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Honestly, I'm attempting to convey my personal take on things is all.
The 'media' during the time frame before the American Civil War may have done the same or similar.
All I'm suggesting is a critical & creative approach to problem solving, something like this:
• Identify the problems. — “What’s the real questions we’re facing here?”
• Define the context. — “What are the facts & circumstances that frame this problem?”
• Enumerate choices. — “What are our most plausible three or four options?”
• Analyze options. — “What is our best course of action, all things considered?”
• List reasons explicitly. — “Let’s be clear: Why we are making this particular choice?”
• Self-correct. — “Okay, let’s look at it again. What did we miss?”
What are the biggest problems here? What is the best course of action, all things considered?
Its pretty obvious to me where the power in America lies. And its not "the white males" or "the Jews" or whatever. The power in America lies with the top 0.1% economic elite. The ruling class of America has the power. As long as people refuse to accept this and continue to vote for their puppets, then how on earth can people expect change? The oligarchy buy the political system, rig the economy, rig the courts in their favor and the working stiffs of America, regardless of skin color, gets the short end of the stick. Only through a radically different approach, a pro-worker approach, emphasizing the importance of the trade union movement to spur positive change for the people can we really expect progress for all people in America.
Are you male? Heterosexual? Does thousands of years of history of demeaning people based on gender and sexual orientation cause you to believe that you should pay a steep price for your "male heterosexual privilege"?
It actually causes me to believe that penance is owed by chauvinists and homophobes as much as by blatant racists.
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Originally Posted by PCALMike
Perhaps if I tell you that if you dont raise awareness everyday about your privileges as male or heterosexual or whatever, then you are spreading homophobia, misogyny? Do you think that is appropriate?
I have found very little in any of your posts that has been appropriate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PCALMike
Lets not kid ourselves here. What you are talking about is class issues.
No, it's plain old naked racism, and nothing more. "Class issues" (themselves built in substantial part from racism) are just another weak attempt at smoke-screening the facts and effects of our resident national evil. You only convict yourself in efforts to raise such a dodge.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PCALMike
If America had a proper public safety net, a national health care system and ensured that great educational opportunities were available to all members of society, in particular the underclass, then these "race issues" wouldnt really be issues and far fewer people would be susceptible to the ideas of "race X" being responsible for the ills of society.
YOU are the one whose blindness needs to be addressed. Help is available in dealing with problems such as yours. You might well be wise in availing yourself of such.
It actually causes me to believe that penance is owed by chauvinists and homophobes as much as by blatant racists.
I have found nothing in any of your posts that has been appropriate.
Do you feel that you are spreading homophobia and misogyny if you dont raise awareness everyday about your privilege? I am just curious. You seem eager to highlight what you see as your "disadvantages" in life, but if you subscribe to the "white privilege" agenda, then you are being selective in your focus. As a "heterosexual with privilege" are you taking responsibility for your part in a homophobic system and the perpetuation of homophobia or do you feel you are being accused of something you have nothing to do with?
There is zero evidence to suggest that these "race issues" would be anywhere near what it is today if America had addressed the massive income and wealth inequality in society. Any group that dominates the underclass will always face discrimination in certain situations whether the group is white, red-haired, short or whatever. If you give the class divide in America a wide berth, and instead think things will change if you just focus on the "whites as a privileged group", then nothing will really change.
Many years ago, probably around 1987 or so I worked for a temp agency. It was a small company, just three people. The owner, a white woman, put a distinguishing mark on the application of any minority so if we had a company that wanted only a white person we were only to send them white people. And this was only 30 years ago! Don't know if that company is still around, I left and then reported her; not sure if she was ever investigated or not.
A very good example. Although what is more insidious are the same type of things that go on...and continue to go on...without any mark...just something that is understood.
I know and know of people who refused to hire or work with blacks. That's on them. Not on me or other whites. In the old days, not so old really, Ivy League schools discriminated against Jews. So did Wall St. companies. 19th century signs said, "Irish need not apply." Italians didn't have it easy, either.
Discrimination is an individual failing not a racial one. Or if it is a racial one all races are guilty of it. e.g., the Japanese hate and discriminate against Koreans even though there is virtually no genetic difference between them.
Racial guilt has a long and evil history of which the Final Solution was the ultimate expression. Ultimately that is the only end to which the racial guilt road runs.
If you could stand back and look at what you just wrote, it would be obvious to you that you seem to be saying that since it is such a common failing of man, we cannot be held responsible. Since it is so common, we should not work to eliminate it.
Yes, that's on them...good point. So the rest of us who never practiced racial discrimination should just sit back, fold our arms, and watch it play out.
The old saying that you're either part of the solution or part of the problem seems apt here.
awareness of the conditions of others is "guilt"? understanding of people different than you is "guilt"?
When people label an entire ethnic group as undeserving and privileged who need to pay a steep price, then we are going into demonization territory. It has nothing to do with "raising awareness" at that point. When people label white people as akin to sons and daughters of drug kingpins who claim their innocence while spending stolen money, that is the result of this demonization.
But be honest; do you honestly dont see how not addressing the elephant in the room, the massive class divide in America, is a deliberate strategy by the media? The media isnt "raising awareness". They are just stoking the flames of division and hatred. This isnt some Civil rights movement. They simply use race issues to divide the 99%. Nothing will change when poor whites rightfully feel demonized as undeserving by smug rich elites and black voters will vote for the person who swims in bribe money from the same elite yet talk about "white privilege" and the scourge of racism. Do you think its appropriate to tell a disabled person to shut up because he has "heterosexual privilege" or "tall privilege"? Dont you see how obnoxious it comes across? The media know what they are doing by dividing people up. And this means no change is in the pipeline.
Frankly, the media is us and it feeds us.
And what about you? In how many posts have you been dividing people up into Poles and Asian females, etc.?
If you could stand back and look at what you just wrote, it would be obvious to you that you seem to be saying that since it is such a common failing of man, we cannot be held responsible. Since it is so common, we should not work to eliminate it.
Yes, that's on them...good point. So the rest of us who never practiced racial discrimination should just sit back, fold our arms, and watch it play out.
The old saying that you're either part of the solution or part of the problem seems apt here.
Its a bit like saying that if you dont spend your effort fighting AIDS every day, then you are spreading AIDS and part of the problem. Its just extremist rhetoric.
I remember vividly one time when I was about 11, my dad complaining about how as a manager in an aerospace company he was required to hire a minority candidate who interviewed over a white one even if the white candidate had more experience or presented better at the interview. He was pretty pi**ed off about it as he wanted to be able to hire the person for the job based on their qualifications not skin color.
Depends on what the company felt were "qualifications".
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