How did I miss this story? (Ahmaud Arbery shooting in Georgia)[MERGED] (5 Viewers)

So, this kind of stuff has been happening forever, right. Something my community has been clear about ever since this shifted into the public stratosphere with cellphone cameras. However, with being able to see all of these instances first hand (using loosely), what's alarming and new for me is how easily, how reflexively, how...I don't want to say subconsciously...how normally these white persons shift into weaponizing their privilege.

So often in discussions about privilege, it gets treated as this foreign concept or something that isn't real or is unbeknownst to many. And, yet, in most of these encounters, the white party, almost instantly, knows their privilege is the ultimate trump card and uses it, almost at an instinctual pace and level. For me, you can't pull something like that up from within without knowing, one, of its existence but, beyond, its effectiveness and how it benefits you.

I try to live by "Once you become aware, you become responsible." Like, I know the advantages I have of being a man, of being able bodied, of being an adult. That doesn't mean I handle those things properly at all times. I'm imperfect. But, I've never argued against their existence, ya know? Argued that its a real thing or that I have it or that I've used it in some way. That's the part that is still baffling to me. Like, maybe it's because I'm black, but I see race advantage as clearly as I see gender advantage.

I'm just speaking off the cuff. I don't know. What do you, my white friends, think? Is it more known that what is seemingly let on? Do yall talk about it? Or is it just something, like with gender privilege, that you realize one day that you have it and its this unsaid, unspoken acknowledgement that you have with others who share it? Or, do you truly don't see it or know you have it? I'm genuinely curious.
 
So, this kind of stuff has been happening forever, right. Something my community has been clear about ever since this shifted into the public stratosphere with cellphone cameras. However, with being able to see all of these instances first hand (using loosely), what's alarming and new for me is how easily, how reflexively, how...I don't want to say subconsciously...how normally these white persons shift into weaponizing their privilege.

So often in discussions about privilege, it gets treated as this foreign concept or something that isn't real or is unbeknownst to many. And, yet, in most of these encounters, the white party, almost instantly, knows their privilege is the ultimate trump card and uses it, almost at an instinctual pace and level. For me, you can't pull something like that up from within without knowing, one, of its existence but, beyond, its effectiveness and how it benefits you.

I try to live by "Once you become aware, you become responsible." Like, I know the advantages I have of being a man, of being able bodied, of being an adult. That doesn't mean I handle those things properly at all times. I'm imperfect. But, I've never argued against their existence, ya know? Argued that its a real thing or that I have it or that I've used it in some way. That's the part that is still baffling to me. Like, maybe it's because I'm black, but I see race advantage as clearly as I see gender advantage.

I'm just speaking off the cuff. I don't know. What do you, my white friends, think? Is it more known that what is seemingly let on? Do yall talk about it? Or is it just something, like with gender privilege, that you realize one day that you have it and its this unsaid, unspoken acknowledgement that you have with others who share it? Or, do you truly don't see it or know you have it? I'm genuinely curious.
Most anytime I’ve been in a social situation with whites only and someone goes too far with a racial comment, I publicly excuse myself “whelp, that’s my cue” or the like (certainly not the most courageous thing to do)

Mostly when it comes up for public discussion is back to school faculty PDs (those can be ‘mostly white, but iften are closer to ‘mixed’)
Of course those are mostly ‘do gooders’ reallybtrying to say/do the right thing
But invariably there will be one or two ‘reverse racism’ or ‘low expectations’ diehards who will cede no ground on their privilege (my family of 12 had 1 pair of shoes among the lot of us- or a similar story)
Of course, ironically, they ALWAYS default to White Tears ensuring that the whole meeting is about them

I will add that even the ‘wokest’ struggle to check their privilege when **** gets real in the classroom
Yes, partly bc talking the talk and walking the walk are two different things
But also bc institutional education is built around white privilege and really does not allow that much flexibility (or resources) to put its well meaning PD theories into practice
 
sorry to thread jack but since the main thread was moved to the old PDB it's not accessible I thought I'd put it here

So this guy had the cops called on him for daring to ask this woman to follow the rules and put her dog on a leash

Not buying this woman's "apology" at all "Words are just words"

Calling the cops and saying that "a black guy is threatening my life" are NOT just words
=================================================
Amy Cooper told CNN she wanted to "publicly apologize to everyone."

"I'm not a racist. I did not mean to harm that man in any way," she said, adding that she also didn't mean any harm to the African American community.

She was walking her dog Monday while Christian Cooper was bird watching at a wooded area of Central Park called the Ramble.

Amy Cooper and Christian Cooper are not related.

They both told CNN the dispute began because Amy Cooper's dog was not on a leash. Dogs are supposed to be leashed at all times in the Ramble, according to the park's website...........

"I'm taking a picture and calling the cops," Amy Cooper is heard saying in the video. "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."

The New York Police Department told CNN when officers responded, neither Christian Cooper nor Amy Cooper were present. No arrests or summonses were made, according to NYPD.

"I think I was just scared," Amy Cooper said. "When you're alone in the Ramble, you don't know what's happening. It's not excusable, it's not defensible."

She told CNN that since the video was posted, her "entire life is being destroyed right now."..............



this is who she felt threatened by

 
are you a good person?
my wife's uncle was very racist. but, at the same time, he'd give his shirt off his back to anyone, even the people he was racist towards. But that didn't mean he didn't think most black people were inferior to him. Unless it was someone he personally knew, they were just a N.. all Asians were Chinamen. He was embarrassed when I told him my mothers family was from Puerto Rico, after making comments about PR's..
His oldest son is just like him and he's a Police Officer in EBR Parish.
 
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I'm not racist,,,,,,,,,,BUT...
Am I the only one who wants to throat punch someone when they say"he is very well spoken" when referring to a black person, like that's some sort of compliment? you never hear that comment when referring to a white guy..
 
But that didn't mean he didn't think most black people were inferior to him.
This part caught my attention because it made me realize something that I really never thought about. Whenever I encounter racist individuals, in person or online, I always feel instantly superior to them and feel like they have such limited minds.
 
my wife's uncle was very racist. but, at the same time, he'd give his shirt off his back to anyone, even the people he was racist towards. But that didn't mean he didn't think most black people were inferior to him. Unless it was someone he personally knew, they were just a N.. all Asians were Chinamen. He was embarrassed when I told him my mothers family was from Puerto Rico, after making comments about PR's..
His oldest son is just like him and he's a Police Officer in EBR Parish.

and how would your wife's uncle react when told he was a racist?
 
So, this kind of stuff has been happening forever, right. Something my community has been clear about ever since this shifted into the public stratosphere with cellphone cameras. However, with being able to see all of these instances first hand (using loosely), what's alarming and new for me is how easily, how reflexively, how...I don't want to say subconsciously...how normally these white persons shift into weaponizing their privilege.

So often in discussions about privilege, it gets treated as this foreign concept or something that isn't real or is unbeknownst to many. And, yet, in most of these encounters, the white party, almost instantly, knows their privilege is the ultimate trump card and uses it, almost at an instinctual pace and level. For me, you can't pull something like that up from within without knowing, one, of its existence but, beyond, its effectiveness and how it benefits you.

I try to live by "Once you become aware, you become responsible." Like, I know the advantages I have of being a man, of being able bodied, of being an adult. That doesn't mean I handle those things properly at all times. I'm imperfect. But, I've never argued against their existence, ya know? Argued that its a real thing or that I have it or that I've used it in some way. That's the part that is still baffling to me. Like, maybe it's because I'm black, but I see race advantage as clearly as I see gender advantage.

I'm just speaking off the cuff. I don't know. What do you, my white friends, think? Is it more known that what is seemingly let on? Do yall talk about it? Or is it just something, like with gender privilege, that you realize one day that you have it and its this unsaid, unspoken acknowledgement that you have with others who share it? Or, do you truly don't see it or know you have it? I'm genuinely curious.
Just a quick side note. There is an episode of Star Trek: TNG in the first or second season, where they visit a planet where Women were the larger, dominant sex and men were smaller, submissive.

The reverse sexism is incredibly apparent, and feels very weird.

That's when I realized, this is what a lot of women feel like on a normal day....

Regarding this shooting... I haven't kept up with all of the developments and character assassination going on, but maybe his whole issue with driving with a suspended license a few years back is the very reason he's more likely to be running in khaki's vs basketball shorts or something.
 
My experience is odd because I come from academia, where there are literally battles among institutions to hire minorities. I would say that discussion among whites never deal with race unless it comes to hiring and promotion-- or, of course, some atrocity like the Georgia and Minneapolis events.. In some cases and some collegial relationships, race is a non-factor. I do suspect that some my really old colleagues had racist tendencies, but that is probably dying out in the academic world.

I recall one incident that was actually quite hilarious, though I was embarrassed at the time. It was at a rehearsal for a graduation ceremony that required faculty and administrators to be lined up correctly. It was basically administrators, but I was a faculty representative.

And maybe this was more of a gender issue, but I was waiting to get lined up and saw a bunch of guys I had worked with who were mainly African Americans, various vice presidents and such, so I sat with them The white guy in charge of lining us up mixed up two of the AA guys. I can't remember how we knew that, but it was obvious to everyone in the group. Now, the two guys could not have looked less alike. We're talking about the AD, a large, dark complected former UCLA football player and a small, light complected Vice President for Student Affairs. So, running through my head was the old cliche, "They all look alike." I can remember literally hanging my head in shame at how this guy was seriously humiliating himself. Sure enough, I heard a quiet voice in back of me say, "I know, we all look alike." As the only white guy in the group, all I could say was, " I'm not saying a word."

I think that until we can laugh about incidents like this--and all of us thought it was pretty funny-- that we'll continue to have racial tension in this country. Until we can learn to relate to each other as in "Brian's Song," for instance, that is, as colleagues, we won't make.much progress. We have a long way to go.
 
Am I the only one who wants to throat punch someone when they say"he is very well spoken" when referring to a black person, like that's some sort of compliment? you never hear that comment when referring to a white guy..
Sorry, I don't think this is true. Being well spoken is not a racial thing or at least, it shouldn't be. I do see why many would think it though.

For instance, I'd never classify the current POTUS as well spoken. I would however say it about Bobby Jindal. Neither holds a place of honor in my opinion and I have no concern for either's race when I make that call.
 
That's when I realized, this is what a lot of women feel like on a normal day....

So, this is kind of what I'm getting at. I'm definitely not speaking for all men but, in my experience, as men we didn't have this tribunal or even a conversation where we discussed our privilege. At least not specifically. But, there does seem to be a point where all of us realized, damn, I have advantages in life women don't. We became aware.

For me, it was when I was in the 3rd grade, I believe. Whenever one of the girls needed to go to the restroom, the teacher would never let her go alone. Another girl always had to accompany her. But, when one of the boys had to go, we would always go alone. When I knew it was a "thing" was when one of the shier boys had to go, and he asked if one of his friends could go with him, the teacher said "no, you don't need anyone to go with you and hold your hand and watch out for you. You're a big boy!"

It clicked. As a boy, I get advantages. A really unrefined understanding, mind you, but that was the beginning of an awareness. The point I'm making, or not even making but more inquiring about is, as a black man, in conversations about race privilege, or advantage or whatever adjective your comfortable with, often times, I get made to feel like race privilege is this concept and thing that isn't known, or understood, or a given...as if white persons aren't aware of it. Not by everyone, of course, but there seems to be more skeptics of it than not.

However, I'm noticing, in particular with the Amy Cooper/Central Park situation, they very easily shift to weaponizing that privilege which, to me, very clearly indicates an awareness. If you watch the video, there is a distinct moment when her demeanor shifts, she feels empowered, and she says in a very snarky, sniveling tone, "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life." And her head gestures as if to say, "Now what." Like, for me, she very clearly knew what she was threatening him with and that isn't something you conjure up in the heat of the moment. There was an awareness, an awakening, prior to this incident that she had of her privilege and, while, I doubt she ever used it in this way before, she clearly understood it exists, she had it, she knew he knew and knew she could weaponize it against him in that way.

To be frank, from this side, it just seems like white people are more aware of the privilege they have then what they let on. While most white persons will never use it like this or act like her, when we talk about white privilege, a lot persons make me feel like they don't know what the hell I'm talking about. And, yet, if what I'm feeling is true, then that's frustrating, because there has been an awareness, an awakening you've had of that privilege already, which means the conversation about it should be way further along then what it is or gets to be. Invariably, when white privilege is discussed, we never get straight to the privilege, we always spend the first part debating the concept. But if more persons are aware of it than what they let on, dang, that's disappointing. More and more, it seems like people know.

But, I didn't want to assume, so I felt I should ask. So, all that to say, are you aware of it? Is it more commonly known than what seems to be purported?
 
I've been in a WeWork, you need a key card to access all areas...

 

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