-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
White people must ask themselves "what am I *doing* to combat racism?"
- Thread starter Lime
- Start date
- Status
IrishNinja
Member
it's pretty terrible to be honest
yeah the cops and society at large tends to give me the benefit of the doubt & tons of hookups i'm barely even aware of but i can't even say the n-word in public
Yeah. They are the real victims in all of this.
Frozenprince
Banned
Bronviolin.gif
Don't forget how tough it is to be called racist, which basically forces you to vote for a fascist #thestruggleisreal
KonradLaw
Member
Critical word "good" white person. Just being white in america seems awesome on it's own.
Professor Beef
Banned
you guys can't dance either
More seriously though, if anyone needs a long list of organizations that they can help or ask if they need help, here's a long list of possible options you can seek out on your local level: http://togetherlist.com/
Inspector Jones
Member
Not a popular opinion, but I'll agree with you. Anyone I know who holds truly racist and repugnant thoughts aren't worth my time because they're all mostly dumb as bricks. If someone I know says something questionable and it's someone I generally like, then I will be like "What the fuck?" and will question their statements and try to reason with them. Luckily this isn't something that happens often.
If you honestly expect me, or every white person out there, to make it my life goal to go out and confront all racism and somehow end hundreds of years of hatred, then you're free to think less of me but I have my own life to live. I'll live that life and I'll continue to support the rights and happiness of everyone I can and be mindful of my own race and the privilege it brings. If that's not enough and makes me a bad person, then enjoy judging me and feeling high and mighty, but not everyone is born to fight the cause 24/7.
Frozenprince
Banned
Ain't nobody asking you to fight 24/7.
We're asking that you don't weasel out on confronting it when you see it.
Moreover, those of us born this way have no choice BUT to fight 24/7
Exactly. I'll admit that I've been really bad about it but I'm going to do my best going forward to not tolerate any sort of prejudice I see. That's something that can be done 24/7 without real effort. When I have more means and as I have time I will do what I can in other ways as well.
PatThePassive
Member
When in the honkie part of town I mastered the stonewall tech.
Example in line at liquor store, line is going slow.
Honkie behind me in line: "Shit whats holding them up"
Me: "Somethings up with the machine I think"
Guy notices rap station on the store radio: "Didnt know (forgot the racist slur for brown person) Listen to Nigger music too"
I proceeded to turn away from him towards the front of the line and he tried to get two more racist jokes in before he got the message.
I'm not personally gonna confront a racist idiot for being racist, I hope I have the courage to step in when a racist idiot is taking it up a level though. I did vote.
Have I been a part of the problem? I call out people I know when they are racist. Where I live theres a meth problem I'm not willing to get the good ol boys after me for getting into it with a racist trying to be funny, or passive aggressive
HazySaiyan
Banned
But how often does that actually happen? People don't tend to just stop being racist, you need to push them into it by showing them why they're wrong.
And if you see racial abuse happening then you need to step in. Not only should it not be acceptable it has to be seen to be not acceptable.
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Actually helped me. I'm white and have coasted through life. When I see others struggling because society has stacked the deck against them I feel bad. So I try to make the world better for them, though I admit not to the greatest of my capacity (which still makes me feel guilty). Even though personally republican candidates likely benefit me more as a middle class white person I cannot vote for them as they work to hold others back. I also try to listen and internalize what those who endure racism have to go through. I of course will never fully comprehend it, but that is why I try to repeat their summations and experiences.
Pretty easy actually. But as white people we're not actually used to hard work. This goes for more places than just the US.
Besthelboy
Banned
As someone who wants to participate in a society that is free, that treats EVERYONE with the equality, dignity and respect they deserve as human beings then yes, it is my responsibility to ensure the society moves towards that direction. Through whatever means possible, I will and do try to help everyone get treated with the basic human rights they deserve, because that's the type of society I want to be apart of, nothing comes for free.
But let's be real white folks, some of us sat real smug this election over some of the racist whites who were voting for Donald Trump and are apart of GamerGate the past 18 months. This was at a time where we saw countless real stories of the injustices every group other than the white straight male face every single day. We shrugged our shoulders, hey, we're not racist right? We don't vote for Donald Trump, we don't harass women, we don't call Muslims terrorists, we don't bomb black churches, we don't make fun of trans people, we made our avatar a rainbow, we have #BLM in our twitter bio, it's fine, we're not like that.
It's not enough. We sit on NeoGaf or on our sofa and watch or read a terrible news story and we feel bad, we feel angry, we want to do something, but rarely do we ever act on that emotion. We get to go to bed that night and we can still be angry or distraught, but by the time we wake up the next morning we're already dealing with our other problems. For everyone else, that terrible news story is their reality. It's what they fear, that's their everyday problem, that news story keeps them up all night wondering what if that was them in those shoes. It's not something they can forget about and not have to deal with, they deal with these and prepare for these things every single day in their life. I can't imagine it and I won't try too, and I'm just very sorry that life is like this right now.
But being sorry isn't enough like I said, feeling bad ISN'T enough, we want to live in a great and fair society. One that treats everyone with the dignity, respect and equality they have the right to be treated with. Now for me to make a gameplan of what every single white dude should or shouldn't do is impossible, a white person shouldn't be telling white people how to help black people, it's never worked before. All I'm trying to tell you guys, is that not being a racist and feeling bad isn't enough anymore. There are real people, with real problems, and trying to pass it off with a "better them than me" or "I'm not like that so it's not my problem" is a disgraceful attitude and you're not much better than any racist in my eyes. If you're not fighting against injustice, against ignorance, against intolerance, against racism, sexism, or any bigotry or discrimination of any kind you're not doing anything to help the betterment of society. As white people we should really be picking up more of the slack by now, everyone else has been fighting and quite frankly losing their lives for centuries to progress and some of us can't even tell a racist dude not to be racist because it's "not our responsibility."
I'm not having that, it's time to do more. There's already great examples in this thread about what to do, how to help. Some of things I'm doing are talking more and more about the problems people who aren't white, straight and male face every single day in this country to my friends after the election of Donald Trump. I bring it up frequently, I tell them how we have to fight against it, just because it doesn't seem like it's not our problem doesn't mean it isn't. If you have any kind of injustice in a society you participate in, it's a huge problem and it's everyone's responsibility to actively fight against it and move forward together. I write about these issues more, I don't give up on these topics after one failed conversation. I'm trying to get more perspective about issues people not like me face, I confront white nationalism and denounce/condemn it whenever I've seen it show it's ugly horns. I always try to be inclusive, I never oust anyone out of any social group or make them feel uncomfortable because they're not like me.
As white straight males, we can wake up and feel secure in our country. We don't have to worry about many of the issues and threats other people face and fear every single day of their lives. Let's start using this to help the betterment of society, together.
But let's be real white folks, some of us sat real smug this election over some of the racist whites who were voting for Donald Trump and are apart of GamerGate the past 18 months. This was at a time where we saw countless real stories of the injustices every group other than the white straight male face every single day. We shrugged our shoulders, hey, we're not racist right? We don't vote for Donald Trump, we don't harass women, we don't call Muslims terrorists, we don't bomb black churches, we don't make fun of trans people, we made our avatar a rainbow, we have #BLM in our twitter bio, it's fine, we're not like that.
It's not enough. We sit on NeoGaf or on our sofa and watch or read a terrible news story and we feel bad, we feel angry, we want to do something, but rarely do we ever act on that emotion. We get to go to bed that night and we can still be angry or distraught, but by the time we wake up the next morning we're already dealing with our other problems. For everyone else, that terrible news story is their reality. It's what they fear, that's their everyday problem, that news story keeps them up all night wondering what if that was them in those shoes. It's not something they can forget about and not have to deal with, they deal with these and prepare for these things every single day in their life. I can't imagine it and I won't try too, and I'm just very sorry that life is like this right now.
But being sorry isn't enough like I said, feeling bad ISN'T enough, we want to live in a great and fair society. One that treats everyone with the dignity, respect and equality they have the right to be treated with. Now for me to make a gameplan of what every single white dude should or shouldn't do is impossible, a white person shouldn't be telling white people how to help black people, it's never worked before. All I'm trying to tell you guys, is that not being a racist and feeling bad isn't enough anymore. There are real people, with real problems, and trying to pass it off with a "better them than me" or "I'm not like that so it's not my problem" is a disgraceful attitude and you're not much better than any racist in my eyes. If you're not fighting against injustice, against ignorance, against intolerance, against racism, sexism, or any bigotry or discrimination of any kind you're not doing anything to help the betterment of society. As white people we should really be picking up more of the slack by now, everyone else has been fighting and quite frankly losing their lives for centuries to progress and some of us can't even tell a racist dude not to be racist because it's "not our responsibility."
I'm not having that, it's time to do more. There's already great examples in this thread about what to do, how to help. Some of things I'm doing are talking more and more about the problems people who aren't white, straight and male face every single day in this country to my friends after the election of Donald Trump. I bring it up frequently, I tell them how we have to fight against it, just because it doesn't seem like it's not our problem doesn't mean it isn't. If you have any kind of injustice in a society you participate in, it's a huge problem and it's everyone's responsibility to actively fight against it and move forward together. I write about these issues more, I don't give up on these topics after one failed conversation. I'm trying to get more perspective about issues people not like me face, I confront white nationalism and denounce/condemn it whenever I've seen it show it's ugly horns. I always try to be inclusive, I never oust anyone out of any social group or make them feel uncomfortable because they're not like me.
As white straight males, we can wake up and feel secure in our country. We don't have to worry about many of the issues and threats other people face and fear every single day of their lives. Let's start using this to help the betterment of society, together.
BossDarkseid
Member
I try to combat it when I see it, and educate people around me (my grandpa is so set in his ways its like talking to a brick wall) etc
...I must have said racist things in years gone past but after going to an international school...it wasn't like "oh, now i'm not racist" so much but more like...I got on so well with people from all sorts of different cultures and enjoyed my time there so much I just stopped thinking about things in any way beyond "Are you being nice to people" or not etc.
I saw the expression on GAF "if you're used to a position of privilege then equality has a tendency to feel like oppression" and it makes sense. It's probably one of the hardest things for people from a position of privilege to get over, but it's also not that hard, and I don't think its hard to not leave PoC to themselves in trying to "combat" racism.
...I must have said racist things in years gone past but after going to an international school...it wasn't like "oh, now i'm not racist" so much but more like...I got on so well with people from all sorts of different cultures and enjoyed my time there so much I just stopped thinking about things in any way beyond "Are you being nice to people" or not etc.
I saw the expression on GAF "if you're used to a position of privilege then equality has a tendency to feel like oppression" and it makes sense. It's probably one of the hardest things for people from a position of privilege to get over, but it's also not that hard, and I don't think its hard to not leave PoC to themselves in trying to "combat" racism.
Count Dookkake
Member
Despite being someone who is actively combating racism, I am not sure I can agree with the premise of the thread, simply for the fact that it is possible to apply this logic to every societal problem. It is ok to pick what issues you wish to tackle.
Prejudice, not racist.
One might say the advice in the article is the key to world peace. If a person is able to check his privilege, commit his time to improve his society and give voice to marginal voices, he's pretty much a saint.
The sad truth is that the majority of humans do not want to do any of this, on the contrary they will violently cling to whatever privileges and gains they have.
The sad truth is that the majority of humans do not want to do any of this, on the contrary they will violently cling to whatever privileges and gains they have.
KarneeKarnay
Member
I've decided to no longer be white. I am now a glue like substance. #DoingMyPart
Frozenprince
Banned
Because you know what helps.
Dismissive sarcasm.
All we ask is that, finally, for once, white folks shoulder some of the burden of overcoming oppression when it isn't convenient for them.
KarneeKarnay
Member
You know who aren't racist. Glue like Substances. #DoingMyPart,#Transhuman,#GlueLikeSubstance.
It seems like you turned into an anus instead of glue.
I love when people do this because it's so obvious what they're trying to do.
Even the nu-racism definition of prejudice+power fits here.
hydrophilic attack
Member
i post on gaf
Count Dookkake
Member
Can you be counted on to protect abortion, gay marriage, trans rights, the environment, the blue collar worker, etc?
How much time have you devoted to each this week? How do you justify any free time that you have in the face of these concerns?
KarneeKarnay
Member
Why are you comparing my race for an anus? That's racist. #StopRacism, #StandWithMe, #GlueLivesMatters, #GlueLikeSubstance.
Frozenprince
Banned
For fucks sake I literally said nobody expects for you to be fighting all day every day.
Whatever. Just continue to do nothing and lecture us on how to fight oppression. Is nothing new. It's nothing we are unused too.
hosannainexcelsis
Member
Despite being a white man, I do make an effort to treat everyone with fairness and kindness throughout my daily life. Whether it is working with black musicians in rehearsals and performances, or giving a smile and a cheerful greeting to the black woman checking me out at the grocery store, I try to do my part to make other people's lives a little better, even if only in a small way. If I saw racial violence, which I honestly can't say I've ever noticed happen to someone around me, I would certainly try to step in and stop it. But also, despite being a white man, I'm not living some trouble-free, stress-free life. I am constantly struggling to stave off depression, to work through insomnia (which is why I'm here posting this at 5 AM instead of sleeping), to try to improve my poor physical health and desperately try to keep myself from getting even fatter than I already am, to juggle multiple jobs and intense coursework, to simply not let my apartment completely degenerate into an overwhelming mess. When people tell me to check my white privilege, I honestly do not know what they want me to do. Do they want me to quit my jobs, quit grad school, quit my apartment, go live homeless on the streets so I can be a full-time picketer in front of government buildings? Do they want me to internalize self-loathing that ends up in another suicide attempt that lands me back in the hospital, or maybe this time straight to the grave? If what I am doing is not enough, then I have to apologize. I am mentally and physically fragile enough that I feel barely capable of living my own life, let alone trying to take the burden of the world's injustices upon myself.
Count Dookkake
Member
My questions aren't predicated on fighting racism all day, only that there are many problems in the world, all of which need addressing. By focusing on any one issue in particular, it follows that you must give less attention to the rest.
By avoiding those questions to instead fire off a useless and antagonistic "ffs," you help confirm my position. Don't worry, though, as I am not calling you a bad person. It's ok that you don't care as much about those other issues. Just remember to check your privilege.
EDIT: In regard to your stealth edit...
In my first post I stated that I am active in the fight against racism and I didn't mean from behind a keyboard. I don't recall lecturing you about fighting oppression. However, I am used to people reading things that were not said or implied.
Frozenprince
Banned
Checking your privilege just means "be cognizant that your skin color affords you a place that we cannot go." I'm depressed, I've attempted suicide when I was younger, I deal with self worth issues every day.
But I unfortunately don't get to internalize those issues because I am not afforded the same level of individuality you are.
I have to always be an activist in one way or another or risk being labeled either by society at large or worse, my own peers.
Your privilege affords you the ability to not HAVE to work about oppression or injustice. That's all.
But I unfortunately don't get to internalize those issues because I am not afforded the same level of individuality you are.
I have to always be an activist in one way or another or risk being labeled either by society at large or worse, my own peers.
Your privilege affords you the ability to not HAVE to work about oppression or injustice. That's all.
goldenpp72
Member
I didn't vote for Trump.
Frozenprince
Banned
No what you're attempting to do is call me a bag person, day I don't care about those other issues which as someone on the LGBT spectrum is laughable. And to make some advise bullshit point. I donate to women's Health groups, I've marched for marriage equality, when trans rights organizations pop up here I'll volunteer there too.
Don't. Save it. Sage your sarcasm. Save your bullshit. I'm done. I've had enough. Save me the "but don't lecture us if your not willing to do X" crap.
That´s not enough, though...
Frozenprince
Banned
The fact that this thread is more troll posts and sarcasm than anything speaks volumes and showcases why minorities are so justifiably angry.
Tbh.
Tbh.
Count Dookkake
Member
There was no sarcasm in my post.
Also, if you use stealth edits, maybe wait a minute for me to catch up before you take your ball and run home.
Frozenprince
Banned
Cute.
Monocle
Member
Knowing human nature, and how busy and preoccupied the average person is, it might be more effective to encourage allies to take specific targeted actions that seem likely to have the biggest impact.
You simply can't expect most people to inhabit the radical advocate's mindset on a daily basis. In a just world, every privileged person would give as much time and money as they could spare to advance the fight for equality. In this world, many people have families and jobs and lives that they will not put on hold for the sake of altruism. I wish this weren't so, but there's no other choice than to work with what we've got.
You simply can't expect most people to inhabit the radical advocate's mindset on a daily basis. In a just world, every privileged person would give as much time and money as they could spare to advance the fight for equality. In this world, many people have families and jobs and lives that they will not put on hold for the sake of altruism. I wish this weren't so, but there's no other choice than to work with what we've got.
HazySaiyan
Banned
But I'm not a literal millionaire, and I got in trouble for calling that woman 'sugartits', how can I possibly be privileged?!
/s
You're being needlessly antagonistic yourself.
Count Dookkake
Member
Ok.
If there is one thing I could impart on you, before you ignore me, it is that privilege isn't exclusively related to race, although it may seem that way if you are privileged in other areas.
Pretty much this.
Frozenprince
Banned
I mean you took a post where I was responding to a troll by asking them to express a little empathy and consideration and went "but do you fight for all these other things too?" So hey whatever.
I broke off from 90% of my family that were dyed in the wool, hateful racists. Whom my whole life said (and some, did.)the worst things imaginable about black people. I learned at an early age that my own family were mean and hateful. I owe that all my kindergarten teacher that was an older black woman whose light I was smitten with. and I knew what I heard at home and around family was wrong. It killed me growing up knowing I could never respect them, every thing they said was compromised and I just didn't trust them. (there were other very fucked up reasons, but race was the first I became aware of)So when I told my grandma to take me out of the will, to consider me dead, that I chose the world over them and send the message along, it didn't come as a shock. (but man was the fallout huge) Luckily that happened before I had my kids and they never got a chance to poison them.
The reason I bring this up is that I am pretty sure that most people who make excuses for racists in the abstract or attempt to limit hate the against them (and therefore normalize it), argue from a position of consciously or unconsciously defending their own family, whom they know are racists but have given from them comfort in their life and shown them personal love. I feel this is the ultimate conflict that prevents whites from fighting where it matters the most.
I recognize not everyone's family is (was) a mix of Klan and white supremacists, but you need to dig when you hear hateful things. If you care about our brothers and sisters of color, you need find out who you share the term family with and take a stand. If reasoned appeal does not work, the only thing that can shake them enough to wake them is losing you. If it takes separation time, so be it. They need to know that if you don't come around, that it's their fault, not yours. If you end up like me, and they choose abject hate over you, then you are better off without, especially if you have kids that are exposed to it. It might not ever stop hurting (still does for me), but that pain is cause by them, not you. That's what they do, cause pain.
I can't think of a more personal way to stifle racist acceptance and propagation than confronting and educating your own racist family and if that fails, rejection and eventually ejection. If you can't get through, at least don't be another link in the chain and give them piece of mind when they close their eyes at the end of the day. A racist should only ever be as miserable as they make others. If their love isn't for everyone, then fuck that love, it's poison that will rot your brain and soul and if you give it enough time, you will become them.
The reason I bring this up is that I am pretty sure that most people who make excuses for racists in the abstract or attempt to limit hate the against them (and therefore normalize it), argue from a position of consciously or unconsciously defending their own family, whom they know are racists but have given from them comfort in their life and shown them personal love. I feel this is the ultimate conflict that prevents whites from fighting where it matters the most.
I recognize not everyone's family is (was) a mix of Klan and white supremacists, but you need to dig when you hear hateful things. If you care about our brothers and sisters of color, you need find out who you share the term family with and take a stand. If reasoned appeal does not work, the only thing that can shake them enough to wake them is losing you. If it takes separation time, so be it. They need to know that if you don't come around, that it's their fault, not yours. If you end up like me, and they choose abject hate over you, then you are better off without, especially if you have kids that are exposed to it. It might not ever stop hurting (still does for me), but that pain is cause by them, not you. That's what they do, cause pain.
I can't think of a more personal way to stifle racist acceptance and propagation than confronting and educating your own racist family and if that fails, rejection and eventually ejection. If you can't get through, at least don't be another link in the chain and give them piece of mind when they close their eyes at the end of the day. A racist should only ever be as miserable as they make others. If their love isn't for everyone, then fuck that love, it's poison that will rot your brain and soul and if you give it enough time, you will become them.
You don't get to "internalize" your depression because of your race? Individuality, afforded by whom?
Can you expand on this any? I don't really understand what you're saying here.
Sinfamy
Member
I'm always fighting against income inequality, mass incarceration, police brutality and the disparaging funding divide in our education system.
I don't really hold much value in sociatal progress since ultimately only time can fix it, and there's no objective measurement.
But I do always advocate for changes that can be made through our legislative process.
I don't really hold much value in sociatal progress since ultimately only time can fix it, and there's no objective measurement.
But I do always advocate for changes that can be made through our legislative process.
Oppo
Member
really, try to read his answer. seriously. it's not a "gotcha", there's a point there. or monocle's post.
Frozenprince
Banned
Maybe read my posts over the last week and see the countless ways and examples given that those points are bullshit.
I know what they are trying say. It's literally textbook privilege. The only have limited time. They can only afford so much. That can only give so much.
The oppressed at not afforded that opportunity.
But no as always I am simply angry and wrong. We'll lost in 2020 and blah blah blah blah blah.
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked