Why It’s Time Black People Simply Disengage With White People In Discussing Race

Does anyone in this thread honestly believe that racism doesn't exist in America?

Does anyone in this thread honestly believe that black people are not discriminated against?

Does anyone in this thread honestly believe that black people are discriminated against 100% of the time?

Does anyone in this thread honestly believe that white people are never discriminated against?

My issue with Dviss has never been over the existence of racism or white privilege. My issue is over how he treats white people and their opinions on this subject. The only people who "get it" are people who roll over and mindlessly agree with him. My point, from day one, is that there are no absolutes. When you generalize about someone based on their race, you are no better than the people you are speaking out against. If you look at a white person, and you immediately say, "that person has no concept of what I'm talking about because they're white." You are stereotyping. Plain and simple.

 

You have to have genuine friends who aren't the same skin tone as you to gain perspective. You sir, get it. You've seen it firsthand. Others have yet to. I have many genuine white childhood friends (yes I said it @Natebishop3) who I've had many intimate discussions with that understand. They don't simply empathize. They truly understand because they've seen it. The reason why "I have ______ friends" is made fun of by us is because the people that say this usually don't.

 

You're the one typing this who continously denies your privilege so forgive me if I believe this post falls flat.

 

And the thing that you don't "get" is that I'm not arguing with you about white privilege. I have been trying to tell you from the beginning that my problem with you is that you have some very deep seeded issues with white people as a whole. All I want is for you to recognize that. Obviously you never will, because like the white people who ignore white privilege, you don't seem to "get" the problem with how you feel towards white people in general.

You just dismiss me because I'm a white guy and I can't understand your point of view because I'm white.

 

The sad part is i didnt get it. For a long time. Only recently did i have an epiphany. And its a hard, fucked up world we live in. My muslim friend deals with so much bullshit its crazy. I really feel bad for him. But i feel like its my duty to be one of the white people that gets it for his sake too. Because so many dont.

 

I appreciate these discussions...the problem I see is the way they're discussed. It's way more productive to talk about the subject than to talk at each other contentiously. Some folks have never left the small towns they grew up in or the urban sprawls they've grown up in. Explore the world outside your personal demographic and it changes the way you see things. For example....if I were stopped by a cop in Somalia, I'd have the same fear as an American black kid stopped by a cop in Georgia. The military gave me a crash course in American subcultures...you work with people from the deep south, the northern cities, the surfers, the rednecks, the cowboys, the whole rainbow. Any member of these groups can be your boss. I did see peer pressure from groups off duty, guys who were friends at work but socially segregated out on the town. Like Unclecliffy'sdaddy said, it will never make sense. Anger has no allies.

 

You're better off using brain cells for those who don't get it...besides, dogs will follow anyone who scratches their belly.

 

But white privilege has become the defacto reason to resent and hate white people. Whether it exists is not the issue. Nobody refutes that fact that black people are discriminated against. But to heap this one advantage onto all white people, and then disqualify them from having an opinion because of that one advantage, discounts the discrimination that many white Americans face in other parts of society. There is still discrimination against gays, against women, against the poor. If you walk into a high end store, and you're wearing some shabby clothes, how much credibility will you have with the sales staff? You can be the pastiest mother fucker in there, but if you don't look like you have money, you're going to get treated badly. That's discrimination.

Discrimination exists. Period. On many levels and in many ways. It's not okay to silence people because you don't think they understand simply because they're white.

 

The thing about a free market is that if there is money to be made, people will do it.

There aren't a lot of black restaurants in Portland because we don't have a large black population. Conversely, we have a shit ton of Mexican joints out in Hillsboro because we have a fairly large Mexican population.

A lot of money is spent determining what advertising will have the most success, and at what time of the day, and on what channels. You probably don't see a lot of black people on TV because you're watching old white guy shows (cough Boston Legal cough cough).

 

Since when is TV a realistic depiction of how anyone lives? Is 'Friends" an accurate depiction of life in NYC for white people?

 

I met dviss and I guarantee you, he doesn't hate white people. Folks need to stop projecting that. I admire his passion and we all get heated about shit from time to time. These conversations just don't happen for the majority of people. A little humor goes a long way when sensitive issues are discussed. Where's Homer?

 

You misunderstand. That's exactly my point. He's super nice to white people in person, and he has white friends, but he clearly has all these emotions and opinions about "white people" in general. That's the whole joke about "I'm not racist! I have black friends."

You can still have friends who are black or white, but still have racist opinions about that race as a whole.

"Well Frank is white, but Frank is fine because he "gets it."