You're white you cannot experience racism 3

[PatricksRum]

And it continues. Thank you for those black people who took the time to share their stories once again.

@Whataloadofshite @BeforeIPutOnMyMakeup @CandyLeBonBon @WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee
Thank you all.

There is a thread "when have you experienced white privilege," which is full of people recognising both small events when they have, and also recognising that the main thing about privilege is that it's not noticeable most of the time.

People (myself included) are beginning to understand white privilege more and more. This is achieved through conversation and education. It is far from universal that people understand that they have privilege in every part of life simply due to being born white. But telling people to "check their privilege" hasn't ever worked, in my experience. It needs conversation and education. I'm not saying that it is any particular person's job to do this. It is the responsibility of everyone who wants to raise awareness of white privilege and black oppression.

@BlackBucketOfCheese I really respect what you're saying about being tired of educating while also tolerating racism. I really respect how calmly you are approaching this thread, as you are still educating despite how tired you must be of needing to. I am disgusted to know that there are so many racist comments made every day, through ignorance and through hatred.

Irish people experience racism in the UK. Very prevelant in the 60s.

Of course it's powerful.

It's short, sufficient, and straight to the point.

"Excuse me, so sorry, could you please ACKNOWLEDGE your privilege" Doesn't quite have the same ring to it. 🙄

Irish people experience prejudice.

It's awful, indefensible, and shouldn't happen but it's not racism. It's not the same thing that's happening with POC right now.

We have to stop comparing.

Skrowten this thread is NOT about racial discrimination against the IRISH in the past. It's about the BlackLivesMatter movement and white privilege NOW.

I don't agree with you @GlendaSugarbeanIsJudgingYou. I don't have to you know...

Okay well based on the constant, never ending lack of understanding across three threads, I propose an adjustment to the title:

"You're white, you haven't experienced racism to its fullest extent"

I believe that would be a lot harder to argue with, as being called a 'cracker' and being physically/mentally/sexually abused and overlooked over the course of your entire life are not in any way comparable.

HTH

White people will never encounter the same level of racism that’s the key point where on an application form do you see WHITE MINORITY?? Black people are exactly that the minority!

This bit has brought back some memories. Read books by black people. I was really into Alice Walker as a teenager, young adult. I always empathised with the women in her books. It made me feel that no matter what colour a man is or how discriminated against he is, some are happy to pay it along to women. I always felt that misogyny is the most basic form of discrimination there is.

And oh g-d. Beloved by Toni Morrison. Just after having a baby! Again, the empathy as a female (with a baby) was the overpowering experience for me. Maya Angelou, of course. Still I Rise, colour yes. But also about women.
Andrea Levy with Small Island was more prosaic. Probably an age thing.

@janeskettle your posts on here have been great. I have really enjoyed reading and thinking about them.

@Blursula

To use another metaphor about illnesses:

There are lots of sick people in a hospital. All of the patients there need treatment, but you’re going to treat the people who are dying, and in the most critical need of medical help, first.

I don’t disagree at all, its what we call triage, it is however not a CURE for ALL.

I don’t wish to diminish others experiences, I don’t want to have the fight over who suffers worse, indeed those who do have all my sympathy and more. I don’t want people feeling bad because they don’t understand or haven’t experienced it. What I DO want is a cure I want racism to stop, not just for me or those like me, I want for it to stop for everyone.

So yes those who are dying right now are important, absolutely! There is no question in that, but for things to be curative, it must include ALL sufferers.

I don't agree with the Op. I also think that its wrong to label white people as the OP has done. I am entitled to my opinion.

@Paperchainpopp

White people will never encounter the same level of racism that’s the key point where on an application form do you see WHITE MINORITY?? Black people are exactly that the minority!

It normally says "White Other"

Callmeadoctor when you say "label white people" what do you mean exactly? Do you mean refer to us as a group?

@Abbccc absolutely it also states black other as well as!

Having read further through the thread I note that the OP has said she is autistic, this makes a lot of sense of her posts.

People with autism may struggle with flexibility of thought, empathy and/or theory of mind, they may also fixate on 'rules' as to how things should be.

I have no idea if any of these apply to the OP, note I have said they MAY apply to people with an autism diagnosis.

However if any of them do apply it makes a lot easier to understand why the OP has seemed to have trouble communicating her points effectively and why she has sometimes seemed to be talking at cross purposes with people.

@Abbccc not quite the same though as I stated in my original post ignorance is bliss

The OP doesn't label white people as racist
If anything she labels us as privileged
And it's true we are and we should accept that

That's literally all she has been saying
It really should not be so controversial or offensive and yet people seem to find it so hard

Honestly read the article on White Fragility that someone posted up thread or maybe on the last thread if you feel offended to be called privileged.

I read it and it helped me understand

Even white people who are at some point in their lives targeted with some form of racism, even those in the 'white minority', even the Irish, the Roma, are not regularly informed from as young as they can possibly understand that their physical features mean they can NEVER be 'beautiful'. Having Afro hair, darker skin, these things have even been historically highlighted on children's shows to be features of 'ugliness'. It has been a very recent development that some features like a larger behind or bigger lips are considered beautiful and I'm sure that in itself will make certain people say 'see, black people are favoured all the time'. And don't even get me started on intelligence - when my black mother would write things for work her colleagues would ask if her white husband wrote it for her. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. The only thing the OP of this thread and countless other posters are trying to make others understand is that it is SO VERY UNLIKELY that any person with a white complexion and white features has ever experienced this level of constant criticism and disapproval. And yet the immediate response for some is to say 'hang on a minute that's not entirely true'. Why does it matter?! Nothing is EVER true 100% of the time. But when it becomes so overwhelmingly frequent, is it not okay to ask other people to look at it, to acknowledge it?!

BlackKlansman was really laugh out loud funny by the way
I can hardly believe it's a true story but it is.

There's a reminder of Trumps response to the killing of protesters against the far right rally in Charlottesville at the end. The one where he says some of them are 'fine people' despite their Nazi flags and that there was wrong 'on many sides'

Meme, you're absolutely right. But racists are going to be racists regardless. They'll twist and turn and engage in linguistic gymnastics, but I see them.

Well for anybody who is offended by the title of these threads - take that feeling. Focus on it. 'Hey, that's not right, you can't say that'. Then imagine waking up tomorrow, going to work and feeling that about something at work. You say it - it doesn't matter. Nobody cares. Then you're travelling home, 'hey, that's not right you can't do that to me' - NOBODY CARES. Imagine feeling this level of confusion and outrage most days for the rest of your life. You don't even have to respond or agree. Because you know over time it will be soul destroying. And that's how this level of systemic racism feels EVERY DAY.

and has gone further to say that Asian people also don't experience racism.
**
Quote the post where she says this.

OP does say that white people don't experience racism and she is 99.9% correct and yet people have harped on endlessly determined to prove her wrong on that 0.1%
What about travellers
What about Irish people
What about Eastern European people
What about that time my mum went in the black hairdressers

To me it's missing the point and it's as offensive as saying men get raped too on a thread about sexual violence against women. That boils my piss when people do that and OP feels the same about this

Why can't people acknowledge that she is overwhelmingly correct.
It looks like wilful distraction from the point and making it all about someone else yet again preferably someone white