help why pray?". The vocal minority skews views and I think people saying "check your white privilege" is one example of this.

Maybe I'm naive though and looking too optimistic about the definition of the phrase.

EDIT: If the phrase is being used to put down people and act like they haven't worked hard then I disagree with the usage. The sad part is that I have seen the example of the extremism above on the internet and people supporting it or advocating it. Why, who knows. It's silly when people start off addressing a problem and in term use the same tactics to create the problem in a different way.

 

Tall Jews. That's who rules America.

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Some people get WAY too easily offended about racial issues.

 

I am officially stealing the title The White Tornado.