- MBTI
- None
Hello.
Today for the very first time in my life I experience racism. I am white. A lot of people would not consider racism against a white person racism because they are privileged, hold all of the power, and enslaved a lot of people in the past.
Upon offering a suggestion that an action committee be formed for a group of women, I was told in response:
"I just get the vibe that you're going all: white woman solve's everyone's problems, and it's very like...what's the word...hypocritical. I don't like white people, I'm not friends with white people. I've been burned in the past too many times by white people and every time I get to know a white person they burn me. I'm not saying you, but I just don't trust your idea."
I felt that this was kind of racist, but I didn't say anything.
Later the person apologized if she had 'offended' me, but I still didn't say anything because I didn't want to get into an argument. What kind of argument? The one that goes something along the lines of this
ME: Don't you think it's a bit racist that you don't like an entire race of people based on your experiences with individuals? Surely you haven't gotten to know every white person.
THEM: Me? I'm racist? White people are privileged and somehow I'm being racist against them? My whole life I've grown up being told I'm not as good as white people, I've had white people treat me like shit and call me derogatory names. People I know have been BEAT THE SHIT out of just for being their race. And I'm the racist?
ME: I never have said anything racist towards you or anything racist intentionally in my life. I've never beaten anyone up for their race and I never would. I don't make my friends based on the color of their skin and I don't go around meeting one asian person and thinking all asians are like that.
THEM: But you don't understand, you're privileged! We will never be the same! People look at you and they think, 'normal'. People look at me and they think of the color of my skin. People of my racial background get accepted into less colleges, they get incarcerated more easily than white people do, there is an entire institution that is setting up my people for failure. And you, the privileged one, are going to call me racist when I point out the facts? White people dominate society. They enslave people of other races, still do to this day in the factories of YOUR white people owned corporations. I'm not racist. I can't be racist! I don't have the power or privilege to be racist!
I'm not saying these arguments aren't valid, I'm just saying that I feel like...shouldn't racism apply to white people, too? What are your thoughts?
Today for the very first time in my life I experience racism. I am white. A lot of people would not consider racism against a white person racism because they are privileged, hold all of the power, and enslaved a lot of people in the past.
Upon offering a suggestion that an action committee be formed for a group of women, I was told in response:
"I just get the vibe that you're going all: white woman solve's everyone's problems, and it's very like...what's the word...hypocritical. I don't like white people, I'm not friends with white people. I've been burned in the past too many times by white people and every time I get to know a white person they burn me. I'm not saying you, but I just don't trust your idea."
I felt that this was kind of racist, but I didn't say anything.
Later the person apologized if she had 'offended' me, but I still didn't say anything because I didn't want to get into an argument. What kind of argument? The one that goes something along the lines of this
ME: Don't you think it's a bit racist that you don't like an entire race of people based on your experiences with individuals? Surely you haven't gotten to know every white person.
THEM: Me? I'm racist? White people are privileged and somehow I'm being racist against them? My whole life I've grown up being told I'm not as good as white people, I've had white people treat me like shit and call me derogatory names. People I know have been BEAT THE SHIT out of just for being their race. And I'm the racist?
ME: I never have said anything racist towards you or anything racist intentionally in my life. I've never beaten anyone up for their race and I never would. I don't make my friends based on the color of their skin and I don't go around meeting one asian person and thinking all asians are like that.
THEM: But you don't understand, you're privileged! We will never be the same! People look at you and they think, 'normal'. People look at me and they think of the color of my skin. People of my racial background get accepted into less colleges, they get incarcerated more easily than white people do, there is an entire institution that is setting up my people for failure. And you, the privileged one, are going to call me racist when I point out the facts? White people dominate society. They enslave people of other races, still do to this day in the factories of YOUR white people owned corporations. I'm not racist. I can't be racist! I don't have the power or privilege to be racist!
I'm not saying these arguments aren't valid, I'm just saying that I feel like...shouldn't racism apply to white people, too? What are your thoughts?