My ancestors massacred Indians near here
Bruce Hawkins,
Northampton, MA.
That doesn’t make me guilty, it makes me responsible. Prison is the new slavery, and the Drug War is modern slave-catching.
Articulate, responsible; then color doesn’t matter
John H
McKinney, TX
King’s speech referred to the time when a man (actually he referred to his children) would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I think there are many, many who,lack character and use the color of their skin as an excuse. There are many who are principled and trying hard…. And when they fall short they keep trying and don’t use race as an excuse. The opportunity is there. No one thinks twice when they see a black cop, manager, lawyer, Doctor, politician, etc. etc. but you don’t usually see people, white or black, with violent attitudes, drug problems, inarticulate and dressed like a slob in these roles. It is not skin color it is culture and values. The articulate who,are willing to work, no matter their color… Have opportunity. The eubonics speaking, saggy pants wearing drug using gang bangers are despised. And it is not because they are black… Though they will try to tell you that’s why
I am proud to be white!
Aaron Fitzgerald,
Australia.
It is OK to be white, we are NOT responsible for all the problems that the POC world faces; that the Jewish-run, liberal, left wing, Marxist media would have you believe.
All races have been responsible for genocide, likewise all races have been victims of genocide, even white people, as seen in South Africa right now, Haiti in the past. These whites don’t have “white privilege” for they get killed for being white while farming for those who hate them but the world is DEAD SILENT, imagine if the races were reversed? It seems apartheid has not ended but just “reversed”. Whites deserve a white home land, just like blacks have Africa, Asians have Asia and Jews have Israel, yet it’s somehow “racist” for whites to have Europe?
We are the worlds minority at about 6% of Earth’s population; where are OUR ‘minority rights’??
All races deserve to have their own land without forced ‘diversity and multiculturalism’
“It’s Ok to be white”
I’m genuinely sorry about my family.
Katy Wilkerson,
Houston, TX.
In the deep South, in my experience, racism is pervasive, especially when you talk about poorer and poorer white people (not just men). There truly does still exist a level of social acceptability that is just not OK. I’ve always been extremely disgusted by it, despite being white and having these people in my family, but I am well educated now and I did grow up poor in a mostly black community. My husband is white, from a poor white family, and they’re all less educated and living in white, rural communities. The racism they display sickens me. My father in law refers to black children as “nigglets”. And that’s a tame example. They are not alone and the culture is pervasive– otherwise hardworking, loving, and “good” people can do horrible things when there is social acceptance and pressure behind it. My husband is not, I believe, a racist, but when around his family he has to “play along” and I generally have to physically leave when this is going on, since I refuse to “play along”. If we continue to tell ourselves, as white people and as humans, that this isn’t happening anymore or acting wounded and dismissing it, we are making it worse for whichever generation finally addresses it and doing ourselves a great disservice. There is no “acceptable” racism in the modern world, no reason that makes it OK, it’s ALWAYS wrong, and this will be a problem as long as it’s ignored.
I owe you nothing, I’m not responsible
Tony
Concorde, NC
I am tired seeing white people feeling guilty or responsible for the misfortune of minorities.
What’s it like never being responsible?
Lou Bates,
TX.
Controversial? Sure. Racist? To many, sure. However, we are all hypocrites when it comes to race, and sadly many of us are misinformed. I am a history teacher in an inner city. I have sat through training, after training to get me to be more culturally adept and I am probably one of the most culturally sensitive in the district. Those that give the trainings are only a little more equipped to do so than choosing a random person at a mall. Much research shows that being made to attend trainings does little to foster lasting change. University departments of educational leadership are filled with individuals that have never been trained as or set foot in a public school as a teacher, yet they are the ‘experts.’ Disgusting. As a scholar of history, it is my job to use primary sources to discover the past and then use my teacher training and experience to help my students discover and learn about it as well. If someone is not using multiple sources, viewpoints, and opinions in their quest to teach history or culture (opposed to just one viewpoint or book) than they are not good teachers. History should be viewed from all sides with the caveat that you cannot put present day values on judgement of historical actions. Anyone that screams how unequal opportunities are, please, seek additional context. Unequal compared to what? Are we talking only slave decedents vs. white? All individuals of color vs. white. Black females graduate college at a higher percentage than any other group, whites included. The sad reality is the popularity of, and careers made from the concepts of racial equity and justice have only really benefit those that are in those positions. Don’t believe me. Check where their kids go to school, look at where they live. Equity is a concept that can never fully be realized, and people push continued divisions for their own career benefit, implicit or not. True equity doesn’t work — look towards Russia in the 1900s. As it is staggering amounts of money have been poured into low performing populations with limited results. No, not because of racism, or because it just isn’t enough, but because many schools have poor leaders, everybody wants instant results or lets change the program, and sadly schools cannot compensate in all areas for poor parenting and living situations, and I’m not saying parents don’t love their kids and want the best for them. While we are all patting ourselves on the back for raising our graduation rates and decrying the racist results of testing that shows large discrepancies in achievement, ask the question, what does it take to graduate? Just someone in the school deciding what ethical boundaries they are willing to violate to make themselves look better. My school knowingly graduates students that are barely literate because we have to get the graduation rate up, forget those student’s future prospects. However, can’t fail too many students because it would be racist. Before forming an opinion on what is or is not going on in schools, volunteer in schools serving a large percentage of minority students in an inner city and observe student culture, interactions and behavior — please pick a school that is not able to be selective in their students either. If I had a dollar for every time I heard a student claim that something is racist, I would be long retired a millionaire by now. No, having to be on time is not racist. Expecting you not to yell “f u you f’n n-word” in the hallways is not racist. Expecting males and females to not sexually harass each other is not racist. Wanting to make sure students are safe by expelling those that bring guns to school is not racist. Allowing students to do these things under the guise of culture shows a basic lack of expectation for students of color (lowered expectations). We can debate factors leading to present day society all we want, and discuss the disparities in discipline, but that does nothing to change the current reality of on the ground behavior that no one forces students to do. Every group of people has been attacked, displaced, made to be slaves, exploited, etc. at one time or another throughout human existence. Humans have an ugly past and nature. Does that mean not doing work is not your fault because racism? Most teachers work their rears off trying to entertain students enough to hold attention and engage in the hope student efforts will be given towards learning. When there is an absolute stereotypical belief being hammered into the minds of our young people of color that anything that does not go their way is due to racism, you have not only ceased constructive dialog, but you are actually hindering future progress. In NYC Asians are the poorest minority group, however, because their culture values education above everything else families forgo modern comforts in order to pay for test tutors for their children to be able to make good enough grades to attend the most elite public schools in the city. Not because they are the ‘model’ minority — it wasn’t too long ago that we had Japanese internment camps — fun fact, we also had German internment camps. Another excuse for why one population is able to succeed while another isn’t doing very well. Wake up, raise your expectations and stop giving kids excuses — they almost always take them.
“White” is not a skin tone
R.E.A.L. Talk,
High Tech Middle Media Arts,
7th Grade Trailblazer
It has always confused me when people call others “white”, or “black”, because no one’s skin is “black”, or “white”. Besides, no one names their kids the color of their skin, so why do we call them that? In the past I have made myself feel guilty because someone once told me that I was Hitler’s version of “pure” and “perfect, ”blonde hair, blue eyes. I also feel responsible, and feel that I have to be racist because throughout most of history, I would be what was thought of as the “superior race”. When I was in 4th grade someone told me that I was racist because me and all my friends were “white”. I thought that meant that I had to be friends with other “races” just to prove that I was not racist even if I had nothing in common with them and didn’t get along with them. I have now learned that I should be friends with people because they are what I look for in a friend and “race” has nothing to do with friendship.
Race doesn’t exist, but racism does
Race is NOT real, yet it could mean life or death for someone. According to Vox, an American news website, “There isn’t a race chromosome our DNA that people can point to it simply doesn’t exist, this of course does not mean that the concept of race isn’t hugely important in our lives”. Although race is not scientifically and biologically real it can affect someone’s life greatly. Evidence from the American Anthropological Association says that “Physical variations in the human species have no meaning except the social ones humans put on them”. Therefore if humans hadn’t made these categories there would be no race or racism. “During the 19th century people used “race” to justify the retention of slavery”. This means that race was created so that certain people could have power over others and get free labor. Proving that racism created race because of the human hunger for power and categories. Although race does not biologically exist, unfortunately since we made these “racial categories,” racism does. So let’s end this social construct that we created for power, because we are one race… The human race!
I responsible for my ancestors mistakes?
Jessica Tressa,
Wilkes Barre, PA.
I am white, I was born this way and did not get to choose. I am just an average girl no different from anyone else on this planet. Average. So, why am I told that because white people enslaved other people that those descendants have the right to hate me and destroy the towns of white people today? Two wrongs don’t make a right.
What do we owe each other?
Lisa Williams,
Johnson City, TN.
When I think of what I owe other people, I think in terms of how I want to be treated – I’m thinking of civility, a lack of preconceptions, tolerance for differences, to name a few. I also think in terms of responsible actions (for instance, if I were drunk, I would owe it to everyone not to drive.)
Does what you owe to another person change with the person’s race? Do you have different kinds of responsibilities in your relations to different races? Or is this inherently inequitable? Is it naïve to think that there should be one standard of fair treatment for all?
Extremely conflicted, because of my job!
David Nesbit,
Dover, DE.
I’m conflicted because I see everyday what happens to people who look like me but at the same time I depend on these folks who, in general, are responsible for me driving home in uniform and keeping my county work ID on me just to have the respect that I deserve. It’s like I have to make sure that it’s known that I have a job so I can drive around and get to where I’m going without getting pulled over for DWB and make it home without getting assaulted by them… see conflicted!
I’m not responsible for the past.
J.S.
Richmond, VA
My grandparents came to the US in the 1960s from Poland after living through the Nazis and the Communists. I won’t be saddled with crimes in which neither I nor my ancestors had any part. Grow up people.
