Oregon's Portland Community College to Mark 'Whiteness History Month'

OH BOY!!!!!! (rubs hands) this is going to be BIG NEWS or not, depending on the spin. I for one am proud to be white (American Indian, but white) and I know many others are as well. I am anxious to see what comes of this; more to follow or will they get shut down and called racists? I am also wondering if there is any corrolation to the occupiers??

For any other races, is this offensive to you, if so, why? Thanks in advance for your participation in this controversial subject matter..

"Whiteness refers to the construction of the white race, white culture, and the system of privileges and advantages afforded to white people," a definition on the school's event page reads.

The month of April will be dedicated to the project, which "seeks to inspire innovative and practical solutions to community issues and social problems that stem from racism," the school said.

Among the questions that will be asked:

What is whiteness and how is it socially constructed?
In what ways does whiteness emerge from a legacy of imperialism, conquest, colonialism and the American enterprise?
Who benefits from the consequences of whiteness? Who loses from whiteness? How?
What are alternatives to the culture of white supremacy?
What are approaches and strategies to dismantling whiteness?

L I N K

originally posted by: ReadLeader
I for one am proud to be white (American Indian, but white) and I know many others are as well.

Forgive my bluntness but why are you proud to be white ? What exactly is there to be proud about being a certain tone of skin colour ?

a reply to: Discotech

I am proud of my race b/c I am the history, of my race. I'm proud. Now, back on topic, Disco, what are your thoughts?

Judging by the questions asked, they should have called it "White Shame Month"
What a load of crap. College is pretty amazing.

a reply to: Discotech

Why not? If people are encouraged to be proud of being black, Asian, Latino, etc., why shouldn't the rest of us take pride in our ethnic/cultural heritage. Clearly, it is a thing, or they wouldn't dedicate an entire month to drill down into the history of why we should feel guilty for it which is what "whiteness" history is all about.

More specifically, it is Western Cultural Heritage which began in Greece, went through Rome, was reborn through the Renaissance spread into Europe and with colonialism and the Enlightenment to various other parts of the world.

Many of the advances of modern science and medicine are the result as are many systems of modern governance and our rights to discuss things freely in places like this. Too many are disconnected from that and busy feeling guilty about it these days.

a reply to: ReadLeader

"Look, you're white therefore by definition you're racist - you should be ashamed to be white".

It appears, on the surface of it, that the Portland Community College's Diversity Council is clearly made up of racists - and very precious one's at that. They appear to be spreading their definition of tolerance and love via the theme that whites are the racists and because of that everyone else is allowed to be......except whiteys???

I'd like to see an abolition of celebrated ignorance, period. People are constantly affirming their prejudice based on the past which in turn dictates how they view their future. Disgusting.

a reply to: ReadLeader

Be proud of being a human, if you can actually be proud despite how awful we as a species actually are, being proud of "insert race" just creates the divisional issues we have seen through out history, it's no different than nationalistic pride which also equally stupid, my thoughts ? Like being prideful of race, I think this "whiteness history month" is just BS and an elaborate troll on "insert colour history month"

a reply to: ketsuko

Why not ? Because I personally think piggy backing on the achievements of others throughout history is a pitiful excuse to be "proud"

Just like we shouldn't feel guilt from our history over which we personally had no involvement we also shouldn't feel proud because as a species we're still quite terrible.

a reply to: ReadLeader

I am white. I am proud of being myself. I don't need a month.

I knew when I clicked on this that it would be 2 comments in before someone was offended. I'm white. So? Did I plan it? Did I have a say in it? No to both and I'm not responsible for what happened 200 years ago!. None of us are, but God knows we have "victims" who'd have you believe they've picked the cotton and felt the whip.
It's ok to have Black History Month, MLK day, B.E.T. channel, Blacks Only dating sites and the list goes on, but let a white man be proud of what the race has accomplished and stand back, because heads are gonna explode.

It's pretty easy to read between the lines...or even read the lines... And see that this is no white equivalent to black history month. This is NOT a celebration of white history or accomplishments. It is an ultra pc, snarky, and condemning look at "whiteness".

This is Portland, afterall. This could be straight out of an episode of Portlandia. Hipsters trying too hard to be PC, "intellectual", and "edgy" at the same time.

What the hell does "whiteness" mean, anyway?

Can anyone define "whiteness"?

Pink is whiterer than red? Is it better, or worse?

I grow excessively tired of this sort of thing masquerading as "education". Aren't educators supposed to teach, at the end of the day, how to "learn"?

Whatever. I'm actually glad I didn't finish college...personally, I'd be ashamed to be college "educated" these days...

a reply to: rockintitz

Trust me...

That isn't what this is about.

Not even remotely. Which I find somewhat amusing since Portland, Oregon back in the day was quite the bastion of White Supremacy in the NorthWest.

Replace White Power bigotry, with a different brand of bigotry... OK.

a reply to: ReadLeader

My skin is not white. Paper is white. Snow is white. Some toothpastes are white. My skin is not, and there are only a very rare few human beings whose skin is even nearly white. I am, none the less born of persons whose ancestors were abroad in the British Isles, in the mists of time and by all accounts, it is likely that a significant part of what went into my construction, came from pre-roman Britain.

Of that, I am intensely proud. However, I am proud of that because I find things about the ancient Britons interesting, laudable, noble and elemental. I find much of what has happened since the Romans inserted their supremacist nonsense into our national construction utterly deplorable, and the effects are still being felt now. In my opinion, the Britons unwilling union with the Romans, is what lead to British taste for dominance over other nations, the desire for empires to be built in the name of its rulers and chosen faith. I believe that no one of note would wish to dominate anyone else, because to seek dominion is unnatural and evil as a pursuit. To seek dominion over entire continents is surely a greater folly, and to seek and nearly achieve dominion over an entire globe? Unthinkable hubris and above all, evil.

I am proud of my heritage, my nation as far as its most noble moments go, and justly ashamed of the wrong that has been done by its least noble members and organisations over the years. But that is nothing to do with the colour of my skin, which is a freckled, pinkish colour, blended with a little yellow, and blue picking out the veins closest to the surface. I do not agree with being described as white in the least. The majority of people who ARE absolutely white, suffer iron deficiencies leading to their colouring.

White History Month sounds fantastic.

We could serve Saltines and Milk. Have snowball fights. Draw pictures of puffy clouds. Release some doves.

So much awesome.

The best way to hide your racism is to point out everyone elses.

These people are doing a damn fine job.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

By golly, you're right!!

That sounds much more attractive than what I've got planned for my day.

a reply to: seagull

Yup.

We would need to add some serious stuff as well to make it more legitimate like a medical cause we need to educate everyone about.

How about skin cancer awareness or the inability to dance?

a reply to: ReadLeader

My thoughts?

I don't care, really. If someone wants to be proud, then be proud. If someone wants to think a certain way, they should be free to think a certain way.

It doesn't affect me.

If you're white and want to celebrate it, then you should be free to do so. If you're any color and you want to celebrate it, then you should be free to do so.

As long as no one tries to tell me how to think or what to think on any subject, I'm good with it.

I'll hold off celebrating until "Fat, Balding Month".

Then my people will rule the world!

Ahhhh hahahahahahahahahaha