All Canadians must unite against the evils of racism and White Male privilege
Robert Peffers
are believed to be enjoyed by white people beyond those commonly
experienced by people of color in the same social, political, and
economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc.).
Theorists differentiate it from racism or prejudice because, they say,
a person who may benefit from white privilege is not necessarily
racist or prejudiced and may be unaware of having any privileges
reserved only for whites.
Scholars associated with the legal studies field of critical race
theory have argued that whiteness or white racial status can be
thought of as property, something of value owned by certain members of
society.
This idea has been advanced in particular by Cheryl Harris and George
Lipsitz. Betsy Lucal writes that current ideas about racism are
limited because of their tendency to focus only on racial "minorities"
and the oppressive aspects of race. This approach, she writes,
overlooks how whites are affected by race and indeed receive
privileges through race. Dan J. Pence and J. Arthur Fields suggest
that resistance to the idea of white privilege stems from a tendency
of whites to see inequality as a black or Latino issue. White
reactions to such critiques include a continuum ranging from
theoretical and academic discourse, artistic expression, activism,
hostility, and a "wall of silence."
A study published by Branscombe et al. found that thinking about the
benefits gained from a privileged group membership can threaten social
identity and evoke justification of the existing status difference
between the ingroup and a disadvantaged group. White Canadians may
defend racial privilege by concurring with modern racist attitudes.
The study found that increased racism in response to thoughts of white
privilege was limited to those who highly identified with their racial
category. In contrast, when white racial identification was
sufficiently low, thoughts of white privilege reliably reduced modern
racism. Statements about racial inequality may be framed as either
White privileges or Black disadvantages. When framed as White
privileges, a 2005 study found that the statements resulted in greater
collective guilt and lower racism compared to a Black disadvantage
framing. The findings suggest that representing inequality in terms of
outgroup disadvantage allows privileged group members to avoid the
negative implications of inequality.
In the essay, White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack, Peggy
McIntosh sought to enumerate the social, political and cultural
advantages accorded to whites in American society. McIntosh says there
are parallels between white privilege, male privilege and heterosexual
privilege.
As a white male holds both a university degree and a professional job
with status; I speak with the
assumption that people not only will listen, but will take me
seriously. I speak with the assumption that my motives will not be
challenged; I can rely on the perception of me as a neutral authority,
someone whose observations can be trusted.
Every time I open my mouth, I draw on, and in some ways reinforce, my
privilege, which is in large part tied to race. Right now, I want to
use that privilege to acknowledge the many non-white people who took
the time to tell me about the enduring realities of racism in Canada.
And, I want to talk to the white people who I think misread my
postings and misunderstand what's at stake.
While it is certainly true that white people are sometimes the victims
of racism or racism occurs between different people of color, these
incidents fail in comparison to the number of people of colour who
are
victimized by institutionalized white racism; it's not hard to see
where the real problem lays. While it is important to oppose racism
against white people, there is most certainly nothing inherently wrong
or racist
in pointing out the facts of institutional and societal white racism
and white privilege. It is also important to expose and oppose
unearned white male privilege which continues to victimize women,
visible minorities, aboriginals, and people with disabilities.
Racism against white people and racism between different people of
color should always be condemned
and denounced. Furthermore, racism between different white ethnic
groups such as anti-Francophone
bigotry and anti-Anglophone bigotry should always be condemned and
opposed. As a White Anglo Saxon Protestant male myself, I am very much
aware of the level of anti-Francophone bigotry which exists in
Anglophone Canada and particularly amongst fellow White Anglo Saxon
Protestant males.
However, I am still proud of my ethnicity, culture, and heritage and I
make no apologizes for it.
Crap Detector
wrote:
***
Why what good would it do? Are you predicting utopia as a result, oh
little brainless one? You are a stupid little fart, Peffers.
Liberals are vermin
> Anglophone Canada and particularly amongst fellow White Anglo Saxon
> Protestant males.
> However, I am still proud of my ethnicity, culture, and heritage and I
> make no apologizes for it.
Might as well tell the politicians. They've been saying white
Canadian culture doesn't exist and they PAY for foreigners to maintain
their own culture when coming here. My question is, if their (th
foreigner's) culture is so terrific, why do they flee the countries
that it ruined?
Canuck57
Excellent point. One I am sure our liberal-statists would like to overlook.
But I think they are here to ruin ours. Many do not adopt our culture.
Canuck57
Is all that you know is how to cut an paste? Sorry your life is so
pathetic.
cornholio
> In critical race theory, white privilege is a set of advantages that
> are believed to be enjoyed by white people beyond those commonly
> experienced by people of color in the same social, political, and
> economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc.).
> Theorists differentiate it from racism or prejudice because, they say,
> a person who may benefit from white privilege is not necessarily
> racist or prejudiced and may be unaware of having any privileges
> reserved only for whites.
>
Move to Africa then, I guarantee you won't see anything but
persecution of whiteys/crackas there.
Scotius
<auldbobp...@gmail.com> wrote:
But... BOB! YOU said that the guy who came here from South
Africa because of racist policies against Whites there was lying, when
you clearly had no reason to make such a claim and knew no more about
it than any of the rest of us.
Clearly, you don't believe that all forms of racism are wrong,
although you often say you do.
Do you remember saying that "Treason to White Europeans is
loyalty to humanity"? That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't
believe in racism, or doesn't think it's okay.