Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Black / White Privilege

An interesting piece.  Thoughts?
CNN Black Privilege 

30 comments:

Laurie said...

It seems to me white privilage is a real thing, black priviage not so much. Are you concerned about black priviage?

Laurie said...

I just came across an example of black privilage for you; only black people should have the privilage to wear dreadlocks.

Can a white guy have dreadlocks? This puzzling viral video wades into the politics of black hair.

John said...

I think Blacks can get away with many behaviors that Whites can not. If we held a White Lives Matter protest the Liberals would freak out and say that a bunch of hate mongering Nazis were marching. Same thing if we had that White History month.

Remember the wisdom of Morgan Freeman.

Sean said...

This is perhaps the most ridiculous thing you've ever posted.

Simple question: would you trade your race to be black to cash in on all the "privilege" if you could?

John said...

Personally I don't think I would care about my skin color as long as I can keep my parents and family. 2 responsible married Parents who taught me the value of work, education, communication, respect, collaboration, religion, money management, etc.

As for White and Black Privilege, there are advantages on both sides. To deny this is to deny reality. See below.

Privilege: a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.

Laurie said...

I have little interest in discussing this topic as everyone's views are set, so I will just drop in a link:

On Racism and White Privilege

also, I disagree with Sean, as I think you have posted even more ridiculous links and comments. I just can't think of examples right now.

John said...

I find it amusing what some people call White privilege. Like when officers choose to pull someone over because they think that someone looks suspicious. Sorry to say but profiling based on a persons appearance / behavior makes sense...

If folks don't want to get pulled over, try to dress and act more "proper"... Whatever that means... And if you do want to dress and act like a gang banger, then just accept that you are more likely to be pulled over.

The reality as I have said before, there is NO point in pulling over or searching my 75 year old white mother... Because folks like her rarely ever commit significant crimes.

John said...

By the way... Do You Remember This Silly One?

Sean said...

"If folks don't want to get pulled over, try to dress and act more "proper"... "

Thank you for the textbook definition of white privilege.

John said...

Are you saying that only White people can "dress and act more proper"?

I think these very successful people would disagree with you...

John said...

Maybe we need a new term... "Stylism"

This is where people judge you based on what you drive, what you wear, how you talk, what you say, how you behave, etc.

Of course most of us would be guilty of this offense... Be it those who are very proper and look down on the style challenged? Or the style rebels who look down on the style conformists?

John said...

Here is a fascinating article.

John said...

How do these telling quotes by Black men fit into the topic? Are they racist or just rational?

"Consider these two quotes by distinguished Black Americans

"If I’m walking down a street in Center City Philadelphia at two in the morning and I hear some footsteps behind me and I turn around and there are a couple of young white dudes behind me, I am probably not going to get very uptight. I’m probably not going to have the same reaction if I turn around and there is the proverbial Black urban youth behind me. Now if I am going to have this reaction—and I’m a Black male who has studied marshal arts for twenty some odd years and can defend myself—I can’t help but think that the average white judge in the situation will have a reaction that is ten times more intense." Judge Theodore A. McKee, U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals

"There is nothing more painful for me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start to think about robbery and then look around and see it’s somebody white and feel relieved." The Reverend Jesse Jackson.

John said...

BLM, NAACP and Liberals continue to blame society for fearing young Black men in hoodies... When apparently smart Black guys and this guy can explain why they do.

Now the question is how do we stop so many young Black men from heading down the wrong path and perpetuating / promoting this stereotype?

John said...

Another Interview

"So again I say, we must not be quick to despair. We really look around. While there are some new economic dynamics with the globalization of the economy and out-sourcing corporations and wealth poverty polarization, there's a lot to be hopeful for. Maybe the biggest adjustment we must make now We have spent so much time on a black/white vertical analysis, there's not been enough focus on a vertical "have/have not" coalition. We do not want to discuss race much in the country. We want to discuss class even less. Because somehow to discuss classism suggests that we're challenging the very heart of our of our system, of our way of life.

But I submit to you that a coalition will emerge, demanding jobs with security, demanding equal protection under the law, demanding equal opportunity, demanding equal access, demanding fair share. Those are the basic imperatives of the of the American dream." Jesse Jackson

Laurie said...

so it seems like you are wasting your time posting links and making comments. If you started by acknowledging white privilage is a real thing there might be some basis for a discussion. As it is, I have no interest in trying to educate you and convince you that it exists.

John said...

I have no doubt that white privilege exists.

Just as I have no doubt that Black privilege exists.

Agreed?

John said...

I just think that Liberals are obsessed with race. When that is not the primary problem.

Otherwise 2 professional Black men would not be more fearful of black men than white men.

Laurie said...

about racism is not the primary problem -that sort of sounds like acknowledgement that racism is a problem to some degree.

but then again using this statement "Otherwise 2 professional Black men would not be more fearful of black men than white men." to refute the existence of white privilage shows you have very little understanding of the term.

While I still think the concept of black privilage is dumb I don't completely disagree with all your arguements. I just think racism has more of an impact than you do

John said...

Where did I "refute the existence of white privilege"?

And yes I do agree that there are some White Racists out there just as I believe there are some Black Racists out there.

The challenge is that folks like yourself keep insisting that this is primarily skin color issue. Where as I see it clearly as a "class / style / attitude / behavior / belief issue" issue.

Meaning that cops will watch out for white meth head looking folks just as much as they look out for black gang banger looking folks. And I truly thank them for that. I most certainly don't want their job.

Sean said...

"Are you saying that only White people can "dress and act more proper"?"

I'm saying that the standard of "proper" has been defined by white people. Witness, for instance, the historical struggles African-American women have had being allowed to wear their hair naturally over the years.

John said...

I am pretty sure that business and business casual dress was derived across racial lines.

Now I love my old beaten up and stained jeans and tee shirts on the weekend. However my family often reminds me to change before they will spend time with me in public. They are very aware that people will judge us based on my appearance.

This is not a racial issue, this an American culture issue. If I were to be covered with tattoos, wearing my old beat up clothes and a hoody, I would get watched much closer than when I am dressed for work.

Laurie said...

I find white privilage easier to understand in the historical sense. For example many of my ancestors were given free farms as part of the homestead act, which was a big advantage in starting down a path to prosperity.

Here is a link that highlights many other advantages that have been bestowed on whites / excluded blacks.

A Long History of Affirmative Action - For Whites

John said...

There is nothing anyone can do about the past except learn from it.

Until certain groups of people choose to change there is little giving them money will do except make things worse.

John said...

Here is an interesting site.

Black Immigrants vs Born Black Americans

Now the immigrants had none of the historical advantages and yet they are doing much better.

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." Leo Tolstoy

Sean said...

"Now the immigrants had none of the historical advantages and yet they are doing much better."

Well, of course. The immigration system is far friendlier to folks with college educations and some existing wealth. That, in part, also explains the generalized better performance of many Asian-American communities as well. Those who have voluntarily moved to the U.S. (Japanese, Chinese, Korean) fare better than communities like the Hmong or Laotians who have come here as refugees.

I would also suggest that there is little "historical advantage" to being African-American in our society.

John said...

Sean,
Now did you even look at the source I provided? The college degree difference is small compared to all the other differences.

"By comparison, U.S.-born blacks ages 25 and older are less likely to have at least a bachelor’s degree than black immigrants—19% compared with 26%."

"But foreign-born blacks have a higher median income than U.S.-born blacks. U.S.-born blacks have a median household income of $33,500, a full $10,000 less than that among foreign-born black households."

"Fully 83% of black immigrants live in a family household. This group is made up of 50% who live in married couple households, 24% in female-headed households and 10% in male-headed family household.

By comparison, a greater share (60%) of all Americans live in married couple households. Among U.S. immigrants, an even greater share (64%) lives in a married couple household.

However, the Pew Research analysis shows that U.S.-born blacks are less likely to live in a married couple household—just 36% do so—than black immigrants. They are also more likely than foreign-born blacks to live in a female-headed household (41% versus 24%)."

John said...

As for historical advantage over the past 50+ years, I think I would take being a Black person in America over being a Black person is Somalia, Liberia, etc any day.

Sean said...

Yes, I did. Most legal immigration to this country comes out of two groups: those who already have family here, and those who come here tied to employment. The last group, in particular, is going to be faring better than the general population. About 2/3 of those who get in on employment visas already have college degrees before they set foot on American soil.

John said...

Oh come now
Degrees ...... 19% vs 26%
Female HoH.... 41% vs 24%
Married ...... 50% vs 36%

The American Black population has the power to turn things around easily.

Get married, have children, stay married. In that order...