Minority thoughts: tfcm
Reading the stuff at the bottom of the page, I came across a link to a group on racial issues, and a question asked about why at a recent conference an African American had stood up and asked what was being done for the Black community and a Latina woman asked what was being done for the Hispanic community, but no one stood up and asked what was being done for the white community. The poster was being sincere, but some of the responses boggled my mind. So here's my take on things, my response if I joined this group.
Everyone is using it to say, "Oh, all the whites either want the goverment out of their business or just want to support the rich whites. They don't see themselves as a community through race, because they are not discriminated against." But no one realizes, if someone asked, "What are you going to do to help the White community?" There would be a huge uproar and backlash against the whites. Everyone sees the whites as NOT having problems or their problems not being important because they aren't "oppressed", but when you can't open your mouth or step out your door without people ASSUMING you're racist because you're white, why would you open yourself to the criticism?
Folks on this group were saying whites see their problems as of their own making or own luck, not of the government or someone elses making, so not the governments problem to fix. Is that saying that minorities see their problems as something the government should fix? I think that's underestimating minorities, saying they are going to blame external factors instead of saying, "You know what, these circumstances SUCK, but I'm going rise above it." I've seen lots of people, of all races do this, but to say that Whites do this but minorities don't is, to me, insulting to minorities
There would be all sorts of uproar and drama if whites asked, "Well what are you doing for us?" Plenty of people apparently believe being white is enough of a privilege that we deserve to be punished or at least not receive assistance when having difficult times because of it (that's the case here, hopefully not anywhere else.) There are many groups and aid organizations aimed at helping minorities, but if one were established JUST for whites, they'd be racist bigots and hate mongers, discriminating against the poor minorities. African American students at Ivy league colleges can ask for their own graduation ceremony and that's okay, but if whites did it there would be an uproar. This falls in the same category.
There is still a double standard in America, But it isn't necessarily that people are racist as much as that people ASSUME any slight is racism. I live in the South, and it is CONSTANTLY assumed that I must be racist simply because I'm white. When you work a service industry, nothing will make you more cautious or careful of minorities than the fact that if you aren't at their beck and call are overly polite you're going to be that "racist bitch" and that they will accuse you of it. Around here at least, people will use the accuse of racism to get away with whatever they want.
When I worked at the gas station, at one point I almost quit ID'ing African Americans and Hispanics because any time I'd turn down an ID for being expired or too damaged to make out the dates or picture or any reason, I'd get told, "Oh, you're only denying me the sale because I'm black/hispanic/asian/whatever." and called a racist bitch. Almost ALWAYS, I was a racist Bitch, for doing my job. I normally shut them up by saying, "If I was racist, why are my best friends black, Indian, Gay, and my husband a Jew? I'm doing this because your ID is not valid, and your alcohol/tobacco/lottery isn't worth my job and keeping diapers on my kids butt."
Now I'm back to waiting tables. Better hours and better pay, but I was quietly pulled aside by a manager and told, "We don't want anyone accusing us of being racist. If you have a minority table, even if you have to neglect your other tables, make sure they have everything they need." To me, THAT is special treatment and privileges because of race, and around here, in a state that's practically under constant censor by the NAACP, everyone knows all they have to do is play the "Race Card" to get their way. I've had black servers I work with tell me they don't want to wait on minorities because they don't tip as well, and they pass their tables to me because "we don't want anyone to assume we're racist by having blacks wait on blacks". But it's been that way at EVERY restaurant I've worked at. Everyone is terrified of discrimination lawsuits.
I've gotten off topic, but in the end, if you think Minorities are oppressed, maybe you should take a second and think about it from the perspective of the non-racist white community who has the constant gun to their head of being called Racist, because it's a lot easier to prove someone IS a racist than prove you are not. The simple accusation causes enough trouble, even when it's not true.
One last word. No, I'll never know what it's like to be a despised minority, but I know what it's like to be hated for my skin color and have unfair, untrue, and hurtful assumptions made because of it. I know what it's like to not be allowed to say my piece because the color of my skin makes it unacceptable.
Everyone is using it to say, "Oh, all the whites either want the goverment out of their business or just want to support the rich whites. They don't see themselves as a community through race, because they are not discriminated against." But no one realizes, if someone asked, "What are you going to do to help the White community?" There would be a huge uproar and backlash against the whites. Everyone sees the whites as NOT having problems or their problems not being important because they aren't "oppressed", but when you can't open your mouth or step out your door without people ASSUMING you're racist because you're white, why would you open yourself to the criticism?
Folks on this group were saying whites see their problems as of their own making or own luck, not of the government or someone elses making, so not the governments problem to fix. Is that saying that minorities see their problems as something the government should fix? I think that's underestimating minorities, saying they are going to blame external factors instead of saying, "You know what, these circumstances SUCK, but I'm going rise above it." I've seen lots of people, of all races do this, but to say that Whites do this but minorities don't is, to me, insulting to minorities
There would be all sorts of uproar and drama if whites asked, "Well what are you doing for us?" Plenty of people apparently believe being white is enough of a privilege that we deserve to be punished or at least not receive assistance when having difficult times because of it (that's the case here, hopefully not anywhere else.) There are many groups and aid organizations aimed at helping minorities, but if one were established JUST for whites, they'd be racist bigots and hate mongers, discriminating against the poor minorities. African American students at Ivy league colleges can ask for their own graduation ceremony and that's okay, but if whites did it there would be an uproar. This falls in the same category.
There is still a double standard in America, But it isn't necessarily that people are racist as much as that people ASSUME any slight is racism. I live in the South, and it is CONSTANTLY assumed that I must be racist simply because I'm white. When you work a service industry, nothing will make you more cautious or careful of minorities than the fact that if you aren't at their beck and call are overly polite you're going to be that "racist bitch" and that they will accuse you of it. Around here at least, people will use the accuse of racism to get away with whatever they want.
When I worked at the gas station, at one point I almost quit ID'ing African Americans and Hispanics because any time I'd turn down an ID for being expired or too damaged to make out the dates or picture or any reason, I'd get told, "Oh, you're only denying me the sale because I'm black/hispanic/asian/whatever." and called a racist bitch. Almost ALWAYS, I was a racist Bitch, for doing my job. I normally shut them up by saying, "If I was racist, why are my best friends black, Indian, Gay, and my husband a Jew? I'm doing this because your ID is not valid, and your alcohol/tobacco/lottery isn't worth my job and keeping diapers on my kids butt."
Now I'm back to waiting tables. Better hours and better pay, but I was quietly pulled aside by a manager and told, "We don't want anyone accusing us of being racist. If you have a minority table, even if you have to neglect your other tables, make sure they have everything they need." To me, THAT is special treatment and privileges because of race, and around here, in a state that's practically under constant censor by the NAACP, everyone knows all they have to do is play the "Race Card" to get their way. I've had black servers I work with tell me they don't want to wait on minorities because they don't tip as well, and they pass their tables to me because "we don't want anyone to assume we're racist by having blacks wait on blacks". But it's been that way at EVERY restaurant I've worked at. Everyone is terrified of discrimination lawsuits.
I've gotten off topic, but in the end, if you think Minorities are oppressed, maybe you should take a second and think about it from the perspective of the non-racist white community who has the constant gun to their head of being called Racist, because it's a lot easier to prove someone IS a racist than prove you are not. The simple accusation causes enough trouble, even when it's not true.
One last word. No, I'll never know what it's like to be a despised minority, but I know what it's like to be hated for my skin color and have unfair, untrue, and hurtful assumptions made because of it. I know what it's like to not be allowed to say my piece because the color of my skin makes it unacceptable.