Systemic racism in the USA: Are whites "guiltier" if they had slavery in their past?

[MehGuy]

Perhaps if America returned to common sense rather than emotional blackmail, the situations might better resolve themselves. It seems people are going at this as if it were some sort of court case and the object was to achieve some sort of remuneration. Apologies on behalf of those people who have no connection to nor emulate the original people involved, do not seem to have worked.

Yeah, a lot of psychological factors are involved. I think that part of the growing hysteria over slavery is the increasing contrast of modernity. Speaking as a millennial from a typical suburban middle-class upbringing, the idea that there was a time when people were legally allowed to own other people as property sends a shock to the system... the more coddled a generation is, the more extreme negative reaction they're going to have about how people were treated in the past (not to say slavery still doesn't exist in modern day).

Not sure if I'm explaining myself well. That's just a theory I've always had... and one I think personally applied to my sense of white guilt.

 

[Larniavc]

Apart from currently doing this to perhaps women and children, are they still doing this now? Who is?
And realistically yes I am responsible to a degree for what my children may do but certainly not for those that went before me.

I did not say that you were.

 

[Tuur]

Currently, the issue is continued racial inequity. We do have an obligation to face the facts squarely and honestly of how history and institutions have produced this condition. One can seek to reduce or eliminate these injustices, or turn a blind eye to them (or enjoy them).

I remember Segregation, separate restrooms and water fountains for blacks and white, when there was no chance for a black to advance in certain jobs, or be hired at all.

Today all races uses the same restaurants, restroom and water fountains, blacks can advance, and a man with black heritage can become the President of the United States. I remember when that was considered unthinkable, and yet I've seen that happen in my lifetime.

If you want to look for bigots, you can find them. That will always be the case. Even so, the systematic bigotry I remember hasn't existed in about half a century. And yet now we nave a return of judging others based on the color of their skin, just that the skin color has changed.

 

[Tuur]

After the Civil War as blacks began migrating north, racism in the north was a fairly common thing.

On the other hand, there was the tragedy that happened at that orphanage in the New York Draft Riot in 1863.

 

[Tuur]

Many people in the south owned slaves as they were Christian.

Did those who owned slaves do so because they were Christians, or because they could afford it and had no moral qualms about the practice?

 

[dqhall]

Yes, I know. Mark Twain also had a house in Concord; Alcott was his neighbor.

Alcott wrote “Little Women,” based on her memories of a childhood home in Concord, MA. Her family was poor and they moved frequently.

Mark Twain traveled frequently, but settled in Hartford for awhile.

 

[timothyu]

Not sure if I'm explaining myself well. That's just a theory I've always had... and one I think personally applied to my sense of white guilt.

No need to feel guilty for being victimized for what you are not responsible. Besides, we are all enslaved at present to a system that demands we follow the controlled narrative. There are many forms of oppression and what is coming in the form of a social credit system will give everyone a taste of what was once localized

 

[Tinker Grey]

Did those who owned slaves do so because they were Christians, or because they could afford it and had no moral qualms about the practice?

Ask Philemon.

 

[Estrid]

I'm not sure what you are? Chinese? In America having slave owning ancestors is a sensitive topic for many. There is an actor in America named Ben Affleck. He was one on those ancestry shows, and they discovered some of his ancestors were slave owners, turns out he tried to pressure the producers in editing that section of the program out. It's kind of a weak move... but in many ways, I understand his motivation. Especially him being among the Hollywood crowd.

Chinese.

Don't know that actor.

 

[Tuur]

Ask Philemon.

Irrelevant. The question concerns the following post:

Many people in the south owned slaves as they were Christian.

That implies they owned slaves because they were Christians.

 

[Tinker Grey]

Irrelevant. The question concerns the following post:

That implies they owned slaves because they were Christians.

Only because the post I was responding to implies that Bostonians didn't own slaves because they were Christian. This is easy, dude.

 

[Neutral Observer]

Are whites "guiltier" if they had slavery in their past?​

No they're not "guiltier". But we don't need to assign blame in order to acknowledge the injustice that one peoples have visited upon another. As such we don't need to ask who should be held responsible. Sometimes when it comes to rectifying a wrong it's not about who should... it's about who can.

Thus the question is, when does the ability to correct a wrong become an ethical obligation? Not just for the descendants of those who caused it, but for those... white or not, slaveholder or not... who have the wherewithal and compassion to do so.

 

[timothyu]

But we don't need to assign blame in order to acknowledge the injustice that one peoples have visited upon another.

Agreed or we would have to delve back to how one tribe treated another, rather than who bought what from who. I doubt there is any innocence anywhere.

 

[Tuur]

Only because the post I was responding to implies that Bostonians didn't own slaves because they were Christian. This is easy, dude.

So it is. Mea culpa.

 

[Bradskii]

That could apply as far back as the stone age but the difference is it may not be politically beneficial.

You should look up the definition of legacy.

 

[timothyu]

You should look up the definition of legacy.

How far back are you willing to take it?

 

[Ken-1122]

Thus the question is, when does the ability to correct a wrong become an ethical obligation? Not just for the descendants of those who caused it, but for those... white or not, slaveholder or not... who have the wherewithal and compassion to do so.

When it comes to slavery in the US, it is too late to correct the wrong because the people involved are already dead.

 

[timothyu]

When it comes to slavery in the US, it is too late to correct the wrong because the people involved are already dead.

Along with the fact the mentality doesn't exist today.. except maybe in the trafficking of women and children and that seems to not be exclusive to any one race.

 

[MehGuy]

No need to feel guilty for being victimized for what you are not responsible. Besides, we are all enslaved at present to a system that demands we follow the controlled narrative. There are many forms of oppression and what is coming in the form of a social credit system will give everyone a taste of what was once localized

I don't have white guilt anymore. What killed it was noticing modern black people using it to emotionally manipulate white people. The realization of that... I don't know... it just killed all my sense of having white guilt.

I think what separates me from other progressives is that I tend to actually look at minorities and women as actual fellow human beings. Beings that are capable of nefarious acts just like white men. I'm sure there's a spectrum... but I see many progressive white men... who just seem to coddle them. Or just plain oblivious.

 

[Bradskii]

How far back are you willing to take it?

You really do need to check the definition of legacy.