Fairly odd parents

You should read a book called, "Black Like Me," it's about the real life experience of a white man who took a medication that turned his skin black. He was treated completely differently as a black person and faced a tremendous amount of racism. Sometimes it's hard to recognize how different your experience is compared to someone else until you actually walk in their shoes. Today in many parts of America, black people are pulled over for no reason, illegally searched and seized, refused loans, denied housing, quoted higher prices when buying cars, and countless other forms of discrimination. I have white skin and I have spent a considerable amount of time in white suburbs and black ghettos, and I can say without a doubt that black people are treated very differently in many, many ways.

I always love the "pulled over for no reason" line. While some of that may occur, in isolated areas, it has taken on urban myth status as so many claim this has happened to them just to fit in. If you don't believe that you're in denial. I don't doubt that the man in "Black Like Me" was treated different, not just as a matter of race but also because demeanor, actions and his emotions were altered under these circumstances. To take something like that as a case study for how all blacks are treated is inaccurate. Also the book was written in 1959, published in 1962, meaning the events took place during a time of VERY different racial relations.

Well said.

It's not just happening "in isolated areas." It's happening across the country and police departments are getting sued for it by individuals and the Justice Department. Even if it were only in isolated areas, that still is not a legitimate defense. The experiece of the man in "Black Like Me" happened at a time when racism was displayed more overtly in public, now it is more subtle and concealed, but the unequal treatment is still occuring in many ways. You might not notice it if you are not the victim of it. Say you are white and you are buying a new car, you get quoted one price, and if the person selling the car has conscious or unconscious racist tendencies, they will quote a higher price for a black person. You never knew it happened because you never saw your price compared to the black person's price, but now studes have shown that this is happening on a mass scale (and it happens to women too, by the way.) When you as a white person go to rent an apartment from a racist landlord, they immediately show you the available units, but if you are a black person, they tell you that no units are available. This happens all over the place, in fact, Donald Trump was sued by the Justice Department for housing discrimination and lost, twice, and that was under a Republican administration. To minimize or ignore this issue is to do a disservice to humanity.

you just keep using examples back when race relations were still edgy. even the 70's, when these lawsuits against trump acurred, were pretty cringeworthy for public treatment of black people. something that would be incredibly unlikely in the 21st century especially the 2010's where you can get called prejudiced or bigoted for anything up to and including not agreeing with somebody's opinion.

You see it where you want to see it, and for the reason you want to see it. I never claimed there was 0 racism... on either the side there is plenty. There is a choice however to be made, make it an excuse to fail or learn to deal with it and move on. That goes for both sides. I have no idea if you are black feeling oppressed or white with a lot of pent up guilt. Either way dump it and move on and treat everyone as you want to be treated. Quit acting like everything is systemic. Systemic is over by legislative action, anything that remains are actions of the individually ignorant and you will never end that with individuals by pretending to "fix" a system.

well said

I see and understand your point... but it's totally inaccurate today. I'm familiar with the book.. but it it was written long before the Civil Rights act and EEOC LAWS, Hate Crime bills etc. It does not apply today. Discrimination exist on both sides.. but the current culture, is that (mostly) only white people can be and are racist. I am a Canadian who grew up without any racism.. and now as a resident in the southern states, I see bigotry on both sides.. not racism. The word "racism" is used incorrectly 99% of the time because of its negative impact. The correct word most of the time would be "bigoted". Someone can be a bigot... and not a racist. The R word is over used and taken advantage of when it don't exist. Hence... it's "OK" to call someone a racist if they disagree with an Obama policy. . Rather than just someone who disagrees with his policy. Blacks who disagreed with or did not like President Bush.. we're never called a racist. Not so with whites who disagree with Obama. Too many are too quick to use that R word out of convenience... and it has become socially acceptable to do so. America still needs to find that middle ground, ... and get over using the R word as a crutch.

This meme is an example of "If I can't see it, then it doesn't exist" attitude

You missed the point. Nobody is claiming there is white privilege "because of the success of a few people who just so happen to be white." There is a vast amount of evidence that proves without a doubt that black people are treated unfairly as a whole compared to white people in this country. Scientific studies show that blacks (and women) are quoted higher prices when buying cars compared to white men. Police departments across the country are being sued by individuals and the Justice Department for widespread civil rights violations against black people. The evidence of institutional racism is everywhere, just look around.

but the way it is broadcast is always presented more as an accusation towards everyday people like me that somehow i'm oppressive just because i exist as a white guy. they really need to work out their message if they don't want to make white people feel attacked personally. that would just lead to us getting upset and calling them out for hypocrites based off a misunderstanding of context.

The way it is broadcast by who, specifically? No sane person is taking seriously the accusations from anybody that an entire race of people is to blame for anything.

its not always upfront about it. and the amount of people being spoonfed mass media tend to take it beyond its context and put it to extremes. and its those who put out those extremes who are heard the loudest.

Ok now you are just using a few loud people that nobody takes seriously as an excuse to deny the facts.

now you start the flame war damn took you long enough.
honestly if you have a problem with the fact that i get offended by people accusing me of being "priviledged" you can f**k yourself. i have brushed poverty too many times and have worked myself from the bottom. the money i moved out with is money i earned scrubbing dishes at some cafe not some trust fund bullshit like they depict us to live with. my privilege is what i earned with my own two hands. i know there is a problem in some communities but those could have been easily solved without playing the race card recklessly.

Orrrrr... you could stop being a creep. Unrealistic I know, but I am ambitious.

Just try to be aware of it, try to empathize with those who share their experiences of discrimination instead of denying their experience like the OP.

Theres a few ways to interpret what you said so I'm just putting this here whether it was your meaning or not. There are some it will apply to. :)

DAAAAAAMN SON

I never said you were denying anything, I said the OP was denying. You asked what to do about it and I gave the answer that I believe is most suitable for today's reality. The only way the situation will ever change is if people actuallly come to terms with what is really going on instead of simply ignoring it or flat out denying it in the face of scientific evidence. I wouldn't be surprised if the OP is also a climate change denier.

I couldn't agree more. What I said still remains applicable. Point being, if we all practice personal responsibility and stop blaming entire populations of people for the actions and ignorance of the few, we'll get nowhere.

I could be wrong.

Not wrong, you said that very well and I'm glad I read yours before generating my response.

I do agree that we should all practice personal responsibility, and that no entire population of people should be blamed for the ignorance and actions of the few, but I don't think that most people who say white privilege exists are saying that all white people are to blame. I think it is a very few, very vocal group of people, who try to make that case, and I don't think many people take them seriously. Recognizing that the phenomenon is real and talking about it is not an indictment of an entire race, it's just being honest about the situation. If anyone tries to hi-jack the objective and scientifically proven narrative and turn it into an indictment of an entire race they should obviously be dismissed by any sane person.

Honestly, you're wasting your time. Those who benefit from white privilege will never admit or try to change the status quo. Why should they? They're not on the excluding end.

It's not just a few. It's systemic. It's pervasive. There's only one reason why you can't see it: you're white.

I think this got derailed a bit and I'm a little confused as to who is replying to whom at this point and where the sarcasm ends. Let me explain my position a little better:

First, I've never denied white privilege exists and happens on a regular basis. I do nothing to seek or encourage the practice.

My goal in life is more or less the Federation mentality - to embrace difference and live in peace. I treat those with the respect they show me and if I receive any sort of privilege because I don't treat others like shit then my original question stands:

What am I personally supposed to do about all the bigots and racists in my country or on the planet?

I'm doing my part - I'm not acting like a c*nt in public and state over and over again none of what I do online is a personal attack on anyone.

Yeah, the structure of this is all messed up and my responses aren't even in order.

In addition regarding the Wonka meme, here's what I meant (without the sarcasm)

Racism is a tricky thing because it's easy to fall victim to it out of ignorance. Saying "white privilege" as it is and in and of itself, systematically categorizes all white peoples into a sense of enjoyed higher standard of living. The problem is, you may be right but if my race is simply treated better as a whole by society and I was born into it, what am I to do? It isn't my fault and I don't condone it. I teach my children equality and respect differences physically and of opinion. What more do you want? I'm just a poor white guy from Minnesota. I'm not MLK.

That idea is sooo nice and neat, it takes away personal responsibility from both races. BRAVO for falling for it.

U son on a beach wasis!

truth