I am sure many folks have seen this email forward before, and I think it deserves a response. Often, as white folks who disagree with him, it is easier to dismiss it and say, "it's not worth getting into" but perhaps a thoughtful response is in order. So I have copied it here for reference and my response follows various points in bold blue italics:
This is great. I have been wondering about why Whites are racists, and no other race is. Ist point: We need to be clear on what a "racist" is. A racist is someone who exercises power or privelage over others of a different race. Due to the social constructs racism has built (versus the non-existant biological differences between us) we as white people have benefitted from racism, i.e. have certain privelages. In that sense, another race cannot be "racist" without reversing the entire American social construct. However, I think the real meaning of this statement is talking about discrimination. Anyone, white or a person of color, can commit acts of discrimination against the other.
as a result of Proud to be White - Michael Richards makes his point...Michael Richards better known as Kramer from TVs Seinfeld does make a good point. This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act. He makes some very interesting points...Someone finally said it... How many are actually paying attention to this? There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, Asian Americans, Arab Americans, etc. And then here are just Americans. Great point. Exactly. To be American equals white. Ironically, he is admitting here that white is the norm by which everyone else is measured.
You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker, ' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman' ... And that's OK.But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ... You call me a racist. Hmm...well, it's important to recognize the meaning behind those names and words. Many of those words against people of color have historic context that represent or promote hedious acts of violence and domination done against an entire race of people. However, I think it is also a matter of individual response as well, on both sides. I, as a white person, do not take offense at the white names, nor would i use the others.
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you... Uhh...yeah whites have, with the historical stats to prove it. Like the majority of world wars, world wide colonization, atom bombs, etc...
So why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live? Well, let's go back to my 1st point. We live is a white racist society. That means, by default, whites have the INSTITUTIONAL power. So through a historical series of housing laws and policies (GI Bill as an example), with the cooperation of businesses (red lining), a downward spiral was created. The haves lived in a safe little suburbs and the have-nots live in "ghettos", communities without adequate resources and thus prone to violence. Because of the inherent racism present in those laws and policies, the communities were cut along racial lines giving the illusion that if your black ( or anything not white) and live in the ghetto you are a potential criminal.
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day. You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day. You have Yom Hashoah. You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi. You have the NAACP. You have BET... If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists.. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists. If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR, lives we'd be racists.We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that??A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant. If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships. You know we'd be racists. Reality check here. First of all, we did do a lot of only white things, we called it Jim Crow laws. And today, we still do, but not explicitly. We don't need all those White only things because everything already exists to serve us. Again, ironically, his very point, proves mine.
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US . Yet if there were 'White colleges' That would be a racist college..In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights.If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, an d you're not afraid to announce it.But when we announce our white pride, you call us racist! When we do this, don't we usually clothe ourselves in robes and have burning crosses in the yard and ropes in our hands? But i'll come back to the white pride point. As for the earlier comments about marches...why would we need a race march when we already have (collectively speaking as a whole race) rights? And the number of colleges that will turn you away because you're white is...???
You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. And we drop atomic bombs on them, steal their land, rape and murder their women and children, call them savages, use their exaggerated face for our sports enjoyment, etc etc etc. Again, historic context and reality check here...
But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug-dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.I am proud...No, I'm pretty sure the complaints come when a white police officer kills a black man for doing something (or being perceived to be doing something) that he otherwise would simplyhave arrested a white man for. It's about the over reaction (injustice).
But you call me a racist.Why is it that only whites can be racists? See point 1.
There is nothing improper about this e-mail.Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on. I sadly don't think many will. That's why we have lost most of OUR RIGHTS in this country. We won't stand up for ourselves!BE PROUD TO BE WHITE!It's not a crime yet . But getting real close! It's ok to be proud to be white. But again, how to we demonstrate that? And why is it that those that do proclaim it, do so with the threat or action of violence against people of color? Are we proud to be white? Or is it that we don't understand "other" so we desperately try to keep the "other" down in order to feel good about who we are?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki...
When Racism and Foreign Policy Collide
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I’ve been pondering what to write here for about a week. When I read this, I came up with a blank. But a couple of thoughts did come to mind. From above: 'White boy,' 'Cracker, ' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman' ... And that's OK.But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink ... I had a hard time reading the words referring to minorities but not so much the ones referring to the “white” race. That’s interesting. Is it because I am white and in the “majority” that the words hold little meaning for me? Or is it that I am sensitive to the derogative nature of the “minority” words?
I was listening to a speech for President’s Day online today, the speaker was one of Obama’s new cabinet members. He called us a nation of cowards when it comes to race. Hmmm…. Yes. This is what I am. An example: I was at a dinner for a friend’s birthday. Her husband’s family was the majority of attendees. We went to a Mexican restaurant. Before long, the mom started making racist comments about the Latino wait staff, calling them names, which for the life of me I can’t remember right now. I wanted to say something. I wanted to tell the waiter that I was sorry for the attitudes of the other guests towards him and his colleagues. But I didn’t. I was silent. I didn’t want to make an already volatile situation worse. I was a coward.
After that, I began to speak out at home against anyone who visited who used words like nigger or spic or any other racist/discriminatory language. I wouldn’t accept it and I spoke up about it. I told my partner that she could not use those terms in front of me. I didn’t accept it and it was wrong for her to use them! She didn’t like it but did decrease her usage. I told her son that he was not to use those words. He’s an adult so I can’t forbid him to use them all the time but certainly not in my hearing. We ended up having a talk about it and he tried to convince me that nigger wasn’t just used to refer to black people anymore but anyone who doesn’t work. I told him that is still racist and horrible. He too decreased his use of those words around me. It was uncomfortable to confront them but I couldn’t stand it at home! That should be my one safe place from all the horrible-ness of the world.
Well, I’ve left that situation. I think that the different values were one reason. I just never felt right. Too much black and white thinking and too much other-ism. Anything that is different is BAD.
So to the question, am I a racist? I disagree that because I am white that I am racist. If I receive benefit because I am white, but I don’t ask for it, how does that make me racist? I do work against racism around me though I know I need to do better. As I am growing more confident and working in the community, it is becoming even more imperative that I speak out. Trainings like this one help me to have more confidence and more language to resist racism.
I do notice that at times, biased thoughts come to my mind about people because of stereotypes. I try to notice them and let them go. Sometimes I have to remind myself that the thought is a stereotype and biased. I really try to be aware of these. Especially as a social worker, coming into contact with so many people, I must always be aware of what my internal perspective is. All people have biases, I believe its part of our human nature. I think people are scared of that which is different; or at least uncomfortable. I believe the degree to which we are racist or discriminatory is the extent to which we ignore the biases.
Maybe I’m fooling myself. Maybe I’m more of a racist than I am aware of or admitting too. I’m open to finding that out. I may not like it, it will be uncomfortable. But I will work on it and be open to change. We’ll see…
As our society progresses I think race is becoming less of an issue. Not to say that there are no longer racists, but I think the younger generations are less focused on race. However I also believe that people think there is less racism because it is not as obvious as in the past. There is no George Wallace openly speaking at this point in time (well Rush Limbaugh notwithstanding but does anyone actually listen to that guy?). However our whole society is built on racism and there are systems of racism that white people are benefiting and will continue to benefit from. From white flight, inadequate schools (get yourself an education and get a job, how is this possible if your school district is failing), racial profiling, the prison system, environmental racism—unfortunately the list goes on and on. Our whole society is founded on and continues to run by racism and the oppression of others. From the abuse of the Native Americans to slavery to the failure of Reconstruction in the South (due to the refusal for white people to entertain the idea of being equal with black individuals). In class this week we discussed how certain terms are linked. Patriarchy to gender roles, colonialism to racism and capitalism to classism. It is all about having power over someone else and using that power to your gain. In examining racism I think of racism based not only on the color of skin but also in terms of classism. Tied to this is believing you know what is best for a group of people - “Well I’ve read and learned about this and this so this is the best or only possible solution for this person/group.” This based on no actual contact with the person or “group” of people and assuming all have had the same experience in life.
I grew up in a rural, white community, and I never really thought much about race until I came to college. I had learned of the dangers of racism through the Holocaust and Civil Rights Movement but had never had exposure to individuals different from me. I’d like to think I am without racism. I’d like to think that I am able and willing to avoid any assumptions based on appearance. I’m sure this is not the case. I refrain from strongly correcting people when they make a comment that is inappropriate and I try to avoid conflict so I try to approach the subject with tact but maybe making a stand requires more than this. Example- My husband and I were talking to a friend of a friend of the family. He is from Florida and was talking about our neighborhood. He said, “So there’s no like blacks or Puerto Ricans on your street right?” (This just after I told him I was a social worker, so obviously he’s kind of dense). My reply was, “Our street is very diverse and that’s one of the things we like about it.” I did not want to make a scene but maybe I should have been more firm in my response. Goodness is not about skin color. There are good people of every race and bad people of every race.
I’m not sure this problem will ever really go away. Capitalism promotes the use of others for gain and there needs to be systems in society to enable this to happen. Do we really want an equal society? It’s nice to wax poetic on the thought but what are we willing to give up to make this happen? What comforts and privileges are we willing to forgo for liberty and justice for all? Are we ready for a complete and total restructuring of society? As social workers we normally work within the systems to get things done. It’s time to challenge the systems and make lasting change rather than place multiple panaceas on the problems of society, racism-classism-sexism-etc. with no real change.
Civil rights activist coming to UT
By Megan Lewis : February 23rd, 2009
Garrett
In celebration of Black History Month, UT’s Africana Studies Program has invited civil rights activist Dr. James Garrett to speak Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Student Union Room 2592 on Main Campus.
He will talk about African Americans and the global matrix.
Garrett was involved in the civil rights movement through the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and Congress of Racial Equality.
He also led the Black Studies Student Movement in 1968 that resulted in the formation of black studies as a formalized field in the academic world.
In addition, Garrett has worked to establish global development projects in Vietnam, Cambodia, Cuba and the Dominican Republic to prepare youth for work in the 21st century.
For more information of this free, public event, contact the African Studies Program at 419.530.7252.
I have been looking forward to this training ever since it was mentioned last semester! As I have been reading articles on this blog and thinking about what to write, I realize that this work will be a life long journey and it will take continuous work- I think this is a healthy perspective. I usually am pretty hard on myself and expect perfection, so I think it will be good to look at this as a process. I have done a lot of trainings/workshops surrounding white unearned privilege etc. throughout my time at UM undergrad and my time in social work. I've unpacked my "invisible knapsack" of privilege many times. These experiences are always challenging, yet important and good as I feel that it brings to light the truth no matter how uncomfortable and forces us to look at how we got to where we are as well as those parts of ourselves that still fall prey to the lies we have been born into. At this point, according to the article, I feel that I am potentially at the stage of "taking responsibility" hoping to move forward to "collective action" Mainly due to the work I have done at school, the relationships I have built, books I have read, and my committment to further reflection. However I hesitate to pin myself there b/c I feel that I have work to do at all of the stages still and know that there will never be a point at which I "arrive" at being an anti-racist. I also like that the collective action stage is characterized by action and I believe that I am being freshly motivated to seek out these opportunities once I graduate. So I although I may think I have done a lot of work around this, I obviously have a lot more work to do.
One thing that has always been interesting for me is my usual fleeing to talking about and reflecting on sexism as this is really the only category that I would in any way shape or form potentially fit into an oppressed group. I can go on for hours passionately about this topic, yet I become a little more lost for words and uncomfortable if asked to talk about racism. I think this is a little of the guilt and shame associated with being a part of the oppressor group. This is something that I need to watch myself on- that I don't take action to alleviate guilt but instead that I take action for the right reasons- to promote social justice, fight institutional racism and participate in racial reconciliation. Peggy McIntosh put it in a way that was helpful, that its what you do with your privilege that counts. I can't change the fact that I'm white, middle class and was born in America and that I am where I am today based on the un-earned privileges associated with those and other identities. However, I can use the privilege that I have to fight oppression and refuse to give in to thinking that a comfortable life is the goal.
My family has always been a difficult challenge for me in this area. My dad actually does listen to Rush Limbaugh and it scares me. I have tried numerous strategies to help him see the world more clearly and stop listening to that hate. I've had to confront him numerous times and yet, I don't feel like I am getting anywhere...lately I've been trying a more loving confrontational approach yet I don't think I will be the one to really make changes in his heart. One thing that concerns me is that from the time I hit Jr. High his personal mission has been to convert me to his way of thinking. It took me till college to really see how off it was, but I am sure there are still residual affects of this. This is something I need to continue to be conscious of.
I am looking forward to this training and hope to grow more and be open to face things I may be uncomfortable to face. I want my life to be dedicated to fighting for social justice and this is one more stepping stone on that journey.
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