White Privilege in Black History Month

With our current economic crisis bogartin' the news, we're not hearing so much about Black History Month events this year. I've heard some say that because of the election of Barack Obama, that there is no longer a need for organizations like the NAACP to exist. Members of the media and pundits on their programs like to use the term "post-racial America." And they're attempting to blend this term into everyday language.

Don't believe it! Don't buy into it! There is much for all of us to learn. Good things and bad. Friends go through the ups and downs together because they have that understanding of each other and feel one another's pain. I'd like to share a series of events I've encountered in the past week on a discussion forum. It's not a regular forum I read; I got there through an article I wanted to read. Then I started to read the comments; I immediately registered and here's how it went...

MY FIRST POST (in response to the bold)

I'm sorry, but I didn't spit on any children. Did you? I wasn't calling the cops on my neighbors for being black. Were you?

I didn't either, and I thank you for not doing so. But I believe you are misunderstanding Racism. It's not individual Racism that's at question. It's the systematic and traditional constructs in place.

And I'm sure everyone who gets pulled over has their plates scanned. You make it sound like there are no black police officers; like there is some vast white conspiracy to pull over all black drivers.

You don't have to call it conspiracy, but you can't deny the facts of the disproportionate police brutality on blacks. When was the last time you saw a white guy being beaten by police on the news? While at least 2 black men were killed by police in the last month that I can recall off the top of my head. Is this coincidence?

Your talk of slave trade implies you are still living in the 1850s. Are you aware that it is 2009, and slavery no longer exists in the United States? Do you know any black people that were involved in the slave trade? Then stop commenting on it. You, single-handedly, are living in the past and refusing to move forward.

Your refusal to even discuss the topic shows some kind of denial or lack of knowledge on the topic. It is 2009, and there were several cases of slavery in the US last year. Not to mention the sex slave trade that's a booming business, especially in DC.
Slavery is not ancient. People were born into slavery into the early 1900's. And you can't underestimate the passing of generational wealth, combined with discriminatory laws. These are issues that need discussing.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and derive that you're probably a Democrat. Just a completely random guess. No clues from your ignorance guided me toward that conclusion. *Sarcasm*

I agree with President Theodore Roosevelt's quote: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americans."

NO RESPONSE

NEXT POST

A black man from a broken family was elected to the highest office in the land. If he can do it, so can YOU. Quit blaming your race on your failures.

One black man out of an estimated 20 million. Do you think that YOU could be president? That doesn't seem realistic to think that since one man(that had to have a lot of things fall in place to get there) can do it, that all can-for any race. I don't think anyone is blaming their race for anything.

NO RESPONSE

NEXT POST

As soon as the Black are willing to give up affirmative action and enttitlement programs that are race based.

What specific race-based programs are you talking about? Most programs are income-based, and by simple population numbers whites outnumber minorities when it comes to receiving govenment assistance. White women are the biggest beneficiaries of affirmative action.


A level field for all the races.
No race based questions on any employment or housing applications.
No extra points for being a minority what so ever.

What extra points are you talking about? The people that fill out applications do not put the questions on them. That is a government requirement, as result of the discrimination that had taken place in our recent history.

Then racism will have no traction and no one can complain!!

Still I doubt that the free pass mentality will shut up anytime soon!!!!

NO RESPONSE

Then, a few days later comes the article, Topic: Blacks in Lancaster. The comments are too long to post, but the following PM I received should pretty much sum it up.

May I make a kindly, well-intentioned suggestion? Everyone who joins TB learns as they go, and takes their share of hard knocks. One of the things a lot of the "regulars" on TB are touchy about is quotes, keeping what they have written separate from our replies to them. They take it personally when they think they have been misquoted or taken out of context.

If you do a "reply" format, it leaves their words in the quote box, and your words outside the box. Makes it easier for readers to sort through as well. As I said, as relatively new myself, and having taken my lumps, one of the older posters sent me a note like this and it lessened misunderstandings.

Not trying to be bossy, just trying to keep the contention to a friendly level, especially on the race threads. (Oy!)

Wow!

I've said many times that DENIAL is a trait of racism. If this doesn't directly reflect this theory, then nothing can. But that's part of the struggle. Nothing worth having is easy. Hopefully, one day we can all look back and laugh about how stupid we acted. But for now, we have much work to do.

This is my community, and this is what's called a friendly level.