DEAR WHITE FOLKS:
You Don't Know How Easy You Have It
by David Leonard
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Jon Gindick • an hour ago
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I wanted Zimmerman guilty, but I dont see this as a race crime. Zimmerman looks like a Mexican and has a Mexican mother. I see it as a bullying crime. I heard today that 94% of crime with black victims is perpetrated by black males. Why doesn't the writer mention black violence on blacks and every other race? Blacks have to get real too.
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MClarissa • 2 hours ago
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perfectly said. i am the child of a white father and a mother who is POC. Yes she was mixed herself but all anyone saw was her brown skin, including her own mother (my gran) and often treated her with contempt and/or suspicion. as her natural born child, with her always (she was a single mom for many years) i got see my mother treated like a criminal for being black. i also saw how different i was treated but also the confusion when i was in her company. was i kidnapped? was she the maid? was this woman bothering me? do they need to call my my mother to take me away from this brown woman? so when i hear racism and the assumptions that i'm on board, it has an especially hard to swallow component. i think of the nightmare their belief system created for my family. the harm. the pain. their racism (they don't even know they are racist) harm everyone...eventually. no matter the color.
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Colfax • 4 hours ago
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White man weighing in here: Sadly few in my "community" will ever read this. And if they do, they won't absorb it. And almost all that I know fit that criteria you describe where they are over anxious to put the final nail in the coffin of racism. They are good people and want the best for all of us. But they also refuse to acknowledge that mist or fog of systemic racism that persists, even while defending the actions of George Zimmerman.
There isn't an "uncle tom" name for people like me yet who attempt to explain the prevailing attitude of black America regarding this situation. The feelings of devalue, of fear, of frustration. But the response to me trying to explain this is the same.
I had hoped that this message would be received better when delivered by me, but it just isn't. But I'd welcome any suggestions as to how to walk with you for justice.
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Jack Jackson • 4 hours ago
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Arlington County, VA. 8.2% black. Crime reports from last 15 days. You wonder why there is profiling?
ROBBERY, 07/11/13, 1600 block of N. Pierce Street. On July 11 at 9:35 pm, a female victim was walking through Hillside Park in Rosslyn when she was approached by three black male subjects who threw her to the ground and stole her purse. The subjects fled the scene on foot. The subjects were described as black males between 15-20 years of age and approximately 5’8” – 6’0” tall. ROBBERY, 07/03/13, 1400 block of S. Hayes St. At 7:45 pm on July 3 an unknown suspect grabbed a ring and loose diamonds from a clerk at the Helzberg Diamonds store. Suspect is described as a black male, 5’8, 170 lbs. wearing a long sleeved blue shirt and khaki pants. ROBBERY, 07/04/13, 2500 block of N. 9 St. At 1:30 pm on July 4, unknown suspect stole merchandise from the Giant grocery store and threatened the clerk who confronted him. Suspect is described as a black male, wearing gray pants, blue shirt and a black hat with a feather in it. ARMED ROBBERY, 07/01/13, 3300 block of 2nd Street. At 12:20 am on July 1, a taxi driver was allegedly robbed at gunpoint by his passenger. The subject took the victim’s wallet and fled the scene on foot. He is described as a black male in his 20’s, approximately 170 lbs and 5’6” tall. He was wearing all black clothing and a black baseball hat. ROBBERY, 06/25/13, 900 block of N. Stuart Street. At 2:20 pm on June 25, a female victim had her iPhone stolen from her on a park bench. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 15 years of age, 5’9” tall and 150 lbs. He was wearing a dark green shirt and dark colored jeans at the time of the incident. MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 06/24/13, 1000 block of N. Quincy Street. At 2:50 am on June 24, a subject attacked two victims with a blunt force object after an argument escalated. The victims sustained significant non-life threatening injuries and were transported to GW Hospital. The suspect is described as a black male
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Johnny Wishbone • 5 hours ago
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you want some cheese to go with your whine?
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Jemma • 13 hours ago
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To answer your question, yes I can imagine it. That is what empathy is for.
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Savage • 19 hours ago
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Nope.. Don't owe you crybabies shit.
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Terminally Snarky • a day ago
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http://wearenottrayvonmartin.t...
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will111111 • a day ago
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I agree with the article's call to action to actually reduce racial inequalities. However, I think the author dismisses the moral imaginations of white people because of their whiteness, which itself is racist, and in particular, homoracist, or racist against one's own race. Dr. Leonard's gross overgeneralization that all white people are "presumed innocent until proven innocent" is not only glib, inaccurate, and racist, but it also has a very negative impact on race relations. He is reinforcing negative racist stereotypes about white people, and he is encouraging black people on ebony.com to participate in a kind of meta-racial profiling about racism - that whites, by definition, are unable to relate or empathize with the very real suffering of black people because they are not black. This article strives for credibility to black people because it was written by a white person - a friendly, educated, homoracist white person - a good white person. I am disturbed that people are willing to uncritically endorse such homoracism in their attempt to increase racial equality. Like the author suggests, we should do more to systematically change racist policies, but I suggest that we should be careful not to use homoracism in the service of this end. http://www.urbandictionary.com...
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Metronil • a day ago
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What a load of crap...
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Alex Peterson • a day ago
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To change society and the justice system you need to get involved. Get educated. Honor marriage Be responsible for your own children. Start in your own family, your own street, your own community. Know where your kids are a night, who their friends are, stop them from doing drugs, owning guns, show them a different way of living. Racism exists, the deck IS stacked in the justice system. Work to change it. Civil rights, equal rights, women's rights are still huge issues in this US. Get educated, get involved, be the change that is needed and work to change society from within. The injustice of the Martin case is resonating across the country. It is a powerful force.
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Valen Toth • 11 months ago
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Wow, some of the comments from white people are SERIOUSLY racist. I'm white, and it makes me feel ashamed. I imagine that they're bristling because the article starts with "Dear White folks, you don't know how easy you have it" (which, in my opinion, kind of perpetuates discord between races), but some of the comments are really inexcusable. Dear Black folks, I'm sorry a lot of White people are such JERKS.
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• Valen Toth Valen Toth • 11 months ago
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• Sorry for the double comment -- I accidentally signed in as my 10-year-old daughter the first time!
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PLEASE FOLLOW ARI! ♥ • 11 months ago
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Wow, some of the comments from white people are SERIOUSLY racist. I'm white, and it makes me feel ashamed. I imagine that they're bristling because the article starts with "Dear White folks, you don't know how easy you have it" (which, in my opinion, kind of perpetuates discord between races), but some of the comments are really inexcusable. Dear Black folks, I'm sorry a lot of White people are such JERKS.
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Craig Faison • 11 months ago
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I want to thank you for being kind but most important real lets start a movement!
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Darren Pollok • a year ago
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I long for the day when this article AND these comments are unnecessary. The more race is brought up, the more it opens old wounds. Things are not perfect today, but I'm sure blacks would agree they are A LOT better than they used to be. Let's keep moving forward, not backward.
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Jaime Andres Pretell • a year ago
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Dear White Apologists: Between the racist comments, the constant claim that race denial is a ‘race card’ and the absurd claims that White victimhood doesn’t exist, you have really grated my last nerve. Sure, you got teary during The Blind Side and Antoine Fisher; you maybe even gave money to KONY2012 and after Hurricane Katrina; you maybe even donned a hoodie to protest the murder of Trayvon Martin. You even are genuinely concerned about racism and injustice; I don’t doubt that your “best friends” might be Black. None of this matters if you don’t acknowledge that there is a pattern of criminality in many African American communities that has developed out of historic segregation; a systemic culture of distrust in law, order and education. African Americans continue to die at the hands of guns held by security guards and police officers, many innocent because they were stereotyped. Stereotypes that are constantly reinforced by real criminality that is disproportionate to the size of the African American community. I have heard that “we are all Trayvon Martin” over the last few weeks, yet we are not Trayvon Martin, some of us are George Zimmerman, Christopher Cervini, Daniel Adkins Jr. and many others that have died or been vilified when confronted with Black criminality. Yet you have failed to acknowledge their experiences, nor would you understand their experiences because you are not them, nor could you be. There is no monolithic White America to be ever suspicious or not to be. Your microcosm of White America is not everybody’s. You have not experienced, nor are you qualified to claim what all White America goes through. Many White Americans walk to the store with a lot of fear of being hunted down when they live in communities of high crime, and when looking White adds a higher rate of being targeted. Many White Americans can’t count on justice because they are just not part of the elite, fall through the cracks of the system, and are victims of police brutality, just like other people. No one grieves their loss of life nationally. Christopher Cervini wasn’t Trayvon Martin, Jan Pietrzak wasn’t Trayvon Martin. Daniel Adkins Jr. wasn’t Trayvon Martin. You aren't Trayvon Martin, and you aren’t George Zimmerman, you are clueless, thinking you understand the lives of many Americans who live lives that are substantially less protected than yours. See White apologists, live in La-La lands where they are economically secure, usually in environments that are protected, and have never experienced racism. Therefore, they assume their experience translates to all of White America. Obviously White Americans do not experience the same types of racism, discrimination etc. that many, not all Blacks face. But on the same token, there are many White Americans who do face burdens and discrimination of their own. Starting with the fact that all White Americans aren’t Germanic Anglo-Saxons, and many are even stereotyped by the Anglo-Saxon/Germanic White majority in this country. Just look up White Hispanics in the prison system and discrimination in the job. See cushy White apologists think they are the only White experience in America where I am sure, with their connections and visibility they do get: presumed innocent until proven innocent. That isn’t the case for many born in other circumstances. And it definitely hasn’t been for George Zimmerman. It wasn’t for Daniel Adkins Jr. and it wasn’t for Christopher Cervini. I want you to close your eyes for a second, and imagine that your son or daughter, sister or brother, granddaughter or grandson went for a walk and got killed? Skittles and Iced Tea has nothing to do with it. Innocent people are getting murdered daily. Mostly intra-ethnic, with the highest percentage occurring in Black on Black crime, but also Inter-ethnically where Whites are killing Blacks, Blacks are killing Whites, Mestizos and Native Americans are also killing Black and Whites, and are being killed by them. Add some Asian and Pacific Islanders like Samoans and Vietnamese and Laotians, and you see similar events; but mostly Asians are being killed by Blacks. In fact, after Native Americans being killed by Black and Whites, Black on White murders are the highest rate of Inter-ethnic caused mortality in the nation, including cop killings, or excluding them. Now how many of those Whites being killed are Hispanic Mestizos classified as White by the FBI is a different question. Bottom line, while it is horrible that Black people are getting killed because of racism or police brutality which don’t always go hand in hand, more get killed by Black on Black criminality, and that criminality and disproportionately gets people killed in other ethnic groups as well. Furthermore, Whites, White Hispanics, Mestizos, etc. are also victims of Police Brutality. The record for being shot most times was a White man called Michael Arnold who was shot over 100 times. They found him with a BB gun. Many non-Blacks have died without notification to the family. But Trayvon Martin’s family was notified within 24 hours. The evidence was not enough to convict George Zimmerman, nor is it today. He has only been charged because the media did not ignore this case, but instead consistently misreported it and created a circus. Nor is it uncommon to check the body of a deceased, regardless of background for drugs or do a background investigation. Both George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin have been explored in the media. But Trayvon Martin was sanctified by the media while George Zimmerman was demonized, beginning with anachronistic pictures, and Trayvon Martin was only subjected to further scrutiny when lots of the claims of the media didn’t add up, and private parties started exploring Martin’s record with more scrutiny. Neither exploration by the media was right. They should have left the exploration to the professionals and only reported their findings. Instead they worked on leaks, misrepresentations and outright falsehoods. While you imagine the outcry of seven Black youths gunned down by police and security guards in a matter of months, I would ask you to verify which ones where not involved in any type of criminal activity that would further expose them to the risk of police brutality. See cops at least need the excuse of trying to stop a crime. Criminals don’t need that excuse. Now go explore the media for White and Black victims of crime. Let me know which numbers are higher. Black on Black crime, and Black on White crime occur every day, yet the media is not saturated with it. In fact your whole hypothetical comparisons stink. No, you can't. And you don't have to. Because you live in your White Apologist La-La land.
From Florida to Los Angeles, from Atlanta to Wisconsin, from Chicago to Ohio, Black families are burying the innocent and the future. Doesn’t that make you sad; doesn’t that make your angry? Your silence is telling. You can barely say their names much less acknowledge the epidemic in our midst, because deaths are occurring every day, and not by cops. Stephon Watts was a tragedy, but it wasn’t just random police brutality. The kid suffered from violent autism and the police had been called, by his parents, over 10 times to subdue him. This time he was wielding a kitchen knife and cut one of the cops. Was it excessive? We weren’t there, that is what Internal Affairs investigates, but it wasn’t an isolated incident. Trayvon Martin was also a tragedy. I don’t think he was a bad kid. But the evidence does seem to point to him feeling accosted by Zimmerman’s suspicions and his investigating. The problem is Zimmerman had a right to investigate. All Martin had to do is confront Zimmerman and see what was going on. But instead a fight ensued. A fight the evidence points to Martin as the aggressor. Ramarley Graham, a drug dealer, is another example of police excess, but one that was avoidable. If he hadn’t been doing illegal activities he wouldn’t have invited the risk of Police intervention. It is no secret, messing with the police can get you killed. Be you Black or White. If chances are higher when Black, why expose yourself even more? It’s not that hard staying legal. . Wendell Allen, another person caught in the drug war. He was smoking pot in a house suspected of dealing. Again tragic, but again it was avoidable. Now when you have cases of people who weren’t even involved in the drug trade like the old Black Lady killed because of a mistaken address, then the outrage should be huge. In these cases, you should also be outraged, and White people die in these raids as well, but there is still the caveat, they put themselves in a place of risk. This is no different than a person who decides to do rock climbing, some fall, that risk is known. . Dante Price is definitely a tragedy, he was not involved in any major criminal activity and he was killed by two overzealous White security officers. This should make national news as it stinks of racism. But this is no different than any other hate crime where the victim was Black or White. They all should make national news. When there is an investigation and the killing is unjustified, it should make national news. But first there should be an investigation. Bo Morrison (a person of mixed ancestry, much like Zimmerman) broke into someone’s house and was shot when he surprised the owner. While tragic, he probably would have been shot if he looked White, Hispanic or Asian. In a gun happy country, it’s not the smartest thing to go run and hide from the police in another person’s house. Getting busted for underage drinking isn’t as risky. Rekia Boyd is another tragedy. But one started by a criminal bystander next to her. He pulled out a gun and aimed it at the Detective and the detective defended himself. By law, that person who first pulled out the gun is guilty of Rekia’s murder because he instigated the situation. Let’s see if anyone turns him in. . Kendrec McDade was involved in a robbery, point blank, and the victim called in two armed suspects. He put himself in the position to risk his life. Rock-climbing for money would have been safer. All have lost their lives like so many others, mostly through the actions of criminals. All except one have died under similarly circumstances, criminal activity. So I don’t care if you cried during The Help and if the 'feel good' movie of the year featuring chicken-frying maids and affluent White women made you feel all racial apologist tingly on the inside. Did you cry at the report of yet another lost Black life when it wasn’t caused by a White person? If so, what have those tears done – have they led you to join a rally, to demand a deep analysis of how to stop disproportionate crime in the Black community? I don’t care if you voted for President Obama; have you demanded dramatic changes to our recruiting process in our education system? Have you stopped making excuses for criminals? Have you taken off your myopia glasses and seen that this environment of hate is going in all directions? It is time for us to check ourselves, to listen and demand a better America starting with ourselves. It is time to stop denying racism and blaming everything on White privilege, distracting and deflecting with “what ifs” and excuses. It is time to demand justice for the Zimmermans, Pietrzaks, Byrds, Newsoms and the Rekias, not because it could have been one of your sons and daughters--it could have, but you are to clueless to realize it--but because it is simply the right thing to do. Sincerely Jaime Andres Pretell Multi-ethnic An eyeballed ‘member’ of what racialists categorize as “White” America
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Isis Russ-Fross • a year ago
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thank you, its about time someone says this outloud
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Christopher K. Corbin • a year ago
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Well done although there'll still be several who will debate otherwise!!!
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Author Screenwriter Nathaniel • a year ago
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Hmm.....
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raye milne • a year ago
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thank you so much for writing this.
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KeepJesus1st • a year ago
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I agree because I had to grow up with a bunch of rednecks too. It wasn't fun I agree. So how come you never hear about how about Gays are Perverting Dr King's Dream? Dr King said , "I have a Dream!" He didn't say, "I have a Sexual Fantasy!" Sadly gays are getting away with discriminating now against Dr King & African Americans! But you never hear it reported like that, in that choice of words. Why? Sadly Obama is now helping gays to pervert Dr King's Dream! Why aren't more black civil rights leaders ever pointing this out or speaking about this? I even hear black preachers preaching against Obama now! The very people who voted for him in many cases! So would Dr King be labeled a homophobe for speaking out his Christian beliefs? Would he be considered intolerant or biggoted? That's something else no one ever wants to talk about. Why? What's your view on this? PLMK Thanks & God Bless!
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• Jessica Morgan Gasper KeepJesus1st • a year ago
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• One more quote from Coretta Scott King: "Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.” Please educate yourself.
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• Jessica Morgan Gasper KeepJesus1st • a year ago
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• "Sadly gays are getting away with discriminating now against Dr King & African Americans!" Um, you do realize that many of those gays are also African American themselves, right?? Are they discriminating against themselves? And you do realize that an openly gay black man (Bayard Rustin) was a college of Dr. King and actually organized the 1963 march on Washington, right? And you do realize that Coretta Scott King has spoken in support of the lgbt community, right? Her words: "Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood. This sets the stage for further repression and violence that spread all too easily to victimize the next minority group. " Another quote from Coretta from a speech in 2003: "I still hear people say that I should not be talking about the rights of lesbian and gay people. ... But I hasten to remind them that Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.' I appeal to everyone who believes in Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream, to make room at the table of brotherhood and sisterhood for lesbian and gay people." So when you ask this question: "So would Dr King be labeled a homophobe for speaking out his Christian beliefs? Would he be considered intolerant or biggoted?" The answer is No, he wouldn't be called a bigot...because he WASN'T one (unlike you)! Please do the world a favor and go quietly into the night, along with your despicable bigotry, disgusting hatred, pathetic misinformation, and ridiculous ignorance. You are no better than a racist. In fact, you are one-and-the-same. see more
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◦ KeepJesus1st Jessica Morgan Gasper • a year ago
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◦ It is written, "Whether it be right to listen to you rather than God , judge for yourself!" So what is your answer? I have no homophobia because I am not even heterosexual! Why do you automatically assume that I am? Dr King was a follower of Jesus and the Bible. He believed that all men were created equal. He never supported homosexuality. You greatly disrespect the very values and principles of what he defended and stood for! The Word of God! He even was killed for defending these values which you totally want to disrespect and perverse now for your own perverted agenda. Dr King would greatly grieved at what you and others have done to his Dream and Legacy after he did so much for fellow African Americans and other minorities in America in the 20th Century! As a follower of Dr King I too have dedicated most of my life to help promote his Dream and Advance it in and for the 21st century! By helping other minorities which sadly we see continue to be mistreated in America even today in the 21st Century. You take too easily for granted the very Freedoms and Liberation Dr King helped gain for fellow Americans in the 2oth Century. Do not think even for a moment that it too cannot all be taken away if you choose to continue to disrespect and reject the very God that Dr King both lived and died for! Pride is a terrible thing. The very sin that led to the Lucifer's downfall! When fellow Americans today so openly now distort and pervert so much of what Dr King stood and died for and exalt themselves as "Wiser than God", I truly say I do mourn for our nation's future! Pray I say, pray for more great leaders to rise up once again in our nation to help lead us and guide us to and for a better tomorrow! Pray I say, in Jesus Name! see more
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Jamila S Pascal • a year ago
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Well done. I love this.
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Shavon Bormann • a year ago
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Am I forgetting something or is there a black president right now? If racism were that bad, do you think he would be in office right now? How many white children go missing and are never found? There are many that are sitting in a morgue and are not identified. Enough already, if we want racism to stop it needs to stop with EVERYONE, not just white people, but ALL colors of people.
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Mekole Wells • a year ago
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As a doctoral student researching racism in the nonprofit leadership sector, where executives are predominantly white and racist that are with 51% fully white board members...to delegate the funding of these causes of that issue funding to at-risk environments and neglected sects of diversity...thank you this is the article of the year....bless you and please keep up the great work!!!!
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Nika • a year ago
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BET is owned/run by a white male...
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Ranetta Jackson • a year ago
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Excellent article!
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Christine Phillips Sidenstrick • a year ago
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Trying to delete my comment, but this doesn't seem to allow for that.
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grovertoo • a year ago
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Also, I'm married to a minority and we are expecting our first child together.
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grovertoo • a year ago
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Good article. Just a couple things though, it's Cindy, not Sydney and George Zimmerman isn't white. He's Hispanic.
Little things like this bug the crap out of me, particularly in an otherwise great article. Also, I'm white but I grew up in a racially divided city, one that is primarily black. I most definitely experienced racism growing up. I was harassed on the street by black girls, chased home from school and mercilessly made fun of because I was white. I have also been discriminated against and discounted because I am a woman.
I wouldn't change that upbringing for anything in the world. The cultural richness of my neighborhood was well worth these negative experiences. We had latins, blacks, white living in mostly harmony on my block. But there was always an undercurrent of racial tension when you ventured into other neighborhoods. I am a better person for it.
No, I'm not saying I know what it's like to be a minority, I don't. I'm not saying that I know what it's like to be followed around a store because I'm "suspicious", etc. I don't. I do have experiences with racism and sexism directed at me.
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• justiff grovertoo • a year ago
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• What's the difference between a Hispanic person and a white person? Aren't there people who are classified as "white Hispanic"? Can Zimmerman be classified as one of them? Please help clear up my confusion... What is your definition of Racism? Doesn't it go beyond harassment? Can you give an example of how those non-white/black girls were able to exert power over your life choices/circumstances as a white person? What does it even mean to be white? Last question: What exactly do you mean by "minority"? Are Non-White people a "minor" people? You indicated that you are married to "a minority" in your subsequent post. What makes your spouse one?
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Fladabosco • a year ago
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Man, are you racist! You think white people never worry about their children disappearing or about murderers not being found? Take your head out of the sand and stop slamming the decent white people in this country. You think I'm a hypocrite because I support the words and deeds of MLK but don't want to be followed down a dark alley by someone with Crips tattoos? It's all about the content of the character.
Your post is full of honky-hating stereotypes. We are never in fear when we walk to the market? Ridiculous.
Yes, I am angry at the Treyvon Martin killing, yes, I did support Obama's candidacy and I am a San Francisco bleeding heart liberal.
Some African-American culture has to change so that those who foment violence and criminality are demonized rather than praised if you ever want to live in a safe society. To embrace education as a universal and personal goal. To get married before having children. To popularize African-American role models who are decent caring individuals, even to the point of caring about people of other races. A culture that works to change laws it finds unfair rather than universally condemning any rules of a decent society.
Oscar J. Grant II's killer got a fair trial and hopefully so will George Zimmerman. I don't think Grant's killer should have been tried but that's a matter of fairness, not race relations.
I don't recall seeing a lot of media saying Treyvon was anything other than a nice kid and the national sentiment, even amongst us honkies, seems to be that Zimmerman was the instigator.
Maybe you are too close to the subject, but I think you are way off base.
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wellcraft1 • a year ago
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This asshole abviously lives in another world. "can you imagine" being qualified for a job, but not getting the job, because there aren't enough minorities working for the company? "can you imagine filling out an application for employment, but not getting a response because you refused to pander to questions about your race or gender? "Can you imagine" useing the word "nigger",and being scorned for it, while blacks themselves use it freely amonst themselves daily? I mean .. is the word voodoo, or is it a word of black privaledge? Either you have a problem with the word or you don't. How many free rides do these folks need before they can get it right? How many times does whitie have to take the blame for their short commings before they get it right? Why is it that women and Blacks can get Federal grants for a new business, but white men don't qualify? I didn't perpetrait the things that happened to these people decades/centuries ago, yet I pay the price today. so get off your soap box sport, and investigate the other side of things traitor.
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• LittleMissCantBeWrong wellcraft1 • a year ago
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• ""can you imagine" being qualified for a job, but not getting the job, because there aren't enough minorities working for the company?" Can you imagine that maybe, just maybe, that minority candidate was really more qualified than the white candidate? OMG that could never happen! ""can you imagine filling out an application for employment, but not getting a response because you refused to pander to questions about your race or gender?" Can you imagine that it's not just white people that do this? ""Can you imagine" useing the word "nigger",and being scorned for it, while blacks themselves use it freely amonst themselves daily? I mean .. is the word voodoo, or is it a word of black privaledge? Either you have a problem with the word or you don't. " Oh noez, you can't use a word that other people can use! Cry moar. Good job dude, you just proved this writer's point.
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cdlemme • a year ago
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So you stereotype white people here and say that we all have it easy. Isn't that the same as us stereotyping you and saying all black people are criminals? Way to to be a hypocrite without even realizing it. Now you're stupid AND you are the very thing that you are supposedly trying to speak out against.
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Robert Baker • a year ago
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Is this 1950 or 2012?
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Gh Brooks • a year ago
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This needs to be shouted from the rooftops
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hannahjane89 • a year ago
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'White people need to read this'...'you don't know how good you have it' - I am white. And I find that your statements are presumptuous and unhelpful if you are trying to promote equality between races. Promoting equality does not entail claiming that black people have suffered more than the entire collection of 'white people'. I live in a suburb of Nottingham, England where blacks, whites and asians live together as neighbours. We suffer as much as eachother. We are equally without money, we all at some point fucked by our government, quite frankly - some of our immigrants get a better deal from the government than white British citizens money-wise depending on your circumstance. We do not split people up into categories and claim that we are more hard done by than the other. I accept that there is inequality and that there has been outrageous injustices towards black people. But there have also been outrageous injustices towards whites too. White people as a whole are often attacked for the many atrocities of black people's past; (e.g. slavery) and other actions that we (regular people, not politicians, rich men and women, people with power etc.) - although should be educated about that past should not forget it, had nothing to do with whatsoever. And the atrocities that are happening now are the result of corrupt people in positions of power, not the entire white race. Racism is alive, there is no denying it. It is ignorant to do so. However, you are not helping by causing one race to feel as though they are responsible for actions that they have no control over whatsoever. The majority of white people are not racists, are not even close to it - in fact, we do what little we can to try to rectify the damage that has been caused. In my neighbourhood, it is me that is the minority. I am surrounded by Muslim and Hindu neighbours. Some of them have a bigger flat, better car...some of them are just as broke as me. Sometimes I feel ostracised in my own country because I'm surrounded by cultures that are not my own. But we mingle, we make friends, we work it out. That is all someone like me - one of the white people that you are addressing - has the power to do. And yes I did cry at The Help, and at the Titanic and at the Indian kid in Manchester that was stabbed whilst he was buying a kebab, and at the disappearance of Madeleine McCann. We are ALL human. We need to cry at ALL human tragedy - it is the only way we will become united. We need to understand eachother as human, not as white and black and brown. We are flesh and bone and blood. Full stop. My point is, do not address 'white people' in such general terms. Do not claim to know you have suffered more than the next person. We are not all the same. Your letter should be reposted to the White House and Number 10. They are the people with the power that cause the inequality. All we can do is post comments on a blog.
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• justiff hannahjane89 • a year ago
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• Are you a white person? If so, what exactly have YOU done to "promote equality between the races"? And equality in this case would be indicated by you reading this short piece and acknowledging the author's point, if only in your mind, which is that innocent black people continue to die at the hands of guns held by WHITE security guards and police officers WITHOUT JUSTICE. Yet here you are posting this "we are ALL human" as if this author's post is more of an affront against humanity than the police officers who kill black people routinely and unjustly. But this statement of yours is key: "However, you are not helping by causing one race to feel as though they are responsible for actions that they have no control over whatsoever. The majority of white people are not racists, are not even close to it - in fact, we do what little we can to try to rectify the damage that has been caused." If the majority of white people are not racist as you claim, then that majority can do A LOT more to STOP their white supremacist brethren from practicing racism against the non-white people of the world. You wouldn't have to try to rectify the damage if you PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. Maybe then the cries of "we are ALL human" will be believable. However, since this has yet to happen, many non-white people can only conclude that the majority of white people are fine with the way things are, in which case that makes them implicit racists. I urge all non-white, specifically black people, to be suspicious of such claims and consider all white people as suspected racists until the current system is replaced with JUSTICE. see more
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theproblemismeandyou • a year ago
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Can you all bloody folks just stop arguing which race is the victim here? EVERYONE is a victim in the case of racism-- even those acting on it. Blaming the predisposition of certain activities and attitudes on the "ghettoness" and "white-privilege-culture" isn't fixing the problem here-- it's making it worse. It's not about who's wrong or who's right or who's at fault-- it's about the truth. The truth that racism DOES exist in the WORLD. But feeling foreign in a different racial community than yours is natural, not racist. I'm not gonna go to Afghanistan and NOT feel scared. I'd be more scared from all the bombings and their generally conservative beliefs. If you call that natural fear to be "racist" then you need to really figure what racism really is.
Maybe if the blacks stopped flaunting their "ghettoness" and resorting to unethical and immoral behaviors, and strived more to be represented as intellectuals and humanitarians, then maybe the black stereotype wouldn't exist. Maybe if the whites stopped flaunting their rich blonde privileges, and daddy-buy-me-a-car attitudes and purell-me-because-that's-unclassy-and-gross habits, and strived to integrate with minorities to better understand culture, then maybe the white stereotype wouldn't exist. Maybe if the asians stopped flaunting how smart they have to be to impress their parents, and the ugh-I-got-a-A-minus attitudes and the I-got-small-eyes-so-let's-get-plastic-surgery insecurities, and strived to be grade-free and open to other things besides math and physics, then maybe the asian stereotypes wouldn't exist.
You get the gist of what I'm trying to say: stereotypes exist to generalize a distinct population and to point out its flaws. Stereotypes inherently becomes the truth and destructive when the individual agrees with it but that doesn't make you a bad person. As long as you understand the existence of others and accept their lifestyles, then you are better off than the ones judging others by their stereotypes.
The biggest problem here is blaming others for the state that we are in. It seems like the blacks were put into the "Ghetto" culture because of poverty and discrimination in the past. It seems like the whites have always been the upper class and had a superior role in representing the economy and the government. It seems like the Asians were foreigners who can do anything faster and better, be smarter and get better grades impress everyone else(mostly their parents). SO WHAT? If you truly hate these stereotypes and truly believe that these stereotypes perpetuate racism, then why not fight against it and act against the stereotype instead blaming everyone else for your complaints? Maybe some of these racist jokes and racist attitudes exist because it IS true that SOME of us do act this way. And maybe the way some of us act is offensive and hateful. And maybe we don't realize how much WE are promoting stereotyping and racism that way.
Is it so hard to say: "Yeah, I'm black and I'm into the ghetto culture but doesn't mean everyone else is. So quit yapping your mouth and just know how stupid you sound." Is it so hard to say: "Yeah, I'm white and rich and my daddy buys me things but that doesn't mean everyone else is. So quit yapping your mouth and just know how stupid you sound." Is it so hard to say: "Yeah, I'm asian and I'm into studying and playing world of warcraft but doesn't mean everyone else is. So quit yapping your mouth and just know how stupid you sound." Do I need to go on?
I'm not saying change everything about yourself to satisfy others and I'm not saying change the world either. I'm saying, take some time to peer into what you might have done that have ignited such hate. If your actions are completely free of immoral and unethical intentions, then so be it. Let them hate. Let them judge you but DO NOT EVER act the same way towards them because that would make you just the same.
Last thing: let's just all be thankful that we can actually talk about this issue without the government shutting us up. Some countries can't even discuss issue like this even it is so prominent. We ALL have this privilege so let us all respect it.
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darwinl1984 • a year ago
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Umm one sided article much?
Obviously the author lived a in a secluded middle class neighborhood where he was never picked on, threatened or robbed.
Growing up in my neighborhood, it was always black kids going around with knives asking for your wallet. So is it our fault that there is an innate suspicion that comes along with seeing black kids in hoodies? You act like it's a CHOICE that we are suspicious.
Bottom line - when black people stop committing crimes, we won't be so suspicious.
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• LittleMissCantBeWrong darwinl1984 • a year ago
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• Here's the difference: if you think that black people are so horrible that you can't bear living around them, you have the option of moving to an all or mostly white community. That way you can have your perception of safety. Since white people are *never* dangerous, violent criminals, amirite? Meanwhile, if the rest of us would like not to be harrassed by the police, where should we go? It doesn't matter if we live in the city, the suburbs, or the country, we cannot escape. Even just staying in our own homes isn't even an escape. There is no way for us to have a perception of safety when it comes to the police, we will always be viewed with suspicion. Bottom line- when white people get over themselves and stop being so suspicious and racist, we'll all get along just fine.
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Janee Ronca • a year ago
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this is flawlessly stated.
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Charles DEon • a year ago
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The VAST majority of young black men are caused by young black men. What are you going to do when (very likely) Zimmerman is aquitted? Why do you only use the picture of Trevon Martin from when he was 13? Why do you call Zimmerman white? based on your standard that makes Obama white as well.
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Michele Weekes- King • a year ago
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I pray that this article would make some people wake up!
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Joe Hall • a year ago
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You...you cant be serious here can you? My your brainwashing is extensive. Where is this mythical "White Privilege" I have heard so much about? I can tell you it isnt in the work force, where companies are actually REQUIRED to have a certain amount of people who are deliberately not white, simply for the fact that they are not white. It isnt in the education, there were a plethora of scholarships and colleges I could not apply to BECAUSE I AM WHITE! It isnt in the court system where the terms hate crime and racist are 99.9% of the time on white people. Add to that the tidal wave of black on white crime and that makes it even more insulting. This article is hilariously skewed with stupidity and I honestly feel sorry for you if you are living in this weird fantasy world that is completely detached from reality. You disgust me and at the same time I pity you.
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• LittleMissCantBeWrong Joe Hall • a year ago
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• "It isnt in the education, there were a plethora of scholarships and colleges I could not apply to BECAUSE I AM WHITE!" Um, there is no college in the US that will not accept a white person based on the color of their skin. If you are silly enough to think that HCBUs such as Howard, Morehouse, or Spellman do not accept white students, you are wrong. White students are not in the majority in these schools, but they are definitely there.
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