Privileged by Kyle Korver

[One Brow]

I don't want to hear from most of you on this issue because you say "shut up and listen to me because I'm right".

I'm not telling anyone to shut up when talking to me.

 

[One Brow]

In other hand, how in the hell I would know what it means to be white in America, least of all tell people about it, if I'm not white nor American? You assume a lot.

Am I assuming as much as a person whose not American telling Americans how to conduct race relations in America?

Of course, maybe you are American. You certainly whine like a white, male American.

 

[Rubashov]

Things are better, but we are far way from where we need to be. Our over-labeling society and piss poor news outlets just want to stir stuff up over and over. Our national news outlets literally stoke fires that need to go out.

And honestly, I thought President Obama was going to lead to more progress for chronically impoverished inner city African Americans. Not much changed in his 8 years in office.

But this message by Korver is a great message for those who sit by and do nothing.

Sent from my VS995 using JazzFanz mobile app

I think Obama's failures are more about the failure of your democracy than his failings as a politician or leader.

 

[Stoked]

Am I assuming as much as a person whose not American telling Americans how to conduct race relations in America?

Of course, maybe you are American. You certainly whine like a white, male American.

So you both insinuate he’s a liar while dismissing someone’s experience who might have something you should hear.

Not a good look tbh.

 

[Tak]

Am I assuming as much as a person whose not American telling Americans how to conduct race relations in America?

Of course, maybe you are American. You certainly whine like a white, male American.

Now you sound like a typical american jerk from any comedy... "don't you talk about the USA if you're a foreigner... damn foreigners stickin' his noses in the good 'ol USA"

Racism is not an american property, it's a global issue, but hey, would you be so kind to let me have an opinion about it?

 

[Jazz Spazz]

I'm not telling anyone to shut up when talking to me.

Not all the time, and not verbally, this is true.
It does come across many times as condescending and not as a conversation, imo.
To steal from another poster's wording, you appear to listen not to understand but to get to your next point.
This very well could be the case many times with myself or others you converse with at times.
I just have not found this forum to be a safe or useful environment in most instances for this conversation.
It generally devolves quickly into name calling, arguments, and/or posturing.
/opinion

 

[reignman40]

Personally as a white guy who lives among white guys I have my own stuff to worry about. I don't think of anybody different due to their color nor do express any indifference. We are all humans in my eyes. Besides maybe some mean words I have never hurt anybody or wished bad on anything.

So my question is, what am I expected to do? Do I have to go out of my way to understand something I never will? Should I put my life on hold for something I'm not part of? I ask this sincerely and think it's alright to discuss this.

I detest racism. I have no clue how someone can dislike another human due to the difference in the pigments of our skin.

I agree 100%. We all come from different places, it doesnt make us hateful, racist ect... not understand something. I hope we can get better, but sadly, I feel this age of social media only has only made things worse. People are assholes.

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

Korver ended his article with the following quote "Time for me to shut up and listen."

I agree. I would suggest he listen to Larry Elder. You know, an actual Black man. Unlike Kyle, who offers no real solutions other than White people needing to recognize their privilege, Larry talks about actual causes and actual solutions.

Racism exists. White privilege does not.

 

[Rubashov]

Without going into Kyle's article (which is a pretty good read) I'm might share some of my own experiences. I consider myself a somewhat democratic socialist, I also work in a job where on a daily basis I use force on people. I'm accused on a weekly basis of being a racist, my interactions with "consumers" generally follow a fairly well rehearsed script, I have certain legal obligations that i have to satisfy and our consumers have certain legal boundaries they have to transgress before things are escalated to a physical confrontation. This will normally happen at least once a shift, more regularly multiple times over the course of a shift, of the 70 or so incidents I go to each week, 50 to 70 percent will be physical. Only a small number of our consumers are non whites, however almost all will accuse us of racism, even when my colleagues are African or Pacific Islanders. Almost with monotonous regularity the first reaction at an adverse outcome is to accuse us or somebody in the organisation of racism, I realise that these people like most of the people i deal with have likely spent a lot of time interacting with law enforcement and various social services however shouting racism is just another way to avoid self reflection and personal responsibility. Its another way to make your circumstances somebody else's fault, you know calling the nurse a slut and spitting on her is not my fault cause they're all racists, it really gets my goat.

It like the boy who cried wolf, I actually wrote up a staff member not long ago for what I characterised as a long and demonstrable record of racism toward non white consumers, she was and is a racist, the problem is that everybody is accused of it, she left the organisation shortly after I put my report in but i doubt it would have made much of a difference anyway.

 

[RJF]

Without going into Kyle's article (which is a pretty good read) I'm might share some of my own experiences. I consider myself a somewhat democratic socialist, I also work in a job where on a daily basis I use force on people. I'm accused on a weekly basis of being a racist, my interactions with "consumers" generally follow a fairly well rehearsed script, I have certain legal obligations that i have to satisfy and our consumers have certain legal boundaries they have to transgress before things are escalated to a physical confrontation. This will normally happen at least once a shift, more regularly multiple times over the course of a shift, of the 70 or so incidents I go to each week, 50 to 70 percent will be physical. Only a small number of our consumers are non whites, however almost all will accuse us of racism, even when my colleagues are African or Pacific Islanders. Almost with monotonous regularity the first reaction at an adverse outcome is to accuse us or somebody in the organisation of racism, I realise that these people like most of the people i deal with have likely spent a lot of time interacting with law enforcement and various social services however shouting racism is just another way to avoid self reflection and personal responsibility. Its another way to make your circumstances somebody else's fault, you know calling the nurse a slut and spitting on her is not my fault cause they're all racists, it really gets my goat.

It like the boy who cried wolf, I actually wrote up a staff member not long ago for what I characterised as a long and demonstrable record of racism toward non white consumers, she was and is a racist, the problem is that everybody is accused of it, she left the organisation shortly after I put my report in but i doubt it would have made much of a difference anyway.

Are you in corrections?

 

[Bawse Dawg]

Racism exists. White privilege does not.

LMAOOO

 

[Rubashov]

Are you in corrections?

I work at Melbourne's major trauma center, supposedly the busiest public hospital in the Southern hemisphere but you know lies, damn lies and statistics.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

Korver ended his article with the following quote "Time for me to shut up and listen."

I agree. I would suggest he listen to Larry Elder. You know, an actual Black man. Unlike Kyle, who offers no real solutions other than White people needing to recognize their privilege, Larry talks about actual causes and actual solutions.

Racism exists. White privilege does not.

Ummm ok?

Just wondering what you think white privilege is? Seems like an odd thing to say.

 

[Stoked]

Korver ended his article with the following quote "Time for me to shut up and listen."

I agree. I would suggest he listen to Larry Elder. You know, an actual Black man. Unlike Kyle, who offers no real solutions other than White people needing to recognize their privilege, Larry talks about actual causes and actual solutions.

Racism exists. White privilege does not.

First step in solving a problem is admitting there is one.

White privilege exists. It’s real. How extensive, damaging and what not is open to discussion. It existing really isn’t.

A white person should ask themselves some questions before deciding if “white privilege” exists. Do you get followed around in stores by employees? Do you have people cross the street to avoid walking past you on the sidewalk? Are you assumed to have never meet your father?

These are all things that have been spoken and first hand mentioned over and over and over. Thousands and millions of times.

Then there is the whole poor and how it changes criminal justice, education and opportunity and how minorities are disproportionately poor.

It’s real dude, come on...

 

[reignman40]

Then there is the whole poor and how it changes criminal justice, education and opportunity and how minorities are disproportionately poor.

It’s real dude, come on...

Why is that and how do people change it? It probably started with empty promises and handouts for votes.

 

[colton]

People who live in the higher privilege status need to shut up and listen to those of lower privilege.

I think it's important that this listening thing doesn't go just one way.

Edit: I will agree that generally the direction that doesn't occur as much is those of higher privilege listening to those of lower. Needs to happen more.

 

[Stoked]

Why is that and how do people change it? It probably started with empty promises and handouts for votes.

It started with slavery.

 

[Mission Accomplished]

Question again on accountability. Does Hip hop, gangster, and rap mentality help to place certain members of races in a more problematic position. I'm saying this because as an boss I don't want my employees listening to rap music. I believe it empowers deviant behavior. Coming from someone who in high school listened to rap. I'm also throwing this out when I was a missionary in Houston we had some Cuban refugees come to the area. They got set up with jobs etc. When they first came they were humble. Then after like 4 months the teenagers were bumping rap dressing like little thugs. They had completely changed.

I think this is why racism has resurfaced because of post 9-11 creating a culture of hate. Rightwing fearmongering you can hear it in rap lyrics with rules and polices. Thoughts?

Sent from my SM-N960U using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[Stoked]

I think it's important that this listening thing doesn't go just one way.

Very true. The table is big enough for us all. But personally I try to let those without my platform go first. I’m not always successful

 

[Alfalfa]

Question again on accountability. Does Hip hop, gangster, and rap mentality help to place certain members of races in a more problematic position. I'm saying this because as an boss I don't want my employees listening to rap music. I believe it empowers deviant behavior. Coming from someone who in high school listened to rap. I'm also throwing this out when I was a missionary in Houston we had some Cuban refugees come to the area. They got set up with jobs etc. When they first came they were humble. Then after like 4 months the teenagers were bumping rap dressing like little thugs. They had completely changed.

I think this is why racism has resurfaced because of post 9-11 creating a culture of hate. Rightwing fearmongering you can hear it in rap lyrics with rules and polices. Thoughts?

Sent from my SM-N960U using JazzFanz mobile app

Wow.