Re: Agree one hunnert
 

At least they got shut down.

I have to say, the Post has been doing some good work lately.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

So a black female friend posted a FB thing about an experience she had in a steam room where she was with two other black women chatting away. Then a white woman walked in. The older of the two clammed up. When the white woman left the older woman said "I hate them!" My friend wrote about how she tried to talk the lady through it. Then a white friend of hers posted "good for you for telling this person off," or some such shit.

Then the internet exploded- she had black friends from a range of positions attacking the white woman (and reinforcing my promise to never ever talk about anything on FB) and then the discussion moved to her ignorance of her "privilege."

THEN a white guy said "I was very aware of my privilege, that's why I never sought out an executive job, but instead work doing something lower key."

It was one of the ten dumbest things I've read (and keep in mind I never put Sidd on ignore)- first all white people got the promise of an executive job? Someone tell Adder-

But worse, assuming the guy could get an executive job, shouldn't he take it, then hire minorities? I mean, isn't that the best thing to do?

Also, across the 300 posts there were so many flavors of what the privilege means that my brain hurt.

That same woman runs a storytelling show. I was rehearsing a story for her. It is about 3 young black kids I took under my wing, and helped. And as I saw them move through the world, I saw them exposed to hearing racist stuff from whites. So I started confronting things when I heard them voiced.

The woman said, "this story is about white privilege" and I got that. Being in a position to have choices like that is part of the privilege. I think recognizing the playing field is not equal is critical. The real question is where you go with that realization.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

True, but you don't listen to yourself much.

This may make the list of the second ten dumbest things I've heard said. But the competition for top 10 is pretty fierce.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

I guess what I find troubling is that the UK appears not to care.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

Gotta like this guy:

Even more...


(Cue posts showing that he's a raging Islamaphobe or something….)

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

NOTE: THIS POST IS NOT DIRECTED AT G3 PERSONALLY (OR ANYONE ELSE FOR THAT MATTER) AND THE EXAMPLES ARE NOT AIMED AT ANY ONE PERSON'S EXPERIENCE. WHENEVER THE TERM "YOU" IS USED, IT IS AIMED AT ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IN PARTICULAR.

For me, it's about driving ignorance, hate, and stupidity into a corner. Most people who think we should register Muslims and/or ban them from coming into the country or who think black people deserve to be shot by police or who think gay people should have no rights are stupid and/or isolated (live in communities where small-minded jackasses are everywhere). If they never get pushback they are emboldened. If they aren't corrected, they think they're correct. One may not be able to have a rational conversation with them, but you can let them know that you don't think that shit is ok. They need to hear that as often as possible.

This is a small thing. This isn't my mother fighting her own family, the entire neighborhood, many of her friends, and society in general when she married a black man. This isn't gay people having to protect themselves from attacks on the streets in NYC. This isn't Mexican-Americans having to constantly prove that they are indeed citizens. This is letting someone know that they are being small-minded, hateful and stupid. Sure it can create an uncomfortable atmosphere, but is that really an answer? Who gives a shit? Why the fuck would you want to maintain comfort around a bigot? Fuck them. Sure it's frustrating arguing with someone who is immune to facts, but if everyone who experienced ignorant shit pushed back, we'd all experience less ignorant shit.

I come across black people who think Jews run everything and try to screw people all the time. I never let that shit go. I come across people who think gay people should be discriminated against. Again, I let them know it's not acceptable. I am not singling you out, of course. I just think that this whole idea that it's inconvenient to let someone know when they're being a fucking jackass is crazy.

I don't like that 'privilege' has become shorthand for everything. The word is now like the term 'politically incorrect' in that it has taken on a life of its own. But the flaw with what you just wrote is that there is the chance for everyone 'get their piece of privilege.'

Capitalism is designed such that there will always be winners and losers. And that's okay. The three issues, as I see it, are (i) how do we keep the number of losers as low as possible, (ii) how do we ensure that people lose or win for the 'right' reasons, and (iii) how do we create a system that provides everyone the same opportunity to win (understanding that some people are trying to work their way out of a hole that you have never found yourself in)? Those may actually all be the same thing, I don't know. But this "I'm not going to feel guilt for what I have" sentiment is a red herring. It's a way to avoid the issue about what one is prepared to do going forward.

If you're a white kid who has substandard grades such that you can't get in to UT even though you would have qualified as a legacy if things were done the way they used to be done (and even though you went to another great school, graduated and got a great job in finance), is it privilege to sue all the way to the Supreme Court (on which sits a judge who suggests that blacks should stick to less prestigious universities) because you think that automatic entrance is the natural state of things? I'm not saying that you should spend your time feeling guilty about your own legacy entrance, if that may be a reason why you got in to a great school. I'm asking you to change how you think about college admission and what white people believe they deserve. I'm asking you to take a fair look at a system that is currently set up to give an inordinate amount of opportunity to one group and to understand that when one white kid misses out on a fantastic opportunity, it is not a federal fucking issue.

If you're a white person in the suburbs who has only ever had positive experiences with the police and you are confronted with clear police brutality based on the implicit bias that black men are criminals and dangerous and have superhuman strength, I'm not asking you to address your privilege by feeling guilty about your positive interactions with police. I'm asking you to rethink the presumption of honesty you grant the police based on your privilege.

Tons of examples. But I'll tell you this, if a side-effect of this exercise is you feeling a little guilty about what your privilege got you, I don't really care.

TM

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

This did not happen. Whoever said this is completely full of shit.

TM

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

happened, and was not satirical.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

I generally agree with much of this, subject to tweaks around the edges. But I confess to lacking patience sometimes to drive the ignorance and hate into a corner; sometimes I just snark at it. Yeah, better to push back. And on the privilege stuff, the language is just so restricting, it's possible to talk about race, class, gender, etc., without the language. Back in my day, we talked about oppression and it got across the idea that there wasn't just some bestowed privilege but that people were benefiting specifically from others being kept down. I've got no doubt some people are privileged, but some people also are working hard to "privilege" themselves at others expense, and don't really give a shit.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

I'm not saying you didn't read it. I'm saying the guy is full of it. Maybe you know he actually turned down a position because of his privilege. If he did, I would like to meet him and shake him by the hand because he is a real live unicorn (with hands, which is super rare).

TM

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

No, I agree he is full of shit.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

Has anyone heard who is going to get the Lindsay Graham supporter?

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

A friend of mine is working on his endorsement speech. He's looking for a polite way to say "Fucked if I know which one of them is the least bat-shit." Let me know if you have any ideas I can share.

Re: Agree one hunnert
 

I'm very sad to see Lindsay Graham go. He's been my favorite Republican for years now. Not that I'd ever vote for him, but I have a soft spot for him.*

*Note: this is not an invitation to show me why my "support" is misplaced. I don't support him or his positions. I just like the guy. I cannot say that of most other professional republicans.