What is white privilege?

a reply to: Grambler

And yet your United States still has ghettos (lack of access). Your President said that he will indeed tackle inner city poverty of which I believe that this problem is historically based on skin colour.

www.thedailybeast.com...

originally posted by: InTheLight
a reply to: Grambler

And yet your United States still has ghettos (lack of access). Your President said that he will indeed tackle inner city poverty because this problem is historically based on skin colour.

www.thedailybeast.com...

If ghettos and poverty mean lack of access, then there are people of all colors (including white) that this affects. So why the focus on skin color instead of poverty?

And many would contend, myself included, that the policies of the war on poverty and skin color based laws has actually made many of these ghettos worse by making them reliant on the government.

I think the real racist are the ones who think that black people are not as intelligent or hard working as others, and that they need to be treated like children, and need special advantages from the government to compete with others.

I chose to think that people of all colors can be successful on their own.

a reply to: openminded2011

Its me being privileged having to get up and go to work to support those who scream "white privilege" who get to eat for free at the trough - it sucks

a reply to: Grambler

This is a complex issue which needs to be discussed from every angle and anyone in poverty, with the where-with-all (not suffering from mental illness or disorders) to succeed (whatever that looks like to them), should be offered a hand up. Right now in America, the population that needs a hand up are the people of colour.

irp.wisc.edu...

originally posted by: InTheLight
a reply to: Grambler

This is a complex issue which needs to be discussed from every angle and anyone in poverty, with the where-with-all (not suffering from mental illness or disorders) to succeed (whatever that looks like to them), should be offered a hand up. Right now in America, the population that needs a hand up are the people of colour.

irp.wisc.edu...

I hope everyone sees how slippery to proponents of white privilege are. You start off saying even poor white people experience white privilege. The when pushed on what privilege is, you say poverty.

Yet apparently you feel the white people in poverty, which in the US number far more than any other race, are privileged and don't deserve a hand up. Otherwise, you would be suggesting policies based on wealth, not skin color.

You ignore that offering a "hand up" leads to situations like that in South Africa, where white farmers are murdered and kicked off of their land in the name of giving folks a hand up.

And lets not forget that in many ways blacks in the US were batter off financially before LBJ's war on poverty (you know where he said he would have these n******* voting democrat for the next 100 years). Racists like LBJ assumed the could treat blacks like children because they were not capable of making it on their own. These policies of giving many black communities a "hand up" as you suggest have made the situation worse, making generations of black people dependent on the government for assistance.

Again, you can go on thinking black people are inferior and need special treatment, I will think they are every bit as caapable as any other race.

And again, I notice you only mention white privilege. Why not other types, like Asian privilege? After all, people of Asian ethnicity out perform whites on all of these measure such as financially and not being in jail.

And why have you refused to comment on atrocities committed against white people by others in the past? Where is their ancestors "hand up"?

Your focus exclusively on whites having privilege seems very suspicious to me.

I believe that this term was invented by academics to explain away the differential outcomes of various races.

Sadly, not all races achieve the same in tests, employment, pursuit of advanced degrees, financial planning and many other aspects of our modern life.

To explain away these differential outcomes, academics have coined the term white privilege.

Strangely, Asians seem to have more white privilege than those people with fair skin.

I'd also like to point out that the term white privilege is in itself racist. The definition of racism is to assign a trait to a group of people based on their race. In this case there trait Privilege is assigned to a group based solely on their race. It is clear that not all white people are privileged.

a reply to: Grambler

You are reading something into my stance which is not there - white people too can try to get a hand up, just go and try, and I hope the experience won't be a negative eye-opening one for them because there is a sore lack of resources put in place for people that need a hand up, that is why your President needs to 'fix it' - the question is how to fix it.

My focus is widespread, as I have offered stereotyping from both sides affects self-identity, unconscious bias (with back up linked study) and now examples of lack of access for non-whites specifically due to discrimination.

We are discussing white privilege, not privilege. Therefore, people that are non-white are whom we are discussing and how they got to where they are now, via historical societal discrimination (conscious or unconscious - nothing to do with ability or inferiority - only lack of access) and why regulations and government assistance is a now a requirement to assist them. This is changing the playing field to equal access.

Non-whites (including Asians) are facing workplace discrimination, in that, a study states that employers are likely to interview a person where a white sounding name is on the resume.

After responding to 1,300 ads with more than 5,000 resumes, the researchers found that the job applicants with white names needed to send 10 resumes to get one callback, but the black candidate needed to send 15 for one. It didn’t matter whether the employer was a federal contractor or was described as an "equal opportunity employer," as those also discriminated like the others. "We find little evidence that our results are driven by employers inferring something other than race, such as social class, from the names," their paper states. "These results suggest that racial discrimination is still a prominent feature of the labor market."

Also, my niece's husband is a non-white and one day while he was doing yard work in the front of his home (in an affluent neighbourhood) a police patrol car stopped and two white officers got out and asked him what was he doing there - he replied that he lived there. I can tell you that they would not have done that to a white man standing in front of his home in that neighbourhood - now is it white privilege not to be stereotyped?

If this isn't discrimination in favour of whites (for the privilege of working), then I don't know what is.

www.politifact.com...

a reply to: InTheLight

The study in your article proves nothing. From the source

We found another National Bureau of Economic Research paper looked at a slightly related angle: whether having a name that sounded African-American posed significant harm for one’s economic well-being.

The authors analyzed naming patterns of children born in California from the 1960s to 2000. The names DeShawn, Tyrone, Reginald, Shanice, Kiara, Deja and Precious were very popular black names but "virtually unheard of" for white children, they found. Conversely, names such as Connor, Cody, Jake, Molly, Emily, Abigail and Caitlin were way more popular for white children. The differences in name preferences took off with the rise of the Black Power movement in the late 1970s, the authors said.

The key difference between the papers is that economists Roland Fryer and Steven D. Levitt found "little evidence" that names alone can have a direct effect on one’s economic livelihood, concluding that having a black name is "primarily a consequence rather than a cause of poverty and segregation."

But the authors said this does not necessarily negate the findings of Bertrand and Mullainathan. They noted that having a black name on its own is not likely to have a big effect throughout the interviewing process, as an employer who meets an applicant and discriminates on race would immediately notice his or her race during the meeting.

www.politifact.com...

And the report is just based on names. I bet white people named Jim Bob, Yoder and Jethro probably have difficulty in this same regard.

And even if this is true, how is giving people advantages based on race supposed to solve it? If you were an employer, and you know that there are policies that allow black that perform worse than others to get better grades, would that not make you question rather any black applicants credentials. The people that are most negatively effected are the brilliant and hard working blacks that people assume got to where they are based on affirmative action policies.

And your claims on Asians being discriminated is 100% wrong.

Here is an article.

THIS is an awkward question, but here goes: Why are Asian-Americans so successful in America?

It’s no secret that Asian-Americans are disproportionately stars in American schools, and even in American society as a whole. Census data show that Americans of Asian heritage earn more than other groups, including whites. Asian-Americans also have higher educational attainment than any other group.

www.nytimes.com...

Here is a thread I did on how racial and ethnic policies in schools hurt all sorts of people, especially poor people of Asian descent.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

You speak of unconscious bias, but what about conscious institutional hatred.

Show me one class or major in any university discussing the evils of black people. Oh whats that, there is none. Yet there are countless classes, curriculum and degrees based off of discuss the problems of whiteness. Unconscious bias is a garbage argument used to justify real bias against others.

If anyone in this thread is guilty of bias, its the person who only wants to discuss white privilege, and has continued to ignore the conclusions of race based policies that are occuring in Sout Africa.

a reply to: Grambler

We are on this thread to only discuss white privilege and what that entails from those that experience it, that being, not most of us posting here.

Bamboo ceiling -

www.asian-nation.org...

What white privilege looks like -

www.agjohnson.us...

I think the way he explains it sums up what I am trying to relay here -

agjohnson.wordpress.com...

a reply to: InTheLight

Your bamboo ceiling article proves why racila policies are a failure.

The article only looks at government jobs. I wonder who is getting all of thise jobs if Asians aren't. Must be evil whitey right?

Oh wait, no its black people!

More than 20% of the Black working population over 16 years old are employees of the federal, state, or local government which is just over 5 percentage points higher than the national average. On the other end a much smaller percentage of African Americans are self-employed (3.6%) than the national average of 6.2%.

blackdemographics.com...

So the government gives a "hand up" (as you suggested they should) and as a result Asian americans now feel discriminated by the government. Brilliant.

My thread (that you probably didn't read) on universities shows the same thing. Asian students are most negatively affected by affirmative action admission policies.

But again, people don't care about these poeple, because they feel black people are inferior and need a hand up. All of these years of hand up policies, and yet there is no positive outcomes.

And you continue to show your hatred of white people by not mentioning all of the whitey is bad classes being offered, or the problems in South Africa or all of the other things mentioned.

openminded2011 I have a question for you. Are you a United States citizen? And if so, have lived abroad outside of the North America, say South America, Asia, or Africa? By living abroad I don't mean a vacation. That's not enough time to start getting a more realistic perspective of another culture. If you haven't, you might want to try it. Because there is only 320 million people in the U.S. There is a whole 6 billion+ of people out there in the world.

Let me make my a case for the existence of white privilege. I am an American, born and raised in Northern Virginia, now living in Peru, South America, for last 11 years. For several reasons, mostly positive, white complected people, get special treatment in just about everything that involves judgement of others. For example, better customer service at private establishments, more consideration, benefit of the doubt in legal matters, considered a better "catch" in relationships, etc. The reasons that prompt up the existence of white privilege aren't really bad, it's just that they really in essence just a stereotype because we all know everyone is unique and shouldn't be labeled because of the color of there skin.

Please here me out. I don't want to come across as racist. But, the reasons that white complected people are "privileged" in mostly South American, Asian, and African 3rd world countries is that in general "whites" have excellent morals and values which I believe is related to our protestant christian roots. Many of the positive values that we have instilled into our conduct which to us is just common sense is very much christian based, straight from the bible. "Treat others as you would like to be treated", "always give 100% effort", "what comes around goes around", etc are direct christian teachings. You wold be surprised how much these values we take for granted are absent in other cultures. I was certainly amazed of the lack of morals where I live now. Apart from that, the academic education that "whites" receive is the best in world, the best sourced, and the most technologically modern. A high school graduate from the States has more knowledge and skills than many university grads in 3rd world countries. Another fact is that "whites" are richer. On average, "whites" have more annual household income than others. "Whites" are the hippest, creating and indulging in the trends of every industry, fashion, music, movies, and all other forms of entertainment. The latest trends always start in 1st world countries and trickle down to 3rd world countries a whole year later. Get the picture?

So basically when a non-white person sees a white-person (especially in 3rd world countries) then there is an immediate labeling of that person: better educated, a nicer and more honest person (better morals), cooler and hipper, richer, etc. So yeah, if you are a private business owner (especially in a 3rd world country) and you see a local person enter your business and at the same time you see a white foreigner enter .. heck yeah you fall into the stereotype and treat the "white" person much better. If there is a legal problem, let's say a fender bender, with a white and a local non-white, then you tend to believe the white person more. If you are looking for a relationship (especially if you come from a 3rd world poor background) and you have to choose between two equally looking people with great personalities only one is a local person and the other is a white foreigner, than it's super common to pick the white person. Etc. etc. Be it right or wrong, this is the logic that goes on behind the conduct that is responsible for "white privilege". This is what happens in the 3rd world countries and although less in 2nd and 1st world countries, it still happens.

Of course, the problem here is that everyone is not the same. Unfortunately, ignorant people fall into the lie of stereotyping and discrimination.

So my verdict is: YES, white privilege exists. But it's not your fault. Don't get offended that white privilege exists because it's not your fault. YOU are just being YOU and it's other people that are putting you up on a pedestal. And it will always exist people too many people are ignorant enough to believe in labeling whether it be stereotyping, discrimination or privileging an entire race.

My 2 cents and my 1st post. Be gentle to me.

a reply to: InTheLight
So according to the definition in the article...does Kenya have black privilidge? Do Japan and China excercise Asian privilidge? Of course they do...that is because they are considered black and asian countries. Multiculturalism is a failed experiment.

white people will be white people is what I have come to notice, the centuries of slavery till Jim Crow and beyond have not only destroyed the black Americans, but the whites have grown an incapability to understand anything related to blacks.

This is my example, plus this is Canada.

This what you all sound like, and note when he makes the mistake he corrects himself even though he know, you all know and have these conversations like you don't.

www.youtube.com...

a reply to: chishuppu
I know, right?

I still to this day see descendants of Ghengis Khan unwilling to realize there privilege ove the ancestors of the people he conquered.

The same with many African tribes, the Moors, Native American tribes, etc. None of them show any remorse. Its disgusting isn't it?

a reply to: chishuppu

First of all, every ethnicity has had some sort of slavery. Slavery is not the sole domain of Africans. Look up the Barbary Coast, and indentured servitude, or Rome, or the Jews for examples. And what precisely does white people acting white mean? What or who are we supposed to act like? If you mean being apologetic for everything that happened in the past then you can forget that happening. Reverse racism solves nothing, and encourages push back from us white folk, not dialog...which is what is needed.
If african americans are so bad off, then perhaps they should consider how their ancestors have fared. Or is this because of white privilidge too?
www.economist.com...
blackdemographics.com...

a reply to: misterexpensive
I agree with much of what you say, I don't agree with your stated reasons for the existence of white privilege. Not saying that religion didn't have some part in the mix, but it was fear of retribution, shunning and death, that caused many to cater to Whites.

The top dog is usually the most envied and the most revered. Most want to be the top dog. If they can't be, they want to be his right hand man, look like him, act like him, or be his minion. That is just the way human nature works. Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches" touches on this mind set a bit.

If you are white it is something you never have to think about, it is like breathing. It is not until something interferes with the air, that breathing is something you become concerned about. If you are not white, it is a constant that is as normal as green grass. It is natural, and the way things have always been. It is not until the grass turns brown or becomes over grown, that it becomes something for non-whites to be concerned about.

At this point, there is no right or wrong of it. It is an established norm that has been accepted for centuries. The only reason I think it has being pushed as an issue now, is because it is a useful tool in pushing us further along the racial divide.

White privilege is real and its this...

In the United States if you are White, Male and Christian, you have an advantage, though it can be really small/slight in most cases, over those that are not white or male or Christian.

It doesn't mean that anyone can't overcome it or rise above or make something of themselves.

This idea of white privilege hinges on two concepts. Most people in power--Government, CEOs, Leadership roles in military and civic organizations, holders of wealth, etc are white christian males. Look at congress 80% white and 80% male.

The second concept is that we like people who are like ourselves. Therefore, who are these white males going to give preference to in any discussion, legal matter, hiring matter, mentorship, etc? Other White Males.

That's all it means.

In China, there is native male Chinese privelege. Try being a muslim or woman or American over there and moving up the food chain. It will be hard.

originally posted by: Grambler
a reply to: chishuppu
I know, right?

I still to this day see descendants of Ghengis Khan unwilling to realize there privilege ove the ancestors of the people he conquered.

The same with many African tribes, the Moors, Native American tribes, etc. None of them show any remorse. Its disgusting isn't it?

are you defaulting to slavery when civil rights where granted in the 60s, my mother was born in 54 and I am 33. Like I stated before you have an incapability to understand and a lack of sympathy for those wronged. Thats ok, you are what you are.

a reply to: amazing
I think you are oversimplifying.

I agree with much of what you say, but privilege isn't static. It shifts from situation to situation.

For example, you say there is white male privilege in the US.

So if a father and mother are splitting up and fighting for custody of the child, the man has privilege and will be favored right? No, its the exact opposite.

Same with all law enforcement interactions. Women routinely are believed over men in domestic disputes, are given lighter sentences, and are found innocent more often. Men are so little values that society mock them for getting raped in prison. In fact men are more harshly treated vs women than any other group (say black people getting harsher sentences than whites) and yet we never here of protests about cops being sexist.

Women are the overall majority of university graduates, and do better in all schooling environments.

Black people are given advantages in government jobs and university admissions. Asians outperform white people in most areas that are considered examples of privilege (education, finances, etc.)

Despite all of this, it seems that only white (or men) people are asked to acknowledge their privilege.

originally posted by: lakenheath24
a reply to: chishuppu

First of all, every ethnicity has had some sort of slavery. Slavery is not the sole domain of Africans. Look up the Barbary Coast, and indentured servitude, or Rome, or the Jews for examples. And what precisely does white people acting white mean? What or who are we supposed to act like? If you mean being apologetic for everything that happened in the past then you can forget that happening. Reverse racism solves nothing, and encourages push back from us white folk, not dialog...which is what is needed.
If african americans are so bad off, then perhaps they should consider how their ancestors have fared. Or is this because of white privilidge too?
www.economist.com...
blackdemographics.com...

There is no such thing as reverse racism, as black people in a whole we can not affect you economically, education, housing etc. Stop always trying to define things so that they too can affect you and give you an argument, reverse racism is a stupid concept. The one thing about reverse though is that it gets you out situation drive go you into. Either way you have an incapability of understanding black peoples struggle without it causing you emotional distress. Maybe if we switched black to dogs or cats you might understand better.