Missouri Lawmaker Warns Whitey

[Subyman]

A Missouri state senator who has made controversial comments on social media following the shooting death in Ferguson of Michael Brown, an unarmed black man who was killed by a white police officer, is facing renewed criticism over her recent remark apparently about “white privilege.”

State Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal apparently said on Twitter: "LET ME BE CLEAR. When you exercise your #WhitePrivilege, don't think I'm not going to remember. I will use it for the future. Uncomfortable?"

Ouch. Good way to alienate part of your voting base. Seems like "white privilege" is being thrown around haphazardly more often. Nobody goes out to "exercise" their white privilege. She doesn't understand what it means. White privilege combines numerous advantages that a white person typically unknowingly gets simply by being born white. Some include a higher probability of being born into a stable home. A higher chance their parents that have generational wealth and knowledge about the economic world we live in they can bestow upon their youth. A higher chance their parents have been to college and can help their children get to college. A more direct benefit is having a higher chance of being passed over when authorities are profiling.

None of those things do white people "exercise." They are those things. That is a key difference. The awareness of white privilege is to know about them and begin to understand more about other races. Personally, I don't know how "knowing" about white privilege as a white person affects my life or how I should see others. I am who I am.

So her using the genuine discussion of white privilege to condemn an entire race and then say "she has her eye on us" for being who we were born as is insane. She completely misunderstands the term and makes an ass of herself.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...for-more-controversial-post-ferguson-remarks/

 

[TreVader]

White Privilege is being able to afford to go to school to get a degree to understand technology and post on a tech forum about how you don't like some black senator using the term "White Privilege".




If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

 

[Subyman]

White Privilege is being able to afford to go to school to get a degree to understand technology and post on a tech forum about how you don't like some black senator using the term "White Privilege".




If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

What does that have to do with the story?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

White Privilege is being able to afford to go to school to get a degree to understand technology and post on a tech forum about how you don't like some black senator using the term "White Privilege".




If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

Sorry, I would hate to say it but I agree with OP.

The whole "White Privilege" which I loathe to hear is something you are born with. In reality, it is simply ignorance to the core. Why you have to toss race into the mix is beyond me, because it is simply ignorance and not knowing what other races struggle with.

But do you know what else is ignorance? White Privilege is ignorance. The entire concept is ignorance.

 

[MongGrel]

WTF is white privilege anyway ?

Just acting like a normal person ?

 

[CurrentlyPissed]

If there is any white privileged here in Missouri its because the other set gave it to us. As in they segrated themselves by their own actions.

 

[Exophase]

White Privilege is being able to afford to go to school to get a degree to understand technology and post on a tech forum about how you don't like some black senator using the term "White Privilege".

That's funny, you say he complained about using the term when he used it and justified its usage in his own post. It wasn't about the term being used, but using it to intimidate people over "exercising" it.

And as is so typical, you then use it as some ad hominem to deflect against what he's saying. As if he needed to get a degree to understand technology to post here. Way to so fantastically stretch that connection.

If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

Being able to say whatever ridiculous thing you want about race relations and having anyone who calls you on it be branded a racist?

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Being able to say whatever ridiculous thing you want about race relations and having anyone who calls you on it be branded a racist?

That is preposterous. What a load of Shi--- Oh wait a second!!! I see what you did there!

 

[Greenman]

WTF is white privilege anyway ?

Just acting like a normal person ?

White privilege is a cultural standard for behavior. It's not something that's granted to you based solely on race as many seem to think. It comes from being part of a culture that respects others, respects property, and respects the law. The term "white privilege" is an attempt to suggest that a culture of respect is something that's exclusionary, that it's something being held from blacks, something to be ashamed of.

I've earned my white privilege through hard work, honesty, and respect. I encourage others to do the same.

 

[TreVader]

That's funny, you say he complained about using the term when he used it and justified its usage in his own post. It wasn't about the term being used, but using it to intimidate people over "exercising" it.

And as is so typical, you then use it as some ad hominem to deflect against what he's saying. As if he needed to get a degree to understand technology to post here. Way to so fantastically stretch that connection.

I was mostly joking, but I should've been clearer about that.

Being able to say whatever ridiculous thing you want about race relations and having anyone who calls you on it be branded a racist?

I am of two minds about the "white privilege". On the one hand, I have non-white family members and I can tell you right now I would never ever want to trade places with them, and appear even part middle-eastern.

On the other hand, when I applied to college I took the SATs and since they had no "middle eastern" race thing I put african-american (my father was born in Cairo). I scored very well, and NAACP offered me a $50,000 scholarship if I were to basically just ask for it. Well, I didn't because I am not black. Or even african. But still, it's bullshit that if you put one race on a college app, you can get in with a 300-600 pt SAT deficit from another race. And $50,000 in scholarship money for an SAT score that would merely warrant a "nice job" to a white guy. Which is what I got.

So IDK.

 

[Exophase]

I was mostly joking, but I should've been clearer about that.

I (like the OP) think white privilege is thing, but I so often see it (and other claims of group privilege) being used to browbeat and guilt people or shut down discussion. So it's hard to tell when people are joking about it, sorry >_>

I am of two minds about the "white privilege". On the one hand, I have non-white family members and I can tell you right now I would never ever want to trade places with them, and appear even part middle-eastern.

On the other hand, when I applied to college I took the SATs and since they had no "middle eastern" race thing I put african-american (my father was born in Cairo). I scored very well, and NAACP offered me a $50,000 scholarship if I were to basically just ask for it. Well, I didn't because I am not black. Or even african. But still, it's bullshit that if you put one race on a college app, you can get in with a 300-600 pt SAT deficit from another race. And $50,000 in scholarship money for an SAT score that would merely warrant a "nice job" to a white guy. Which is what I got.

So IDK.

Well yeah, affirmative action can help some people more than it would have others. There are perhaps also "benevolent sexism" style "advantages" in stereotypes that could apply to some black people, like the assumption that they have large penises or otherwise being more interesting or exotic to some women. It's subjective as to whether or not this is advantageous, disadvantageous, or both. Not that any of it negates other big disadvantages. That's the thing with privilege, being a part of a group that has lack of privilege (or lack of rights even) in some big areas doesn't mean that you can't have privilege in any other areas. But tell that to people who completely go insane when you call anything female privilege.

As far as college goes (and your original statement, even if it was a joke ;p) I went on full loans and grants because my (single) mother made next to nothing, and I don't see why that would have been any less the case were I black. However, I wouldn't have been able to get by on federal loans had I not had substantial grants both from the government and the university due to having good grades in high school. That was over 10 years ago - these days, with university tuition being so much higher and acceptance being even more competitive it'd be harder for anyone to manage this, so coming from a low income home could be a detriment.

And of course, in the long run you still have to repay your loans, and if you don't get a good career getting into college can be more of a curse than a blessing. It's going to be really sad if widespread college debt becomes the next poor people's (and statistically speaking, black people's) burden :/

 

[TreVader]

I (like the OP) think white privilege is thing, but I so often see it (and other claims of group privilege) being used to browbeat and guilt people or shut down discussion. So it's hard to tell when people are joking about it, sorry >_>

No prob. It's a hot button issue and people do use it to shut down conversations. To be honest, I just don't keep company with anybody who would really try to say that kind of thing (and mean it). There is privilege and yeah white people have inherent, implicit advantages but it is not our fault (personally) that we get these advantages and I think most minorities would be perplexed if people were to get angry at them for the way others treat them. But the issue is so dynamic because there is such a massive range of experiences with race relations even just based on geography, let alone socioeconomics. There could be a place (and certainly, there are) in the US where white privilege is rife and black people are subtly denigrated and oppressed. This is a legitimate grievance. I personally know people in Orange Country who are filthy rich, black, and used their race as an advantage to get into good schools. That is also a legitimate grievance, and one that certainly happens too.

The question, really, is which grievance (or similar problem) is more prevalent in your community and that varies from person to person. Overall, I would still say black people get the short end of the stick.

Well yeah, affirmative action can help some people more than it would have others. There are perhaps also "benevolent sexism" style "advantages" in stereotypes that could apply to some black people, like the assumption that they have large penises or otherwise being more interesting or exotic to some women. It's subjective as to whether or not this is advantageous, disadvantageous, or both. Not that any of it negates other big disadvantages. That's the thing with privilege, being a part of a group that has lack of privilege (or lack of rights even) in some big areas doesn't mean that you can't have privilege in any other areas. But tell that to people who completely go insane when you call anything female privilege.

As far as college goes (and your original statement, even if it was a joke ;p) I went on full loans and grants because my (single) mother made next to nothing, and I don't see why that would have been any less the case were I black. However, I wouldn't have been able to get by on federal loans had I not had substantial grants both from the government and the university due to having good grades in high school. That was over 10 years ago - these days, with university tuition being so much higher and acceptance being even more competitive it'd be harder for anyone to manage this, so coming from a low income home could be a detriment.

And of course, in the long run you still have to repay your loans, and if you don't get a good career getting into college can be more of a curse than a blessing. It's going to be really sad if widespread college debt becomes the next poor people's (and statistically speaking, black people's) burden :/

See, I can tell you right now that although I'm sure paying off your own college loans taught you a lot about responsibility and working hard for a goal, it still would've been 10x easier if somebody had handed you the money. My parents payed for my entire schooling out of pocket, but I came from a fairly well off family where that kind of thing was not a huge concern. But I kind of wish I had payed off my own loans, or even had them in the first place, because up until a couple years ago I was pretty ignorant about finances in general.

 

[zinfamous]

Sorry, I would hate to say it but I agree with OP.

The whole "White Privilege" which I loathe to hear is something you are born with. In reality, it is simply ignorance to the core. Why you have to toss race into the mix is beyond me, because it is simply ignorance and not knowing what other races struggle with.

But do you know what else is ignorance? White Privilege is ignorance. The entire concept is ignorance.

what about "White Guilt"?

 

[Thebobo]

WTF is white privilege anyway ?

Just acting like a normal person ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_privilege

"White privilege (or white skin privilege) is a term for societal privileges that benefit white people in western countries beyond what is commonly experienced by the non-white people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances.[note 1] These privileges are unearned and are distributed based on values of the dominant group, which in the west is white people.[1] According to McIntosh and Lee, whites in a society considered culturally a part of the Western World enjoy advantages that non-whites do not experience.[1] This leads to the controversy over whether or not White people should be able to enjoy these privileges. The term denotes both obvious and less obvious passive advantages that white persons may not recognize they have, which distinguishes it from overt bias or prejudice.[2] These include cultural affirmations of one's own worth; presumed greater social status; and freedom to move, buy, work, play, and speak freely.[1] The effects can be seen in professional, educational, and personal contexts.[3] The concept of white privilege also implies the right to assume the universality of one's own experiences, marking others as different or exceptional while perceiving oneself as normal.[4][5]

Academic perspectives such as critical race theory and whiteness studies use the concept of "white privilege" to analyze how racism and racialized societies affect the lives of white people.

Some critics argue that the term uses the concept of "whiteness" as a proxy for class or other social privilege or as a distraction from deeper underlying problems of inequality.[6][7] Others argue that it is not that whiteness is a proxy but that many other social privileges are interconnected with it, requiring complex and careful analysis to identify whiteness' contributions to privilege.[8] Other critics of the idea propose alternate definitions of whiteness and exceptions to or limits of white identity, arguing that the concept of "white privilege" ignores important differences between white subpopulations and individuals.[9][10] This means that the notion of whiteness is not inclusive of all White people. Critics of white privilege also note that there is a problem with the interpretation of people of color. That is, it fails to acknowledge the diversity of people of color and ethnicity within these groups.[8]"

There will be a quiz on Tuesday!

:whiste:

 

[Subyman]

White privilege is a cultural standard for behavior. It's not something that's granted to you based solely on race as many seem to think. It comes from being part of a culture that respects others, respects property, and respects the law. The term "white privilege" is an attempt to suggest that a culture of respect is something that's exclusionary, that it's something being held from blacks, something to be ashamed of.

I've earned my white privilege through hard work, honesty, and respect. I encourage others to do the same.

That is an interesting take on the issue. I believe almost everything is cultural instead of race-based. White privilege mostly comes down to probabilities, but aligning yourself with the established american culture does help a lot to be able to perform well in the american society. Some are taught those behaviors at a young age, but like you said, they can be acquired later in life and without the family backing. That is harder and less probable.

 

[fskimospy]

White privilege is a cultural standard for behavior. It's not something that's granted to you based solely on race as many seem to think. It comes from being part of a culture that respects others, respects property, and respects the law. The term "white privilege" is an attempt to suggest that a culture of respect is something that's exclusionary, that it's something being held from blacks, something to be ashamed of.

I've earned my white privilege through hard work, honesty, and respect. I encourage others to do the same.

Holy crap, do you actually believe this? That has literally nothing to do with what white privilege is.

 

[Atreus21]

If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

Immunity from criticism.

 

[TreVader]

Immunity from criticism.

TIL cops have black privilege.

 

[Chaotic42]

Holy crap, do you actually believe this? That has literally nothing to do with what white privilege is.

Going way against my better judgement here, as a white male, what is it that I'm supposed to do about my white privilege? I mean, what is it that people want of us? I can't stop being white or a male. By definition any time I do anything I'm exercising the privilege.

 

[Greenman]

Holy crap, do you actually believe this? That has literally nothing to do with what white privilege is.

Ok, so tell me exactly what white privilege is.

 

[Subyman]

Ok, so tell me exactly what white privilege is.

I don't think he understands that there can be many facets to the same "term." Especially a term that was socially derived. I do think you turned the definition around to make it seem like its a choice that anyone can obtain with hard work. I think there is room for your definition, but it certainly isn't the entire picture.

 

[Subyman]

Going way against my better judgement here, as a white male, what is it that I'm supposed to do about my white privilege? I mean, what is it that people want of us? I can't stop being white or a male. By definition any time I do anything I'm exercising the privilege.

Not much directly. Knowing that you may have an advantage for being in the majority culture isn't a bad thing to realize. It gives you different perspective to reflect back on your life about and, in turn, could give you more empathy for others and their situation. There isn't a general objective or mission for "white privilege." The white guilt thing is not helpful to anyone IMO.

 

[silicon]

Ouch. Good way to alienate part of your voting base. Seems like "white privilege" is being thrown around haphazardly more often. Nobody goes out to "exercise" their white privilege. She doesn't understand what it means. White privilege combines numerous advantages that a white person typically unknowingly gets simply by being born white. Some include a higher probability of being born into a stable home. A higher chance their parents that have generational wealth and knowledge about the economic world we live in they can bestow upon their youth. A higher chance their parents have been to college and can help their children get to college. A more direct benefit is having a higher chance of being passed over when authorities are profiling.

None of those things do white people "exercise." They are those things. That is a key difference. The awareness of white privilege is to know about them and begin to understand more about other races. Personally, I don't know how "knowing" about white privilege as a white person affects my life or how I should see others. I am who I am.

So her using the genuine discussion of white privilege to condemn an entire race and then say "she has her eye on us" for being who we were born as is insane. She completely misunderstands the term and makes an ass of herself.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...for-more-controversial-post-ferguson-remarks/

of course they are resentful of the success that is enjoyed by those who work, got to school and live within the laws and accepted norms of society. Why else would this phrase be invented? I suspect that those who squander their chances in life are resentful as they want what they are unable to obtain, at least easily.

 

[Spungo]

WTF is white privilege anyway ?

Just acting like a normal person ?

One example is that black men need to dress nicer than white men to get the same treatment. A white guy wearing casual clothes is just a white guy wearing casual clothes. A black guy wearing casual clothes is a suspect.

Another example of the racial divide is that fat black guy who was choked to death by the police. They might have treated him like shit even if he was a fat white guy, but do you think they would go as far as killing him? If they did kill a fat white guy, would they be more likely or less likely to get away with it?

 

[Matt1970]

If there was something called "Black Privilege", what would it look like?

I think it would look something like this:

On the other hand, when I applied to college I took the SATs and since they had no "middle eastern" race thing I put african-american (my father was born in Cairo). I scored very well, and NAACP offered me a $50,000 scholarship if I were to basically just ask for it. Well, I didn't because I am not black. Or even african. But still, it's bullshit that if you put one race on a college app, you can get in with a 300-600 pt SAT deficit from another race. And $50,000 in scholarship money for an SAT score that would merely warrant a "nice job" to a white guy. Which is what I got.

So IDK.