Tim Wise: Race-Talk is a Language White Folks Need to Learn

[TigressDem]

73. My rapes taught me that any color of human can be cruel.

But it is hardly the ENTIRE argument. I simply think that while White Privilege surely exists and we must admit it and own it, to get BEYOND racism and into productive actions against it, we can do better than white wash or white trash entire parts of history.

Historically, I think we look at the actual facts and see where people were being intentionally cruel, where people were not educated or unaware of how their actions affected others and where people tried to help and may have made some progress.

With an HONEST unflinching appraisal which doesn't vilify all whites, which may BE the attempt to talk about White Privilege, but isn't how it plays out.... because any question or request for how to make things better results in being attacked as some type of white supremacist in hiding.... an HONEST unflinching appraisal will help identify problems and solutions.


As for my rapes. Plural.

My first was at a neighbor's house with my Mother and our neighbors. There was a Dad, a Mom, an older sister and a 16 year old boy.

I was being given a black baby doll by the older sister as a gesture of showing me to love and care for all kinds of people by the older sister.

They sent me down to the basement (most likely with no ill intent) with the 16 year old to retrieve the doll from their storage.

He proceeded to ask a 6 year old to "play a game" with him and took off my panties and stuck his dick inside me. I pushed him away because it hurt and he said "OK" gave me the doll and we went back upstairs. I had no idea at that age what the hell had just happened.

Later that year another older boy threatened to tell my Mom that me and his younger brother (5 years old and I was still 6) were doing naughty things if I didn't go into our basement crawl space with him. To protect the younger brother and myself I thought, I went with him. Same basic scenario with a 12 year old white boy as with the 16 year old. My Mother caught "us" and sent him home.

Lecherous "Uncle" tried to put his fingers down my panties. Also white. Chased me from one place to the next trying to get alone with me. I finally told a trusted adult what had been happening and they made that stop too.



NOW if I were to apply the reactions I have gotten for my questions to your question, I could assume you are just a pervert who gets off on listening to rape stories.

BUT I know most people here care about women and while they may feel a rape would color their opinions, wouldn't actually blame them for their rape or get off on the pain and anguish caused.

SO I give you the benefit of the doubt about your intentions and simply asked for that same rule of thumb to be applied to me as well.


Peace