General Discussion

kwassa

(23,340 posts)

32. Your argument holds no water. It never has held water.

Mon May 23, 2016, 03:45 PM

May 2016

You make the assumption that this white person struggling to pay rent and medical bills can't understand the concept: that his struggle would be worse if he was also black. Why do make such an assumption?

White privilege refers to the idea that in a identical situation where two individuals, one a white, and one a minority, face the same circumstances, the white has an advantage.

Just because you CHOOSE to misconstrue this concept, doesn't make your choice true.

By the way, President Obama is not the arbiter of proper racial discussion.

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Let's talk about white privilege. [View all] yardwork May 2016 OP

People get defensive about it, for some reason. cyberswede May 2016 #1

I can understand the defensiveness. We still have to confront it. yardwork May 2016 #2

Perhaps because of the name Matrosov May 2016 #9

Very good points. yardwork May 2016 #10

+1 nt ProudProgressiveNow May 2016 #87

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2016 #3

Welcome to DU. Iggo May 2016 #4

In my case, accepting that it exists was difficult until I really understood it Orrex May 2016 #5

there are lots of minority drivers around hill2016 May 2016 #14

You'd have to ask them. Orrex May 2016 #15

Thank you for that post. Yes, that's it, I think. yardwork May 2016 #64

Nah, not into Kafkatrapping. Shandris May 2016 #6

You're the first person to mention this on DU MrScorpio May 2016 #54

Your final sentence is interesting. Shandris May 2016 #56

The Freepers themselves have been discussing it for almost a decade... MrScorpio May 2016 #58

"See, since they deny it, its part of their privilege." Shandris May 2016 #59

Hey, I wasn't the first and only person... MrScorpio May 2016 #61

Good job. "Shandris uses words that someone I don't like uses, even though it's totally accurate!" Shandris May 2016 #62

The reason why I know how that phrase works is because I too deal with my own share... MrScorpio May 2016 #63

This seems like quite an overreaction to Mr. Scorpio's posts. yardwork May 2016 #67

No thanks, I know this technique. Shandris May 2016 #70

Never heard that phrase before. Have you read anything by Kafka? yardwork May 2016 #65

You won't find it in any of his books... MrScorpio May 2016 #76

And the user refuses to explain it here. Pffft. yardwork May 2016 #78

Wingers have used him to create their own Catch 22 MrScorpio May 2016 #80

I was thinking the same thing! They're illustrating a number of his own points..... yardwork May 2016 #82

I recognize my privilege as a fair skinned Black/Latino Man UMTerp01 May 2016 #7

Thank you for this post. I think that fear is at the base of a lot of racism. yardwork May 2016 #69

We can be allies. apnu May 2016 #8

I agree! Whites have to speak up, often and loudly. We can use our position of privilege for good. yardwork May 2016 #71

Yes! apnu May 2016 #89

Our survival as a species is too abstract a concept for anything The2ndWheel May 2016 #11

I like the way that you are looking at potential practical interventions. yardwork May 2016 #73

I can only control my own actions... TipTok May 2016 #12

The Golden Rule. There's a lot to be said for it. yardwork May 2016 #74

A lack of empathy is not an admirable thing. athena May 2016 #95

Are you suggesting that I can control other people's actions...? TipTok May 2016 #97

Thank you for your posts. yardwork May 2016 #13

Only an idiot would deny that racism exists. Nye Bevan May 2016 #16

Only an idiot would deny white privilege exists. kwassa May 2016 #25

I think the reason that President Obama has never used the phrase "white privilege" Nye Bevan May 2016 #27

President Obama is not the arbiter of racial issues in the United States. kwassa May 2016 #40

I find his speeches on racism to be pitch-perfect. Nye Bevan May 2016 #44

But you haven't the faintest idea of how he feels about white privilege. kwassa May 2016 #50

I think you're right. yardwork May 2016 #75

I think you're both right. yardwork May 2016 #77

As a very dark skinned black male I mostly feel white privilege (though I don't like the term much) forjusticethunders May 2016 #17

+1. Nye Bevan May 2016 #18

Though to clarify I think "white privilege" is a good term for one SPECIFIC aspect of racism forjusticethunders May 2016 #20

"Denial of racism" is probably a better term for that (nt) Nye Bevan May 2016 #23

White privilege works just fine. kwassa May 2016 #26

I'm not sure how someone needs to be "privileged" to petulantly deny an obvious truth, Nye Bevan May 2016 #29

You've been doing your darndest to deny white privilege for years on DU. kwassa May 2016 #33

Oh no, you must have seen my racism-minimizing posts like this one from last year: Nye Bevan May 2016 #45

You only see blatant racism, and deny that other types exist. kwassa May 2016 #49

Privilege is a loaded word FLPanhandle May 2016 #19

Yep. Telling a white person who is struggling to pay rent and medical bills Nye Bevan May 2016 #22

Your argument holds no water. It never has held water. kwassa May 2016 #32

I can see that you don't like to use the word "racism", Nye Bevan May 2016 #34

Racism and privilege are different concepts. kwassa May 2016 #37

If no cop was racist, there would be no such thing as "driving while white" privilege. Nye Bevan May 2016 #41

If it is too deep for you to understand .... kwassa May 2016 #51

Alternatively: it's too deep for you to explain. arely staircase May 2016 #88

But it isn't too deep for me to explain. kwassa May 2016 #90

Well, that's part of the point Scootaloo May 2016 #85

One thing privilege can mean Mike__M May 2016 #21

You think it's just white people? cagefreesoylentgreen May 2016 #24

Thank you for a very thoughtful post philosslayer May 2016 #38

Thanks cagefreesoylentgreen May 2016 #53

I can certainly understand your frustration philosslayer May 2016 #55

This is but one reason I no longer talk about this issue nadinbrzezinski May 2016 #68

My wife, who is Latina (and gay, and female) has had very similar experiences. yardwork May 2016 #84

? cagefreesoylentgreen May 2016 #86

Hi! yardwork May 2016 #91

careful Skittles May 2016 #94

White Privilege libodem May 2016 #28

I believe that I can help... MrScorpio May 2016 #30

How about a cute cartoon where a chirpy twentysomething white girl Nye Bevan May 2016 #31

How about you actually read up on it and understand it .... kwassa May 2016 #35

Actually I'm referring to essays and lectures by academics and activists MrScorpio May 2016 #36

Ah, academics who are dedicating their lives to the study of white privilege. Nye Bevan May 2016 #39

Cursing the messenger without even seeing the message... MrScorpio May 2016 #42

Hey, everyone has to earn a living. (nt) Nye Bevan May 2016 #43

Helping the beneficiaries of white privilege in their becoming more self-aware... MrScorpio May 2016 #46

Yes. Go white privilege profs and chirpy cartoons. Nye Bevan May 2016 #47

You're an adult... And MrScorpio May 2016 #52

So, you know better than scholars that closely study the subject? kwassa May 2016 #48

First it is real nadinbrzezinski May 2016 #72

Actually, I think you're missing the mark here. yardwork May 2016 #81

Please do! I think that people here on DU are interested in discussing this issue. yardwork May 2016 #79

Should I start an OP with all the references? MrScorpio May 2016 #83

Go for it! yardwork May 2016 #92

Cool, here we go! MrScorpio May 2016 #93

Let's especially discuss it because there are people posting here who stalk other posters on their Squinch May 2016 #57

The Color is Green scuciti May 2016 #60

I do, but not on DU anymore nadinbrzezinski May 2016 #66

As a white woman, I feel I can trust the police. athena May 2016 #96