An exploration of "white privilege".

I am a white man in America. For a long time, I didn't understand what people meant by "White Privilege" and I really thought it was just something that was made up to make me feel bad for being white, or as a way for people to excuse their own personal failures. I grew up mid-low class, and never felt particularly privileged. This stemmed somewhat from my own personal bias, believing that "white privilege" had something to do with how much money I have.

But the term "white privilege" is a horrible misnomer. This name makes it sound as though white people are at fault for... being white. Or that they have something that they're hoarding and not sharing with the minorities. But it's as simple as this:

*I have never, for even one day in my life, felt that I was being persecuted because of the color of my skin.
*I have never been denied a job and wondered if it was because of the color of my skin.
*No one has ever called me a racial slur.
*I have never been pulled over by a police officer and thought, "#, is this guy going to shoot me?"
*I have never been questioned by a police officer, even though I did nothing wrong.
*When playing with toy guns as a child, no police officer ever shot me or anyone I know.
*When I go shopping, security officers do not automatically begin to follow me, even when I haven't done anything wrong.

This is white privilege. I did nothing special to earn the above things, they were bestowed on me at birth simply by being white. This isn't about statistics on minorities or white people or whatever you may be tempted to make it about. The above list of things should apply to ALL people in America, regardless of race, sex, or creed. Should it be a "privilege" for all these things to be true? Should I feel lucky? In my opinion, HELL NO. This is just the way it should be.

a reply to: MrSensible

From your list:

*I have never been denied a job and wondered if it was because of the color of my skin.
*No one has ever called me a racial slur.
*I have never been pulled over by a police officer and thought, "#, is this guy going to shoot me?"
*I have never been questioned by a police officer, even though I did nothing wrong.

I've experienced those personally.

But: I'm white.

I'm pretty sure you are going to have others post here, who are white too, that may have also experienced some of those things from your list.

So I'm afraid your logic in this is flawed.

My last name is Spanish sounding. When I was in HS I got an affirmative action engineering job with a tech company. They hired about 100 interns for the summer. They had us meet in an large auditorium. I have to tell you it was one of the strangest moments of my life to walk into a room with no white people where I was the only white person. I felt extreme feelings of anxiety about it. I felt this experience has always giving me some insight into what it means to be a minority.

this is such an utterly important message that NEEDS to be understood a lot better in the coming days
and gosh i hope you are better able to deal with trolls than i am because this thread is going to be FLAMED.

white people are not automatically 'better off'. bad things still happen to white people. but the institutional bias is in their favour. the bit that really drove it home to me is that there is no such thing as a racial slur against whites, why is this not talked about more?

a billion stars if i could.

[i am, just for the record, so pale i'm practically transparent]

a reply to: eriktheawful

No, my logic is sound.
In no way does this mean that white people are immune from prejudice against them.I did not say white privilege is real BECAUSE of these reasons. I only said that these are my experiences.

My point was simply that all people deserve to feel this way.

I earned the privilege I enjoy at this stage in my life. I won't and don't apologize for it.

a reply to: In4ormant

Did someone say you should?

a reply to: MrSensible

Our society has made a bad habit of trying to make people feel guilty for the life that they lead as if some did not earn it simply because they are white. I was merely making a statement.

a reply to: MrSensible

So exactly how do you know that ALL non-whites feel/experienced what you listed?

Naaawh. Climb back into that safe zone of yours.

originally posted by: MrSensible


*I have never, for even one day in my life, felt that I was being persecuted because of the color of my skin.
*I have never been denied a job and wondered if it was because of the color of my skin.
*No one has ever called me a racial slur.
*I have never been pulled over by a police officer and thought, "#, is this guy going to shoot me?"
*I have never been questioned by a police officer, even though I did nothing wrong.
*When playing with toy guns as a child, no police officer ever shot me or anyone I know.
*When I go shopping, security officers do not automatically begin to follow me, even when I haven't done anything wrong.

1. I have.
2. I have.
3. I have. Although the qualifier "b**ch" is usually added on because of my gender.
4. I have.
5. I have
6. Well ok, you've got me there, that's never happened.
7. Really?! Never?! This happens to me all the time. Still, and I'm 40. Don't go into Walmart in a baggy shirt.

My husband and I both very much want to know what Blissmas Happy Town you live in, so we can move there. I mean lucky you, but you are completely clueless. Much of the broader systemic instances that you speak of have as much to do with poverty in general as race specifically.

I have a difficult time believing that your white "mid-low class" experience is so different from my poor working class (A.K.A. Poor White Trash) experience, but well maybe so. Carry on with your virtue signaling though.

originally posted by: continuousThunder
this is such an utterly important message that NEEDS to be understood a lot better in the coming days
and gosh i hope you are better able to deal with trolls than i am because this thread is going to be FLAMED.

white people are not automatically 'better off'. bad things still happen to white people. but the institutional bias is in their favour. the bit that really drove it home to me is that there is no such thing as a racial slur against whites, why is this not talked about more?

a billion stars if i could.

[i am, just for the record, so pale i'm practically transparent]

"there is no such thing as a racial slur against whites"

Honkey cracker Those two I have been called personally and I am sure there are many many more.

a reply to: continuousThunder

Cracker
Honkey
Fishbelly
White devil

All racial slurs against white people.

Maybe you need to get out of your bubble some.

a reply to: MrSensible

I'm happy to read you've never been denied a job for being white. Many jobs where I come from will only hire a small percentage of white folks... and often it's the immigrants getting the jobs that the lower middle class white kid who needs a part time job, would love to have.

I don't see your truth because I have felt deep discrimination for being white. Was even told once if I wasn't part of the first 6 nations to get the f outa Canada. It didn't matter that I was a 5th generation Canadian with some first nations DNA. I've also felt discriminated against by some immigrants who see us westerners as pure spiritual low life scum.

That being said... everyone should have a fair try at a job.. school loans.. etc

a reply to: continuousThunder

You should get out more. There are racial slurs used when it comes to Whites.

Not just here in the US, but all around the world too.

In general: there are racial slurs for any race that have been used.

a reply to: watchitburn

not slurs.
sure, they're mean names, and i'm not saying it isn't hurtful to have them used against you
but they lack the institutional weight that gives an Actual Slur embodied violence.
you know the one.

Being white is helpful indeed, but things are not granted just because of skin color.

a reply to: continuousThunder

Slur: noun - an insinuation or allegation about someone that is likely to insult them or damage their reputation.

Racial Slur: noun - a derogatory or disrespectful nickname for a racial group, used without restraint

You don't get to pick when something is "just a mean name" and when it's based upon someone's race.

I'll reply. Like other people stated I have had many of the list of privileges broken. But that was because I was in a white minority area (El Paso, TX). Sometimes I would be ok with Gringo, sometimes I knew it was hate. Sometimes I would feel safe in the Barrio and sometimes a Mexican American Friend would have to help me be safe in the Barrio, even though they were not from that neighborhood.

One of the worst cases of discrimination I had against me was because I was from a Northern state... didn't see that coming.

And that was my white privilege gone wrong. My assumption I would be safe. It seems to be a numbers game.

It has nothing to do with skin, save it is mine, it is yours thing.. depending on numbers... to do with perception of safety.

I was shooting some landscape photography with a friend. At one point we had to turn around in an old farmers driveway. When I did that my friend got real upset, like out of nowhere, scared. When I looked at her I could see real fear in her eyes. When I scoffed at her, she basically said I was a fool and lucky I didn't get my car shot at. Just for turning around in a rural driveway. She is black and I am white.

Her perception of her safety pulled her privilege away. In a car without prejudice... just popped up out of nowhere.

We both had two separate, but equality felt true to ourselves realities, that led us to our own conclusions.

That was when I understood, I think. See , it is your own ethnic peers that give you your privilege, manifest or not.

So in saying that, because I don't see it ever changing without alien contact (then we all become Earthlings), I feel the only thing sane is understanding and acceptance. Embrace the differences and celebrate where we meet. Everyone 100% valid until proven otherwise - which usually happens because you become an a$$ clown.