Posted on 08/20/2014 11:58:26 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Because ‘working together’ on Ferguson means nothing unless white privilege gets used for change – and defers to the black experience.
In the days since 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed in broad daylight by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri – amid the flurry of media coverage, the teargas and the wooden bullets, the shameless character shaming of Brown, and the gut-sick heartbreak of his family – all I keep thinking is: Make it stop, white people.
You are the ones who created this godforsaken racist system by using your circumstantial power and privilege 400 years ago to institutionalize white supremacy. Now use that power and privilege you still have, 400 years later, to dismantle it.
And please don’t quibble about whether you have any direct lineage to the architects of racism. You are benefitting from it, so you have a direct responsibility to figure out how to undo it. Because maybe you’ve seen what happens when we black people try to undo it in 2014 – they call in the National Guard.
In between talking with my son to both protect him from the same fate as Michael Brown and empower him to walk tall in his skin, I have tweeted and posted on Facebook about this all week to no avail. Some white friends and acquaintances have said their silence is not complicity, or that we all need to work together. More pointedly, it was suggested in one thread comment that my upbringing – adopted by two white parents and raised in a majority white town – imparts a certain privilege that does not allow me to truly understand the racism toward black people in places like Ferguson.
But cops in places like Ferguson don’t see my white parents – that I learned early on....
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
will someone remind this fool author that 400 years ago this land was founded as one of the very few anglo-saxon sanctuaries on earth - and remains so.
I’m scared of all rage—it’s usually unproductive and all too often misdirected.
Once again they just project onto the White population.
I’m sure they have a White Voices as well, I think I’ll apply to be the managing editor of that. Do you have the link?
some people can’t be happy.
Dead link
Prejudice and gross generalizations — that’s how collectivists roll.
Holder’s fond of both because he’s stupid or an agitator, or both.
Gee whiz. You think that might just be a little...
...Racist?
Why do BLACK people still hold their fellow man in SLAVERY?? see Every muslim and african nation.
...”Did all the successful Asian professionals in the U.S. also benefit from “white privilege”?
Sometimes this stuff is hard to figure out...”...
It is family culture, taking advantage of extraordinary opportunity, staying off drugs, hard work. perseverance and abiding by the laws of the land. That is what Asians do and they are respected for it.
While this article is tripe this is a great question and one that whites need to carefully look at. Why do whites continually allow this kind of crap to manipulate our nation?
Proof that even idiots and asshats can get published..........
Don’t let them use the “400 years” number’ the US had legalized slavery for about 80 years. We’re not responsible for what English, Dutch, and Spanish governments did prior to that. Rather than “centuries”, legalized slavery lasted about an average person’s lifespan in the larger scheme of things.
Ginsburg’s ilk had incredible foresight to know assimilation would never happen (though I disagree with their solution).
...talking with my son to both protect him from the same fate as Michael Brown...
Did you tell your son not to hold up convenience stores? Did you tell your son not to attack police officers? Did you tell your son not to do drugs? Did you tell your son not to write rap songs glorifying criminal activities? Did you tell your son not to involve himself with gangs? Did you tell your son not to hate white people?
I'm guessing "no" on all these questions.
“intrinsic joy at the base of my belly..”
Really bad writing alert.
I have lived north of Atlanta GA. for the last eight years and have had three run ins with bad actors. All three times it was some black person wanting to intimidate a white man. The first was the second day I was here driving down the freeway. A BMW almost hit my truck and as I hit the brakes I hit the horn. The clown comes up along side me and flashes a hand gun. I pull up my fully loaded M-4 and he almost hit the wall getting off the freeway. Should have noticed the Alaska plates as we deal with bears and moose everyday and you are a minor concern. I’m not scared of black people I’m just ready at all times to deal with force on force.
As someone who has lived in inner cities, I’d add one more thing: Don’t walk in the middle of the street daring drivers to run you over.
One of my biggest pet peeves with inner-city blacks.
The thug who was killed in F was walking in the middle of the street - typical.
Casual observation suggests that white people are “scared” of everything.
It may well be this is because white people do not see themselves as a group, I mean look how many groups there are, but there ain’t no white groups, some might say well there is the kkk and neo-nazi’s but the fact is white people keep these groups and others like them under control and subdue them when they get a wild hair up their butt.
“Make it stop, white people. You are the ones who created this godforsaken racist system”....
Excuse me “Ms No Mind” but it is the BLACKS than continue to push racisim via your pals odumbo, Holder, Jessie, Al and a host of others INCLUDING the media. It will stop ONLY when the blacks and those I mentioned stop pushing it. They/you are doing more harm than help.
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