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funjumper101

White Privilege

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This is Your Nation on White Privilege
By Tim Wise [white anti-racist activist & writer]
9/13/08
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For those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.
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White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family as challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters
of social decay.
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White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.
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White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some course work at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.
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White privilege is when you can claim that being mayor of a town smaller than most medium-sized colleges, and then Governor of a state with about the same number of people as the lower fifth of the island of Manhattan, makes you ready to potentially be president, and people don't all piss on temselves with laughter, while being a black U.S. Senator, two-term state Senator, and constitutional law scholar, means you're "untested."
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White privilege is being able to say that you support the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance because "if it was good enough for the founding fathers, it's good enough for me," and not be immediately disqualified from holding office -- since, after all, the pledge was written in the late 1800s and the "under God" part wasn't added until the 1950s -- while believing that reading accused criminals and terrorists their rights (because, ya know, the Constitution, which you used to teach at a prestigious law school requires it), is a dangerous and silly idea only supported by mushy liberals.
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White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you.
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White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.
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White privilege is being able to make fun of community organizers and the work they do -- like, among other things, fight for the right of women to vote, or for civil rights, or the 8-hour workday, or an end to child labor -- and people think you're being pithy and tough, but if you merely question the experience of a small town mayor and 18-month governor with no foreign policy expertise beyond a class she took in college -- you're somehow being mean, or even sexist.
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White privilege is being able to convince white women who don't even agree with you on any substantive issue to vote for you and your running mate anyway, because all of a sudden your presence on the ticket has inspired confidence in these same white women, and made them give your party a "second look."
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White privilege is being able to fire people who didn't support your political campaigns and not be accused of abusing your power or being a typical politician who engages in favoritism, while being
black and merely knowing some folks from the old-line political machines in Chicago means you must be corrupt.
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White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good, church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result
of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.
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White privilege is not knowing what the Bush doctrine is when asked by a reporter, and then people get angry at the reporter for asking you such a "trick question," while being black and merely refusing to give one-word answers to the queries of Bill O'Reilly means you're dodging the question, or trying to seem overly intellectual and nuanced.
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White privilege is being able to claim your experience as a POW has anything at all to do with your fitness for president, while being black and experiencing racism is, as Sarah Palin has referred to it a "light" burden.
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And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren't sure about that whole "change" thing. Ya know, it's just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.
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Whites exercise "white privilege" in the examples you gave, blacks exercise "black privilege" when they gain entry to colleges or advantages in employment or favorable decisions on loans because of their race.

But then there are all those other colors. Whose privilege should they get to use? Perhaps we could have a yellow privilege and a tan privilege. A red privilege, too, although recently that would seem to apply more to Brits visiting Socal without a comprehension of the function of sunscreen.

We'll all be better off when color privileges go the way of separate bathrooms.

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That's what I was thinking. That article had nothing to do with racism....or white priviledge.

Having a dark complexion has allowed me to experience racism so I am usually one of the first people (many times the only one) to say something. The way I see it is if I'm not fighting it, nobody is. Perhaps one dz.com will follow suit but I doubt it. Prejudice seems to be accepted as ok on this site.

We've finally come to a point in this country where a black man has a legitimate chance at the oval office and yet this "activist" still feels the need to cry foul. Think he has an agenda other than fighting racism?

Also did anyone else other than me see the irony in someone who calls Palin trailer trash posting an article like this?
www.FourWheelerHB.com

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I hope you've got your asbestos underpants on.;)

You're about to hear from all the people who can't stand to hear that racism still exists.
;)

On the first statement. LMAO. Secondly. Make sure you spell properly.
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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Whites exercise "white privilege" in the examples you gave, blacks exercise "black privilege" when they gain entry to colleges or advantages in employment or favorable decisions on loans because of their race.

But then there are all those other colors. Whose privilege should they get to use? Perhaps we could have a yellow privilege and a tan privilege. A red privilege, too, although recently that would seem to apply more to Brits visiting Socal without a comprehension of the function of sunscreen.

We'll all be better off when color privileges go the way of separate bathrooms.

And teach those Brits to do PLFs properly. A few young military boys came to DeLand a few years back for AFF training. OMG. I was spewing beer watching them to learn PLFs.
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

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That's what I was thinking. That article had nothing to do with racism....or white priviledge.

Having a dark complexion has allowed me to experience racism so I am usually one of the first people (many times the only one) to say something. The way I see it is if I'm not fighting it, nobody is. Perhaps one dz.com will follow suit but I doubt it. Prejudice seems to be accepted as ok on this site.

We've finally come to a point in this country where a black man has a legitimate chance at the oval office and yet this "activist" still feels the need to cry foul. Think he has an agenda other than fighting racism?

Also did anyone else other than me see the irony in someone who calls Palin trailer trash posting an article like this?



"Prejudice seems to be accepted as ok on this site."

Please expand on this statement for me. I was surprised you said this. I know I do not have your experiences and I really want to hear your perspective on this.
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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I hope you've got your asbestos underpants on.;)

You're about to hear from all the people who can't stand to hear that racism still exists.
;)

On the first statement. LMAO. Secondly. Make sure you spell properly.


I cant think of anybody who thinks it does not exist. I for one do not think it is bad as some post here, but I still think it exists
"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

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I don't think he likes her, do you?



funjumper101, made an unfortunate subject line. I'm not certain he realized that "White Privilege" is the overall title and theme of Tim Wise's; book, speeches and general philosophy.

For instance, this clip on YouTube is titled "White Privilege" but has nothing to do with Palin, but rather history and Katrina.

Tim Wise is -way- beyond just talking about Palin. To him Palin would be simply a symptom.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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I don't think he likes her, do you?



funjumper101, made an unfortunate subject line. I'm not certain he realized that "White Privilege" is the overall title and theme of Tim Wise's; book, speeches and general philosophy.

For instance, this clip on YouTube is titled "White Privilege" but has nothing to do with Palin, but rather history and Katrina.

Tim Wise is -way- beyond just talking about Palin. To him Palin would be simply a symptom.



I visited the link you provided. No comment.
Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

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From the article posted, Tim Wise seems to be a fucking idiot. I'd have to see something worth reading from him to think otherwise.

The article clearly indicates that race is an issue for him.

:S

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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From the article posted, Tim Wise seems to be a fucking idiot. I'd have to see something worth reading from him to think otherwise.

The article clearly indicates that race is an issue for him.

:S



Go look at the other stuff he has on YouTube.

It's not that race is an issue with him, it's that, according to him (and I believe he makes a reasonable argument), that racism runs rampant in the US by design of the rich elite that founded the US. This was perpetuated, came to a head in the Civil War and continues today.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Au contraire mon ami...oder ganz im gegentail...or whatever.

The article quite clearly indicates that race is an issue for him. He presents many unrelated events in a horrid attempt to smear Governor Palin and blame the derogatory comments about Sen. Obama on racism. The entire article is meant to entice the reader to view things through a racial lens. Wise assumes incorrectly (I hope) that just because he's racially prejudiced, everyone else is too...or will become so by reading his article. What a fucktard.

If being a bigot weren't enough, the closing remarks of the article more firmly plant him in the fucktard category. The man hasn't a clue about basic economics. FIDIOT.

Perhaps he has good things to say elsewhere - definitely not in the article posted. He's a bigot seeking to entice others to view the world through a racial lens as he does. Fuck him. The world would be a better place without such folk. He's not much different than bigots $harpton, Jack$on, David Duke, Farrakhan, or any fucking idiot KKK member.

:S

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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Au contraire mon ami...oder ganz im gegentail...or whatever.

The article quite clearly indicates that race is an issue for him. He presents many unrelated events in a horrid attempt to smear Governor Palin and blame the derogatory comments about Sen. Obama on racism. The entire article is meant to entice the reader to view things through a racial lens. Wise assumes incorrectly (I hope) that just because he's racially prejudiced, everyone else is too...or will become so by reading his article. What a fucktard.

If being a bigot weren't enough, the closing remarks of the article more firmly plant him in the fucktard category. The man hasn't a clue about basic economics. FIDIOT.

Perhaps he has good things to say elsewhere - definitely not in the article posted. He's a bigot seeking to entice others to view the world through a racial lens as he does. Fuck him. The world would be a better place without such folk. He's not much different than bigots $harpton, Jack$on, David Duke, Farrakhan, or any fucking idiot KKK member.

:S



If you could point out which parts are factually untrue, I would really appreciate it.

The reality you appear to live in is very far removed from mine.

It isn't a smear when you are writing the plain truth.

If you can't see even a kernel of truth in the in his writings, I find that to be truly amazing.

He has clearly pointed out the intense double standard applied by the mass media. That you don't like having your nose rubbed in it is TFB. He speaks the painful truth.

Racism is a real, ongoing issue in the USA, like it or not.
That you don't see it doesn't make not exist. The way that Palin, et al, has gotten a pass on real, concrete issues is disgusting.

A real sign of fucktardedness on the part of the righties that you appear to be on board with.

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I don't see a kernel of truth in this idiot's writing. That you see some is your issue. Too fucking bad.

Since it's not obvious, let's start off with this gem of a quote:

"White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because "every family as challenges," even as black and Latino families with similar "challenges" are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters
of social decay. "

First of all, bigot Wise assumes it's a racial issue with society because it is with him. Newsflash: just because he's a racist doesn't mean everyone else is. Some single mothers are seen as responsible and others are seen as irresponsible. The younger the mother, the more likely she is to be seen as irresponsible. Race is a non-sequitur. I don't know any conservative who DOES think Bristol Palin is the personification incarnate of responsibility, truth be told.

I think it pretty obvious that leftist cowards are attacking a seventeen year old girl to get at her mother. I also think it a fairly safe assumption that Sarah Palin didn't twist her daughter's arm, pour vodka down her throat, and strip whatever-his-name-is' pants off and throw them in bed together as well. The fact that teen pregnancy is a fairly often and tragic occurrence seems to be lost on many. The cowards - Mr. Wise among them - capitalizing on this young lady's choice for political gain are the lowest of scum.

Besides being a scumbag preying on a teen for political gain, this worthless fuck Wise decides to make it a race issue. What a piece of shit.

The fact that racism exists in America is pretty obvious. One only need read Wise's article to see what a bigot he is. Or listen to $harpton or Jack$on for a bit. Then again - look at the platform of your beloved party. Support of racial discrimination has been a pillar thereof for quite some time - it's just called affirmative action. And running like cowards from that fact is a trademark of its supporters. Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that they'd seek to prey on a teen given that fact.

I can continue to the next paragraph...but I have a better idea. Why don't you prove Wise actually HAS a point. Other than proving himself a racist and making moronic assumptions and smears? That would be ever so nice...right after you find a perpetual motion machine would be my guestimate on when you'll be successful....

:S

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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Bill Oreilly also ran with his FOX/GOP talking points saying,


‘Millions of families are dealing with teen pregnancy, and as long as society doesn't have to support the mother, father or baby, it is a personal matter. It's true that some Americans will judge Governor Palin and her family, and she will have a hard time running for vice president if there is much more chaos. For the sake of her and her family, we hope things calm down. This country needs a vibrant policy debate, not a soap opera.’

However when Jamie Lynn was pregnant this is what he had to say:

'Now most teens are pinheads in some ways. But here the blame falls primarily on the parents of the girl, who obviously have little control over her or even over Britney Spears. Look at the way she behaves. And by the way, the mother, Lynne Spears, has reportedly already sold pictures of the upcoming baby of her 16-year-old for a million bucks. Incredible pinhead.
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Speed Racer
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I ignore anything to do with the Spears clan, but in this case, so what? Those morons apparently made a public spectacle of themselves and O'Reilly was attacking their mother apparently - not them. And not for political gain for himself or to get at their parent. He went for the parent directly.

For the record, O'Reilly is an arrogant ass. He's dead on quite a bit of the time, though. I think the paparazzi should leave the twits alone and let them have a life. They're obviously having a tough time of it. O'Reilly should have shown some class and left the hell alone too. I don't read a damned thing about them unless it comes across the news screen - and then I turn away. Fidiots.

:S

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

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