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Of course not, but it is an example of something that people understand by virtue of being American, and it applies regardless of race or ethnicity.
Another example that might be a little controversial is that many black posters here have commented that they're made to feel like they're black first and American second, except when they are around internationals or out or the country. As a white guy, I've generally taken being American as a given except around internationals or if out of the country. So I wonder if this feeling that many black people have about only being viewed as black is ironically partially the result of American privilege, and whether black people from other countries have different experiences in that regard. But I don't want to speak for anybody else on that subject; it's just a thought.
I am black and consider myself "American first". This is because my mother is heavily into genealogy, and many years ago she was able to make a family tree for us. This is not a simple task for any black family, but we did trace the first slave from my great grandfather's side, and he arrived in Virginia back in 1740. So given that I have nearly 300 years of family history in this country, I can't help but consider myself American first. My family has been here longer than probably 60% of all whites.
I think many black Americans feel they're American second and black first because the media, society, your job, etc don't let you forget that you're black. Trust me I've tried the whole "I'm not black, I'm human" thing, and it really doesn't work. People will let you know you're still black. In the corporate world, you can't look at a news event without everybody (mostly white people) feeling awkward, or some white guy saying "Oh that's totally messed up what that cop did". Now would he be telling me that if I were white? I think the answer is obvious. And then the worse thing are "race baiters" who try to ease their way into some sort of race baiting dialogue. And trust me I've actively tried to practice the "American first" way, and still do, but society does not make it easy for minorities.
The bottomline is that many Asians, Hispanic, and other races are "their race first' and American second. They clearly don't feel America entirely represents them.
Yeah I forgot, after 400 years of slavery and Jim Crow laws, whites are now the disadvantaged group. What's sad is how many people actually believe this. #smh
Of course wealthy neighborhoods can be welcoming to people of color; hence the qualifier in my post.
If I wanted to argue to emotion I would be talking about which Barbie is better to my 5 year old.
So please let me know, WITH FACTS NOT SUPPOSITION, how America is still Ohh so racist and how whites have it so much easier. Please explain admissions disparities. Please explain hiring disparities. Please explain why minority owned business get preference for government contracts.
Think about that. If I were black I would have had an easier time getting into college, have had to repay less student loans, preferential hiring for my job, and if I started a business I would have had an easier time getting lucrative government contracts. "White privelidge" indeed.
I am black and consider myself "American first". This is because my mother is heavily into genealogy, and many years ago she was able to make a family tree for us. This is not a simple task for any black family, but we did trace the first slave from my great grandfather's side, and he arrived in Virginia back in 1740. So given that I have nearly 300 years of family history in this country, I can't help but consider myself American first. My family has been here longer than probably 60% of all whites.
I think many black Americans feel they're American second and black first because the media, society, your job, etc don't let you forget that you're black. Trust me I've tried the whole "I'm not black, I'm human" thing, and it really doesn't work. People will let you know you're still black. In the corporate world, you can't look at a news event without everybody (mostly white people) feeling awkward, or some white guy saying "Oh that's totally messed up what that cop did". Now would he be telling me that if I were white? I think the answer is obvious. And then the worse thing are "race baiters" who try to ease their way into some sort of race baiting dialogue. And trust me I've actively tried to practice the "American first" way, and still do, but society does not make it easy for minorities.
The bottomline is that many Asians, Hispanic, and other races are "their race first' and American second. They clearly don't feel America entirely represents them.
Is this about micro-aggressions? Because the white people express sympathy to you at work for what cops are doing to black people, you think that makes it harder on you? That sounds pretty lame. Now, if they seem to get overly impressed if you accomplish some menial task, that would seem like a disadvantage. I've seen white people do that, and even I get offended a little. It's as if they think black people aren't as smart as white people. The people that tend to do that are usually well meaning, but perhaps didn't have a lot of contact with black people in their lives. They think many black people had so many struggles growing up that they are overly impressed with any accomplishment. Sometimes that may be true, but in the brains department I don't think so. I know plenty of smart and talented black people.
Do you think any of the white people talking about white privilege are actually poor or struggling?
I'm guessing the average one went to a decent liberal arts college, had help from family , live in a pretty nice low crime area , and have a good paying job or likely to soon have one upon graduation.
Agree or disagree?
I agree and this is a big part of the reason why the concept of white privilege is ultimately self defeating.
Be honest! Does identifying and calling out this nebulous, vaguely defined construct of "white privilege" REALLY help minority communities who are apparently disadvantaged because of it?
This doesn't empower or engender hope or optimism in minority communities all it is is another variation of "the Man is keeping me down". In the worst case scenario, it becomes an excuse or a scapegoat.
What a shame that at the end of the SECOND term of the first black president of the United States, one of the prevailing conversations is about this concept of white privilege and how the black community, among other non-white communities, is being held back by all this supposed white privilege.
Obama himself is partly to blame for this, because instead of offering a message of the optimism and opportunity that his own presidency represents, he chose to engage in identity politics and race baiting victimhood instead of empowerment.
The other group who is vocal about white privilege are well off white liberals or the idealistic young college students (with rich parents) who basically enjoy every privilege they are condemning and then some.
The concept of white privilege is basically a luxury for them to assuage their self loathing, navel-gazing, liberal guilt without really doing anything or changing any aspect of how they live. They get to pat themselves on the back for being so progressive, forward thinking and the more cynical among them run for political office and perpetuate or enflame the sense of victimhood in minorities in order to win votes.
I don't see how this narrative benefits anyone..
- For minorities it is the opposite of empowerment or optimism and in the worst case, it becomes a scapegoat.
- For rich white liberals it is essentially a vanity. They like to show how intellectual, progressive and forward thinking they are without really doing anything or changing anything.
- For other white people who have never heard of it, it becomes a source of alienation. If they have success, it is called into question since they acquired it with the benefit of their "privilege". If they are struggling, the concept seems like a joke since their privilege has not helped them in the slightest.
I don't see what good comes from this. If you want to help minority communities, empower then and engender optimism in their potential and chances for success. Don't invent new ways to define how they are victimized.
...of course without identity politics, victimhood and race-baiting, the liberal playbook would be quite a few pages shorter
I am black and consider myself "American first". This is because my mother is heavily into genealogy, and many years ago she was able to make a family tree for us. This is not a simple task for any black family, but we did trace the first slave from my great grandfather's side, and he arrived in Virginia back in 1740. So given that I have nearly 300 years of family history in this country, I can't help but consider myself American first. My family has been here longer than probably 60% of all whites.
I think many black Americans feel they're American second and black first because the media, society, your job, etc don't let you forget that you're black. Trust me I've tried the whole "I'm not black, I'm human" thing, and it really doesn't work. People will let you know you're still black. In the corporate world, you can't look at a news event without everybody (mostly white people) feeling awkward, or some white guy saying "Oh that's totally messed up what that cop did". Now would he be telling me that if I were white? I think the answer is obvious. And then the worse thing are "race baiters" who try to ease their way into some sort of race baiting dialogue. And trust me I've actively tried to practice the "American first" way, and still do, but society does not make it easy for minorities.
The bottomline is that many Asians, Hispanic, and other races are "their race first' and American second. They clearly don't feel America entirely represents them.
I think you are onto something here. I totally respect what you are saying and your family has been in this country longer than mine. My family is primarily of Irish and Dutch descent. On the Irish side, we didn't come over until the 1830's, ultimately settling in Iowa. The Dutch side came over earlier, late 1700's and made their way west from NY and NJ, ultimately to Iowa. Both sides fought for the Union. No question. We have letters from one young man on the Dutch side until his death at the battle of Spotsyvania Courthouse (sp?) during the Civil War.
We, as in my family history, played no part in slavery and actually fought on the side of the Union. We've researched this and found no exceptions.
I was raised, perhaps naively, to be color neutral, but I'm now more color conscious. I'm now starting to think of myself of European descent first, and American second. It's sad in a way, but on the other hand, people are tribal. I'm sure you're proud of your folks, and I am of mine.
"Privilege is an interesting word, given how it has been used in the past. The forerunner of the German Workers Party, the Thule Society, used it to delegitimize the success and influence of Jews post-World War 1 Germany. It argued that Jewish privilege blocked the poorer German working class.
Long before the concentration camps, "privilege" allowed Jewish academics to be fired, Jewish apartments to be confiscated, and Jewish shops to be boycotted, and all replaced by non-Jews. With one social shift in belief, the unjust becomes just, and social conscience goes to sleep."
When white people aren't treated like second class citizens, that's white privilege.
I'm white, and many times I was treated like a dog with mouse breath, all because I wasn't rich and affluent like the rest of them. I was a working class dog barely making ends meet, and I wasn;t able to afford uppity clothes, and I was treated like a common criminal in stores, followed by security, women clutched their purses tighter when I walked by. This was in upper-class suburban Milwaukee, WI; where I grew up. I'm doing better now, but I sure as hell never felt like I was accepted, until I moved to Oz. I won't condescend to even pretend to know what it's like to be black in America; but on the other hand, I don;t want to be told that I could never be treated like a second class citizen, because I have for a long time, as have a lot of my friends. I hated being looked at like I was some crook, but I also didn't embrace victimhood either.
I am black and consider myself "American first". This is because my mother is heavily into genealogy, and many years ago she was able to make a family tree for us. This is not a simple task for any black family, but we did trace the first slave from my great grandfather's side, and he arrived in Virginia back in 1740. So given that I have nearly 300 years of family history in this country, I can't help but consider myself American first. My family has been here longer than probably 60% of all whites.
I think many black Americans feel they're American second and black first because the media, society, your job, etc don't let you forget that you're black. Trust me I've tried the whole "I'm not black, I'm human" thing, and it really doesn't work. People will let you know you're still black. In the corporate world, you can't look at a news event without everybody (mostly white people) feeling awkward, or some white guy saying "Oh that's totally messed up what that cop did". Now would he be telling me that if I were white? I think the answer is obvious. And then the worse thing are "race baiters" who try to ease their way into some sort of race baiting dialogue. And trust me I've actively tried to practice the "American first" way, and still do, but society does not make it easy for minorities.
The bottomline is that many Asians, Hispanic, and other races are "their race first' and American second. They clearly don't feel America entirely represents them.
Good point. This is the difference between living as a minority in the U.S., especially an African descendant, and living in many other nations. As many Africans have said upon coming to.the U.S., you have to learn to become "black" in the States. The U.S. is extremely focused on race and it is ingrained in its culture. White Americans, however, have a choice whether or not to identify with race, but of course, for so many of them, their race is the same as their culture. Guess it's because of how their culture developed in this country and many don't realize or want to deny. Either way, greater society pushes race as the main identity for minorities, particularly African descendants.
It's a wonderful thing to live outside of the mainland U.S. and not have to be reminded of race so often. Of course, every place comes with its issues though. Honestly, I consider myself American (nationality) and Trinidadian (ethnicity/culture) equally. Racial identity is not and never has been first for me. That this is an aapect of American culture that I will never accept...ugh.
Ha ha -agreed - we ask ourselves, "when is that white privilege going to start." Although, Soros funded organizations do pay pretty well to protest. Protesting is a job opportunity now. Wonder if the employees get more to block traffic, throw rocks at people, burn down businesses.
So sick of the propaganda.
Quote:
Originally Posted by my54ford
My privilege is to have to go to work everyday....When do I get time to protest and stuff? How the heck are people paying their bills when they are always protesting????
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