White people can't experience racism?

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Am I reading this right because I'm reading this as "This stories of racism thread would be a lot better if white people wouldn't participate with their own stories of racism." Did it really devolve the thread when I posted my own experience? Or do get a pass since it's an interracial story?

some people just see it as "hey guys, we have it bad too! this one time someone called me cracker and i thought he was offering me a Ritz and then i realized what was going on and felt so offended!"
 
They certainly CAN. However, I'm skeptical of the claim that institutionalized racism against whites is a significant problem.
 
White people can experience racism. They just aren't in a position be negatively affected by it in most of the world (even where they are a minority).

Has someone posted that Louis CK bit on being white yet?

Location location location. Of course it's not a significant problem in NA, Europe or Australia, but there's still three more continents.

What do you mean by that? Are you saying that racism is a significant problem that negatively affects white people in Asia, South America and Africa?
 
worlds-smallest-violin.jpg

Don't do this stupid shit. It doesn't move the conversation and it devalues others feelings who have been on the receiving side of racism, no matter the skin color.
 
Of course white people experience racism, especially in primary non-white areas, it can also be worse seeing as there are little to no social repercussions for it. That said, I have seen a huge amount of white people saying it's racist to call them racist though, no that shit boggles the mind.
 
Scenario

98% black town. All of City Council is black. The Mayor is black.

A racist guy that is white lives in this town and is constantly telling black people that he doesn't want them to walk on the sidewalk in front of his house. The way he says this is by using very hateful racist slurs.

Are you telling me you wouldn't call this guy racist? He's racist.
 
Location location location. Of course it's not a significant problem in NA, Europe or Australia, but there's still three more continents.

I'm skeptical of the claim on most continents. Even on predominately dark-skinned continents, we often see examples of anti-dark skin racism.
 
using your logic, if my ancestors were victims of some kind of crime perpetrated by black people, it would not be racist for me to have a problem with black people and discriminate against them.

Use the same scale. If the black people were racist and assaulted your family because of it, your family could inject their problems back at those blacks without actually being racist. His scale is off the charts compared to yours.
 
No the OP was black and posted his experience and wanted to hear other peoples experiences. He didn't say he wanted any specific races experiences, just stories of racism. Sorry if white people's stories ruined the thread for you. Kind of racist.

the context was pretty clear...

I won't limit this to black people, because Hispanic and Arabic people go through it too.

someone even replied with this gem.

I won't limit this to black people, because Hispanic, white, and Arabic people go through it too.
Fixed.
 
using your logic, if my ancestors were victims of some kind of crime perpetrated by black people, it would not be racist for me to have a problem with black people and discriminate against them.

No, using my logic, if they were still inhabiting land their direct ancestors took from your direct ancestors, there's more than just racism to it. There's certainly racism involved in Zimbabwe (in both directions), but to ignore the historical context of the situation is to present a dishonest picture.
 
You're average every day racism means very little.

Institutionalized racism, or racism that holds actual power behind it is when its most effective. Which is soul crushing really.

Racism like this still effects certain parts of this big wide world.
 
Of course white people can experience racism. Any race can experience racism. But it's no secret that depending on what part of the world you're in, certain races have experienced and/or continue to experience systemic, enduring racist attitudes and behaviors. There's a difference between being subjected repeatedly to, say, a justice system that routinely arrests and imprisons a certain race disproportionally compared to other races and a white guy being called a cracker while walking down the street.

Are they both racist situations? Sure, but don't presume to preach how easy it is to overcome the latter to someone who has experienced the former.

Yes, but some people do stand behind their argument that racism, for blacks, is more of a whine as they've experience racism themselves, and manage just fine. This is how some posts come off. (not really talking about the thread in OP, didn't participate much in that, but overall) Thats the attitude that I think boils these things over the top that does ignore the institutionalized bit.

.
 
There's more than just one country on this planet :(

Correct. I speaking from a black man in an American society viewpoint.


I guess a white man would recieve racial treatment from somewhere in Asia, but nothing to the effect of history. The times have simple changed
 
No, using my logic, if they were still inhabiting land their direct ancestors took from your direct ancestors, there's more than just racism to it. There's certainly racism involved in Zimbabwe (in both directions), but to ignore the historical context of the situation is to present a dishonest picture.

this is another debate, but all land that humans live on is land that was taken from someone else at some point in history.
 
I don't think anyone's personal experience in any way minimizes the problem institutional racism. It's as if to say complaining about my personal experience is only valid if the collective problem is big enough.

People can still experience real racism even if they aren't a part of a widely subjected section of the (US) population.


Yes, but some people do stand behind their argument that racism, for blacks, is more of a whine as they've experience racism themselves, and manage just fine. This is how some posts come off. (not really talking about the thread in OP, didn't participate much in that, but overall) Thats the attitude that I think boils these things over the top that does ignore the institutionalized bit. And then it gets confused into generalizing everyone, and nothing productive happens in the thread. Just gets heated, bish shows up, and well.. your aunt is brenda.
 
If you don't use personal attacks for the basis of your opinion you won't get banned most likely. If you noticed a handful got banned for personally attacking you. Yeah I did find your post offensive, but I'm more interested in why you think that this is true statement.

If it was just a troll post fine. You got me I bit, but if not let's hear it.


Sorry it took me a while, painting, anyhoo..

I think that white people can be prejudiced against.
I think that Racism is the same prejudice ideal combined with the power of institutionalization which spreads into society.

Am I saying that white people can't be victims of prejudice or Xenophobia..?
No. But Racism is something only a person of color can experience.
 
I used to live in a town of 33,000 people where I was one of 8 white people officially living there.
I sure saw my share of prejudice.

Racism isn't between Blacks and Whites in America, go travel the world. See different cultures. I love Asia and I lived there a long time, but holy shit did I get random abuse just for not being Asian.
 
I've seen the argument that the suffering of a rich person from hunger (when it happens) is much greater than that of a poor person. How I feel about this argument is roughly how I feel about the idea that racism is the same problem for everyone.

Could you clarify? Do you mean you think whites react more dramatically to perceived racism than minorities?
 
It's not that simple. I really saw a lot of racist actions from black people, but it was usually towards other blacks. In my country, I knew plenty of dark skin blacks who couldn't get a decent job because of their skin color while light skin blacks got it.

Maybe some white folks can tell me what form of racism have they faced?
 
Sorry it took me a while, painting, anyhoo..

I think that white people can be prejudiced against.
I think that Racism is the same prejudice ideal combined with the power of institutionalization which spreads into society.

Am I saying that white people can't be victims of prejudice or Xenophobia..?
No. But Racism is something only a person of color can experience.

What about places where the majority of people aren't white, though? Isn't it possible for prejudice against white people to become institutionalised in that situation?
 
Remember in P.Diddy's Making the Band when that white boy started crying because someone called him a cracker?

That made me roll my fucking eyes so hard they rolled outta my head.
 
Sorry it took me a while, painting, anyhoo..

I think that white people can be prejudiced against.
I think that Racism is the same prejudice ideal combined with the power of institutionalization which spreads into society.

Am I saying that white people can't be victims of prejudice or Xenophobia..?
No. But Racism is something only a person of color can experience.

Power can exist in the micro, not just the macro. For example if a group of 20 black men in a predominantly black neighborhood threaten/intimidate/harm a man because of the color of his skin, the power is in the numbers. If you want to include power as a predetermination of racism, then you have to realize that it's not always large-scale. Sorry.
 
Sorry it took me a while, painting, anyhoo..

I think that white people can be prejudiced against.
I think that Racism is the same prejudice ideal combined with the power of institutionalization which spreads into society.

Am I saying that white people can't be victims of prejudice or Xenophobia..?
No. But Racism is something only a person of color can experience.

Are you trying to change the definition of racism? Or do you only consider "institutionalized racism" to be true racism?
 
As a white man here's what I get a lot from non-white people.

Oh, you must ski.
You eat a lot of mayo?
You're credit is good, right?
You can afford that!
You must drive like an old lady.
You are terrified of anyone who it's white.

Pretty timid except for the last one. Basically all white people in the US are now considered closet racists by non-whites (dat sweeping generalization, I know). I like to mix with everyone and see what happens and offen I like to laugh about cultural differences between my friends and I. I love being included in that kind of stuff, though.

Edit: also "You're white, you wouldn't understand."
 
What about places where the majority of people aren't white, though? Isn't it possible for prejudice against white people to become institutionalised in that situation?

I think he's mainly talking about NA/SA/Europe/Australia, where the majority of this boards members are from.
 
Power can exist in the micro, not just the macro. For example if a group of 20 black men in a predominantly black neighborhood threaten/intimidate/harm a man because of the color of his skin, the power is in the numbers. If you want to include power as a predetermination of racism, then you have to realize that it's not always large-scale. Sorry.

Exactly. The issue with these threads is that they always boil down to a numbers game. "Well, that's not true for most people of X gender/skin tone/nationality" as if the fact that they're not part of the privileged norm is of any comfort to the individual. People from all sides of these issues can't seem to give a shit about the marginalized on any side, even if that margin allows for millions of actual, individuals who have a life to live too.
 
Could you clarify? Do you mean you think whites react more dramatically to perceived racism than minorities?

Of course... They haven't felt that sort of antagonisim. The experience is new. Much more potent...

Imagine how a white person would react if they entered a bar and ordered a drink... The bartender turned around and said "We don't serve your kind here"

They wouldn't know how to react is my guess.
 
What about places where the majority of people aren't white, though? Isn't it possible for prejudice against white people to become institutionalised in that situation?

It depends on the country to be honest. Using my country as a litmus, I still consider it prejudice and xenophobia. Excuse my language but when the Oyinbo come it isn't considered a bad thing at all and many still profit from the colonialist grip still held in Nigeria.

I can't speak for other countries like Kenya or Congo, but in the case of the latter who wouldn't have a latent prejudice after the work of Leopold II...
 
Of course we can, and I've been on the receiving end of prejudices, but it doesn't bother me, I guess because my kin have no history of being systematically oppressed. Even being part Jewish, it doesn't bother me when people crack jokes, but I don't take life too seriously.. I've probably been prejudiced against all sorts of minorities in my time, but I'm trying to be better and learn from my mistakes.
 
this is another debate, but all land that humans live on is land that was taken from someone else at some point in history.

Well, no, because we started in Africa, so at some point in history you could just waltz into empty land and claim it, but generally speaking, yes, most extant countries stole their land from someone.

And where that event still lives in human memory (including memories passed down to ancestors) those removed are pissed about it, and not because the removers have different color skin.
 
I remember this tweet from Adria Richards that got dug up during the whole PyCon sex joke thing.

adriarichards21gupd.jpg

Not to change subjects, but don't they use the same argument when people get sexually abused? Don't some see that as a position of power?

I think racism is defined clearly by unfair treatment of another person based on race, ethnicity, or background.

The argument that most pedos are married to a woman and have kids. That's racist. Yea it can happen to whites.
 
Are you trying to change the definition of racism? Or do you only consider "institutionalized racism" to be true racism?

It's true racism in the sense that it's the racism that effectively hold back a group of people from doing what they want to do. Individual racism sucks, but if someone goes and calls me a slur, I can still go about my day and do the things I want to do. Systematic racism effectively stops that and limits what I can and can not do in my daily life, whether that be get a job/promotion/Drink from a particular fountain, etc.
 
One thing some white people apparently can't do is just listen to non-white people for a few pages to see what that's like without chiming in with their own take. I think that thread would have been a lot more interesting if it didn't devolve into the same "but white people totally get this too" stuff as always.

Also, what commedieu said, mostly.

This is pretty much what I was thinking that entire thread. I mean, yeah we know it happens, but please just let us have this moment at least.
 
White people can be victims of racism, but really the outcry you are seeing with the Trayvon Martin case has less to do with person to person manifestation of racism and more to do with the systematic institution in place that punishes the minority more than the majority. White people are still the majority in this country and thus enjoy perks associated with that position that they take for granted. You have a variety of media in place that caters to the majority to reap the biggest profits, which results in white-washed cast of characters and an aversion to take a risk with minority leads. The Martin case was judged by a panel consisting 5/6 white jurors with a point-of-view of the world that reflects the ~80% white population make-up of Seminole county, who collectively agreed that racism should have no bearing in their deliberations.

Regardless of the efforts being made to punish racism and get minorities up to speed, there is a white majority in positions of power that can represent their race in a positive light and judge their peers more comfortably knowing they come from the 'same' background. You can get your feelings hurt or lose out on a job or two because they don't want the cracker in their business, but you have an easier time walking away and finding opportunities elsewhere. There is still a huge imbalance in place in terms of how we deal with race, it just so happens being white is what will result in the largest set of benefits. You may not think that there are perks that you are enjoying because you don't have it as good as the CEOs of America, but these are things you won't be able to notice because you have never experienced a non-white existence.

White people can be victims of racism. But in light of the decision made in the Trayvon Martin case and the complete removal of race from the equation by the jurors in power, we just ask that everyone take a good hard look at how they live their life and see what they can do to improve race relations in this country. People aren't just getting angry or upset for their health.
 
I think racism is defined clearly by unfair treatment of another person based on race, ethnicity, or background.

The argument that most pedos are married to a woman and have kids. That's racist. Yea it can happen to whites.

I think bolded is a good definition for textbook racisim.

To your unbolded... That's not racist.. Being a Pedophile isn't a race XD

At least I hope not!!
 
Don't call me white, I'm Caucasian.

I asked a question in a sex ed class once about the classification of pedos and she said "married with kids". Next words I felt she was going to say were "and white".
 
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