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I don't feel guilty at all and I don't think about it very much.
We have lots of ancestors.. LOTS! Most blacks have ancestors that owned slaves.. Should they feel guilty??
Some of my ancestors were probably slaves.. Should I feel shamed? its a melee...
It's hard to tie any emotion to something that occurred so long ago. I suppose that if I could put my finger on a specific ancestor and say, he owned this slave and this slave is the ancestor of this person then perhaps I could feel some empathy for that person.. but I can't do that... not many of us can and that GAP or recognition, that GAP of common ancestry creates apathy..
I don't think you can simply cookie cut a period of HISTORY and tie the guilt for it to any one PERSON... every generation has known atrocities but the next generation is no more responsible for those atrocities than the previous one. Eventually, we have to simply look at each other and say, "it was NOT YOUR FAULT, and it was NOT MY FAULT" it was THERE FAULT>. That's it.. blame those who are responsible, not those who came after.
Do you suffer from White Guilt? If so, why? If you don't, why don't you?
The ancestors of Whites (and even some still alive today), were part of a society that committed some of the worst crimes against humanity in this country. Should Whites today feel guilty? Many say there are not responsible for what their ancestors did. However, Whites have inherited the results of that history, such as inherited wealth, access to education, lack of discrimination.
Interesting to get your opinions on this.
Why should I? I didn't do any of it. I'm not responsible for the actions of anyone but myself. We should not judge today's morals on the morals of the past. What used to be the "norm" is no longer, and you can't change that.
And as an irish-american, there were parts of society that committed pretty horrible acts against the irish. Should non-irish feel guilty about that? I'm Catholic. Catholics both committed and received pretty horrible acts. What about that? I'm a woman. Women were treated like property. Should all men feel guilt about that?
White Guilt is just another progressive tactic to continue the "poor, pitiful me/I can't possible be responsible for my own actions and life. It's always someone else's fault that I'm a loser" mantra.
Which is what most people say. But you did inherit the "white privilege" today due to the acts of those in our past. Do you think that's far? Can you admit you have it much better than your fellow black citizen in this country?
Will this generation of white kids be able to say the same? They're the victims of affirmative action.
Do you suffer from White Guilt? If so, why? If you don't, why don't you?
The ancestors of Whites (and even some still alive today), were part of a society that committed some of the worst crimes against humanity in this country. Should Whites today feel guilty? Many say there are not responsible for what their ancestors did. However, Whites have inherited the results of that history, such as inherited wealth, access to education, lack of discrimination.
Interesting to get your opinions on this.
If I'm guilty for the bad things my ancestors did, then I'm also laudable for the good things they did.
Do you suffer from White Guilt? If so, why? If you don't, why don't you?
If one is going to assign guilt then where does it begin? Where does it end?
I accept no guilt for the for the westward expansion of civilization, or the Spanish Inquisition. Does an Arab (or Christian for that matter) accept guilt for the slaughters of the Crusades?
We're born innocent. I have enough issues to deal with as it is. I accept no man's burden of guilt as my own.
You realize that a very large part of the white population of this country me included is descended from poor immigrants that suffered under nearly the same conditions or even worse because they were considered expendable?
As a white women, I have nothing to be "guilty" about. The past is the past and it is time to stop the useless blaming about things that happened. Today is a different world and looking forward is usually far more productive than crying about things that happened in the past.
I agree that you should not feel guilty for who you are, but you should at least acknowledge that whites do have privilege in this society.
I'm sure there are real privileges in America with being black. Nobody would question them being Americans, for example. I'm sure there are other things that black people take for granted that they don't realize.
Four Americans. Three females (Latina), one male (me, black Latino). All coming over the U.S. border at San Ysidro, California after a day in Tijuana. We all approach the border crossing on foot. Guess which of the four was the only one to get stopped by the Border Patrol?
So, not always the case.
And what of that lingering problem of our President's birthplace continually being questioned?
I'd agree but not for the reasons you're implying, my Great Grandfather worked his ass off to make a better life for his children, my Grandfather did the same. My Father was the first generation to enjoy the fruits of their labors and he made sure his children had a good life. I don't have children of my own but my Brothers are working hard to insure their kids live a good life too.
As white men, they had greater opportunities to work to make a better life for their children. They didn't have their land confiscated. They weren't worried about being lynched or thrown in jail for being "uppity." I could go on, and on, and on.........
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Wealth is not built overnight unless your name is Bill Gates, for most people who come from poor families it's a multi generational deal.
Yes, and whites have several generations' worth of a head start.
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