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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 13:08:02 GMT
My totally racist American grandmother (of Swiss origin) took it all the way back to Cain and Abel. "And Cain's seed shall be black" or some such nonsense.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 17:26:07 GMT
Mark, it's been well documented why Europe developed the way it did, and became the dominant culture worldwide. Technology? The Black Plague? Proximity to resources? I give you this blurb from a book by PT Hoffman:
Many of us are tired of the "other races are racist, too" argument. Sure they are, and wouldn't you be if you had been oppressed, suppressed, enslaved and murdered for millenia? The people on the bottom always hate the ones on top. I see old First Nations guys on the bus abusing little old Chinese ladies with their shopping, yelling at them to "go home!" It's easy for us as the white, dominant culture to criticise the behaviour we see others demonstrating, which is only a reflection of what they have experienced themselves.
We are in the middle of a huge cultural correction, the likes of which has never been seen before. We are at the point in human history where we have come to the end of our resources, our land, and our options. The only way forward is out and out war, or learning to live together. But things are going to get uglier before they get better.
And questa, I don't think anyone who secretly believes in "white superiority" could be in any way well-meaning.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 17:46:18 GMT
In France the black (French) West Indians are not at all fans of the black Africans -- they are better friends with European whites or North Africans, so it is really not always a question of race.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 17:50:15 GMT
This is a very powerful video of what it is to be black in the USA, and how the powerful classes have pitched poor whites against poor blacks, keeping the entire country down.
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Post by deyana on Jul 10, 2016 3:11:10 GMT
Many of us are tired of the "other races are racist, too" argument. Sure they are, and wouldn't you be if you had been oppressed, suppressed, enslaved and murdered for millenia? The people on the bottom always hate the ones on top. I see old First Nations guys on the bus abusing little old Chinese ladies with their shopping, yelling at them to "go home!" It's easy for us as the white, dominant culture to criticise the behaviour we see others demonstrating, which is only a reflection of what they have experienced themselves. We are in the middle of a huge cultural correction, the likes of which has never been seen before. We are at the point in human history where we have come to the end of our resources, our land, and our options. The only way forward is out and out war, or learning to live together. But things are going to get uglier before they get better. And questa, I don't think anyone who secretly believes in "white superiority" could be in any way well-meaning. Thanks for saying what I's like to say if I could, Lizzy. But I'm happy just to *like* your post, as I know I won't get the backlash for that at least.
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Post by deyana on Jul 10, 2016 3:14:55 GMT
I wonder if I'd be allowed to post this at least? I'll try: I Am Grateful Social Media Has Burst My White Bubble I am a white person living in a world built for me. The laws, whether they state they are for everyone or not, are created to benefit me. Images in the media make me look better, give me depth, and celebrate me. I was taught all of my life that any skin colour not white is 'other', which placed me at the centre of everything. Everything is measured, taught, created, promoted, and offered with me in mind as the consumer. I can be a total shit and it only affects me -- not the entirety of my culture. I am given the benefit of the doubt because of stereotypes. I work hard, yes, but success comes easier because my appearance opens doors. It's mine to lose. I've never had to wonder if my apartment application or resume was rejected because of the colour of my skin. I may not be openly racist or commit openly racist acts, but I am racist in that I'm blinded by my white world and experience and my white world and experience are forced upon everyone else. I can reach into my glove department or handbag for my identification when asked by an officer of the law without worrying about getting shot. I can stop a stranger on the street to ask for directions without them being suspicious or afraid of me. Nobody looks at me suspiciously at an airport. I can walk into a store with several bags and not be suspected of shoplifting. I can loiter all I want wherever I want without even thinking I'll be arrested. My Western religion (though I don't practice) is not associated with violence (although it really should be -- when will the Christians pay for their crimes against humanity?). I can drive a nice car without anyone questioning whether I stole it or bought it with dirty money. I can wear a hoodie and not worry about being shot. Not only is my culture in power, but we do things like appropriate other cultures for kicks. We think it's edgy or cool or kitschy to use urban language, listen to urban music, wear urban clothes, but while we're doing all of this, we could care less about the people who created these artifacts. We call our partners BAE and listen to Beyoncé on repeat, then totally ignore the black men and women being shot for doing nothing but living as black men and women in the world. I am grateful that social media has burst my white bubble and that I see I've been ignorant to everything outside of it. As a white person, I benefit greatly from thousands of years of racism. I may not be openly racist or commit openly racist acts, but I am racist in that I'm blinded by my white world and experience and my white world and experience are forced upon everyone else. It isn't better. It isn't 'the way it is'. It's constructed and my ancestors created it for their and my benefit. I am grateful that social media has burst my white bubble and that I see I've been ignorant to everything outside of it. So what do I do now? I'm still learning. I'm still seeing. It's my job to spread the word -- not my own experience of this, either -- the voices of black men and women. It's my job to stop racist talk, behaviour and ideas from perpetuating within white culture. It's my job to get off my defensive high-horse and listen and learn. It's my job to be an ally, to join wherever I'm needed and to not be offended if I'm not wanted. It's my job to shut up now and make room for REAL equality. By Tara Hunt
YouTuber, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker, Pug mum
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Post by questa on Jul 10, 2016 7:17:21 GMT
Deyana, that is a terrific piece and says what I meant when clumsily I wrote
Lizzy,
.
I did not mean the people who 'secretly believe' in white superiority, but those like the writer Tara Hunt above. Although not racist there is still that "white bubble" of assumptions that must be worked through. Civil Rights and legislation can make all races equal under the Law, but it will take more than a couple of generations to change people's perceptions.
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Post by chexbres on Jul 10, 2016 7:59:50 GMT
I haven't been able to watch Donald Trump speak without feeling queasy. Anyone know what he proposes to do about white policemen shooting black suspects with or without justifiable cause?
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Post by whatagain on Jul 10, 2016 9:36:56 GMT
I don't think I consider myself superior because I am white, but it does help to be white to feel superior. It also helps to be a man in our culture, and good looking. Being white, male and reasonably good looking, I am sure I have been able to live my life and making the carreer I have led easier than if I had been a black woman, and muslim, 'tant qu'à faire'. As long as it is like that, I fear indeed that we live in a racist system. However being conscious of it, I reject any argument stating that a black should not be allowed the same chances as myself. If the system is bad, we must fight it, every day, at our level. The situation has dramatically improved over the last generations and will continue to do so.
My mother met her first black person in september 1944 when US troops came to Belgium.
My father never cooked, nor changed our diapers. I cook once a week, I changed my kids diapers, but I never made their food. My son, would he have lived, would have done more at home, until maybe one day we will equally share these tasks. Same will go with races. It does well to have family who are partly black, as at least my children have met black people from the first day of their life. Which was not my mother's case, nor mine.
Equlity will come one day - when the vast majority of us are partly coloured, I guess.
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Post by fumobici on Jul 10, 2016 12:41:22 GMT
I haven't been able to watch Donald Trump speak without feeling queasy. Anyone know what he proposes to do about white policemen shooting black suspects with or without justifiable cause? The same as Obama has or Clinton would--essentially nothing, would be my bet. It would cost political capital to make any substantive change and that isn't on for calculating professional politicians, Trump would in all likelihood be exactly the same in this respect, which is to say 110% pro police and anti victims.
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Post by onlyMark on Jul 10, 2016 14:38:04 GMT
I don't think I consider myself superior because I am white, but it does help to be white to feel superior. It also helps to be a man in our culture, and good looking. Being white, male and reasonably good looking, I am sure I have been able to live my life and making the career I have led easier than if I had been a black woman, and muslim, 'tant qu'à faire'. Bugger. I've missed out on the good looking bit.
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