General Discussion

Sympthsical

(10,867 posts)

35. That's why the exercises are so pointless

Wed Dec 8, 2021, 12:52 PM

Dec 2021

You go back far enough, you're going to find something. Hell, sometimes you don't even have to go back that far. I have no illusions that a self-contained white immigrant community wasn't festooned with major league racists. During the Civil War, the Irish in New York rioted over the draft and saw emancipated slaves as competition for labor. They had to bring out the bishop to chill them out.

It's not admitting it. It's the attempted suffusion of guilt into the present day descendants that makes people roll their eyes. "Address Your History." Ok, I did, at least as far as America goes that I know of. Couldn't tell you what they got up to over yonder. Probably something. Everyone's ancestors got up to something. And I do mean everyone's ancestors - not just white people.

All anyone can do is make the present day better.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

114 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

White Americans Fail to Address Their Family Histories [View all] BeckyDem Dec 2021 OP

While in the Navy, I encountered an AA fellow with the same surname as me EYESORE 9001 Dec 2021 #1

"my infinite cousin" Mopar151 Dec 2021 #2

Do you remember in Forest Gump DENVERPOPS Dec 2021 #31

I've known most of my life that my ancestors owned slaves csziggy Dec 2021 #3

Thanking you so much for talking about it. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #6

Same here, and I've switched to using the phrase "held people in slavery" DeeNice Dec 2021 #51

That is a much better phrase! csziggy Dec 2021 #103

I come from a deep south family genxlib Dec 2021 #4

Exactly, most don't want to know, thus the fear of CRT. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #7

DNA testing shanti Dec 2021 #68

Yep, you are so right. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #70

Here's some of family race history vlyons Dec 2021 #5

Thank you for sharing your past and that was typical what you experienced at home and BeckyDem Dec 2021 #8

I have no knowledge of my family history past my great-grandparents. Dial H For Hero Dec 2021 #9

African Americans must mostly know their family history to the slave ships. Alexander Of Assyria Dec 2021 #18

My family were potato people Sympthsical Dec 2021 #10

zomg Act_of_Reparation Dec 2021 #12

It's a statistical certainty that everyone has ancestors that did horrific shit. meadowlander Dec 2021 #33

That's why the exercises are so pointless Sympthsical Dec 2021 #35

You're a healthy minded person, many in America are not. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #52

One died in Andersonville, which was a Southern prison camp which was simply a huge Scrivener7 Dec 2021 #11

+1. Not everyone can say that. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #14

I know. I am really proud to have received some of their genes. Scrivener7 Dec 2021 #15

+1 BeckyDem Dec 2021 #39

Interesting. My Mothers side in Virginia literally were divided...brother against brother... Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #32

Reading some of the post below was quite interesting. Dan Dec 2021 #13

Those who fear CRT don't want to know, don't want any reminders either...imho. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #16

I doubt it is possible for me to do much research on my Dad's side...he left when my Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #27

I fear CRT because it could cost us multiple elections...I do not think we need to deal with this Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #30

Remember we didn't choose this fight... scrabblequeen40 Dec 2021 #37

Republicans want to ban all sorts of education AZProgressive Dec 2021 #67

And thats why racial issues have been, well, issues for so damn long. Lancero Dec 2021 #77

Maybe they just don't care...I wouldn't. I have not done the genetic thing but my brother has Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #28

You sound like a good person. Dan Dec 2021 #43

I only knew one great-grandparent and she talked about living in Finland as a young girl Kaleva Dec 2021 #17

He was granted freedom after working enough years..not an unusual story. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #45

It's the name of a restaurant my family would go to when I was young. Kaleva Dec 2021 #49

All great grandparents came to the US sarisataka Dec 2021 #19

Not sure what anyone wants "addressed". My ancestors came from Italy and Poland Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #20

I agree...none of us had any say in what are ancestors did...but we can work for a better Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #25

I struggle with your last statement. plimsoll Dec 2021 #41

Trying to rope everyone's dead white European relatives into a shared lasso of Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #44

Whether you agree or not, Dan Dec 2021 #50

Thank you, some may never understand. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #53

I believe white privilege existed, and still exists. Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #60

I do not believe that any of my comments laid blame. Dan Dec 2021 #61

"At least you're not Black" AncientAndy Dec 2021 #62

I can grasp how America's history, laws, culture, institutions have created injustice that Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #63

Empathy Dan Dec 2021 #96

Well, I do have empathy, for the past Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #102

I understand your point JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #69

Well, conversely, it's also not MY fault that your family had their rights as citizens and Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #78

Except JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #90

They were indeed living in the US Wingus Dingus Dec 2021 #93

People also need to stop talking about their DNA history javihehim Dec 2021 #21

Welcome to DU! n/t GP6971 Dec 2021 #23

Could you please explain more about your perspective on this? Cassidy Dec 2021 #42

All of our ancestors did horrible things to one another. Yours, mine, everyone's. Dial H For Hero Dec 2021 #59

Maybe in Africa or Europe JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #75

Our human ancestors go back around a quarter million years. Dial H For Hero Dec 2021 #76

Not in America JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #92

+1. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #107

Mali was selling slaves to Europe and the Middle East long before Christopher Columbus even sailed. cinematicdiversions Dec 2021 #82

Well my ancestors were the good ones JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #89

In that situation Zeitghost Dec 2021 #64

Or Vice versa. BannonsLiver Dec 2021 #66

Amen JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #71

Both sides of my family jonstl08 Dec 2021 #22

Some folks never change, unfortunately. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #48

CRT will be used to decimate Democrats in the midterms and that is a fact...I think Demsrule86 Dec 2021 #24

Curious... why would CRT "decimate" Democrats? Caliman73 Dec 2021 #40

I agree JustAnotherGen Dec 2021 #73

wait are you saying CRT is real? fescuerescue Dec 2021 #26

My only Civil War ancestor was in an Illinois cavalry regiment Klaralven Dec 2021 #29

People here in Colorado who brag about their heritage DENVERPOPS Dec 2021 #34

Thank you for saying that! Cassidy Dec 2021 #38

Not my white family DavidDvorkin Dec 2021 #36

"is on land that was taken by violence." As is all land around the world generally nt EX500rider Dec 2021 #84

Very true. DavidDvorkin Dec 2021 #87

my kids are descended from a slave, a slave owner, and had family on both sides of the civil war Amishman Dec 2021 #46

100% Italian in this country from the late phylny Dec 2021 #47

It's impossible for me to ignore my family history. I'm only two generations removed from the Klan. Aristus Dec 2021 #54

That is intense. Countless stories of good people who would not participate with the Klan BeckyDem Dec 2021 #55

My family has been here since 1750 Maeve Dec 2021 #56

Your post is awesome, thank you. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #57

The truth is often ugly but a neccessary step radius777 Dec 2021 #58

Well stated, thank you. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #72

I'll be calling a press conference to apologize for my dead ancestors. BannonsLiver Dec 2021 #65

Sounds familiar. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #74

Before dad passed away, mom did a lot of research on his family. Torchlight Dec 2021 #79

Precisely. I truly appreciate you sharing that history. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #80

Black folks aren't perfect, either. old as dirt Dec 2021 #81

Obama is a descendant of Jefferson Davis and a cousin of Dick Cheney. cinematicdiversions Dec 2021 #83

Simon Bolivar, democracy, and the bandits of Patia old as dirt Dec 2021 #86

I missed the part where anyone argued 'black folk are perfect' Torchlight Dec 2021 #88

Don't mind me. old as dirt Dec 2021 #94

Of course. Torchlight Dec 2021 #95

Expect more of the same. I can be a sarcastic asshole in my old age. old as dirt Dec 2021 #98

I didn't see sarcasm, just a knee-jerk defense Torchlight Dec 2021 #99

Well, I wouldn't quite say "nobody", but... old as dirt Dec 2021 #100

All my immediate "ancestors" parents, grandparents, were racist. ismnotwasm Dec 2021 #85

+1. They squirm, some quite visibly. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #91

I did my family tree on Ancestry. milestogo Dec 2021 #97

My family's shame is a lot more recent and possibly more than 1 type Tetrachloride Dec 2021 #101

I know all about my family history, some members were good and did great things, some were bad, Raine Dec 2021 #104

What little I know of my European ancestors leaves me little clue DFW Dec 2021 #105

This is a fascinating thread malaise Dec 2021 #106

Yep. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #108

My grandparents came to America Mossfern Dec 2021 #109

I do know my family's history, back to my great-great-grandparents on both MineralMan Dec 2021 #110

The Scots Irish side of my family held slaves LeftInTX Dec 2021 #111

Thank you for addding your history. When we look back, we're not ever certain what BeckyDem Dec 2021 #112

Even if I had not uncovered it, I would still feel the same LeftInTX Dec 2021 #113

Absolutely. BeckyDem Dec 2021 #114