If You Believe in White Privilege

[tall73]

I never even heard of white priviledge until being on adoption forums and did come to believe it exists, that white people do have an advantage by being the majority
would also venture to say most people have not heard of it and it's difficult to understand exactly what it is and it's impact

Yes, it may be it is misunderstood often. But even in that definition, what are the opinions that whites support? And which whites support it? And do my children who have never held a position of any authority in their life have a role in this somehow?

tonight a police cruiser came through our neighborhood, I flagged him down and he rolled his windiw down and stopped to talk with me

because I am white there was no fear on either side, that's white privilege

This part I do not relate to. Perhaps it is more about the neighborhood. I have been stopped by the police a couple of times and questioned because I somehow looked suspicious to them. It was certainly an odd feeling. One time they were looking for someone who they had reports on in the area who had been violent down the street. I guess because I am large and scary looking they thought it was me? I don't know what the issue was the other time. I don't go looking for police interaction.

 

[mama2one]

This part I do not relate to. I don't go looking for police interaction.

the police are well liked in our town and we are listed as one of the safer towns in our state so maybe that makes a difference

what are you personally to do with "white privilege"
I don't know but do think if people make friends and get to know people of other races than themselves, perhaps barriers can be broken down

if I needed help, would ask the neighbor who is black whose child plays with our child over white neighbor next door (who yells at his dog)

 

[mama2one]

do know there will be bias against my child because she's not white and kids at school have been mean to her because she is not white; that's the way people are

so yes believe white privilege exists

 

[tall73]

the police are well liked in our town and we are listed as one of the safer towns in our state so maybe that makes a difference

what are you personally to do with "white privilege"
I don't know

I can see how that might make a difference.

I guess that is part of what I am trying to understand in this thread. If white privilege is about information, how does that information get used in my life?

Some have mentioned it is about awareness of bias. But I have indicated I have already looked at a number of issues in my life and tried to eradicate areas of bias. And if I can't know what the specific unintentional areas of bias are that remain, what am I supposed to do about it?

 

[mama2one]

but it's not just about information

the first thing anyone sees about a person is appearance and color of skin is part of that

people will say they don't see color or that they are color blind but that's impossible

whites do have advantage in this country whether they realize it or not
some will take advantage of it, also
and many will deny it exists because they are not aware of it or aware how their life would be different if they were not white

some have experimented and changed their color for a day
it's an eye-opener for those who have done that

 

[camille70]

 

[Moral Orel]

And you believe that white privilege is a significant factor in the disparity of wealth between whites and non-whites, and you are a white person living in the US....then please answer this question...

As a white person, I wanted to share my white privilege. I know it isn't exactly what you're looking for, since it isn't financial or a number. But I consider it a privilege that although I'm not allowed to say the n-word, I do get to say, "Thanks for the warning officer". Does that count?

 

[Ana the Ist]

As a white person, I wanted to share my white privilege. I know it isn't exactly what you're looking for, since it isn't financial or a number. But I consider it a privilege that although I'm not allowed to say the n-word, I do get to say, "Thanks for the warning officer". Does that count?

Nah...it implies that only whites ever get off w a warning.

 

[Ana the Ist]

but it's not just about information

the first thing anyone sees about a person is appearance and color of skin is part of that

people will say they don't see color or that they are color blind but that's impossible

whites do have advantage in this country whether they realize it or not
some will take advantage of it, also
and many will deny it exists because they are not aware of it or aware how their life would be different if they were not white

some have experimented and changed their color for a day
it's an eye-opener for those who have done that

That's a fun story...but it doesn't really have anything to do with the topic.

 

[mama2one]

That's a fun story...but it doesn't really have anything to do with the topic.

no story
has everything to do with your topic of white privilege

although my husband works hard can guarantee you that he would not have been moved into the position he now holds (if he were not white)

 

[Moral Orel]

Nah...it implies that only whites ever get off w a warning.

No sense of humor, eh?

 

[Ana the Ist]

I assume you've heard of implicit bias?

I assume you've heard it has, at best, a flimsy connection to actual behavior?

You've probably also heard that you can't consciously change an implicit bias?

 

[Ana the Ist]

no story
has everything to do with your topic of white privilege

although my husband works hard can guarantee you that he would not have been moved into the position he now holds (if he were not white)

Oh wow...what kind of job and position does he have? You don't need to name the company or anything identifiable if you don't want. I've just never heard of a job that only white people can get.

 

[Ana the Ist]

No sense of humor, eh?

Sorry man...couldn't tell that was a joke...

These days you gotta be pretty obvious about it on this topic. I've heard people say things like "cops are never rude/disrespectful to white people" and were 100% serious about it.

 

[mama2one]

he travels frequently around the world and is the face of the company when he does

he was not hired for that position, however

 

[Ana the Ist]

he travels frequently around the world and is the face of the company when he does

It's an international sales job? Or he does PR? Advertising?

No offense...but nothing about that seems to indicate it's off limits to non-whites.

 

[mama2one]

you'd have to know the company owner as well as the company culture to know unequivocally that he would not have his current job if he were not white

 

[Ana the Ist]

you'd have to know the company owner as well as the company culture to know unequivocally that he would not have his current job if he were not white

So it's not because only a white person can get/do the job...it's because the employer is racist.

 

[PeachyKeane]

I already mentioned terms such as discrimination etc. which are factual terms. White privilege is applying a label to all whites, many of whom are not privileged.

In this case "privilege" does not necessarily equate to wealth. Explain to me what discrimination means. Let's say I, a black man, am applying to a job a tech firm. How might discrimination play a role? Why does the word discrimination not make white people uncomfortable?

You said whites and blacks without qualification. That is the problem with the term white privilege, it is a generalization.

I'm not sure you and I are seeing eye to eye on this. Do you think white privilege applies to people, or race?

No. I am contending that people are individuals, not entire races.

And you think that blacks in this country do not suffer any setbacks because of their race?

So when you use the term white privilege, what do you want to convey? What is your purpose for conveying it? What do you want to accomplish by discussing it?

A lot of people tend to look at black people and question why they are not able to accomplish as much as white people do. As a result, those failures are attributed to race, rather than situation. Blacks aren't intelligent. Blacks aren't hard working. Black aren't creative. Blacks are violent. Blacks are criminals. It turns out people who swear they don't believe these things are still affected by these ideas. As a result we have fewer opportunities and fewer options. And we've ended up in a situation that's hard to get out of. The idea of white privilege is that white people are not burdened with that situation. So just knowing that it's not the race, it's the situation does something to reverse course.

 

[A_Thinker]

Oh wow...what kind of job and position does he have? You don't need to name the company or anything identifiable if you don't want. I've just never heard of a job that only white people can get.

I think that you're looking at the situation in too black and white a manner (pardon the pun). The issue is discrimination between the races, ... but not that members of one race (or gender) NEVER get certain opportunities ... or that members of another race (or gender) ALWAYS get certain opportunities, but that there is a preferential bias at work (even some of the time ... or with some people) ... that TENDS to favor members of one or more specific groups. That tendency can be 0.1% to 99.9 %, but if it exists, it still makes a difference in the lives of a SELECT number of people.

And yes, there are a number of other biases out there, by which all of us, in one way or another, are affected. Racial bias, gender bias, age bias, attractiveness bias, wealth bias, heritage bias, height bias, weight bias, handicapability bias, etc. And I was under the impression that, at least in this country, we were trying to mitigate as many of these biases as possible. I thought that we were striving to make real the ideal that "All men/women are created equal", ... and that, therefore, inherent aspects of our creation (i.e. race, looks, wealth, height, gender, etc.) shouldn't count for ... or against us ... in this society.