Pete Zahut said:
“ Do you think it's helpful to tell someone who did every kind of unpleasant job and struggled to get everything he got, that he's privileged? Especially when there are so many people of color who are doing well and wouldn't stoop to doing any kind of unpleasant job themselves?”
White privilege has nothing to do with your background, your education, or your wealth. Nobody is saying that white people don’t struggle or have problems. White privilege has to do with implicit bias and how you are perceived by others. IN GENERAL (because of course there are always outlying examples) a white person can walk down the street without someone assuming they are a thug, or a criminal, or uneducated, or a danger or a threat.
Pete Zahut said:
“ How awful....someone chose a poorly though out way of complimenting you.”
I mentioned that such comments do not affect my ability to work hard and succeed in life. Yet, it is this attitude, even at the smallest levels that continues to seep into overall mentalities and continuously feed on the stereotypes. And frankly, no stereotypes are good, even if they seem complimentary on the surface because it is lumping you into a group rather than letting you be judged as an individual.
Pete Zahut said:
“ Can't tell you how many times as grown man black people have told me that I dance pretty well for a WHITE BOY? You're kinda cute for a WHITE BOY ?? I didn't think White people liked spicy food.”
You’re right. It’s the same thing but towards you. The difference, however, is that it is white people who GENERALLY control the decision makings at the top . When they bring those implicit biases (oftentimes unintentionally) it contributes to a system of structured bias. How many times can white people say that they’ve been the only white person in any given space? Yes, I am aware that they are MANY white people who live in predominantly black neighborhoods or who use to go to a predominantly black Kingdom Hall, etc. I am speaking ON THE WHOLE. Most white people have never been in that situation. People of color face those environments on a daily basis.
Pete Zahut said:
“ I'm blonde haired blue eyed Brad Pitt lookin baby faced male and I can't tell you how many times women have crossed an empty street when they've seen me coming toward them. How many women have pulled their children in close when I got on an elevator with them. How many times I've been doing the speed limit and pulled over by a white police officer simply because I was in a sporty car and was young. I had a tail light burned out and was afraid I'd get a ticket so I immediately went into an auto parts store to get a bulb. I went outside and began changing my tail light and two police cars suddenly surrounded me and demanded my I.D and wanted to know what I was doing. I got annoyed with them and one of them lunged toward me but fortunately his partner pulled him back otherwise I'd have had my ass kicked. Another time I was driving through my JW friends neighborhood at night and the cops pulled me over because there had been a robbery and they wanted to know what I was doing in that neighborhood.”
Again, you are right. In my previous post I didn’t deny the fact that we ALL have implicit biases. I gave an example of an old women who would RIGHTLY take precaution against a younger stronger man. But there’s a difference between that and taking DIFFERENT precautions between a white man and a black man.
And with the police, again you are right. Policing and police brutality are huge issues. You will get no argument from me there. But there are also some racial elements in policing as well. I AM NOT SAYING THAT ALL POLICE ARE RACIST. I’m saying it is a complex issue that is often a COMBINATION police tactics, training, implicit bias, and yes, structural racism.
Pete Zahut said:
“ Just because you don't hear about police injustice to whites doesn't mean it doesn't happen. ”
I never said that. You are right. That would fall under the category of police brutality, which I have already acknowledged. That doesn’t mean that the racial component is not there.
In conclusion, I have not denied your experiences. Please don’t deny my experiences or the experiences of millions of people of color. Nobody is trying to point the finger at anybody. (Again, a general statement. Anybody can find outlying examples to the contrary of anything.) We just need to work together and collectively solve whatever issues we are facing as a society.
