Real Talk about MINORITY Privilege from a Self Proclaimed NON Racist.

The Privilege that Minorities get because they aren't white is astounding. Here's a list of scholarships 100 different in total that they could get just for not being cursed with white skin:

www.blackexcel.org...

Here's a nice one for Minority Scholarships, Fellowships and Postdoctoral Awards in Medicine, Public Health and Related Fields

By the way you have to be African Americans, Alaska Natives (Aleuts, Eskimos, Inuit), Hispanics (Chicano, Latino, Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, South and Central American), Native Americans, Native Pacific Islanders (Native Hawaiians, Polynesians, Micronesians) to get them

scholarships.fatomei.com...

Here's one that gives grants ($ you don't have to pay back): but only to:
ASIANS, BLACKS, HISPANICS, LATINOS,
NATIVE AMERICANS, AND OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS

www.lib.msu.edu...

Here's one to help minorities with their business:

www.mygovernmentgrants.com...

Now I know everybody hates me because I dared to broch the subject, let alone won't bow to the fact that anyone who say's anything against them
is automatically labeled a racist.

By the way these scholarships, grants, etc aren't available to only the rich, or elite. They are availible to those that apply.

Unlike the White Privilege that is all White people's fault as if we are all born with a silver spoon in our mouths.

PS I REFUSE to be labeled a racist just because I would like "Equal Rights" to actually be about "Equal Rights".

Originally posted by Royal76
Now I know everybody hates me because I dared to broch the subject

God, spare me the melodrama! Like, 50 other people on this board have said the same exact thing.

let alone won't bow to the fact that anyone who say's anything against them
is automatically labeled a racist.

Does all of this actually have anything to do with the thread, or are you just trying to stir stuff up?

To be honest... I'm not sure what you want with this thread, because I think there was just one like it.

Are you just trying to get people mad?

I am merely point out the hypocracy that you and I live under.

I am tired of the being treated like I personally enslaved you.

I am tired of all the breaks that minorities get to get started in life, just
because they are not white. And all minorities seem to do is cry that the
white man is keeping me down.

There are plenty of White non minority people who never owned a slave. Have no family history of ever owning a slave, died to free the slaves. Yet
get spit on as racist, because they would like a break now and then.

If we try and say anything positive about our race we are automatically skin heads with nazi symbols on our head.

I have no problem with you being proud of being black, brown, yellow or what ever.

I am tired of you having a problem with me being white.

You don't want to be equal, you want to punish people because it makes you feel better.

Besides what would call Payment for services rendered. Sounds like you are trying to start a fight yourself are you not?

By the way I really like your Avatar, and I hope you don't think this is a personal attack.

[edit on 25-2-2007 by Royal76]

Originally posted by Royal76
I am merely point out the hypocracy that you and I live under.

I don't see it as hypocrisy at all. A lot of those scholarships and grants are privately funded, in which case, you and I, common folk, don't get any say in how they're doled out.

I am tired of the being treated like I personally enslaved you.

I don't know how other people treat you, but I don't treat the white people I know personally that way, or white people on the board, for slavery.

Jim Crow, I blame on old white people, and I have to admit, I am a little suspicious of them, or what they're thinking, you know? Like, are they thinking whatever racist thing in their heads while I'm talking and smiling sweetly at them? I don't know sometimes...

This current anti-AA backlash is disgusting to me, and it lets me know that, apparently, either a) a whole bunch of white people didn't tell their kids about the CRM, and why it was important, and needed, or b) a whole bunch of white people did tell their kids about it, and made it sound dumb.

Either way, I'm very disappointed in them because, now, in addition to trying to get people to see things my way, I have to educate them on American history from only, like, 40 years ago. I find it ridiculous that people so ignorant can think they're "informed." Even people who were alive then are experiencing collective amnesia as to the circumstances under which AA was created. As a black person, personally... all the racism and hate I read at ATS makes me more fearful than I've ever been before that we could be at a very bad point, racially, sometime soon.

Those are all of my issues with "white people" at large. Individuals are taken, well, individually, but my white friends and I have talked about this kind of stuff already, so, they know how I feel.

I am tired of all the breaks that minorities get to get started in life, just
because they are not white.

Okay, a little info about me first. I was raised in Harlem by a single mom (who worked). I have a superb education, which I earned by virtue of my intellect. In order for me to accomplish that, I had a mother with skills, no siblings, and a natural inclination toward books. I had no summers, as I had "brain work" to do (my term). I worked like a dog. I was exhausted and burned out by the end of highschool, but I struggled along. Let me tell you, it was not an easy road, and I would not wish it on anyone. I don't know what breaks you're referring to, but I certainly didn't get them, and neither did anyone I know.

And all minorities seem to do is cry that the
white man is keeping me down.

That is patently false, and I think you know it. Admit that it was hyperbole, at least.

Yet get spit on as racist, because they would like a break now and then.

When and where did this spitting take place?

If we try and say anything positive about our race we are automatically skin heads with nazi symbols on our head.

I gave that some serious thought, since it would be unfair, but when I thought about it, I realized that it's because "white people," as a group, rarely come together under that banner unless they're skinheads. I've been told (by white people) that you don't identify yourselves that way, normally.

I have no problem with you being proud of being black, brown, yellow or what ever.

Thank you for that concession, but it's only in response to the race-based degradation of colonization and slavery that people felt the need to re-affirm themselves.

I am tired of you having a problem with me being white.

I don't.

You don't want to be equal, you want to punish people because it makes you feel better.

Since I've come back (from school), I've noticed the difference between living in a white world vs living in a black world. For example, the police. In other places, they're helpful. Here, they scowl at you. Tiny incidents like that remind black people that they're not equal, even when they would choose to forget. I'm not sure of the punishment you refer to, so I don't really know how to respond to that. However, I do want to be equal. It's difficult.

Besides what would call Payment for services rendered. Sounds like you are trying to start a fight yourself are you not?

Not at all. I'm 25 and really just getting my feet wet in the real world. I was trying to understand the other side of the debate.

By the way I really like your Avatar, and I hope you don't think this is a personal attack.

Thank you very much (yay Umbrax!!) and absolutely not. You laid your points out in a very calm manner and I appreciate that. You didn't specifically mention me once.

Originally posted by HH
Since I've come back (from school), I've noticed the difference between living in a white world vs living in a black world. For example, the police. In other places, they're helpful. Here, they scowl at you. Tiny incidents like that remind black people that they're not equal, even when they would choose to forget.

Are you attributing this to racism? That would be a very easy trap for someone of your mindset to fall into.

Ever think that maybe it has to do with something else?

Originally posted by jsobecky
Are you attributing this to racism? That would be a very easy trap for someone of your mindset to fall into.

Ever think that maybe it has to do with something else?

I'll ignore the inference that you know anything about my "mindset", and move along to the actual content of your post.

No, I don't think it has to do with something else. I live in a very low crime area, despite it being in Harlem. I dress 'preppy', for the most part, implying that I don't 'look like the perp'. There is no reason a police officer should scowl at me. Conversely, when I'm in downtown Manhattan, the police do not scowl at me. There is no reason it should happen at least once a day when I'm in 'the neighborhood'.

City Councilman Charles Barron was on NY1 (our local CNN affiliate) a few weeks ago explaining how the NYPD polices predominately white neighborhoods throughout the city (low-crime and high-crime) differently than ours (not as pro-actively, I guess). My experiences echo his findings. Take it for what its worth.

Just my thoughts on this subject, but I think we are a generation - maybe two - away from true equality in this country in which programs like AA would no longer be necessary.

Despite the passage of civil rights measures, changes in attitude are slow in coming. We practiced slavery as a nation our first hundred years, followed by a form of apartheid that ended less than 50 years ago.

In the meantime, publically funded programs for minorities are essential and, let's be realistic here, we're getting off cheap when one considers moral implications such as restitution.

Originally posted by befoiled
I think we are a generation - maybe two - away from true equality in this country in which programs like AA would no longer be necessary.

I don't know. I used to think that it was just a matter of the old racists dying off, but, unfortunately, it seems like there's a whole new generation of ignorant (ie, totally lacking the most rudimentary familiarity with US history) racists, so, I'm not so sure anymore.

Despite the passage of civil rights measures, changes in attitude are slow in coming. We practiced slavery as a nation our first hundred years, followed by a form of apartheid that ended less than 50 years ago.

This is what I'm trying to explain! It's like, people expect everything to be all 'kumbayaa' in just half a century. You know, there's a way to calculate how long it should take you to 'get over' an ex. They say that it should take about half as long as you were with them. In the case of slavery and Jim Crow (400 yrs long) that would be at least 200 years. To expect people to 'get over it' in a quarter of that time is asking a lot... from a group of people this country keeps forcing to give up a lot.

In the meantime, publically funded programs for minorities are essential

To clarify, for me and everyone else, do you consider Welfare a "publically funded program for minorities"?

No, I'm speaking of tuition grants, special business loans, stuff like that.

Welfare is a different beast, one that I benefitted from in my formative years in a trailer park in south Texas.

Originally posted by HarlemHottie
I'll ignore the inference that you know anything about my "mindset", and move along to the actual content of your post.

That's fine.

No, I don't think it has to do with something else. I live in a very low crime area, despite it being in Harlem. I dress 'preppy', for the most part, implying that I don't 'look like the perp'. There is no reason a police officer should scowl at me. Conversely, when I'm in downtown Manhattan, the police do not scowl at me. There is no reason it should happen at least once a day when I'm in 'the neighborhood'.

Totally subjective observations on your part. Maybe you look for the scowl when in Harlem, maybe you misinterpret the cop's facial expression for a scowl. Maybe a lot of other things.

It's going to take a heck of a lot more than what I've read for me to believe your story.

Originally posted by HarlemHottie
a) a whole bunch of white people didn't tell their kids about the CRM, and why it was important, and needed, or b) a whole bunch of white people did tell their kids about it, and made it sound dumb.

Forgive my acronym ignorance. CRM?
Never mind... Civil Rights Movement.

My parents didn't tell me about the CRM. I learned about it in school and from my own curiosuty about it. Granted it's like one page in the history books at the time. And it should be handled properly in schools.

But there's really no reason for white parents to teach their children about the CRM. I mean, it would be good, but parents have many things to teach their kids and to a white family, the CRM doesn't rank up too high.

Okay, a little info about me first. I was raised in Harlem by a single mom (who worked). I have a superb education, which I earned by virtue of my intellect. In order for me to accomplish that, I had a mother with skills, no siblings, and a natural inclination toward books. I had no summers, as I had "brain work" to do (my term). I worked like a dog. I was exhausted and burned out by the end of highschool, but I struggled along. Let me tell you, it was not an easy road, and I would not wish it on anyone. I don't know what breaks you're referring to, but I certainly didn't get them, and neither did anyone I know.

I admire you SO much! I know you weren't fishing for that but it's SO true!

I've been told (by white people) that you don't identify yourselves that way, normally.

Speaking for myself, this is true. I don't identify with being white until I'm told that I AM in a group that owes something or is guilty for something because of my "whiteness". Elsewise, I'm simply a person just as you are. I mean, I know I'm white, I have a race, it's just way down on my list.

And frankly, it's my strong opinion that if more people thought the way I do about that, we wouldn't have the race problem we do.

Thank you for that concession, but it's only in response to the race-based degradation of colonization and slavery that people felt the need to re-affirm themselves.

However if you feel the need to reaffirm yourself (generic "yourself"), I support you to be proud of your race. But I would like to be left out of it. In other words, be proud, not resentful of other races (like mine)

As regards the original subject, I look forward to a time when AA isn't needed. And I strongly suspect that like welfare, AA is abused. And like welfare, if it were used properly and not abused, I would support it 100%, but it seems to me that too many times, AA is used as an excuse not to work as hard as others (just as welfare is abused) As both programs stand now and are used now, I don't support either one.

Another aspect of minority privilege is that minorities can (and many times do) blame their failures on other people, other races, usually whites. And many times use slavery, racism and discrimination as an excuse to hate. I have seen whites blamed for the number of abandoned black children and for the fact that blacks beat their kids. Actually slavery was blamed. But ask any black person which race enslaved Africans.

I think this is dangerous because it feeds Society's Victim Mindset



[edit on 26-2-2007 by Benevolent Heretic]

Originally posted by HarlemHottie
This current anti-AA backlash is disgusting to me, and it lets me know that, apparently, either a) a whole bunch of white people didn't tell their kids about the CRM, and why it was important, and needed, or b) a whole bunch of white people did tell their kids about it, and made it sound dumb.

No doubt the US civil rights movement was a very important part of the nation’s history. Comparing recent changes in exposure levels to the topic of civil rights versus that of 20+ years ago, the general and educational exposure is much greater for contemporary generations.

Equally true is exposure to many other cultural histories and multiple minority groups within the US which all lends itself to a de facto de-emphasis of certain important events in history...simply though multicultual dilution.

So, imo, this is not as easily categorized as about what “white people didn’t tell their kids” or devaluating the topic in their homes. Frankly and generally speaking, today’s younger ‘white’ generation does not think along the same narrow racial lines of the ‘white’ generations some 50+ years ago so it is simply very difficult for them to relate to many of the events…other than in third person.

Originally posted by befoiled
Despite the passage of civil rights measures, changes in attitude are slow in coming.

This cuts in more than one direction.

To address some of the topic of this thread: During and prior to the CRM in the US, atypical oppressive purposeful racism/segregation was founded upon flawed reasons based in antiquity and could no longer be anchored with any form of logic or simply argued any longer....and the rubber band snapped. That said, I understand why ‘whites’ today see any conscious preferential decision making based upon race as discrimination.
Do not the same observations and perceptions individually apply?

However, rightfully earned changes and grants of preference are evolving to become flawed or outdated and arguments against these preferential practices are now becoming somewhat logical…almost to a point of where some of today’s given preferential treatments may be becoming a self-defeating backfire and creating discourse and divide….as exampled by the op.



mg

Royal 76 just hit ont he special treatment blacks receive in regards to the education system. He didnt point out subsidized housin and un-equal employment opportunities.

Lets be honest here harlem, the blacks of today arent the blacks of 40 years ago that only wanted equality and should of had from the get go.No, the blacks today want everything on their own little silver spoon.

I have a little story about the unfair employment practices in this country:

I worked for a company that hired a black woman who was an english major. No problem, right? Wrong! she could only write in ebonincs! It was so bad that the company told her that they were going to let here go and the response they got was, "try it! Im a black woman and I will sue for discrimination."

That is what is disgusting to me, not the fact that she was black. What was disgusting is that she was totally inept and incompetant for her job yet retained it simply for the color of her skin.

Equality is Equality and the blacks today are not following what Martin Luther King said, they are abusing it.

I think white people are just tired of hearing how oppressed black people were and how they didnt even want to be in this country. Well, I really doubt they want to go back.

Slavery was wrong and it was a bad part of our history, but whites dont want to hear over and over how bad blacks have it today! They dont have it bad at all. The point we are trying to make is that many blacks have it better than most whites today.

Affirmative Action is equally wrong because it is just over compensation for Jim Crow Laws. There should be NO laws that favor ANYONE on the basis of their race. Period.

Originally posted by missed_gear

This cuts in more than one direction.

To address some of the topic of this thread: During and prior to the CRM in the US, atypical oppressive purposeful racism/segregation was founded upon flawed reasons based in antiquity and could no longer be anchored with any form of logic or simply argued any longer....and the rubber band snapped. That said, I understand why ‘whites’ today see any conscious preferential decision making based upon race as discrimination.
Do not the same observations and perceptions individually apply?

However, rightfully earned changes and grants of preference are evolving to become flawed or outdated and arguments against these preferential practices are now becoming somewhat logical…almost to a point of where some of today’s given preferential treatments may be becoming a self-defeating backfire and creating discourse and divide….as exampled by the op.



mg

The theory and practice of AA and programs like it are indeed discriminatory by nature and I understand why some whites - those who aren't racially prejudiced - view this discrimination as unjust. Yet I can't help but believe that after seven or eight generations of oppression against minorities in this country we (whites) can't sacrifice a little to give them a jump start on acheiving the social and economic equality that is theirs by right of citizenship, especially in terms of educational opportunities.

One cannot merely flip a switch and declare a historically oppressed minority as an equal. The traditional attitudes take a long time to change, and until this change becomes the norm in society it is going to be very difficult - impossible in some areas - for minorities to have the same opportunities as we do.

I'm for any measure that results in true equality. Sure, the way we do things now has some downside, but if it hastens the process by a generation or so then I think it's entirely justified.

If there's a better way to go about this I'm all ears.

Originally posted by XphilesPhan
No, the blacks today want everything on their own little silver spoon.

That is an unfair characterization of blacks based on my experience. It certainly doesn't apply to all nor even most of them. The few who abuse the system and want entitlements without the effort are the minority. It makes great talk at the water cooler, though.

Befoiled, you are such a grown-up!

Thank you for joining ATS!

original by befoiled
I'm for any measure that results in true equality. Sure, the way we do things now has some downside, but if it hastens the process by a generation or so then I think it's entirely justified.

So you are basically saying that the results justify the means

So if we were to get to the point were only rich white people and all minorities were the only one who could afford college, could afford to start up their own business, buy a house, etc. That's ok

To you and everyone else that considers this practice unracist. What would happen to someone say a rich white guy who started the "United Caucasian Scholarship fund"? He instituted that only white men and women were eligible. Would he be seen as a great man who did something for his people? Or would he be considered a racist? Would his business be picketed? Slammed by the news? Would the NAACP bring a suit against him. Ask yourself that?

HarlemHottie I personally live in San Antonio. While the majority of my city could be considered part of Mexico is has a more of a United Nations feel. My own neighborhood seems like the main forum with no one race having a majority. This is the way I was raised. I don't consider you, me, or anyone body else above anybody else based on the color of their skin, nor their traditions.

You CANNOT be EQUAL without true EQUALITY

[edit on 28-2-2007 by Royal76]

Originally posted by Royal76
So you are basically saying that the results justify the means

So if we were to get to the point were only rich white people and all minorities were the only one who could afford college, could afford to start up their own business, buy a house, etc. That's ok

To you and everyone else that considers this practice unracist. What would happen to someone say a rich white guy who started the "United Caucasian Scholarship fund"? He instituted that only white men and women were eligible. Would he be seen as a great man who did something for his people? Or would he be considered a racist? Would his business be picketed? Slammed by the news? Would the NAACP bring a suit against him. Ask yourself that?

You CANNOT be EQUAL without true EQUALITY

[edit on 28-2-2007 by Royal76]

Here's a newsflash: Only the rich can afford college. The rest of us had to rely upon student loans, grants, or work our way through as I did. Now imagine some poor but motivated black kid trying to get a job so he can cover tuition, books, and living expenses, and this job needs to have flexible working hours so he/she can attend classes.

Now imagine this kid applying to some employer who opts instead for the white applicant. Because he's white.

All AA does, despite its imperfections, is level the playing field a bit. It's a small price to pay for 200+ years of racist policies in this country.

I long for the day when there is true equality. I'm less than optimistic that it will happen in my lifetime because even today I witness acts of racism, some are subtle, some a little more obvious. Some are outrageous and completely illegal, yet it continues to occur. There is still racial profiling by the police (I used to be a cop and I was trained to racially profile), higher credit requirements for loans, the refusal to give home loans in predominately black neighborhoods, lower pay, the list goes on and on.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Ask one of your black friends.

There is still so much racism around I'm beginning to wonder if mere laws are enough. Perhaps we are genetically disposed to racism and it will require a major evolutionary leap for us to overcome it. Or maybe in 100 generations we will interbreed to the point where racial distinctions become so blurred it won't matter.

Either way, the current reality for many blacks in this country is that they have a tougher road than whites. Al Sharpton and a few radicals aside, I suspect they just want a fair shot. Give them a break.

.

Originally posted by Royal76
To you and everyone else that considers this practice unracist. What would happen to someone say a rich white guy who started the "United Caucasian Scholarship fund"?[edit on 28-2-2007 by Royal76]

Actually I never said it was unracist. I said, a few entries up,

Originally posted by befoiled
The theory and practice of AA and programs like it are indeed discriminatory by nature and I understand why some whites - those who aren't racially prejudiced - view this discrimination as unjust.

I would have no problem if you wanted to start a "United Caucasion Scholarship fund," but I suspect you would fail as the kind of supporters you would attract probably aren't all that interested in "scholarship."

This is the same ole rhetoric.

You feel bad, so we should just stick out heads in the sand and give in to their every whim.

Newsflash...You want to educate the masses. Then they have to be able to afford to actually attend classes. My mom is a teacher they don't make jack, my dad held two jobs, they barely squeezed enough with loans I took out to send me to college. While a minority somewhere got a free ride because he wasn't white. My dad's boss who's black didn't have to waste any money on college for his son. He got a minority scholarship. He's dad makes three to four figures a year. How is that fair????
There were alot of non minorites who tried, and had to drop out or didn't even bother because they ran out of money, and could not get any help.

All we are educating the poor white people of America is that if you work hard enough, we will still give the shot to someone else.

How does this help in uniting the races? This only breeds contempt.