[Peace-discuss] Re: [Prairiegreens-org] Tim Wise on White Privilege, Anti-Racism, and Institutional Racism

[Stuart Levy]

On Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 08:58:33AM -0600, Tracy Nectoux wrote:
> We're never going to overcome racism in this country, Walter. We just have
> to make sure the laws prevent legal *acts* of racism.

Yes -- and I trust we can do more than that -- the law is a blunt instrument.
 
I like Tim Wise's point of view very much.  And one thing that he points out
is that Privilege is a general phenomenon -- it's *not* only a matter of
whites-vs-blacks-in-the-US, even though it's pervasive here.

Privileged people assume they have no need to care about what others think of them.

"They will greet us as liberators" is the voice of privilege speaking.

We're hoping to show Wise's film ("On White Privilege") at some point during
the upcoming IMC film series.  Might even happen in March.

> That being said, I read Tim Wise's essay of the same title a few months ago
> (
> http://www.redroom.com/blog/tim-wise/this-your-nation-white-privilege-updated).
> I admit that I approached it with cynicism and not a little pre-hate. I
> usually have a knee-jerk reaction to those who say that white = automatic
> privilege and "ahead of the line" ease. I was raised by poor white trash.
> And when I say poor, I don't mean that we couldn't afford cable. I don't
> mean that my parents couldn't buy me the latest video game or 200.00 shoes.
> I mean we sometimes didn't have a place to live. I mean free lunch,
> government housing, and welfare hotels. It wasn't always this way, but it
> was this way far too often.  I grew up in Louisiana, and--at
> times--witnessed a *heck* of a lot of African Americans enjoying more
> privilege than I did.
> 
> I'll also add that the Human Relations Commision in my city included people
> of *all* races and religious belief, but me and my white gay and lesbian
> brothers and sisters were deliberately excluded from participating in that
> coalition for "civil rights" and we weren't included in its mission
> statement. "Priviledge" is always parsed, and it means different things to
> different people. blah, blah, poor me, moving on.
> 
> So I approached Wise's essay with a lot of rolling of the eyes and with my
> personal baggage wide open.  I'm really glad I read it. I needed to read
> it.  Sometimes I get a little myopic.  Wise points out so much that I didn't
> even notice, especially about the last campaign. What he has to say is
> pretty humbling, at least to me.
> 
> So thank you for posting this video, Walter. I'll be watching it. I probably
> won't agree with all of it, but it'll be good for me.
> 
> Peace,
> Tracy
> 
> 
> 
> On Thu, Feb 19, 2009 at 9:59 PM, Walter Pituc <wpituc2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Tim Wise gives a pretty good candid discussion on racism.
> >
> > One point in the first 10 minutes that he talks about is why didn't the two
> > major party candidates talk about race more candidly? I think if we are
> > going to overcome racism in this country, we are going to have to discuss
> > race more openly and without reservation. EVEN more so if talking about race
> > makes some people uncomfortable
> >
> > Very good speech.
> >
> > -Walter
> >
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> >
> >

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