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JaydenD

(294 posts)

43. A must read on white privilege: What My Bike Has Taught Me

Tue Sep 2, 2014, 10:05 AM

Sep 2014

I found this posted at DU a while ago and saved the link, and coincidentally I sent it off to a friend just yesterday and reread it.

http://alittlemoresauce.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/what-my-bike-has-taught-me-about-white-privilege/

What My Bike Has Taught Me About White Privilege

Now sometimes its dangerous for me because people in cars are just blatantly a**holes to me. If I am in the road—where I legally belong—people will yell at me to get on the sidewalk. If I am on the sidewalk—which is sometimes the safest place to be—people will yell at me to get on the road. People in cars think its funny to roll down their window and yell something right when they get beside me. Or to splash me on purpose. People I have never met are angry at me for just being on a bike in “their” road and they let me know with colorful language and other acts of aggression.

I can imagine that for people of color life in a white-majority context feels a bit like being on a bicycle in midst of traffic. They have the right to be on the road, and laws on the books to make it equitable, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are on a bike in a world made for cars. Experiencing this when I’m on my bike in traffic has helped me to understand what privilege talk is really about.

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My problem with "white privilege".... [View all] daleanime Sep 2014 OP

How about discrimination? pipoman Sep 2014 #1

Definitely..... daleanime Sep 2014 #3

According to some on DU whistler162 Sep 2014 #20

I know that there is institutional racism pipoman Sep 2014 #26

but some people do get unearned advantages noiretextatique Sep 2014 #76

So this example is indicative of white people in general? pipoman Sep 2014 #90

of course...but you will never see a black bush as president noiretextatique Sep 2014 #96

deaf, dumb... pipoman Sep 2014 #100

You don't get it at all. White people have inherent, invisible advantages that people of catbyte Sep 2014 #27

I have to disagree FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #51

Sorry, I don't buy it. Class plays a role, but even an elegantly dressed dark skinned person catbyte Sep 2014 #53

Not denying there is racism FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #54

But you fail to appreciate that to stop it from happening to you, all you need is a change catbyte Sep 2014 #66

No difference FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #67

You know, people of color can be poor too gollygee Sep 2014 #68

Maybe it's the word "privilege" FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #69

You're quibbling about semantics. Fine. I obviously can't help you see the difference, I won't try. catbyte Sep 2014 #70

I think it also depends on location. Rhiannon12866 Sep 2014 #91

Yep, pipoman Sep 2014 #107

I agree that we've come miles since then Rhiannon12866 Sep 2014 #110

Short-cuts to rational H2O Man Sep 2014 #88

yup, no one is advocating taking anything away Skittles Sep 2014 #2

True... daleanime Sep 2014 #4

Inequality pipoman Sep 2014 #5

Not a bad option. daleanime Sep 2014 #9

Do you see the privilege or entitlement or both gollygee Sep 2014 #11

Yes, discussing racism in any way..... daleanime Sep 2014 #14

That's obviously not what I said. gollygee Sep 2014 #19

how to force a group within it self not to use certain language treestar Sep 2014 #21

No, you can't get all white liberals to agree, pipoman Sep 2014 #30

wrong pipoman Sep 2014 #29

It is not an inaccurate term gollygee Sep 2014 #50

It is inaccurate if one looks beyond a made up academic pipoman Sep 2014 #57

"made up academic definition" . . . gollygee Sep 2014 #60

Of coarse you are...my way or the hiway as usual pipoman Sep 2014 #72

Not all agree. TM99 Sep 2014 #63

OK so not all agree gollygee Sep 2014 #65

Nope... pipoman Sep 2014 #73

Yeah gollygee Sep 2014 #74

What they agree on is that there is pipoman Sep 2014 #86

This message was self-deleted by its author Maedhros Sep 2014 #101

thought provoking treestar Sep 2014 #83

I have to agree with you on this notadmblnd Sep 2014 #93

I couldn't agree more...and would argue for a stranger if I saw this happen pipoman Sep 2014 #97

I'm not going to talk/argue about what people want to call it. notadmblnd Sep 2014 #105

Also true. ..i don't view it as privilege or advantage pipoman Sep 2014 #109

If you want a non divisive term which will encourage cooperation pipoman Sep 2014 #28

I think the white community followed the African American community on those gollygee Sep 2014 #49

Nonsense pipoman Sep 2014 #55

What about trying to deal with other whites though? treestar Sep 2014 #61

The issue is that the whole anti-racism movement doesn't have to change its language gollygee Sep 2014 #64

What difference does it make who uses what language treestar Sep 2014 #75

You don't think it makes a difference gollygee Sep 2014 #92

But then the white people have privilege treestar Sep 2014 #98

I feel like I've responded to this basic position over and over again in this thread gollygee Sep 2014 #99

exactly, gollygee noiretextatique Sep 2014 #80

Hmmmm Boom Sound 416 Sep 2014 #7

What do you think of the concept of Boom Sound 416 Sep 2014 #111

I think gollygee Sep 2014 #6

That's true..... daleanime Sep 2014 #8

Well gollygee Sep 2014 #10

Well, I guess we're going to disagree...... daleanime Sep 2014 #13

Is it necessary they should feel bad about it? treestar Sep 2014 #22

They don't have to gollygee Sep 2014 #23

if you want their cooperation you will not shut them down pipoman Sep 2014 #35

dead on mercuryblues Sep 2014 #41

absolutely right Skittles Sep 2014 #12

hey, I'm old enough to remember when white privilege was just called racism! MisterP Sep 2014 #15

Me too..... daleanime Sep 2014 #17

And most white people acknowledge racism and discrimination exists pipoman Sep 2014 #38

well, the trouble is... Scootaloo Sep 2014 #87

So we are concerned about the use of the word "racism" pipoman Sep 2014 #89

Bias? Rex Sep 2014 #16

........ daleanime Sep 2014 #18

My mom used to say jamzrockz Sep 2014 #24

I find when using the word "advantage," people get it more readily. n/t OneGrassRoot Sep 2014 #25

I would like to ask you to consider how white privilege can be used to level the playing field Heidi Sep 2014 #31

Thanks Heidi for posting JustAnotherGen Sep 2014 #33

Good morning, you! Heidi Sep 2014 #34

Good morning to you too! JustAnotherGen Sep 2014 #36

Y'all are conspiring to make me smile. Heidi Sep 2014 #37

I would agree JustAnotherGen Sep 2014 #39

This message was self-deleted by its author Heidi Sep 2014 #40

Wow, I wonder if that checker was specifically taught treestar Sep 2014 #78

very likely that instruction was dog whistled to her, whether it was other employees or - like me- bettyellen Sep 2014 #106

This is a perfect example of privilege: gollygee Sep 2014 #108

It's.particularly dumb and derogatory term that assumes all members of a certain group enjoy a 3rdwaydem Sep 2014 #32

sure mercuryblues Sep 2014 #42

Perhaps so but, can we not try and come up with something more precise? 3rdwaydem Sep 2014 #44

I don't mercuryblues Sep 2014 #46

yes terminology makes a difference DustyJoe Sep 2014 #52

I don't recall objection to the times when it was seen in terms of treestar Sep 2014 #81

what term do you propose? noiretextatique Sep 2014 #79

How about "advantage" and "disadvantage" instead? arcane1 Sep 2014 #95

A must read on white privilege: What My Bike Has Taught Me JaydenD Sep 2014 #43

Read it, liked it.... daleanime Sep 2014 #48

I think you''re confusing "infer" and "imply." LanternWaste Sep 2014 #45

I'm in a minority here, but as a white male who grew up painfully poor FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #47

I also mercuryblues Sep 2014 #58

Hardly a privilege if it only provides some supposed and disputed intangible benefits. FLPanhandle Sep 2014 #59

Oh mercuryblues Sep 2014 #62

But it did treestar Sep 2014 #85

I would say both race/class privilege concepts have nuggets of truth. nt alp227 Sep 2014 #82

Inequality in the pursuit of justice happens often enough to perpetuate "white privilege". gordianot Sep 2014 #56

Reminds me of a recent conversation loyalsister Sep 2014 #71

unjust structure to begin with noiretextatique Sep 2014 #84

Mass incarceration and a war on blacks and latinoss... Anansi1171 Sep 2014 #103

how you propose to keep white privilege noiretextatique Sep 2014 #77

sigh rbrnmw Sep 2014 #94

Endlessly....wasting precious time that could actually be spent pipoman Sep 2014 #102

Why do you folks want to silence people who don't have a problem with it? Starry Messenger Sep 2014 #104