Very controversial? Or just stupid?...

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Pollywog39
Pollywog39 Posts: 1,730 Member
in Chit-Chat
Okay, I hope that people bring some intelligent discussion to the table on this, because I'm just more than little floored by a recent 'racism campaign' going on in my town.

A few organizations thought it would be a good idea to raise awareness of racism by basically saying that white people are privileged, don't "get it", and will never understand. Now, maybe that's true in some cases, but I'd like to see what some of you fine folks think about this campaign, and the billboards. Please see the attached link:

http://unfaircampaign.org/resources/see-it/
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Replies

  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,305 Member
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    wtf. So, because I'm white, I'm not capable of understanding what racism is?

    I may not understand what it personally feels like in some circumstances, but I don't think that's necessary to be able to acknowledge its existance and be against it.
  • DianaJaneD
    DianaJaneD Posts: 157 Member
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    That's just sad. I don't see it as helpful at all in minimizing racism. In fact it smells like "reverse racsim" to me. It seems like the more people play up disparites, the longer it takes for people to accept others on an even basis.
  • Trophyyf
    Trophyyf Posts: 218 Member
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    Wow that is about all I can say. :0(
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
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    Stupid. Racism will always exist, and it doesn't limit itself to the white population. All races have racists in them. It's certainly not what it was in the past, which is good. There will always be room to work towards the elimination of it, but unfortunately like a bad case of herpes, it will never fully go away.
  • 1996gtstang
    1996gtstang Posts: 279 Member
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    i just dont get it
  • kapeluza
    kapeluza Posts: 3,434 Member
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    What. The. Fúck. is this load of crap?
  • RachelHoglen
    RachelHoglen Posts: 10
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    just stupid. but I guess you cant please everyone....
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
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    The first college I attended did this at freshman orientation. It was successful in creating racism.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Racism exists in all directions and it's all equally stupid.
  • brittanyjeanxo
    brittanyjeanxo Posts: 1,831 Member
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    Unfortunately, this isn't the first time I've heard that being said, but it is the first time I've seen a campaign about it -.- And I can say that I am 100% white, and absolutely know what it's like to be treated differently because of the color of my skin. Racism is racism, no matter if it's a white person who hates Asians, or a Mexican person that hates whites. That's why I hate the term "reverse racism" referring to someone that hates white people. Nooo, it's still just regular racism.

    Just to deter any back lash, yes, I know what it's like to walk into a room and feel AND be treated like the odd one out because of my skin color.
    Yes, I know what it's like to have racial slurs and stereotypes flung at me.
    Yes, I even know what it's like to even have physical violence against me because I'm white.
  • RachelHoglen
    RachelHoglen Posts: 10
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    Its not like there are no racist mexicans, african americans, ect. racism exists outside of white people but no one ever wants to talk about that...
  • RachelHoglen
    RachelHoglen Posts: 10
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    Thats a good point! I think things like this only make matters worse
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I hate everyone equally.
  • Trophyyf
    Trophyyf Posts: 218 Member
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    Hmmmm I just went through that site and I think that no race likes to have stereotypes attached to them. So to say its hard to see racism when your white and lumping us (I'm white) all together is crazy. I see racism, I don't know what it is like to be a different race and have people treat me differently because of it, but it doesn't mean I agree with it or don't see it. I also don't like people to see MY color and assume that I'm in this group of people who "don't get it". The posters say to stand up when you see racism and I have and I will continue. I'm by far some activist but I do know wrong when I see it and people are people no matter what color they are.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    Ugh. Despicable.
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
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    I hate everyone equally.

    Except me, because I'm SofaKingRad.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I hate everyone equally.

    I hate everyone more equally.
  • frosty73
    frosty73 Posts: 424 Member
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    I went to school and was in a small group with a very, very thin and attractive black woman. She also happened to be somewhat racist against whites. I totally cracked up when we were talking about weight and she said, "Your problem is you eat too much candy. I try to stay away from anything WHITE..... white flour, white sugar, white bread...." Ain't that the truth, sister!
  • JCN_1103
    JCN_1103 Posts: 63
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    I hate everyone equally.

    Except me, because I'm SofaKingRad.

    And me, because I'm The Guy
  • kellicrandall
    kellicrandall Posts: 24
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    "One of the best metaphors for illuminating the cognitive challenges that white people face in regard to racism was coined by Peggy McIntosh (1989,1992). She described how whites carry an "invisible knapsack" of white privilege. White people carry race privilege as "an invisible weightless knapsack of special provisions, maps, passports, codebooks, visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks" (1989, p.10). This invisible knapsack has been available to white people since the inception of this country, the implicit racial contract upon which the nation was founded (Mills, 1997). The "special provisions" have been encoded into laws from the outset, when white people were granted citizenship and this right was denied to people of color (Lopez, 1996). The social construction of whiteness was reaffirmed consistently, although reinterpreted by US Courts, which have had a profound influence on who could enter this country and what rights they were afforded if they did get in (Lopez 1994, 1996). McIntosh (1992) listed up to 46 examples of the knapsack's provisions, or "invisible white privilege". They include:
    -to be consistently able to arrange to be in the company of people of your race -to be able to move to live in whatever neighborhood you can afford -to not be followed when shopping -to see yourself widely and for the most part positively represented in the media- to be taught that people of your race created a civilized democracy- to not have to consistently prove your credit-worthiness because of your race- to not have to protect your children from racism- to not be considered a "credit to your race" when you excel-to not be viewed as representing or speaking for your racial group-not to have to worry if stopped by the police or audited by the IRS because of your race- to find greeting cards, dolls and toys depicting people who look like you-to see that "flesh colored" bandaids more or less correspond to the color of your skin-to be late for a meeting without it reflecting on your race-to have your way of speaking assumed to be the correct way and not have your speech monitored (Hill, 1999)."

    To sum up this very long reply, I would say that WHITE PRIVILEGE is a concept, not an accusation of white people purposefully being racist. It is something white people are oblivious to. Just food for thought, since you asked.
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