Racial Pride as it pertains to Caucasian People?

13

Replies

  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member
    I certainly feel society (which includes myself) owes an apology for the way minorities were and still are treated just because of the color of their skin.

    this is what I was talking about.

    Society can not make it up to the people who were mistreated. We can love people equally but that is what we should be doing just as human beings not because we owe anyone anything. I think the only thing we "owe" is equal rights which everyone has now
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    To me it's fine to be proud of your heritage (Irish, Scottish, German, Polish, Mexican, Spanish, African, etc) than what the color of your skin is. There's nothing to be "proud" about having a certain color skin.

    but what if you just got back from vacay and you have a smoking, gorgeous tan?
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I have to disagree with you on this Patti, yes, it is terrible everything that has happened, and yes, many today still mistreat minorities. I don't know anyone who ever owned a slave and I think that very few slave owners are still alive in the US. Those who had slaves owe something to the slaves they had, I owe nothing. It is history, it sucks, and I am sorry for anyone who went through that or had family who went through it, but white people do no owe it to black people. (though I'm not saying that Black people shouldn't have a parade or anything)
    What we "owe" is equality. What we "owe" is an end to racism. What we "owe" is compassion. I believe we have a duty to speak up against all racism. So, if I hear a racial slur, I'm going to say something. Ask anyone on here who knows me IRL (VerryKerri, Quichebradford). I cannot stand racism and I'll never understand why some people think they're better than others because they're white or why others are so against taking a stand. Do you realize it's only been 2 generations since the Civil Rights Movement ended? That's not that long ago.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member

    What we "owe" is equality. What we "owe" is an end to racism. What we "owe" is compassion. I believe we have a duty to speak up against all racism. So, if I hear a racial slur, I'm going to say something. Ask anyone on here who knows me IRL (VerryKerri, Quichebradford). I cannot stand racism and I'll never understand why some people think they're better than others because they're white or why others are so against taking a stand. Do you realize it's only been 2 generations since the Civil Rights Movement ended? That's not that long ago.

    Civil Rights movement is still going on. Just ask gay people.
  • PanteraGirl
    PanteraGirl Posts: 566 Member
    And your point? I was just showing that the definition of ethnic can include racial characteristics. Those racial characteristics can be praised, desired, whatever unless you are caucasian. Then you become racist.
    I'm not saying you're racist. My point of contention is using the term, "ethnic looking people" to refer to anyone not caucasian. Caucasians have ethnicity, too.
    One can say "I have beautiful Spanish olive skin" and it's ok. If a caucasian person were to say "I have beautiful American white skin", they would be ripped apart.
    It's one thing to say, "I love that my skin is pale". It's another to say, "I'm proud that I'm white".

    And that is exactly what I mean, why can't white people say they are proud to be white???

    We can but most people are too focus on being politically correct these days.....White pride, black pride, purple pride blah blah blah.

    There is nothing wrong with people loving their skin whether you were orange or green even. I love my white skin, blue eyes, brown hair. I just got back from the Dominican where I plastered my skin with sun tan lotion cuz I know I burn easy and don't tan well. Love the way God made me.

    People look way too much into this kinda crap and make mountains out a specks of dust when someone throws out the word proud. Maybe they REALLY just meant they like the way they look and it was taken out of context. It's NOT like they just said "I'm proud to be white because we had slaves". LOL CONTEXT PEOPLE

    This is why people are so hateful. And people wanting apologies for things that took place when they weren't even alive from a bunch of strangers who weren't alive either is F*N stupid. I have no one to apologize to except for maybe yelling at my boyfriend yesterday.

    Am I sitting here asking for apologizes from strangers that are of a specific race in Canada, for some people they don't know who chose to take over my families houses,then tried to kill them in currently war torn country?? I'd be stupid.

    GET OVER YOURSELF PEOPLE. Focus on what you are doing around you and get apologies from the people who directly did something to you.

    To the OP. Your son should be proud of whatever he chose to be proud of. Whether is white, brown, both, and especially his project he worked so hard on...and no body should say diddly squat to him for being proud. I hope this isn't an issue you son will have to deal with again.

    To everyone, apologies on spelling, grammar and proof reading....Jotted this one down quick time cuz I'm at work!!:bigsmile:
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I know this may open up a can of worms but I am genuinely curious as to how Whites may feel about it not being "accepted" so to speak to be proud to be White.
    Before anyone tries to crucify (lol) me, let me say my son is half White. I am Mexican, like born in Mexico and all that.
    When my son was in the 1st grade there was some sort of assignment in regards to heritage, and most of the children turned in collages with Hispanic topics. We live in a primarily Hispanic/Latino whatever the politically correct term is blah blah community. He turned in a collage with images of England, Oklahoma (his paternal grandfather is from Oklahoma) and images of White people.
    Needless to say we got weird looks. I was pissed. I mean...cmon...we know he's half Mexican, so what's wrong with him expressing his pride in his other half???
    What do you all think?
    My two oldest are half caucasian/half Hispanic. I've always told them they should learn about their heritage on both sides of the family. On "heritage days" at school, they would write about or dress like their Scottish, Irish, or Mexican heritage. I want them to be proud of their heritage. I just wouldn't condone them saying they're proud to be white or proud to be brown. They should proud to be Scottish, Irish, and Mexican. That was my only point of contention in this thread. Sorry for the derail when I focused on someone else's reply.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    I know this may open up a can of worms but I am genuinely curious as to how Whites may feel about it not being "accepted" so to speak to be proud to be White.
    Before anyone tries to crucify (lol) me, let me say my son is half White. I am Mexican, like born in Mexico and all that.
    When my son was in the 1st grade there was some sort of assignment in regards to heritage, and most of the children turned in collages with Hispanic topics. We live in a primarily Hispanic/Latino whatever the politically correct term is blah blah community. He turned in a collage with images of England, Oklahoma (his paternal grandfather is from Oklahoma) and images of White people.
    Needless to say we got weird looks. I was pissed. I mean...cmon...we know he's half Mexican, so what's wrong with him expressing his pride in his other half???
    What do you all think?
    My two oldest are half caucasian/half Hispanic. I've always told them they should learn about their heritage on both sides of the family. On "heritage days" at school, they would write about or dress like their Scottish, Irish, or Mexican heritage. I want them to be proud of their heritage. I just wouldn't condone them saying they're proud to be white or proud to be brown. They should proud to be Scottish, Irish, and Mexican. That was my only point of contention in this thread. Sorry for the derail when I focused on someone else's reply.

    We're never going to stop racism until we stop pointing each other's differences.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    If you are Caucasion, racial pride is interpreted as rasism.

    NAACP?? What kind of an uproar would there be is someone wanted to create National Association for the Advancement of White People? Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson would have a field day with that.

    Latino Film Festival Awards ?? Would a Caucasion Film Festival Award ceremony create a problem?

    BET?? White Entertainment Television?? I don't think so.

    Asian Pride Parade?? Just the Asian community trying to celebrate their heritage, right? White Pride Parade? Must be a KKK offshoot, huh??

    How many of you look at my picture? See the bald head and see a racist? I never owned a slave. I never hired illegal aliens and took advantage of them. I'm not apologising for being white. And I'm not apologizing for what previous generations did either. I treat everyone the same.

    Racial pride as it pertains to Caucasion People? You tell me.

    False equivalence.
  • PanteraGirl
    PanteraGirl Posts: 566 Member
    I know this may open up a can of worms but I am genuinely curious as to how Whites may feel about it not being "accepted" so to speak to be proud to be White.
    Before anyone tries to crucify (lol) me, let me say my son is half White. I am Mexican, like born in Mexico and all that.
    When my son was in the 1st grade there was some sort of assignment in regards to heritage, and most of the children turned in collages with Hispanic topics. We live in a primarily Hispanic/Latino whatever the politically correct term is blah blah community. He turned in a collage with images of England, Oklahoma (his paternal grandfather is from Oklahoma) and images of White people.
    Needless to say we got weird looks. I was pissed. I mean...cmon...we know he's half Mexican, so what's wrong with him expressing his pride in his other half???
    What do you all think?
    My two oldest are half caucasian/half Hispanic. I've always told them they should learn about their heritage on both sides of the family. On "heritage days" at school, they would write about or dress like their Scottish, Irish, or Mexican heritage. I want them to be proud of their heritage. I just wouldn't condone them saying they're proud to be white or proud to be brown. They should proud to be Scottish, Irish, and Mexican. That was my only point of contention in this thread. Sorry for the derail when I focused on someone else's reply.

    We're never going to stop racism until we stop pointing each other's differences.

    Racism will never be stopped because there are too many idiots in the world. Its the sad truth :frown:
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    I think that in terms of your son it's probably not so much a matter of "he's proud to be white" as much as "he's not showing that he's proud to be mexican." Also, I wonder if it's also a bit of disapproval of the interracial union.

    That actually crossed my mind, as well. After reading catshark's follow-up post about the project her son did, it seemed more of a cultural issue vs. a race one. They were upset that her son presented European culture vs. Mexican culture. His classmates/their parents/whoever took issue with it need to get a freaking life. :tongue: That'd be like a foreign exchange student doing that same project, and bringing in materials to represent, say, Finland, where that student is from, and everyone attacking them for not waving a big American flag instead.

    Couple more things I'd like to add:
    Yes the other parents and even the teacher were a little upset because of that above reason. I should of had him present Mexican stuff, since I was from Mexico, according to them.

    My little boy says he's like a mariachi band with banjos, equally Anglo and Mexican. He's so above all that sort of drama, its more me that makes a big deal of it. Even my ex husband says I shouldn't make such a huge deal about it but it bugs me.

    Also, racism isn't exclusive to any certain race/ethnicity. When I married my ex I had such drama from my peers, I was called a "sell-out" and asked why I was marrying a (insert racial slur).
    I also once had a Nation of Islam gentleman tell me my son was a white devil.

    I also don't think White people should have to apologize to anyone over things done in the past. In that case, why isn't my ex's family getting an apology? Their ancestress was an indentured servant, sold along with half a dozen slaves when the landowner died.
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member


    Couple more things I'd like to add:
    Yes the other parents and even the teacher were a little upset because of that above reason. I should of had him present Mexican stuff, since I was from Mexico, according to them.

    My little boy says he's like a mariachi band with banjos, equally Anglo and Mexican. He's so above all that sort of drama, its more me that makes a big deal of it. Even my ex husband says I shouldn't make such a huge deal about it but it bugs me.
    does he actually say "like a mariachi band with banjos?" If so that's freaking adorable, how old is he?

    [quote

    Also, racism isn't exclusive to any certain race/ethnicity. When I married my ex I had such drama from my peers, I was called a "sell-out" and asked why I was marrying a (insert racial slur).
    I also once had a Nation of Islam gentleman tell me my son was a white devil.

    [/quote]

    My husband and I had the same experience. We were walking down the street and they said I white people are the devil and white women are sirens.

    Also in relation to not letting it get to you, I understand why it does. I laugh when people tell my husband he shouldn't be with me cause i'm the devil or anything like that, but when we have kids if anyone says that about my kid I will flip out!
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member
    I have to disagree with you on this Patti, yes, it is terrible everything that has happened, and yes, many today still mistreat minorities. I don't know anyone who ever owned a slave and I think that very few slave owners are still alive in the US. Those who had slaves owe something to the slaves they had, I owe nothing. It is history, it sucks, and I am sorry for anyone who went through that or had family who went through it, but white people do no owe it to black people. (though I'm not saying that Black people shouldn't have a parade or anything)
    What we "owe" is equality. What we "owe" is an end to racism. What we "owe" is compassion. I believe we have a duty to speak up against all racism. So, if I hear a racial slur, I'm going to say something. Ask anyone on here who knows me IRL (VerryKerri, Quichebradford). I cannot stand racism and I'll never understand why some people think they're better than others because they're white or why others are so against taking a stand. Do you realize it's only been 2 generations since the Civil Rights Movement ended? That's not that long ago.

    I get what you're saying. :smile: my thought is we don't "owe" it because we should be giving all of that anyway. wow, I did not realize the Civil Rights movement just ended 2 generations ago, that's crazy! And as someone else mentioned, it's still going on to an extent
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member


    My little boy says he's like a mariachi band with banjos, equally Anglo and Mexican. He's so above all that sort of drama, its more me that makes a big deal of it. Even my ex husband says I shouldn't make such a huge deal about it but it bugs me.
    does he actually say "like a mariachi band with banjos?" If so that's freaking adorable, how old is he?

    Also, racism isn't exclusive to any certain race/ethnicity. When I married my ex I had such drama from my peers, I was called a "sell-out" and asked why I was marrying a (insert racial slur).
    I also once had a Nation of Islam gentleman tell me my son was a white devil.

    My husband and I had the same experience. We were walking down the street and they said I white people are the devil and white women are sirens.

    Also in relation to not letting it get to you, I understand why it does. I laugh when people tell my husband he shouldn't be with me cause i'm the devil or anything like that, but when we have kids if anyone says that about my kid I will flip out!
    [/quote]
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member


    My little boy says he's like a mariachi band with banjos, equally Anglo and Mexican. He's so above all that sort of drama, its more me that makes a big deal of it. Even my ex husband says I shouldn't make such a huge deal about it but it bugs me.
    does he actually say "like a mariachi band with banjos?" If so that's freaking adorable, how old is he?

    Also, racism isn't exclusive to any certain race/ethnicity. When I married my ex I had such drama from my peers, I was called a "sell-out" and asked why I was marrying a (insert racial slur).
    I also once had a Nation of Islam gentleman tell me my son was a white devil.

    My husband and I had the same experience. We were walking down the street and they said I white people are the devil and white women are sirens.

    Also in relation to not letting it get to you, I understand why it does. I laugh when people tell my husband he shouldn't be with me cause i'm the devil or anything like that, but when we have kids if anyone says that about my kid I will flip out!
    [/quote]

    Yes, he does say that. He also says he's a tamale with SPAM, and he says his name is Okie Frijoles. He's 10, lol. He cracks me up. He also loves the fact that in movies the hybrid is such a big deal, for example, in Twilight (LOL), and in Underworld.
  • VeganInTraining
    VeganInTraining Posts: 1,319 Member
    Yes, he does say that. He also says he's a tamale with SPAM, and he says his name is Okie Frijoles. He's 10, lol. He cracks me up. He also loves the fact that in movies the hybrid is such a big deal, for example, in Twilight (LOL), and in Underworld.

    that made me literally LOL a tamale with SPAM! I love it! sounds like you have a super smart kid! My friends son (she is black her husband is white), if you ask "what color are you?" he says "grey" :laugh:
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    Your son sounds awesome! That's good stuff.
  • catshark209
    catshark209 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Yeah I have made lots of mistakes in my life, but I'm trying to do my best to raise my son to be a thoughtful, kind, considerate man. Thanks, everyone for all your opinions and viewpoints!
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
    I've always had people ask my boys if I'm their mother (they have dark complexions, dark hair, dark eyes and I'm very pale). Once an older lady asked my youngest, who was 9 at the time, what he was. He had no idea she meant race, so he said, "Catholic". Ha!
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
    I've always had people ask my boys if I'm their mother (they have dark complexions, dark hair, dark eyes and I'm very pale). Once an older lady asked my youngest, who was 9 at the time, what he was. He had no idea she meant race, so he said, "Catholic". Ha!

    Wow...what a rude woman! But I like your son's response, haha!

    I had someone ask me when I was 15 "what are you?" So freaking rude. He was the local KKK leader/prominent member/whatever...gross.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    Society can not make it up to the people who were mistreated. We can love people equally but that is what we should be doing just as human beings not because we owe anyone anything. I think the only thing we "owe" is equal rights which everyone has now

    Uh, no there isn't. Ask any gay person in America or Australia who wants to get married if they're equal.

    Go read the studies on the fact that people with 'black sounding names' are hired less than people with 'traditional' names.

    You can sit here any say 'oh we had the Civil Rights movement 50 years ago it's all good now'. No it's not. Look at the hatred Obama gets. I've been watching American politics since I was 13 years old. I've never seen the vitrol towards an American president that I've seen towards Obama. Even when Clinton was going through that stuff after Lewinsky. Look at all the Republicans who have had to come out and apologise after forwarding racist cartoons or caricatures of Obama.

    Better yet, do you want to explain to me why after the 1964 election the South turned from solid Democratic areas to solid Republican areas?
    There is nothing wrong with people loving their skin whether you were orange or green even.

    Please don't lessen the very real impact racism still has. Using the straw men argument of 'orangle/purple' people is offensive.
  • Windchild
    Windchild Posts: 129 Member
    Ok. I fully expect I'll get ripped apart for this. But I'm going to say it anyway.

    I see a lot of arguing in this thread about ethnicity vs. skin color vs. culture vs. race, vs. whatever makes a person look the way they do.

    Here's the thing: People are people no matter what their appearance. There are people in ever group that love everyone. There are people in every group that hate anyone that doesn't look like them. There are people in every group that only hate a certain set of people because of the amount of melanin in their skin. There are people who hate anyone who looks like they do, and prefers to only see people that look a certain way that they could never achieve.

    HOWEVER, all that being said, being proud of a skin color is a little offensive and wrong for EVERYONE, no matter what that skin color is. Saying "I'm proud to be black" is just as offensive as saying "I'm proud to be white." And here is why: Skin color has nothing to do with true heritage and culture. In Africa there are many different countries with difference groups of people and tribes that have different cultures and belief systems. In predominately white Europe, again, there are many different groups of people and tribes that have different cultures and belief systems. In Middle and South America it is the same thing. Different countries with different groups and tribes and different belief systems, cultures and ways of life.

    I worked with many Hispanic Americans. The ones with ties to one Hispanic county would get ticked off as heck if they were accused of being from a different Hispanic country. There would be fights break out over that stuff. And then I had a few that would tell me: "I'm from America!"

    I am proud to be a mixed up Heinz 57 United States mutt. I'm proud of my German heritage. My grandmother was 100% Belgian. I'm proud of that blood line. I'm proud of my Cherokee, Choctaw, and Black Foot Native American heritages. I'm proud of my British, Irish (brought over as indentured servants), Scottish, Spanish, Mexican, African(three different countries there, can't remember at the moment which ones), Roman, Greek, Dutch, and "Black Dutch" heritages, and many more. Am I proud of EVERYTHING that each of those groups of people have done? No. Certainly not.

    But I am proud that I have each of group of people in my ancestry. They have allowed me to have: Very curly, frizzy, hard to manage, very dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and skin that when I avoid the sun turns as pale as can be and when I spend to much time in the sun gets quite dark. They made me look how I look.

    However, it is up to ME to be WHO I want to be and what I want to take pride in.

    To the person who started this thread: Kudos to you and your son for tracing his heritage all the way back to North Hampshire, England. He should be proud of both of his lineages. Everyone should be able to be proud and show pride in which ever heritage their ancestors were a part of.
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
    Ok. I fully expect I'll get ripped apart for this. But I'm going to say it anyway.

    I see a lot of arguing in this thread about ethnicity vs. skin color vs. culture vs. race, vs. whatever makes a person look the way they do.

    Here's the thing: People are people no matter what their appearance. There are people in ever group that love everyone. There are people in every group that hate anyone that doesn't look like them. There are people in every group that only hate a certain set of people because of the amount of melanin in their skin. There are people who hate anyone who looks like they do, and prefers to only see people that look a certain way that they could never achieve.

    HOWEVER, all that being said, being proud of a skin color is a little offensive and wrong for EVERYONE, no matter what that skin color is. Saying "I'm proud to be black" is just as offensive as saying "I'm proud to be white." And here is why: Skin color has nothing to do with true heritage and culture. In Africa there are many different countries with difference groups of people and tribes that have different cultures and belief systems. In predominately white Europe, again, there are many different groups of people and tribes that have different cultures and belief systems. In Middle and South America it is the same thing. Different countries with different groups and tribes and different belief systems, cultures and ways of life.

    I worked with many Hispanic Americans. The ones with ties to one Hispanic county would get ticked off as heck if they were accused of being from a different Hispanic country. There would be fights break out over that stuff. And then I had a few that would tell me: "I'm from America!"

    I am proud to be a mixed up Heinz 57 United States mutt. I'm proud of my German heritage. My grandmother was 100% Belgian. I'm proud of that blood line. I'm proud of my Cherokee, Choctaw, and Black Foot Native American heritages. I'm proud of my British, Irish (brought over as indentured servants), Scottish, Spanish, Mexican, African(three different countries there, can't remember at the moment which ones), Roman, Greek, Dutch, and "Black Dutch" heritages, and many more. Am I proud of EVERYTHING that each of those groups of people have done? No. Certainly not.

    But I am proud that I have each of group of people in my ancestry. They have allowed me to have: Very curly, frizzy, hard to manage, very dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and skin that when I avoid the sun turns as pale as can be and when I spend to much time in the sun gets quite dark. They made me look how I look.

    However, it is up to ME to be WHO I want to be and what I want to take pride in.

    To the person who started this thread: Kudos to you and your son for tracing his heritage all the way back to North Hampshire, England. He should be proud of both of his lineages. Everyone should be able to be proud and show pride in which ever heritage their ancestors were a part of.

    Very well said. :flowerforyou:
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Opps. Maybe that was one of those things that sounded good but didn't come out right.
    What I mean is some people refer to characterics of their nationatilies in their appearance with pride: curves in latin-american women, tall-beautiful amazon women, dark and handsome Italian men, blue eyed-blone swiss women, african american women with a nice booty.
    Sorry, I'm not going to let you off the hook just yet. While I always appreciate a good back-pedal, I'm still wondering about the term "ethnic looking people". Who are "ethnic looking peopel" to you?

    As I stated: Latino women with dark, eyes, dark hair, tan skin. Asian people have a pretty specific skin tone as well. Italian men tend to be more stocky and dark complected. There's nothing wrong with the term "ethnic looking". It's not a racial slur.

    Having spent two weeks in Italy this summer, I can tell you that your description of Italian men is nonsensical --as is the case with most stereotypes.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    And your point? I was just showing that the definition of ethnic can include racial characteristics. Those racial characteristics can be praised, desired, whatever unless you are caucasian. Then you become racist.
    I'm not saying you're racist. My point of contention is using the term, "ethnic looking people" to refer to anyone not caucasian. Caucasians have ethnicity, too.
    One can say "I have beautiful Spanish olive skin" and it's ok. If a caucasian person were to say "I have beautiful American white skin", they would be ripped apart.
    It's one thing to say, "I love that my skin is pale". It's another to say, "I'm proud that I'm white".

    And that is exactly what I mean, why can't white people say they are proud to be white???


    It's not the "I'm proud to be white" part that's a problem. It's what almost always comes afterwards.
  • futiledevices
    futiledevices Posts: 309 Member
    I know this may open up a can of worms but I am genuinely curious as to how Whites may feel about it not being "accepted" so to speak to be proud to be White.
    Before anyone tries to crucify (lol) me, let me say my son is half White. I am Mexican, like born in Mexico and all that.
    When my son was in the 1st grade there was some sort of assignment in regards to heritage, and most of the children turned in collages with Hispanic topics. We live in a primarily Hispanic/Latino whatever the politically correct term is blah blah community. He turned in a collage with images of England, Oklahoma (his paternal grandfather is from Oklahoma) and images of White people.
    Needless to say we got weird looks. I was pissed. I mean...cmon...we know he's half Mexican, so what's wrong with him expressing his pride in his other half???
    What do you all think?
    My two oldest are half caucasian/half Hispanic. I've always told them they should learn about their heritage on both sides of the family. On "heritage days" at school, they would write about or dress like their Scottish, Irish, or Mexican heritage. I want them to be proud of their heritage. I just wouldn't condone them saying they're proud to be white or proud to be brown. They should proud to be Scottish, Irish, and Mexican. That was my only point of contention in this thread. Sorry for the derail when I focused on someone else's reply.

    We're never going to stop racism until we stop pointing each other's differences.

    You don't have "differences" to point out because you're white and not "other" - or, "ethnic looking," as someone else so kindly stated. White people generally do not think of their race when describing themselves, because they're white, which means that they are in a position of power in society, which means that their existence isn't defined by their race. Being white means that you're not experiencing racism, because it simply doesn't exist for you. Can minorities be bigots toward people who are white? of course, but racist? no.

    I have nothing to be "proud" about because I'm white. I can be proud that I'm a Canadian, or Irish, Welsh, or whatever my background may be, but white is not something I pride myself on - and not something I feel shameful of, either, but I'm certainly, not for a second, going to deny my white privilege. This is one subject in which I 100% agree with MacPatti.
  • Windchild
    Windchild Posts: 129 Member
    I know this may open up a can of worms but I am genuinely curious as to how Whites may feel about it not being "accepted" so to speak to be proud to be White.
    Before anyone tries to crucify (lol) me, let me say my son is half White. I am Mexican, like born in Mexico and all that.
    When my son was in the 1st grade there was some sort of assignment in regards to heritage, and most of the children turned in collages with Hispanic topics. We live in a primarily Hispanic/Latino whatever the politically correct term is blah blah community. He turned in a collage with images of England, Oklahoma (his paternal grandfather is from Oklahoma) and images of White people.
    Needless to say we got weird looks. I was pissed. I mean...cmon...we know he's half Mexican, so what's wrong with him expressing his pride in his other half???
    What do you all think?
    My two oldest are half caucasian/half Hispanic. I've always told them they should learn about their heritage on both sides of the family. On "heritage days" at school, they would write about or dress like their Scottish, Irish, or Mexican heritage. I want them to be proud of their heritage. I just wouldn't condone them saying they're proud to be white or proud to be brown. They should proud to be Scottish, Irish, and Mexican. That was my only point of contention in this thread. Sorry for the derail when I focused on someone else's reply.

    We're never going to stop racism until we stop pointing each other's differences.

    You don't have "differences" to point out because you're white and not "other" - or, "ethnic looking," as someone else so kindly stated. White people generally do not think of their race when describing themselves, because they're white, which means that they are in a position of power in society, which means that their existence isn't defined by their race. Being white means that you're not experiencing racism, because it simply doesn't exist for you. Can minorities be bigots toward people who are white? of course, but racist? no.

    I have nothing to be "proud" about because I'm white. I can be proud that I'm a Canadian, or Irish, Welsh, or whatever my background may be, but white is not something I pride myself on - and not something I feel shameful of, either, but I'm certainly, not for a second, going to deny my white privilege. This is one subject in which I 100% agree with MacPatti.

    I think the poster who stated that: "We're never going to stop racism until we stop pointing each other's differences" simply meant that until people need to stop pointing out peoples differences from one another, including the Caucasian skin color. Stop saying: "Oh that one's white and that one's black. That one over there is brown." Simply see all of them as simply people. "Children of the World," as someone once stated.

    However, I am going to disagree with you about Caucasian's not being able to experience Racism.

    I'm probably going to get blasted for this and told I'm wrong, but:

    Actually Caucasians can experience racism. I lived in a very small town, where Caucasians have become the minority. There is a large Hispanic population. When I worked in a processing plant,(worked there 8 years while I built up money to go to college), the Caucasians were the group that was passed over for promotions and treated like we were worthless. I was called a "Fat F
    g White B----h" (in Spanish) on several occasions, and told to deal with it. When the women would get sexually harassed, if it was a Caucasian doing the harassment, instant termination. If it was a Hispanic doing the harassment, they got a slap on the wrist because "That's just the way their culture is."

    The signs that started going up were only in Spanish. I was lucky enough to have learned a little bit of Spanish and could read them, or I wouldn't have had a clue, like some other workers there.

    We had one inspector who was not only racist against Caucasian's but sexist as well. If you were a Hispanic Male, you were pretty much ok. If you were a Caucasian Female, you better be ready to get your stuff busted for even the smallest little thing he could find. Slowly but surely our Caucasians workers started leaving or getting fired. It was accepted by this point that that would happen.

    I discussed this in a discussion group at college. I was asked about my experiences in a community where the population was mainly "non-white." You know what many of my classmates told me? "Good! They deserve it! Let the whites see how it feels for a change." In COLLEGE this was said. I just stared at them, shocked. No one deserves racism, discrimination, or prejudice. NO ONE.

    Just because Caucasian's have "white privilege" in society at large, does not mean that they cannot experience racism, and discrimination because of their skin color.
  • adrian_indy
    adrian_indy Posts: 1,444 Member
    White, black, mexican, american, irish, italian, and everyother pride is a bunch of crap. If you want to be proud of something, be proud of your own character and accomplishments. Racial/ethnic pride is only applicable if you are bragging about being the fastest sperm out of your dad's testes. Other than that, what exactly did you have to do with you with it. I've noticed that the more people cling to these notions of pride, usually the less they have gotten done for themselves.
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    has anyone pointed out that the term "caucasian" refers to people from the Southern Caucasus. I mean, unless you're from Eastern Europe / Southwest Asia you're not *really* caucasian. This has always annoyed me.

    Being "white" in America has nothing to do with "heritage." Norther European immigrants were very racist against Irish and all Southern European immigrants for almost 100 years in America. Greeks and Italians weren't even considered "white" really.

    It's all so very stupid and completely irrational. White pride to me is a negative thing, like being proud of the fact that you LACK qualities that would be ridiculed by others. It seems to me like you can't really have "white" pride without associating it with the socio-economic-racial elite. It seems like an assertion of superiority.

    Being proud of heritage is important, but everyone's heritage is unique. I think it's great to teach your children about their roots, where they come from etc, and allow them to find common ground with similar people. I just don't think it's even possible to associate being "white" with heritage at all.

    The OP's child seems completely balanced, normal, and adorable. I think you (OP) are doing just fine. Some of the things I'm reading in this thread though? Not so much...
  • ShapeUpSidney
    ShapeUpSidney Posts: 1,092 Member
    White, black, mexican, american, irish, italian, and everyother pride is a bunch of crap. If you want to be proud of something, be proud of your own character and accomplishments. Racial/ethnic pride is only applicable if you are bragging about being the fastest sperm out of your dad's testes. Other than that, what exactly did you have to do with you with it. I've noticed that the more people cling to these notions of pride, usually the less they have gotten done for themselves.

    I love the Italian Americans who are so keen on "reppin" their italian heritage, but cannot SPELL "paesano" and have never been to Italy.
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
    I guess I don't understand how it's somewhat acceptable for "ethinc looking" people to show their pride in their appearance, where as that would be unacceptable for a white person.
    "Ethnic looking" people????

    That would be like me saying "I'm brown and proud". I'm not brown, I'm a sickly pale shade of tan lol.

    I curse the person who started the whole "brown and pride" bull****. I hate that people call themselves brown. Why not say you are either Mexican, Argentinian, Salvadoreña, Honduran, etc. Why not say "I'm Mexican and proud" Calling oneself "brown" seems so uncouth.
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