Does white privilege exist in the US?

[FireDragon76]

Terminology has a bad habit of becoming a label in today's culture. I've seen members accused of white privilege on the site. It makes me cringe. The frequent use of loaded words has diminished their sting. If we grasped the ugliness of what we're suggesting. We'd be less inclined to accuse someone of doing the same.

Some of us need to liberate our vocabulary and remove these terms from circulation. They're too commonplace.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

Choice of words are the least of the problem.

 

[bèlla]

Choice of words are the least of the problem.

They're part of the problem. If you feel comfortable accusing a stranger of white privilege based on a comment, there's something wrong. Way wrong.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

 

[SilverBear]

And if you read the crime statistics all of that will become clear and understandable.

as noted the statistics show blacks don't commit more crimes they are just arrested and prosecuted at a higher rate.

 

[Triumvirate]

They're part of the problem. If you feel comfortable accusing a stranger of white privilege based on a comment, there's something wrong. Way wrong.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

Truth hurts, sometimes.

 

[Triumvirate]

I doubt that, in fact I believe the pendulum swung too far and got stuck well before it returned to neutral

Absolute nonsense, but do try again eh

 

[bèlla]

Truth hurts, sometimes.

Especially from an armchair and keyboard. I think not. A sliver isn’t the truth.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

 

[Triumvirate]

Especially from an armchair and keyboard. I think not. A sliver isn’t the truth.

Yours in His Service,

~bella

Someone needs to let the rest of, er, *Christian forums* know that armchair diagnosing someone's moral state isn't truthful

 

[bèlla]

Someone needs to let the rest of, er, *Christian forums* know that armchair diagnosing someone's moral state isn't truthful

Truth hurts. As you'd say.

 

[Triumvirate]

Truth hurts. As you'd say.

Ah, I guess it's an "it's ok when we do it" case then. Fun.

 

[98cwitr]

Much less to do with skin color and very much to do with cultural behaviors. I reject the notion that the latter is distinctly tied to the former. Economic factors far more affect one's "privilege" than other immutable ones.

 

[bèlla]

Ah, I guess it's an "it's ok when we do it" case then. Fun.

That would be hypocritical. Better to see the response as a different perspective. It's more civilized. If civility's the goal. But if you're after the jugular that's another matter.

~bella

 

[Triumvirate]

That would be hypocritical. Better to see the response as a different perspective. It's more civilized. If civility's the goal. But if you're after the jugular that's another matter.

~bella

Civility is often used as a means of covering up uncomfortable discussions about things like racial injustice, so it is useful to be aware of your priorities - speaking "politely" around the problem, rather than naming it and confronting it.

 

[bèlla]

Civility is often used as a means of covering up uncomfortable discussions about things like racial injustice, so it is useful to be aware of your priorities - speaking "politely" around the problem, rather than naming it and confronting it.

One needn't be inflammatory to discuss difficult subjects. That's counterproductive. The key is keeping your mind on the issue, not the other person. When you view them as an adversary or 'the other camp' the exchange is hindered.

~bella

 

[Triumvirate]

One needn't be inflammatory to discuss difficult subjects. That's counterproductive. The key is keeping your mind on the issue, not the other person. When you view them as an adversary or 'the other camp' the exchange is hindered.

~bella

Sure. Pointing white privilege out isn't this, btw.

 

[bèlla]

Sure. Pointing white privilege out isn't this, btw.

Privilege is in the eye of the beholder. What's your measuring stick?

~bella

 

[Triumvirate]

Privilege is in the eye of the beholder.

Debatable. But this certainly applies to "civility".

What's your measuring stick?

Racial privilege can be attitudinal, but a lot of it is statistically (measurable) better outcomes in society - better likelihood of walking away from police encounters, better medical outcomes etc. That there exist some white exceptions to those trends doesn't stop privilege from existing in aggregate.

 

[Lord Give Me A Sign]

Ill be the first to say i dont enjoy speaking about this but i have seen enough with my eyes that i will never stay quiet when its brought up. And although i believe white privelege exists in some towns, cities and states, its not everywhere. Also, pointing the finger at a caucasion and saying "You have white privilege" doesnt accomplish anything besides offending people, and increasing the gap. What i would really love to see is people come together

 

[Triumvirate]

Ill be the first to say i dont enjoy speaking about this but i have seen enough with my eyes that i will never stay quiet when its brought up. And although i believe white privelege exists in some towns, cities and states, its not everywhere. Also, pointing the finger at a caucasion and saying "You have white privilege" doesnt accomplish anything besides offending people, and increasing the gap. What i would really love to see is people come together

But what if that person does have an advantage, and given that these differences in experiences are quite vast, why mightn't they simply be unaware of that advantage? It is not automatically an attempt to offend, simply to point out a likely fact.

All this hand-wringing about offence and civility means is we can't actually point the problem out when it occurs - and it prioritises addressing hurt feelings over actual systemic problems.

 

[FireDragon76]

Civility is often used as a means of covering up uncomfortable discussions about things like racial injustice, so it is useful to be aware of your priorities - speaking "politely" around the problem, rather than naming it and confronting it.

Productive discourse is not possible without civility.

 

[FireDragon76]

But what if that person does have an advantage, and given that these differences in experiences are quite vast, why mightn't they simply be unaware of that advantage? It is not automatically an attempt to offend, simply to point out a likely fact.

All this hand-wringing about offence and civility means is we can't actually point the problem out when it occurs - and it prioritises addressing hurt feelings over actual systemic problems.

It's not an issue of facts vs. feelings. All people are motivated by feelings and sentiments, it's part of being human.