Can white people ever experience racism?

[LittleRedCourgettes]

Following a discussion on this topic with some students, I was reading this article and am interested to hear your honest thoughts on this question.....

https://www.nas.org/blogs/article/wherediddwegetttheideaathatonlyywhitepeopleecanbeeracist

Though, I don't agree with tarring everyone with the same brush or making generalizations against a group of people because of the actions of one or two or a few, I think people have a right to decide who they want to let into their lives if it makes them feel better (and I hope people who do so understand this when it's done to them too).

I think this is still discrimination based on race though on a personal level and as a reaction to negative experience. Same thing with your cousin's experience. Many people hold such biased views though will not say it out loud.

It's the sort of thing I personally wouldn't be bothered about compared to discrimination in the workplace and other public sectors or if they start inciting hatred, hostility or violence against the group or individual members of the group, for example.

People shouldn't be forced to be friends with anybody and I wouldn't want to be friends with anyone who doesn't want me either.

@Afromeg well yes. We can't all expect to be friends with everyone.
Bit sad though no?

@LittleRedCourgettes

I suppose that I think judging anyone, based on what someone else who looks like them has done is wrong. Whichever colour or sex or nationality they happen to be. But that's not to say it doesn't happen all the time.

I agree but the truth is it's natural instincts - If your ONLY or main experience with a member/members of a group (be it men, women, black, white, asian, trans, etc) has been negative, your guard automatically goes up whenever you come across someone from that group. It's then up to you to talk yourself into relaxing and giving them a chance or not. That depends on your outlook on life, personality, etc.

Of course people shouldn't have to be friends with those they don't want to, but if this is because of their colour or race, then it's racist.
If you don't like someone it doesn't matter what race they are.
There are good and bad in all walks of life.

@LittleRedCourgettes

And as one poster said... what about the mixed race people? (Sorry not a direct quote but this was her gist)

The person who said they would be friends with only mixed race and white people is a mixed race person. I've also seen other mixed race people say that on MN.

People are individuals though so each one decides how they want to live. I don't expect there to be a general consensus on these matters, although some may base their decisions on what others are doing. 🤷🏾

Hi folks

If this turns into a thread about a thread, we'll need to take it down.

Of course people shouldn't have to be friends with those they don't want to, but if this is because of their colour or race, then it's racist.

I would agree with this but from my understanding, I'd say it's more lack of understanding between those involved really than race. I say this because people wouldn't be friends either with someone of the same race who doesn't understand them the way they expect that person to do BUT they would be friends with someone of a different race who does.

I think that people don't realise it's simplistic to just think people's understanding or lack of is about a person's race. Some of it is about different cultures, exposure to/ appreciation of different cultures and empathy, not race. They conclude it's just because of race and act on it because it's easier to see and doesn't require a lot of thought.

@LilyMumsnet

Hi folks

If this turns into a thread about a thread, we'll need to take it down.

Noted.

A lot of people are confusing xenophobia and racism.

A lot of people also don’t know what race is. English is not a race.

Racism requires that the person on the receiving end belongs to a race that has been, and usually still is, oppressed.

Having the national identity of a colonial power and imagining that’s a race and any negative encounter you experience is racism is unbelievably stupid and simply demonstrates you’ve never thought about racism with any depth at all.

@LittleRedCourgettes

I suppose that I think judging anyone, based on what someone else who looks like them has done is wrong. Whichever colour or sex or nationality they happen to be. But that's not to say it doesn't happen all the time.

Really? You don’t find it entirely understandable sometimes?

I live and work with a group of people who have every reason, now and for a couple of hundred years, to fear and suspect white people. We have absolute form for treating this group appallingly. I am not one fo the people who has harmed them or their ancestors; my family wasn’t even in the country. However as a person with empathy I don’t find it surprising, wrong or misguided that this group continue to mistrust white people and I have to work very hard to try and build a working relationship with this group for that reason.

I’m astonished this is not something you’ve encountered or thought about before.

Answering OP only. Yes they can.

Critical Race Theory, IMO, is a dangerous pile of divisive crap and I am glad it seems to be being pushed less on MN. There was a time when it was being pontificated about all over this site. Balance seems to be returning thankfully.

Honestly, she explains exactly what she means in the blog post which the book is named after. She is talking about people who are determined to not see her point. If you are determined to not see racism and it's affects on black people skip it, if you are a reasonable human try it.

That book is being widely discredited with the main complaint being that Robin DiAngelo is herself a horrific racist and is basically making money out of convincing other white people they are too. Did you know also that the author runs seminars telling other white people how racist they are at £12k a time? That white woman sure is making good money out of talking about black peoples oppression.

Can't fault a hustler! Make that money

@Afromeg

Can't fault a hustler! Make that money

Lols as my teens would say

@AnnabelleMarx

A lot of people are confusing xenophobia and racism.

A lot of people also don’t know what race is. English is not a race.

Racism requires that the person on the receiving end belongs to a race that has been, and usually still is, oppressed.

Having the national identity of a colonial power and imagining that’s a race and any negative encounter you experience is racism is unbelievably stupid and simply demonstrates you’ve never thought about racism with any depth at all.

That would be you confusing things.

Racism includes discrimination based on ethnicity. English is an ethnicity. It is a derivation of the tribal name of the Angles who were a tribe of Saxons that settled in East Anglia and then when they conquered the original Celtic Britons (pushing them into wales, Scotland and Cornwall), killing the last Bretwalda, they renamed that county Angle-land. We French still call England by its old name Angleterre (Terre means land).

And the Aenglish were not always a colonial power. They were in turn conquered and colonised by the Norman French in 1066. Europe has conquered and colonised bits of itself all through history. Africa has conquered and colonised Europe too with the Islamic invasion of the 700s taking over all of Spain, Portugal and even into what is today southern France and northern Italy. Africa is a very large continent and various African ethnicities have conquered and colonised each other too how else did their dozens of kingdoms and empires arise?

If you are correct that no ethnicity that was a colonial power can ever experience racism, then well that eliminates every race on the planet.

@HmmSureJan Haha. Was going to use a more 'youth-friendly' slang for money but decided not to embarrass myself. Will ask dc for permission next time.

Critical Race Theory, IMO, is a dangerous pile of divisive crap

Yep. Alongside all the critical social justice theories being pushed into universities. The idea being to tear down society with critical justice at the heart of it all.

Is being called a h-nky white b-tch on a bus by an older black woman racist? All I did was sit in the seat in front of her.

I get called fat white b*tch a lot at work. I laugh it off because they've actually described me quite accurately! I report it of course, but, NEXT!

get called fat white b*tch a lot at work. I laugh it off because they've actually described me quite accurately! I report it of course, but, NEXT!

🤣

No. Racism is the oppression and exploitation of a race over time (centuries). Just because someone told you white men can't jump or that English people are shits it doesn't mean you experienced racism. How dare you compare yourself to what black people went through.

For those that wish to make it a thing, I'm white English.

*and are still going through

For those that wish to make it a thing, I'm white English.

I don't think anyone will be particularly surprised tbh.

@HmmSureJan Why's that?

For the same reason you felt the need to make sure everyone knew I expect.