General Discussion

dilby

(2,273 posts)

108. As a Jew who looks very white I can say...

Sun Jul 19, 2015, 02:36 AM

Jul 2015

White privilege is very real, I reap the benefits of it every single day and only when someone learns my last name do i lose it. The term white privilege does not need to die, it needs to be constantly talked about. Hopefully some day the people who think they are not privileged will realize they they are the beneficiaries of being ripped from the right crotch.

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The Real Reason the Term “White Privilege” Needs to Die [View all] Nye Bevan Jul 2015 OP

Finally shenmue Jul 2015 #1

That's interesting: As a white male, I understand it in the terms she ascribed to minorities. . . Journeyman Jul 2015 #2

So, it needs to go away because it makes white people uncomfortable? NuclearDem Jul 2015 #3

No, because it makes a lot of them defensive and belligerent Warpy Jul 2015 #102

Defensiveness at least gets people talking about, which is a vast improvement Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #126

No, it shuts them down completely Warpy Jul 2015 #164

White people's hurt feelings are just about the least important factor here. Recursion Jul 2015 #4

No one's feelings are hurt by being told they are 'privileged'. whathehell Jul 2015 #20

This CANDO Jul 2015 #110

You,'explained it perfectly. Thank you. whathehell Jul 2015 #112

The absence of discrimination IS a privilege. That's the point. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #128

Well we just have a difference of opinion CANDO Jul 2015 #165

Yes, "The absence of discrimination is privilege -- The default social whathehell Jul 2015 #158

MASSIVE privilege, but invisible to you so I can see why you can be so blind randys1 Jul 2015 #113

Lol.. whathehell Jul 2015 #154

Nope, very real nadinbrzezinski Jul 2015 #5

White privilege does not stop my conversation gwheezie Jul 2015 #6

You may be the exception to the rule, but I think the OP is correct whathehell Jul 2015 #85

Why would anyone want to start a "dialogue" with a white person? Cozet Jul 2015 #105

Ask those in the AA forum whathehell Jul 2015 #106

I want to steal the companion article Prism Jul 2015 #7

perhaps rather than hearing something not being said, the white people in question should listen fishwax Jul 2015 #8

It's what they hear. Igel Jul 2015 #67

"That's where you start" -- fine as a start, but not the place to stop fishwax Jul 2015 #95

Let us please tailor our conversation to delicate white ears! n/t mattclearing Jul 2015 #99

So the Average Joe doesn't care for the term “White Privilege” ? U4ikLefty Jul 2015 #9

I see what you did there KG Jul 2015 #93

We don't approve of the wealthy or powerful having privileges? Since when? kcr Jul 2015 #10

There is a difference between a privilege and a right The Second Stone Jul 2015 #11

We get a great number of privileges that are not rights gollygee Jul 2015 #32

I am white 1939 Jul 2015 #68

They are caused by biases gollygee Jul 2015 #69

This message was self-deleted by its author akbacchus_BC Jul 2015 #12

"white privilege" and "racism" are two sides of the same coin virtualobserver Jul 2015 #13

No. Not at all. Incorrect. Racism is hate. White privilege is not about what whites have, it is Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #71

The point is, until you understand "white privilege", you don't even understand.... virtualobserver Jul 2015 #75

Nate Silver: "America about as dangerous for black folk as Rwanda". Statistically speaking. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #77

But but but, no white privilege, right? I mean that is what some WHITE people tell me. randys1 Jul 2015 #114

Again, this is trying to set the discussion level based on the majority's sensitivities. Behind the Aegis Jul 2015 #14

The term is merely a way to describe white normality MrScorpio Jul 2015 #15

Excellent definition of the term. Thanks for posting this. nt brush Jul 2015 #64

... Solly Mack Jul 2015 #16

Very good stuff. Thanks for posting. nt brush Jul 2015 #62

Like this line the best randys1 Jul 2015 #116

Karenina used to say, "fish don't know they're in water" Solly Mack Jul 2015 #140

I dont get pulled over for not using my turn signal exactly right and then die in a cell 3 days randys1 Jul 2015 #142

Exactly. Solly Mack Jul 2015 #143

I miss Karenina fishwax Jul 2015 #148

I miss her too! Solly Mack Jul 2015 #152

mmm hmm PeaceNikki Jul 2015 #131

In the Comment section the blogger admits her AfAm husband disagrees with her. Solly Mack Jul 2015 #149

I don't entirely agree with the article Nye. romanic Jul 2015 #17

I disagree with her when she says notadmblnd Jul 2015 #18

Thanks for this. Honesty is needed for sure. brush Jul 2015 #65

In other news: Study of why white people deny their privilege daredtowork Jul 2015 #19

+1, someone on DU was honest enough to explain this very thing to me a couple of years ago... uponit7771 Jul 2015 #34

Even white people can see that treestar Jul 2015 #41

Increasingly, though, upper middle class whites see something else. Igel Jul 2015 #78

The contacts things is definitely there treestar Jul 2015 #84

To a large extent it's an emergent property. Igel Jul 2015 #73

We Americans have an irrational belief that "we built it ourselves." alarimer Jul 2015 #121

Thanks daredtowork Jul 2015 #160

It's an interesting perspective. bluedigger Jul 2015 #21

So we should call white privlege 'White Benefits' instead to make white folks feel better? bravenak Jul 2015 #22

It's all about us and our feelings!! gollygee Jul 2015 #31

We should ignore it's existence and pretend that Black people are born criminals otherwise randys1 Jul 2015 #120

"White people" or "Black people" Democat Jul 2015 #23

Exactly right. Thank you. whathehell Jul 2015 #107

ALL white Americans have privilege. If there were no Black people or Latino people here randys1 Jul 2015 #122

Nah! We'd Find Someone To Frown On ProfessorGAC Jul 2015 #133

As another poster said, "I'm not discriminated against". whathehell Jul 2015 #156

She makes a good point. pnwmom Jul 2015 #24

I'm getting old: I remember when they used to call it racism MisterP Jul 2015 #25

As a white male, I totally get it progree Jul 2015 #26

Well, I'm a white woman married to an Iranian-American Starry Messenger Jul 2015 #27

The only place I hear the term "White Privilege" is on DU. Flying Squirrel Jul 2015 #28

Yep sub.theory Jul 2015 #29

When everyone has the "advantage" of doing so, that's not the case. uponit7771 Jul 2015 #37

At least they weren't denied the privilege of drinking from colored-only water fountains nc4bo Jul 2015 #54

It's only a "shit-stirring" term romanic Jul 2015 #30

Not just the law but also employment, education, housing nc4bo Jul 2015 #42

Definitely. romanic Jul 2015 #104

So what words SHOULD be used so as to not "stir shit"? tia uponit7771 Jul 2015 #33

I'll ... write more than the subject line. Igel Jul 2015 #83

That's a thought provoking post. Gidney N Cloyd Jul 2015 #96

Speaking of jargon escaping the pen Nevernose Jul 2015 #127

Really? Are you usually only talking to white people? randys1 Jul 2015 #123

My fiance is AA Flying Squirrel Jul 2015 #147

Soooooooooooo, call it "White Advantages"?! There's no suggestion of what to replace the term with.. uponit7771 Jul 2015 #35

I think the point is to just not have the conversation. Because white people's feelings gollygee Jul 2015 #38

+1, It seems the "terms used" are more important than people being aware. uponit7771 Jul 2015 #39

"White people's feelings" marle35 Jul 2015 #45

The assumption is that we have to be careful with how it's worded gollygee Jul 2015 #46

OK, I just half agree with you marle35 Jul 2015 #47

What different way? There seems to be no way not to offend uponit7771 Jul 2015 #90

Flip the context. Igel Jul 2015 #88

This isn't parallel for a couple of reasons gollygee Jul 2015 #97

"Don't face racial discrimination". Igel Jul 2015 #86

I guess the bottom line is we are treated better than we ought to be treestar Jul 2015 #36

No, white people are not treated "better than they ought to be". Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #50

glass half full or half empty treestar Jul 2015 #52

NB has it right. Igel Jul 2015 #92

Well put. It is not a drag down thing, it is a bring up thing. As Obama always says. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #57

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2015 #40

Wrong ismnotwasm Jul 2015 #43

Message auto-removed Name removed Jul 2015 #44

It's not about what anyone thinks malaise Jul 2015 #48

THank you. All these opinions from white people who have an opinion based on randys1 Jul 2015 #124

TL:DR summary; "because it makes white people uncomfortable" Spider Jerusalem Jul 2015 #49

'You're not being sold out by these trade deals like TPP, youre just being relieved of excess white' HFRN Jul 2015 #51

White "privilege" is heard different by whites than as meant by non-whites. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #53

I think it's also an instinctive awareness that once a negative spotlight is put on you HFRN Jul 2015 #55

Unrec. nc4bo Jul 2015 #56

"White privilege", as coined, isn't meant to explain white folks feelings, it is to meant to explain OUR feelings! Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #59

White people don't seem to care for the term white privilege, even on DU nc4bo Jul 2015 #63

I think the negative reaction to the term, about them, is them not understanding it is not about them. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #66

I hear you, I really do. nc4bo Jul 2015 #74

An EXAMPLE of the privilege is the reactions you see in this thread. randys1 Jul 2015 #125

Do you have a better term . . . brush Jul 2015 #58

"Racism" (nt) Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #70

Yes, there is that. brush Jul 2015 #80

Because calling someone 'racist' is less problematic than 'white privilege"? Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #129

Your comment is a prime example of what is being said about white privilege flying way over the heads of some. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #132

Clarify, please. I don't catch your drift. n/t Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #134

Which is my point. To clarify any further would be insulting. To you. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #135

Now THAT'S insulting. Gormy Cuss Jul 2015 #136

My apologies. Sometimes Internet comment board commenting, without tone of voice, can lead to misunderstanding. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #138

Ever notice that issues like this come up when trade deals are quietly pushed through? HFRN Jul 2015 #60

The term white privilege had its uses but now it's being thrown around flamingdem Jul 2015 #61

It's class privilege AnnieBW Jul 2015 #72

Better that white privilege itself roody Jul 2015 #76

This is pointless. Baitball Blogger Jul 2015 #79

I hate the word "avacado." But I sincerely do want your guacamole recipe. Zenlitened Jul 2015 #81

+1 gollygee Jul 2015 #103

It's a meme that tends to reinforce and validate the privilege of the wealthy. nt Romulox Jul 2015 #82

Good explanation for the basis of some white people's objection. SunSeeker Jul 2015 #87

there is no reason to be offended by it ibegurpard Jul 2015 #89

Yep, it's too "politically correct." hunter Jul 2015 #91

I lulz'ed KG Jul 2015 #94

It's interesting where.. mvd Jul 2015 #98

I agree wholeheartedly with that last paragraph sammythecat Jul 2015 #100

"Privelege" is only a relative term tularetom Jul 2015 #101

As a Jew who looks very white I can say... dilby Jul 2015 #108

"The term white privilege does not need to die, it needs to be constantly talked about." LeftOfWest Jul 2015 #111

Again, white privilege is not about what whites have, it is about what non-whites do not have, and Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #118

This message was self-deleted by its author Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #141

Again, it is not about the slave holder's experience of wealth by exploitation, it is about the slave's experience. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #145

That's not even close to true gollygee Jul 2015 #159

This message was self-deleted by its author Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #161

That's your source? Holy crap. gollygee Jul 2015 #162

It's the first result that comes up for me when I Google "percent whites owned slaves" Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #163

I discovered this thread through Jury Service. Great writing. Betty Karlson Jul 2015 #109

Don't Agree I have to say el_bryanto Jul 2015 #115

The phenomenon is real, but it is mostly used on DU to inoculate Hillary from criticism Romulox Jul 2015 #117

Seems predicating the definition of "privilege" on a hunch betrays the authors premise. LanternWaste Jul 2015 #119

Pppppppppppppfffffffffffft. PeaceNikki Jul 2015 #130

A lot of RWing racists believe the same thing! Rex Jul 2015 #137

There's a reason that President Obama has never uttered the phrase "white privilege" Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #139

Obama has been clear enough that white privilege exists without setting off white alarm bells over Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #151

White privilege is not racism, so please stop conflating two different terms...it if were the same it would be called racism. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #150

Just because someone is married to or has black kids doesn't excuse them from the suspicuion of craigmatic Jul 2015 #144

Noting the 14th Amendment has a "privileges and immunities" clause, second sentence. Eleanors38 Jul 2015 #146

Die? No. daleanime Jul 2015 #153

I'm black and I agree with this premise. WestCoastLib Jul 2015 #155

Yep, it's not a "privilege" to be waited on in a store in the order in which you arrived, Nye Bevan Jul 2015 #157