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This is Your Nation on White Privilege
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by Erik Larson | October 26, 2008 at 10:25 pm
223 views | 9 Recommendations | 6 comments
Politics is skin deep; a collection of striking contrasts between the low bar for White folks and high bar for Black folks in US electoral contests.
For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.
White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll “kick their fuckin' ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
White privilege is when you can attend five different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
Facts, Statistics, and Theories on Racial, Ethnic, and Cultural Diversity, Module 4: Socio-economic Status and Demographics
http://www.alliance2k.org/products/4017.pdf
Jane Elliot's "Blue eyes, brown eyes" exercise
#497 - Economic Inequality and Health, 05-Jun-1996
http://www.rachel.org/en/node/3944
PBS- Unnatural Causes
http://www.pbs.org/unnaturalcauses/explore_learn.htm
Wealth, Income, and Power by G. William Domhoff
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (6)
at 05:34 on October 27th, 2008
Erik Larson, I like this story. It's good stuff.
White Privilege I do not agree with Erik.. It is called money privilege. If you have it, you can do more things. Myself I went to several Colleges to never have obtained my bachelors degree...because there was always something that convinced me to not stay. Whether it was needing work to make money to feed myself or pay the rent, or witnessing a student get gunned downed on campus which I saw at Weber State University in Utah, or being hit on by gays who intimidated me...or the rampant amount of drug use and alcohol use going on...are real good reasons to why I decided the College Gig was a big lie from the get go. I did get my AA from a small private college named Mater Dei College in UpState New York on the St. Lawrence River....but even there it had its alcohol and parties that were noisy and bothersome to have quiet to study.
In todays environment I think white guys are the most discriminated against because everyone uses the excuse that everyone else besides white guys are discriminated against...so they get special privileges....whether affirmative action...or some other gov't program that helps them get on with school.
I am in China trying to start school again online...and you would think it is easy to sign up and begin? It has got to be the biggest headache....
Then I look at people who did get degrees and they have the power today....but their degrees are so outdated and crusty irrelevant documents that it is a misnomer to suggest they have any creditability in their real use... President Bush has a degree from Yale and look at the example of education it gave that guy! He has lot's of bucks....but look what he has done..killed people, lies, war, and wrecking the economy. .It is quite disturbing to think education means success...in fact the more I see things unfold.....the more I conclude well Dom Jermano perhaps getting that degree would be the biggest mistake in your life...Just ask the people who served at Enron....and now this big Banking Bailout fiasco.....I am not shedding tears today for not getting the degree....that everyone has been rainsing a stink about to include the noise about white privilege vs. discrimination...
Rev. Jermano
at 09:37 on October 27th, 2008
"It is called money privilege"- good point; money is power and a great leveler, and basic needs come down to access to money.
However, in the US, from birth to death there are numerous advantages in this world from being white, and numerous disadvantages from being black, and the article lists many examples just from the election campaigns.
I agree, practices that are unfair and even destructive need to be stopped, and the social, economic and political playing fields should be level. I think whites, blacks, everyone and our society would be better off without a system that unfairly advantages or disadvantages someone cuz of their race; everyone should be treated fairly and equally.
at 10:33 on October 27th, 2008
Erik Larson, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 13:19 on October 27th, 2008
Erik Larson, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 16:18 on October 27th, 2008
thanks, Rhonda and Milieunet
at 17:31 on October 27th, 2008
You are very welcome, Erik.