"Perceived" labels of racism don't hold a candle to discrimination/institutional racism

This is a response to those who feel they have been labeled as racist, whether directly or indirectly.

LET IT GO! (or, don't be so sensitive/quit living in the past/suck it up)

Real talk...so what? So what if someone told you "you only did whatever because I'm black?" Why do I say this? Because this doesn't really mean anything compared to discrimination. It's like, how many times have you:

Been pulled over, questioned, or flat out harassed by police because you're white?

Been followed through a store in the mall because they think you will steal because you're white?

Been ID'ed when using plastic to pay for items after the black customer in front of you was NOT ID'ed?

Had black people clutch their purses as you walk by/walk across the street as you walk towards them/walk towards a store, then double back to lock their car because you and your white friends were sitting in a nearby car?

Had school administration employees (when you were in school) act as if anything you asked help about (transcripts, counceling, etc.) was akin to asking for an arm or a leg, while black students had the red carpet rolled out for them?

Been hired for a job where you were paid LESS than the original add indicated the starting salary would be?

Had coaches/teachers make blatantly racist remarks to you and other white students simultaneously, but "always in jest?"

Gone door to door doing activist work and have black people mock you, slam the door in your face, or tell you that "I know what your kind is up to, I'm calling the cops?"

Had black people in Ford trucks run you off the road as you walked, with only your moving out of the way keeping you from becoming roadkill?

Been trick or treating (when you were a kid, I hope ) and have black people tell you they were out of candy, even though a group of black kids had just gotten candy and you could still see the big bowl of candy inside the house?

Besides affirmative action, I see whites complain about BET, Black History Month, the Black Caucus, etc. Well, guess what; these things wouldn't even exist were it not for the near equation of white only with American. Just think about this...


These things have little bearing on your life. With affirmative action, you will still make more money than an equally qualified minority. With BHM, you still have White History Year. With the Black Caucus, you still have Congress. With BET, you can flip ONE CHANNEL and see members of your race. You are born into white privilege, whether you want to be or not. You have the complexion for protection, so you see law enforcement (from judge to jury) as beneficial instead of as a threat. You don't have to worry about discrimination EVERYWHERE in society (from glass ceilings in corporate America to credit risk assessment). Compared to discrimination, being called racist, even directly, is like nothing. VERY FEW black people are in a position to discriminate you. You have the luxury of not thinking about your race very often.

And, if you still don't want blacks to call you racist, you can greatly minimize your contact with blacks without it significantly affecting your life in America.

Guess what? African American people are not the only ones that this happens to. Being white...err Irish American, I have personally experienced the majority of all these things. The only one I can honestly say I have not experienced is the trick or treat one.

Does this mean that all of these people hate Irish people? Umm, no. It means people are stupid..period.

Here is the difference between you and I though. It would be illegal for a company to hire myself over you based on race. It is perfectly LEGAL though for a company to hire you over myself because of race. The reason being is that there has to be a diverse work force. Why can a company not hire someone for it's qualifications? Everyone wonders why America is outsourcing labor...they don't want to put up with all of this crap and I don't blame them!

If you stab me it's assault with a weapon. If I stab you it's assault with a weapon, attempted murder and a hate crime. Is that fair?

If a black guy raps about killing white people it is because his ancestors were made captive and he is expressing his anger. If some guy writes a country song about the same thing only reverse race..he is a racist and labeled as such. Is that fair?

Now I am not saying you guys don't have your struggles...but almost everyone else in the world has too. My people in Ireland were and still are persecuted...but we moved on and and are trying to make the best of things over here. That is all we can do man.

I don't hate the people who have treated my people wrong so long ago. I was born in America so that makes me an American. I don't see race...I see Americans worrying about the trivial things when there are much more important things to worry about.

My advice is just do the best you can and be the best person you can be. Live in the now and live life to the fullest...it's way too short for all of this nonsense.

Hope this post finds you in good health truthseeka.

Well, it might also say something about the black community. I mean, on average, how many blacks commit felonies as compared to whites? You want to complain that people treat blacks as potential criminals, why do you think that is? Im sure it has nothing to do with the glorification of guns, drugs, and violence in their communities.

How many black youths are on probation compared to white youths?

I dont see how a "racist" judicial system could really produce an 80% black prison population on trumped up charges, do you?

Lets be realistic here and not revert to child like "Im black, gimme!" rants and really think about this.

I think if blacks spent 50% of the amount of time and energy preaching about racism and used it on trying to correct problems in their communities, youd see a drastic improvement socially.

You cant blame whitey for everything, at some point you have to take personal responsibility.

Face it, blacks have many opportuinities and are squandering them.

Lets cease the race discussion for a while until it cools off in here...

Thread closed for now.

Thread opened.

Originally posted by TheBandit795
Thread opened.

Why?

I don't want to discuss anything in here anymore. Please close it again.

I just want to say that there's no qualitative difference between:

a white person being thought of as a racist because of the color of his skin.

AND

a black person being thought of as a thief because of the color of his skin.

There's no qualitative difference between:

a white person who perceives being thought of as a racist because of the color of his skin.

AND

a black person who perceives being thought of as a thief because of the color of his skin.

There's no difference.

Originally posted by truthseeka
This is a response to those who feel they have been labeled as racist, whether directly or indirectly.

LET IT GO! (or, don't be so sensitive/quit living in the past/suck it up)

Suck it up?!
Really.. I would love to but when I'm accused of being racist after I've been assaulted [for being a white woman] by someone it's kind of impossible to put it down to 'percieved' [translation: "imaginary"] racism. He yelled "You are just accusing me because I'm muslim." ..whilst picking up another rock to throw at me off the train tracks. I've also been chased by a gang of vietnemes girls [one was carrying a branch] who told me that they were going to 'get me' because they'd decided my being white meant I was a racist. Seeing a pettern yet? Again.. I had no previous contact with them.. they'd just picked me from the crowd. These are called HATE CRIMES.. main difference being that they have different catch phrases than the KKK.

Been pulled over, questioned, or flat out harassed by police because you're white?

I was harrassed by police quite recently actually. I refused to show them my ID when they were doing the stand over and lied [I called them on it] saying some people said I looked upset [no-one else was around]. Sitting at a bus stop with groceries must look suspicious I guess. They asked me SIX times for my ID.. where I was going etc. They were very domineering about it so I kept saying no. Then they said they'd appreciate it as they needed to get a certain amount of names in their book. The male seemed embarrassed by his partner's bullying. I rang later and made a complaint.. their excuse was that the female partner's foreign accent just makes her sound abrupt.

Been followed through a store in the mall because they think you will steal because you're white?

Why yes I have been. Had a few arguments with shops because of this.. the last one was from a 'non white' who asked to check my bag when I had not even got past the entrance [I didn't like their clothes and had changed my mind about going in]. She was right next to me and let others walk out without checking their bags. That was a very.. well 'dramatic' day.
Another time.. I even had a security guared threaten to take me 'out the back' for a search because a piece of rubbish [from a hair elastic which was still at home] in my bag set of the alarm [I offered to empty my bag even before he turned up]. He said he'd call the police and I said he should. He didn't.. he just liked threatening to take young women into the back over pieces of rubbish I guess [he wasn't caucasion btw].

Been ID'ed when using plastic to pay for items after the black customer in front of you was NOT ID'ed?

No.. don't use plastic but I had to prove who I was when taking money out of my own bank account. I showed her IDs and my license and she wrote it down without permission [which is in fact illegal]. In future I guess I have to 'dress up' when going to the bank and get my own money out. My sig not longer cuts it.

Had black people clutch their purses as you walk by/walk across the street as you walk towards them/walk towards a store, then double back to lock their car because you and your white friends were sitting in a nearby car?

Maybe they just remembered to lock their car and you're just assuming it's because of you and your friends ['percieved' racism?].

Had school administration employees (when you were in school) act as if anything you asked help about (transcripts, counceling, etc.) was akin to asking for an arm or a leg, while black students had the red carpet rolled out for them?

Hell yes!! Know it very well.

Been hired for a job where you were paid LESS than the original add indicated the starting salary would be?

I think that happens in alot of jobs.. it's about greed not colour. High pay in adds makes a job look more attractive.

Had coaches/teachers make blatantly racist remarks to you and other white students simultaneously, but "always in jest?"

This is getting really tedius. YES.

Gone door to door doing activist work and have black people mock you, slam the door in your face, or tell you that "I know what your kind is up to, I'm calling the cops?"

No. I don't do activist work door to door as I consider it annoying, an invasion of privacy and akin to telephone marketing. I choose other methods. Were you doing activist work about racism? Was it like this? Where you inferring all whites are racist or inferring that they imagine racism or making it blindingly obvious what you think of us like you do here? Yep.. wanting to call the cops probably had nothing to do with your approach.. I mean.. you even started a thread to compare racial victimhood. VERY telling.

Had black people in Ford trucks run you off the road as you walked, with only your moving out of the way keeping you from becoming roadkill?

Did this happened to you? I admit.. thats nasty. I hope they were charged with attempted assault with a deadly weapon. Is it okay if someone says it wasn't a ford or doesn't that count as racism? You've kind of guarenteed to get 'nos' to that question by making details so specific.

Been trick or treating (when you were a kid, I hope

) and have black people tell you they were out of candy, even though a group of black kids had just gotten candy and you could still see the big bowl of candy inside the house?

Actually I've refused candy on princible as it's not an australian custom.

These things have little bearing on your life.

I think that is what is called an ignorant assumption.. one which is complete bs.

And, if you still don't want blacks to call you racist, you can greatly minimize your contact with blacks without it significantly affecting your life in America.

Oh.. so this is only an AMERICAN issue? My bad.. I thought this was the 'social issue' forum [please keep in mind that racism is very different in other countries]. I'm against being called a racist becuse I'm white.. so are many others but no-one has said it's only specific to blacks/africans calling them racist. Other races exist and what we want is to not to be called racist just because we're white. It is a form of persecution.

[edit on 14-2-2007 by riley]

Thread closed again.