the evolution of a charge: from white privilege to white supremacist

[OneGrassRoot]

13. An aha moment!!!

(My aha moment comes at the end)

Don't you feel that this IS indicative of feeling superior?

Almost no one (well a few fringe types) truly believes any one race is inherently better than the others. But when you talk to white parents about schools, in particular, you certainly get a lot of code words for racism. "Bad" schools, "bad" neighborhoods, etc.

I appreciate your post, btw.

Having been immersed in this for so long, when people say similar things as you describe re: schools and such, at the heart of it I happen to believe that it does come down to people feeling superior.

Granted, we can feel superior for a multitude of reasons (our level of education, for example). It isn't that we dislike "the others," but it does mean that we feel superior.

I feel this can be very true of someone who doesn't want their children to go to "bad" schools, which are "bad" because of poverty...and it so happens that most of the students are students of color. (I think some people CAN make the distinction, recognizing the systemic, racist history which has led to a school or area being "bad" and have no bias against people of color but don't want their children in harm's way or undereducated, but I think most people develop a knee-jerk reaction and DO start to view non-white people as inferior in some ways, even if they're not aware of it.)

I think I just had an aha moment.

Charges of racism and bigotry and supremacy imply that racists, bigots, supremacists DISLIKE The Other. I don't think that's always true. I think the charges of paternalism reflect this. Many people of color perceive the admonitions "now isn't the time," "BLM is shooting themselves in the foot," etc., etc. as white people feeling entitled to set the narrative. That entitlement indicates a feeling of being superior. It doesn't mean the white person doesn't like The Other based on their skin color, but they do feel superior and entitled to set the narrative.

Just as very often men do the same thing to women. There isn't dislike, but there is a feeling of superiority.

And when someone feels superior to another based on skin color, that's white supremacy.


As an aside, I always try to be careful to distinguish racist/bigoted BEHAVIOR or views versus someone who has clearly, repeatedly and consistently exhibited these views and then referring to them as a racist/bigot.