There are these wooden noise-making frogs you see everyplace here, and which I’ve sighted at a few LOOK AT THESE FUCKING GIFTS FROM ACROSS THE VERY SEAS spots back in the states. They’re hollowed-out and have a spinal ridge which you are meant to run a wooden stick along, producing a distinct, resonant croaking sound. Most of them fit in the palm of an adult hand. Hill-tribe folks wander around the night markets with baskets full of jewelry and such and a wooden frog in one hand, croaking it to attract attention.

My mother hates them.

It was her hate that led me to think of them as a gift for my nephew. He is two, and likes things that make noise, and as the uncle it’s my job to give him things that make noise and so drive my sister up the wall through proxy. I thought about it at length, and decided that were I to get him one it couldn’t be one of the common, hand-size frogs you see every day, oh no:

That thing in its mouth is the stick you run down its spine. They’re usually the size of an index finger, but this thing? Kills any child under the age of six with a single blow, making it the perfect gift for a two year old.

It was crouched in the back corner of a low table down a side-lane of sunday market, looming over a row of progressively smaller frogs. There were two men at the table. I pointed. “How much for the big one?”

“Which one?”

“The big one, right there.”

“Ah, this one, this one?” He put his hand on the one in front of the one I was interested in, maybe half its size.

“No, the BIG one, right there.”

They looked at each other.

“The big one?”

“Yes, the big one.”

“You sure?”

At length I convinced them I wanted to see the big one.

I asked him how much he wanted. We haggled, etc.

There was no other big frog, when I went by later they had filled its spot with two matching elephant carvings.

That was the first thing I hunted for in my brief time at Sunday market last night. The second, and most important of all:

At last I can write “racist dolls” on my customs form.

You see things like this around. There was a similar item advertised in the Thai Airlines duty free catalogue last year.

Note the dolls with little balls on their brows, a simpler variation on those I’ve seen elswhere with more elaborate hilltribe clothes and extended, ringed necks labelled “hill tribe doll”. It’s like they’ve repurposed racist iconography for a wonderful new culturally-specific role.

Thanksgiving, and ‘Eid el-Adha, have passed, and thus another November (generally my least favorite month, followed by February). Kelsy and I spent our Thanksgiving day doing data entry for a research project we’ve been recruited for. As a theory person, I generally look at numbers and mock them. Now that I’ve been exposed to such tedium, every time I look at statistics I will think, “Oh! but the poor grad student who had to do all the data entry for that!*” New found sympathies abound!

While I’m not clear on the Bigger Picture of the project, it involves investigation of smuggling and the Somali and Ethiopian refugee communities. I am learning a lot, namely that White Guilt is a nagging thing that never goes away, and that I am beyond privileged, and that I don’t deserve it, and why did I get security and education and CITIZENSHIP, and these people got nothing? (so THIS is why humanitarians become raging alcoholics.)

Thanksgiving Day gave me pause to consider the bountiful blessings bestowed upon me (yes, that alliteration is annoying, but I DON’T CARE). Here in Cairo I can live like a princess for a mere pittance, and moreover, more importantly, I have a really amazing community (comparable, even, to the diaspora of friends in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and DC) composed of Americans, Canadians, Germans, Greeks, and self-hating Egyptians¹. And, I have CATS². I am 100% content, and not a day goes by where I don’t sit back for an introspective moment and bask in this Glowing Moment of My Life.

But I want to get back to this issue of theory and practice. I can talk all the jive I want about how I need theory to engage in my Academic Future, but though this is certainly true I know I also use it as a crutch to avoid the Harsh Realities present in my field. Most of my colleagues are really engaged in their communities-of-interest, and I’m not, and I know it’s because, to a certain extent, there’s a crippling despair hanging over the whole thing. Hannah Arendt, who is essentially the founding mother of my thesiswork and, along with Spivak and Butler’s Who Sings the Nation-State? and Anderson’s Imagined Communities, inspired me to pursue my current discipline(s), spoke of the refugee as threatening the very fabric of the nation-state system. For me, the fact that the Nation-State and “international community” (the puppet of the Nation-State, essentially) are incompetent (at best) and yet hold all the power in electing who receives citizen-ship, is beyond frustrating, and speaks to my own powerless-ness (and incompetence, for that matter) as someone in a very small, very elite community (Academe). It’s one of those things that consistently keeps me on an existential plane of wondering, “is this right? Why do I care? Why don’t I care enough?” Somedays, I wonder if I should be doing more, and other days I wonder if I should just give up and stop caring. But I know what I’m good at, and I know that I’m happy, and this is enough to convince me that I’m Doing the Right Thing (BUT AM I??).

I don’t mean to bomb the blogosphere with existential wanderings and bleak statements, but November, though I hate it, is above all my favorite time for introspection. YOU’RE WELCOME.

*Actually, I need to give Kelsy all the credit for this statement. She’s the one who said it. I’m just repeating.

¹Up for discussion: is self-hatred always the province of the upper echelons?

²One of whom is sick right now so SAY YOUR PRAYERS FOR THE LITTLE DUDE. Please and Thank you.

Between the long walks and the self-reflective scribbling and the twelve-thousand word sci-fi angles on Last Year at Marienbad tossed off in fits of boredom, I send e-mails to people I scarcely bother speaking to when I’m back home, telling them minor anecdotes about my time in Chiang Mai.

And one of them told me: just start a blog.

And I thought: huh.

Now I am ill. My idle hours become more idle still. I left the guest house today entirely to give the maid a chance at my room. A 7-11, and then to the pile of restored wall at the northeast corner of the old city which can be  walked atop and so I tried, for the first time in the daylight, only to run into an apparently homeless family milling through their day and be crushed by white guilt.

But I feel like I’m getting ahead of myself. Look:

Weeks ago I went to the little cluster of bookshops east of Thaepae gate and at length dug up some ballard in a place that wasn’t afraid to shelve him in the sci-fi ghetto. When I handed my little pile of purchases to the sixtyish white man behind the counter he tapped the cover of The Drowned World, then flashed a thumbs up.

I said: I’m glad you approve.

He said, in an obvious Irish accent that seemed only a little dulled by however many years he’s been in Thailand: Where are you from?

I hesitated to say “America”, thinking this other white foreigner didn’t need that nonsense from me, so I narrowed it down: Oregon.

And he said, oh, I thought you were Irish.

Perhaps this is the unavoidable cultural weight of a savagely orange beard.

The Impact of White Guilt!

White Guilt has entailed a negative impact on Whites across the Globe. In the past, White radicals opposed to racism had made great points. Blacks should not be imported to America as slaves, and African-Americans here should not live here as slaves. Though there was an extreme with John Brown, a radical who deserves absolutely no sympathy.

Still, Whites were wise to seek preservation.

Now, the Far-Left has gone to a John Brown-like extreme. Now, Whites “have commited an ‘original sin,’” according to the anti-Whites. Whites are supposed to feel guilty for colonialism, while non-Russian Slavs have never held overseas colonies. And they are told to feel guilty for Black slavery and the oppression of the American Plains Indians! Whites are supposed to apologize to Muslims endlessly, even though its the Muslims who oppressed our ancestors! Not vice-versa.

Hereby, it’s proven that the White Guilt system is not about fairness, but rather destroying Whites to full extinction!

There is another problem; the Far-Left wants Whites to feel guilty just for being present on the North American Continent. The Far-Left is on a campaign to steal the heritage and inheritance from Whites with any degree of American Indian ancestry. They have no right to do that! I support loyal White Amerians with any degree of American Indian Ancestry, whether it’s David Yeagley the half-Comanche; a quarter-Cherokee, or a Quebecker with a Iroquois ancestor from the early 1800’s. They are a part of our people: White Americans!

The Far-Left is hypocritically turning against them, and even the nominally pure Indians. Unless you are from the Tropics, AmerIndians are on the list for the Far-Left’s extermination. They are commiting genocide against us Whites, Oranges, and Reds.

And yet they patronize the Amerian Indian, and use him for political gain only!

They also like to blame Whites who came after the Civil War for Black slavery, and make it their responsiblity, as they do with Indian oppression.  Yet none of the guilt goes to non-Whites and/or (for the latter “sin”) even pre-Civil War Blacks! Again, ironically, the Far-Left is importing a very anti-Black population-Latinos and Brown Southeast Asians-which is taking their jobs and other resources.

It’s self-evident that the Far-Left establishment cannot be trusted, and we must take our country back!

I apologize if this article is not perfectly structured; I will admit I went from sub-topic to another, a few times.

Anyways, this issue is important to us for discussion! What’s your stance on this matter?

Note:I generally don’t consider a half-Southwest Plains (American) Indian to be White. But, I am willing to include David Yeagley as White-because he is a fair-minded man, and he supports the preservation of our people!

I also support the preservation of the American Indians; not just as a whole race, but individually. I would like to see Northeast American Indians/Canadian Indians preserved: Quebec, East Ontario, North East stretching out as far as Ohio (and maybe more of Midwest) and Viriginia. Southeast Indians also preserved from North Carolina to the Florida Panhandle (out of the panhandle, indigeneous Florida Indians are extinct), to the Mississippi Delta area. Then the North and Central Plains Indians; and the Deep West Indians (Southwest and along the West Coast) from Texas to the Pacific. To be honest, I don’t even want, say the Northeast US-Atlantic Woodlands Indians genetically mixing with the Southwest-Desert Indians. This is even more true, when the Brown Latinos are involved.

Europeans were Slaves of North African and Turkish Muslims! This is a fair rebuttal of contemporary White Guilt!

Regarding Christian and White Guilt “apologizing” to the poor, historically persecuted Muslims: 

It’s sadly ironic that after the Turks and North Africans oppressed our ancestors for a very long time-and to an extent still do so-we Whites must feel guilty for the North Africans and Turks.

All Europe did was procure official empire with solely commercial interests, which was used to keep them in check-for a very short period of time. Yet, the Muslims took slaves, massacred complete villages, stole women for harems, and kidnapped the “best” sons from several European/Christian families to train them into killing their own kith and kin. And more subtlely their jihad is still proceeding.

Yet, we are the ones who are supposed to feel guilty!

Kate did an excellent post last month called A Beginner’s Guide to Anti-racism for White People and from the looks of things, it’s getting a lot of reads.  It’s a terrific resource for learning more about the fundamental definitions of race, racism, white privilege and for discovering the vast amounts of reading material on the web and in print.  I would also remind our readers (especially those new to the blog) about our Reading List tab at the top of the page.  We’re constantly adding to that page, so if you have recommendations or want to find out more about what we’ve been reading, check it out.

Family business aside, I wanted to address a couple things I’ve been thinking about lately on the issue of white identity development.  So many of us white folks don’t really think much about race.  We know there are racial issues and tensions, but we can generally avoid most of that messiness because it is possible to live lives that are, at least at the conscious level, unhindered by societal racism. But once that veil of “colorblindness” has been lifted, we start to see and feel the pain that our own privilege has cost others, namely people of color.  And that awakening can be a painful prospect.

We’ve already talked a little about white guilt, but let it be said again that guilt is not the goal.  The goal is genuine repentance and contrition. Beverly Daniel Tatum puts it this way in her book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

These feelings of guilt and shame are part of the hidden costs of racism. (p. 94)

Moving from a place of ignorance or indifference into a place of awareness and activism is a challenging process.  For me, it’s reminiscent of the call that all Christians are given, to join in suffering for the sake of the family-building work of the Gospel.  If we as believers plan to be a part of real racial reconciliation then there will be a cost.  And as white people, much of the cost will come in the form of unsettling, discomfort and an overturn of the status quo.  For people of color, the costs are still there (like having to trust white people’s efforts toward anti-racism), but many of those costs have already been imposed by society in one form or another.

For those of us white people making the journey into anti-racist activism, we have to honestly assess if we are prepared to take these steps.  For some it will be a no-brainer.  They have intimate relationships (friendships, spouses, parents, children) that depend on their willingness to endure racism alongside a person of color.  But for many of us, it has to be an act of the will.  We have to choose to engage and to step away from the dominant influence of our culture.  It is at this point that we may experience a deeper level of internal conflict.  Tatum again:

This new awareness is characterized by discomfort.  The uncomfortable emotions of guilt, shame, and anger are often related to a new awareness of one’s personal prejudices or the prejudices within one’s family. (p.97)

True repentance always requires some sense of grief over the wrongs committed.  This may be more intense if we realize we have been perpetrators of racism. But the way to move through this is to lean into it.  To seek forgiveness.  As Christians we hold tight to promises like that in 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

However, humans may be less open to imparting forgiveness.  People of color may be less trusting of well-intentioned white people because of past disappointments.  Lois Stalvey writes about these obstacles to forgiveness in her memoir:

I could never resent the tests [of trustworthiness] as some white people have told me they do…to me the longest tests indicate the deepest hurts…At times the most poignant part of the test is that black people have enough trust left to give it.  Testing implies that we might pass the test.  It is safer and easier for a black person to turn his back on us.  If he does not gamble on our sincerity, he cannot be hurt if we prove false.  Testing shows an optimism I doubt I could duplicate if I were black. (quoted in Tatum, p. 105)

Obtaining forgiveness will likely require time and commitment on our part in order to withstand the scrutiny of those who may be distrustful of our motives.  Nevertheless we must ask for forgiveness if we have insulted someone or otherwise inflicted pain.  The cleanest way to get through the discomfort of being wrong is to admit it, apologize, try to make right, and move on.

At any of these points, there will be temptation to turn back.  White privilege is called privilege in part because it makes life easier for white people.  Even if we are members of an alternatively oppressed group (women, etc.) we still enjoy the advantages of white privilege.  Paul Kivel states in his article entitled I’m Not White I’m Jewish

To some extent my gut-level response as a Jew is similar to the “I’m not white” response of other white people. When the subject is racism nobody wants to be white, because being white has been
labeled “bad” and brings up feelings of guilt, shame, complicity and hopelessness.

Yeah, who wants any of that?  Tatum illustrates the level of sacrifice white people may be asked to make and the pressure for anti-racist whites to regress and assimilate with a story from one of her students.  This young man is hopeful that he can make a difference but is also plagued by persecution (from close friends, peers, and family members) and fears he may not have what it takes to stick with his convictions in the long run:

It’s easy to see how the cycle [of racism] continues.  I don’t think I could ever justify within myself simply turning my back on the problem.  I finally realized that my position in all of these dominant groups gives me power to make change occur…It is an unfortunate result often though that I feel alienated from friends and family.  It’s often played off as a mere stage that I’m going through…By belittling me, they take the power out of my argument…I don’t want it to be a phase for me, but as obvious as this may sounds, I look at my environment and often wonder how it will not be. (p. 100-101)

It’s not hard for me to sympathize with this guy.  Bearing witness to injustice and working to rectify that is a high and difficult calling.  With every, “lighten up, we’re just playing” or “don’t be so sensitive,” we can be discouraged. And we should be realistic about our own potential for failure here.  There will be times when we wished we’d said something.  Or wished we hadn’t.  There will be times when we let ourselves or others down.  There may be times when we feel like we’re fighting a losing battle and the whole world is against us. So why not give up or just go back to the other team?

At those points in my life when my own fortitude has faltered, I am compelled to return to the strongest example of courage and love I’ve known:

[Jesus told them:] In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

It’s also important to keep our struggle in perspective.  Most of us will never be martyrs over this (though there have been white folks who lost their lives in these battles, too).  Many times I’ve heard it said in a church or among friends that it would be easier to die for Christ than to live for Him.  I don’t know if that’s really true (I personally don’t have a death wish) but sometimes it can feel true.

There are white people who have gone before us.  And there are white people working with us now.  White people can join people of color in this good work.  Beverly Daniel Tatum encourages us again:

Though it can also be ‘complicated and lonely’ [for white people,] it is also liberating, opening doors to new communities, creating possibilities for more authentic connections with people of color, and in the process, strengthening the coalitions necessary for genuine social change. (p.113)

I would add that for those of us who are believers, there is also reward in knowing that we are participating in the invitational work of building God’s kingdom: a kingdom where, when all these struggle have come to fruition, great multitudes from every nation, people, and language will live peacefully together, accepting and loving one another and joyfully worshiping God.

We’re introducing a new concept on the blog today: Derailment Mondays!

derailment (n): a defensive argument, statement, or question that dismisses or seeks to undermine anti-racist arguments in an effort to preserve privilege or the status quo

Each week, in addition to our regular posting, we will feature a common derailment tactic and discuss (with the help of our readers, of course) how to address it.  So in honor of our first Derailment Monday, I would like us to look at this article from Human Events by Caroline Rushing entitled White Guilt Awareness Day. (Side effects warning: you may have to hold your nose while you read this, or have a bucket nearby because it may cause severe nausea.)

While Rushing’s essay is steeped in conspiracy theory, her main point about any degree of anti-racist education (especially in the form of diversity training) is : You’re just trying to make white people feel guilty.

My primary response to this as a person who has heard this comment many, many times is, “No, I’m not.” Guilt implies wrongdoing.  I think that most white people are not consciously doing wrong on this issue.  Most of us are unaware of racism because of the blindness that privilege imposes on us.  The wrongdoing occurs when, presented with the truth about racism in our society, we choose to ignore it or walk away and do nothing to change it.  In that sense, there are some of us who are guilty, and we should acknowledge that.  But guilt is not the end goal of conversations about race.

I can say for myself that any attempt I make to help white folks see their own privilege and the inherent racism that props it up is not an attempt to make them feel guilty, it’s an attempt to free them from a system that makes them unwitting pawns of oppression.  I don’t want people to “feel” guilty, I want them to “feel” engaged, empathetic, righteously indignant even, over the injustices in our society.

Guilt itself helps no one.  Most of us who have gone through experiences with white guilt know it to be a paralyzing force.  Guilt makes you feel horrible and helpless.  No one person can bear the weight of mistakes made by generations of prejudice and oppression and no one person can make up for all of that. Rushing feels pity on a man she claims was conned into feeling guilty at this diversity seminar:

A ‘privileged’ man in my group fed right into the liberal agenda of the activity and explained he has been ashamed of being a white man when he sees the terrible things that white men have done, the injustices in the world, and how he has so much while others have so little. This poor guy took the diversity day bait hook, line, and sinker.

Clearly this man was at a point of conviction.  He understood the ramifications of our system and he felt compassion and grief over what his privilege costs others.  There is nothing wrong with feeling bad about injustice.  In fact, we should feel that way.  Rushing laments this man’s despair yet at this moment, he is experiencing a revelation that she cannot understand because she entered this learning opportunity mocking it; protective of her own position and defensive toward any new information offered her.

I’m not sure what this man did with his newfound knowledge of privilege.  I hope he is doing something productive.  Rushing implies that he recognized the needs of others, so I hope he takes an interest in helping them meet their needs or advocating for their cause.  If not, it could be possible that he forgets what he has learned and reverts back to being a guardian of the status quo.  As for the author, she has confused guilt with conviction, and thus remained unchanged.

I feel less pity for this man who is experiencing a crisis of conscience than I do for Rushing who appears to have no conscience or consciousness at all.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/10/why_white_america_chose_obama.html

I grew up going to Catholic school and then a conservative public high school.   This description of public school education really shocked me, told by a liberal from Berkeley who found the conservative “light”.

Don’t miss the Ayn Rand quote at the end of the article:

Whenever a country’s criminal laws are more lenient than its civil laws, it means the country is accepting the basic principle of statism and is moving toward totalitarianism. . .What about the rights and liberties of the honest, the educated, the self-supporting, the majority? . . .

The altruists are now. . . struggling to induce racial guilt — by proclaiming that people must suffer and pay for the (alleged) sins of their father.

There is no such thing as collective guilt. . This country has no guilt to atone for in regard to its black citizens. Slavery was an enormous evil.  But a country that fought a civil war to abolish slavery has atoned for it.

How can an individual be held responsible for the views of others, whom he has no power to control?  What can make him responsible for them?  The answer we hear is:  The fact that his skin is of the same color as theirs.

If this is not an obliteration of morality, of intellectual integrity, of individual rights, of the freedom of man’s mind, of the First Amendment, you take it from here;  I can’t — it turns my stomach.”

Source: FSM

October 8, 2009

The End of the Game of Guilt

Bill Siegel

As any one of our readers could see from my comment on Kate’s most recent post, I just took an Implicit Association Test.  The test is designed to reveal any hidden or subconscious racial (or in other tests, gender, ability, etc.) preferences one might have.  I expected I would probably end up with results that indicated a preference for light skin.  I did.  But, following the common adage, “everyone prefers their own” I was surprised when the test revealed the overall results for everyone who has taken the test.  I won’t share the specifics, but you can see the breakdown for yourself if you go and take the test.  But I can tell you that out of all the respondents, and there were many who were people of color, most of the respondents in some measure preferred light skin to dark.

This means that people of color often share white folks’ preferences when it comes to skin color.  I learned about this in courses I took on sociology and literature in high school and college.  And I’ve known for a long time that, for a variety of reasons, many people of color have adopted the prejudices of white society as their own.

We often talk a lot about the idea of “reverse racism” on this blog, and most of the time, we’re debunking white folks’ claims that people of color have some measure of power and authority to discriminate against whites in our society.  But today I started thinking, hey, maybe there is such a thing as “reverse racism.”  It’s still not a situation where racism gets flipped back onto us white people. But maybe it applies to a situation where white racism gets internalized and applied to people of color by people of color.

To me, this is one of the most heartbreaking effects of living in a racialized, white privilege-based society.  There is a psychological phenomenon called Stockholm Syndrome where hostages become loyal to their captors even to the point of risking their own lives.  This kind of scarring can be seen in abuse victims who, despite endangerment, refuse to leave the side of an abuser who physically or emotionally injures them on a regular basis.  Could it be that the scars so long inflicted by racism are manifesting themselves in the prejudices shared by both white people and people of color?  I think these tests prove it.

Even more devastating are the results of the doll tests conducted over the last few decades.  To see a child looking into the face of a doll that is supposed to be (however inadequately) representative of herself, and declaring that doll “bad” or “ugly” should be an embarrassment to our society.  Children are learning these things from us, and they carry them into adulthood in their implicit and explicit associations.  And one of those people is typing on the subject this very minute!

Now I’m prone to hyperbole when I get worked up about something, but I am honestly about two seconds from going out into my street in sackcloth and ashes and weeping over what is happening to us as a society.  I know we have a bucket of ashes in our basement and a 40% off coupon at Michael’s. They carry sackcloth, right?  Maybe burlap will do.  Don’t tempt me, people!

How are we going to change this?  How am I, as a parent, going to raise my kids differently when I clearly harbor some of these negative associations?  Shouldn’t we all be concerned to the point of grief over this system of injustice?

My pal Kate shared with me an episode of This American Life’s episode 347, “Matchmakers,” Act 3:

Babies Buying Babies.

Elna Baker reads her story about the time she worked at the giant toy store, FAO Schwartz. Her job was to sell these lifelike “newborns” which were displayed in a “nursery” inside the store. When the toys become the hot new present, they begin to fly off the shelves. When the white babies sell out, white parents are faced with a choice: will they go for an Asian, Latino, or African-American baby instead? What happens is so disturbing that Elna has a hard time even telling it. (16 minutes)

You can listen to the entire episode online, for free, at This American Life’s site. (Give the player some time to buffer, then skip to minute 40 for Act 3.)

If you listen to that story, and I hope you do, I want you to think about how the parents reacted.  It’s not enough for us to say, “well I never would have done that.”  We might not have.  “We” might be like “me,” a person who could look at my implicit association test results and say, “I only exhibit a slight preference for light skin.  Aren’t I enlightened?”  But that’s not good enough.  In fact, it’s downright bad.  Ignoring things or suggesting that “because we’ve come a long way, we have already come all the way” is complacent and sinful.

We all need to examine our own hearts as well as the choices we are making that might set us at any point on that “I prefer white people” scale.  And then we need to get about the business of reversing those effects of racism in our society, even if we weren’t part of the crew that originally set this mess into motion.

Welcome. Let me start by saying I’m no expert. I’m a beginner anti-racist myself and a work in progress. And I want you to know that it’s OK to be new to this, to be a beginner. Everyone starts somewhere, and I’m very glad you’re here.

Like learning to drive a car, learning about racism and beginning to participate in anti-racist conversation & action can be perilous. There’s a lot at stake. People can get hurt. But I’ve found that if I don’t put up a front and pretend I already know what I’m doing, it’s easier to learn what I ought to do.

When I began to get serious about investigating racial issues, I discovered that one of the best ways to make real progress as a beginner is to acknowledge to myself, and to others whenever appropriate, that I have a lot to learn and a lot of changing to do. I consciously admitted to myself that I really am ignorant and probably filled with all kinds of prejudices. I confessed to myself that despite my best intentions I would probably make all sorts of mistakes that might hurt people, and I would have to be willing to apologize, learn, and change. And that change wouldn’t be easy, it wouldn’t happen overnight.

The amazing thing is, admitting this also freed me. I found that conversations about race were no longer quite so scary when I entered them with this knowledge about myself.

I guess it’s like AA: the first step is admitting I have a problem. If I expose myself as someone who harbors prejudice, I don’t have to live in fear exposure. Instead, I can move forward and make real progress.

And believe it or not, once you’ve gotten your feet wet, I think you’ll find this is exciting.

My goal, in what follows, is to introduce some basic ideas and recommend some first steps for fellow beginners.

Effective consciousness-raising about racism must also point the way to constructive action. When people don’t have the tools for moving forward, they tend to return to what is familiar, often becoming more vigorous in their defense of the racial status quo than they were initially. (Beverly Daniel Tatum, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?, p. 105)

What is race? Biologically speaking, and contrary to popular opinion, humanity is not divided into different “races.” We are all the same species, and there are no subspecies. Phenotypic variety (skin color, hair texture, eye shape, body stature, etc.) exists in our species in a continuous spectrum without breaks and divisions. In the words of an evolutionary biologist:

Today, the majority of geneticists, evolutionary biologists, and anthropologists agree that there are no biological races in the human species. We have known this [since at least the early 1990s]; yet the message has not been successfully conveyed to the American public…. None of the physical features by which we have historically defined human races—skin color, hair type, body stature, blood groups, disease prevalence—unambiguously corresponds to the racial groups that we have constructed…. The simple fact… is that science identifies no races in the human species, not because we wish there to be no races but because the peculiar evolutionary history of our species has not led to their formation. There is more genetic variability in one tribe of East African chimpanzees than in the entire human species! Only political orthodoxy in a racially stratified society has maintained the race concept for this long. If race does not exist at the biological level… it is a falsehood in the service of social oppression. (Joseph L. Graves, Jr., The Emperor’s New Clothes: Biological Theories of Race at the Millennium, pp. 5-9)

The idea of different human “races” is a social construct. We have imposed lines where, biologically speaking, none exist, creating ideological categories of people called “races.” Our cultures have, furthermore, imbued these artificial categories with a variety of meanings which are perpetuated, applied, and transmitted in myriad ways (both consciously/intentionally and unconsciously/unintentionally).

Before I continue, it’s important to clarify a point that I think some of us white people badly misunderstand. Just because race is not a biological reality does not mean it isn’t a reality. Saying that race is a social construct absolutely does not mean that race is something that we can simply ignore without very real and frankly devastating consequences for everyone. People can say all they want that “race shouldn’t matter,” but it does.

Pandora’s box has already been opened. There can be no return to some golden era before the concept of race and all its consequences existed. No modern culture, especially here in the United States, is uninfected, and no one is immune. It’s deeply imbedded in the unconscious minds, thoughts and beliefs, words, and actions of every person. It’s given expression in the social mores, systems and structures, and other cultural artifacts we’ve inherited and created. No child who lives in the real world can possibly be shielded from the concept of race and its consequences. Racial messages are ubiquitous, and they’re transmitted, as I said above, in myriad ways. We’re going to have to play with the hand we’ve been dealt. We can’t return to a time before the concept of race and its consequences, but we can shape a new future. It is a fantasy to hope that our racial problems will go away if we ignore them; we’re going to have to be proactive.

Race is at the same time myth and reality. Race is a fiction—arbitrary and artificial; it is unscientific, deceptive, misleading, and insane. At the same time, race is very real. Race is a sociopolitical construct that originated in Europe, but developed its present-day design in the United States. Race is an enforced myth that dictates the very identity and condition of each of our lives. (Joseph Barndt, Understanding & Dismantling Racism, p. 73)

What is racism? When we say “racism,” most people interpret it to mean something like “prejudice toward, and/or actions perpetrated against other people on the basis of race.” And dictionaries base their definitions on this common use: “the belief that some races are innately superior to others” and “hostile or oppressive behavior towards people because they belong to a different race.” In these definitions, racism is reduced to individual thoughts and actions. In some cases people take an even narrower view, only applying the term “racism” to very extreme examples of individual thoughts and actions, like conscious hatred or lynching people on the expressed basis of race. Occasionally, people use the term in a broader sense, like “treating or viewing others differently based on race,” but the emphasis usually remains on individual thoughts and actions.

Anti-racists have a more complex and nuanced understanding of what racism is. The definitions based on individual prejudice, and its expression in individual actions, do not provide a complete picture of racism in our culture.

Among anti-racists, racism is commonly understood as “prejudice plus (the misuse of) power.” David Wellman’s definition more fully expresses the result: “a system of advantage based on race.” What does this mean?

Any person, of any race, may harbor racial prejudice, consciously or unconsciously. Any person, of any race, can view or treat people differently based on race, consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or not. I think we probably all do these things at some time or another, even when we do not intend to. When we discover that our prejudices and actions are harmful, we have a responsibility change our attitudes and behavior.

Racism is, however, a much bigger problem than personal prejudices. When the racial prejudices of one group are combined with social and institutional power—greater access to and control of social, cultural, political, and economic resources—power is abused and those prejudices become broadly systematized in common language, cultural messages, social mores, institutional practices and policies, cultural artifacts, etc. And this racist system, if left unacknowledged and unchecked, is self-perpetuating. Members of the group who already enjoy more social and institutional power bequeath that power to other members of the dominant group through a wide variety of means, including greater access to good schools, jobs, housing, and so forth.

In the United States, white people have, for centuries, had greater access to and control of social, cultural, political, and economic resources. The racial attitudes and prejudices of white people (both conscious and unconscious) are the ones that receive dominant expression and systematization in common language, cultural messages, social mores, institutional practices and policies, cultural artifacts, etc. None of us could begin to identify all the ways white racial attitudes have been perpetuated, applied, and transmitted. So white people continue to have greater access to good schools, jobs, housing, and so forth. Social indicators from salary to life expectancy repeatedly reveal the advantages of being white in the United States. And this racist system, if left unacknowledged and unchecked, is self-perpetuating.

As I said before, any person, of any race, may harbor racial prejudice, consciously or unconsciously. Any person, of any race, can view or treat people differently based on race, consciously or unconsciously, deliberately or not. All of us do this to some degree. Not all people are capable, however, of racism in the broader, systemic sense. In the United States, racism is something imposed and perpetuated by white people to the advantage of white people.

What is white privilege? “White privilege” refers to all those advantages, both big and small, that white people receive, and people of color do not receive, on the basis of race. Nearly everything in our culture is created to work in our favor or, at the very least, not to work against us as white people. We may be disadvantaged in other ways (e.g. as a woman, economically), but as white people we receive privileges on the basis of race that people of color do not receive.

If you are a white person, it is crucial to your anti-racist education to become increasingly aware of white privilege and to explore its consequences.

One of the most popular introductions to this concept is Peggy McIntosh’s short essay “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” I strongly encourage you to read the whole thing with an open mind and give it some serious consideration. You may also refer to the movie “Mirrors of Privelege”:
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAljja0vi2M
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOVJ6QwFmDI
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-E4aqOs1_0
Part 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsylE79Hm30
Part 5 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQEjWybFhac

There are many more resources on this topic, like Tim Wise’s book White Like Me. Among others, here’s a nifty little cartoon about white privilege by Barry Deutsch.

One of the reasons it’s important to understand white privilege is that an anti-racist can sometimes put it to practical use in good ways. Consider #30 on Peggy McIntosh’s list: “If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there isn’t a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more credibility [among white people] for either position than a person of color will have.” A white anti-racist can take advantage of this when educating fellow white people.

Does anti-racism only lead to “white guilt”? Perhaps you are feeling uncomfortable. You are not being asked to dwell in perpetual guilt, nor should you. Anti-racists consider that an obstacle to real progress. Joseph Barndt explains:

[I]t needs to be recognized and doubly emphasized that the reason [for identifying and understanding white power and privilege] is not to take people on guilt trips. Guilt is the least useful and least effective motivation for working against racism. Ultimately, guilt is debilitating and incapacitating. Religious leaders and psychologists tell us that the only useful response to guilt is to go to the forgiveness table and be restored, set free to struggle against that which caused us to feel guilty.

We [white people] need to exchange our guilt and shame for anger at racism, anger at the structures of systems and institutions that are set up to favor us. It is important to keep going back to our definition of racism…. We must become absolutely clear that these privileges and rewards come to us automatically, whether we ask for them or not, whether we agree with having them or not…. The purpose of our becoming aware of our privileges is not to make us feel bad, but to become more aware of that which we are struggling to change. (Understanding & Dismantling Racism, pp. 108-109)

We do not need to feel guilt for wrongs we have not committed or condoned, like taking people captive and subjecting them to slavery, and no one expects us to. If we feel guilty for wrongs we have committed or condoned, like allowing racism to continue uninterrupted and unchecked, the solution is to turn around, commit to change, repair the wrong inasmuch as we are able, and move forward. This is all that anyone asks. “[F]eelings of guilt and shame start to fade,” Beverly Daniel Tatum confirms, when we begin forging a new, positive white identity through anti-racist action.

What can I do next?

Read. A great anti-racist book for beginners, Beverly Daniel Tatum’s Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race, is probably available at your public library or local bookstore. The appendix, “Getting Started: Resources for the Next Step,” will provide even more reading recommendations on contemporary racism, the history of racism, anti-racist action, and anti-racist books for educators and children. We hope to mention and recommend more books here on this blog in the future.

As you’ve seen above, there are also many resources available for reading online. Check out the links on the side of the page. Among other items you’ll find this starter guide by Robin F. at Stuff White People Do. See also “Racism 101” at Resist Racism.

Watch & Listen. Books are lovely, but they’re not your only resource. The movie “Mirrors of Privilege” was linked above. Tim Wise has a speech about white privilege on YouTube. (For those who don’t mind crude language, check out comedian Louis C.K.’s bit on white privilege.) Be on the lookout for other movies on racism and race relations, like “Race: The Power of an Illusion” or “Ethnic Notions.” You may also find podcasts and other audio presentations.

Discuss. In the beginning, it’s probably best to focus on listening and asking questions. One of the tasks for us, as white people, is to root out our misguided, knee-jerk defensiveness and dismissiveness and learn to believe and trust people of color. Gradually build up mutual dialogue, relationships, and community with other anti-racists. As you progress, reach out to other white people and help educate them.

Apologize. Early on, I realized that despite my best intentions I would probably make all sorts of mistakes that might hurt people, and I would have to be willing to apologize, learn, and change. If you make a mistake, make a sincere apology for your own behavior. (At the same time, don’t go overboard apologize on behalf of all white people to every person of color you meet or befriend.)

Be Attentive. You never know when you might have an opportunity to interrupt racism.

Newsweek Publishes an anti-White article pertaining to a Research Project conducted to instill self-hatred in White children!

“It’s horrifying to imagine kids being proud to be white.”

“So[,] a pride message (for Whites) would not just be abhorrent — it’d be redundant.”

But, of course, they encourage non-White kids to be racist.

How is wrong for Whites to want to merely self-preserve, while non-Whites can be proud of destroying White existence?

“But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” -2 Chronicles 36:16

Where were you when the line was crossed? Do you know what you were doing when the man who calls himself the President of the United States elevated himself to the status of God? Did you even notice or were you too busy with some other menial task to allow yourself to appreciate this monumental moment? This kind of thing used to happen a lot in ancient times when entire populations were believers in many gods. It’s not so much of an occurrence in the age of reason and monotheism. Declaring yourself to be a god, however, is not quite the same as elevating yourself to the status of THE God. Although, to be fair, the ambition is the same whether you are Caligula or Obama. Behold, the most preposterous, and blasphemous, statement ever made by a President of the United States:

“We are God’s partners in matters of life and death.” – President Barack Obama

It doesn’t take many words to condemn an entire society. Perhaps President Obama has shown himself to be be as intellectual and eloquent as his propagandists would have us to believe by showing such brevity in his ascension to god status. Surely these words, and the incredible lack of public outrage to them, condemn all of us. Have you ever heard a believer (remember, this man claims to be a Christian) be so presumptuous as to say we’re “partners” with God on ANY question? Yet he dares utter this in defense of a government program that’s got people worried about “death panels” and taxpayer supported abortions.

In truth, a partnership is actually a nice framework for “The Anointed One’s” position on both abortion and bureaucratic panels that will determine who gets treatment and who does not in the fantasy land of “universal health care.” Unfortunately “I Am” is relegated to the status of junior partner in this relationship as only “The Anointed One” has the legal power to exercise a veto or sign a law. The godless press may have to reconsider their atheism in light of Obama’s new status. I would imagine Lucifer must be so envious of Obama succeeding where he failed!

You have to give Obama and the Democrats credit for their predictability. Once Health Care Reform lost favor with the public on its merits, or rather its lack of them, they resorted to every childish trick in their toy-box to demonize their opponents. They were quick to accuse opponents of Health Care Reform of being purveyors of false information, even as, time and again, the opponents were shown to be justified. In fact, time and again, it has been shown that supporters of Health Care Reform, especially lawmakers in congress, are the ones who have been guilty of misrepresenting the facts. Unfortunately, for them, the town hall meetings across America have shown that the public is better informed on the details of the various proposals than their legislators.

Of course, every child knows that when he is confronted with an idea he doesn’t like he must ridicule the bearers of such ideas by calling them every bad name he can think of. The law of the sandbox has been on display as opponents of Health Care Reform have been derided as “astroturf” in an attempt to degrade the sincerity of their opposition. This, in spite of the fact that supporters of Health Care Reform arrive in buses, wearing uniforms and carrying professionally made signs! There just hasn’t been enough of them to counter the ever growing number of opponents to Health Care Reform. Hypocrisy is, of course, another indicator of the underdeveloped minds of children. When criticized, you can also accuse your opponents of being “Brownshirts,” as our illustrious Speaker of The House Of Representatives chose to do. You’ve got to enjoy a good Nazi metaphor. This likewise has a certain hypocritical flair to it as you come to see how much the Health Care Reform proposals resemble those of a certain central European Nation circa the 1930’s. I’ll let you guess which one.

If your opposition still fails to wither from these initial confrontations you can always go to the tried and true formula of racial racketeering. Since the President is a black man, anyone who would dare oppose his policies must be a racist. You’ve got to love the consistency of these people. Unfortunately the profitability of racial racketeering may be coming to an end. It reached its zenith with the election, as the vast majority of white Americans gave themselves a “feel good” moment by electing a black president and, in their minds, signaling the beginning of a post-racial America. Apparently the Democrats didn’t view things the same way. To them it was the triumphant moment of their greatest exploitation of a black man to serve their own political ends. It really doesn’t matter who was right. The parasites that have been feeding off of white America’s guilt have killed their host, as parasites are prone to do. There is no more guilt left to consume. Americans turn on their Presidents often. Calling opponents of Health Care Reform racists has only made their opposition stronger.

So who wouldn’t turn to God when all else failed? The President, in his desperation, went to play the morality card that was once the first one that progressives would play back in the first half of the twentieth century. In those times, people actually believed in God without question. Modern progressives find playing the “God” card leaves a bad taste in their atheistic mouths. But hey, these are desperate times. So out comes Obama rehashing his usual arguments about being our brother’s keeper (which begs the question: what is Obama doing for his own brother?) and taking care of “the least among us.” Predictable rhetoric from a predictably adolescent mind…but then he got carried away:

“We are God’s partner in matters of life and death” – President Obama

Wow! I think he misunderstood his instructions. Instead of turning to God, he turned into one. It doesn’t get any better the more times you hear it but, before you simply dismiss our president as a pompous ass, idiot or the anti-christ, consider this: God seems to be holding up his end of the partnership! How else to you explain the “coincidence” of senator Ted Kennedy, champion of Health Care as a “right” of every citizen, being called home just the next week? Certainly that had to be “divine intervention”…didn’t it? The Senator’s body was still warm when less than an hour from his passing Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid were, all too predictably, attempting to use his death to inspire Democrats to rally around the deflating debacle of Health Care Reform. Naturally they suggested naming the bill in honor of the fallen Senator…all to no avail. Still the American people refuse to buy into a government run system for health care. And like Children, the progressives that have infested and consumed the Democratic party just won’t accept “no” as an answer.

Alas, what the President needs is a distraction. Something to divert the public’s attention away from Health Care Reform while they retool their message and try again. I know, lets launch an investigation into detainee abuse by the CIA. That worked really well the first time they suggested it back in April…oh wait…that didn’t work so well did it? It kind of made Dick Cheney look like the man we should have elected as President instead of the Marxist teenager we’re stuck with now. Well, at least it will keep the far left wackos occupied while he figures out how to sneak a government controlled public option for health care past a public that doesn’t want it.

So where does our glorious leader go from here? Like a reprobate teenager he will just change the wording of the bill slightly and repackage it as something new…which it won’t be. The President and his advisers are convinced that Health Care Reform’s lack of popularity is a communication failure, rather than a problem of substance, so expect a barrage of new and improved propaganda…but the same old bill.

Senator John Kerry got things rolling in a big way with his appearance on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopolous. Over the last year Democrats have claimed the number of uninsured Americans to be 47 million. Of course this  dubious number is a lie that includes not only 12 million illegal aliens but also wealthy people who choose not to be insured as well as those who are qualified to get insurance but CHOOSE not to get it. Since this number of uninsured Americans failed to persuade the insured majority of the country to see the need to sabotage their health insurance in favor of the new proposals, Senator Kerry “improved” the number of uninsured Americans to 87 million! So there you have it. The new improved message is simply to tell bigger lies.

It stands to reason that bigger lies would also include stepping up the more aggressive elements of the Obama persuasion campaign. Hence this wonderful statement from Organizing For America:

STAY HOME FOR THIS EVENT! DO NOT GO ANYWHERE!
—* The Event consists of ALL OF US Making Two Phone Calls on one particular, single day.
—* We call each of our State Senators (phone numbers are below) on that day.

What day? Our US Senators return to DC the Tues after Labor Day. That next FRIDAY, Sep 11, is Patriot Day, designated in memory of the nearly three thousand who died in the 9/11 attacks.

All 50 States are coordinating in this – as we fight back against our own Right-Wing Domestic Terrorists who are subverting the American Democratic Process, whipped to a frenzy by their Fox Propaganda Network ceaselessly re-seizing power for their treacherous leaders.

DO YOU WANT to ensure passage of the Public Plan? Since 75% of Americans support it, I guess it’s time for us Seventy-Five Percenters to be heard. Why Public Plan? = Because It’s American To Take Care Of Our Own!

So 75% of Americans support a public plan? Like Senator Kerry, they are simply telling a bigger lie. And what of the name calling? Right Wing Domestic Terrorists? Treacherous leaders? Most people recognize a tantrum when they see one. We shouldn’t fail to recognize the hypocrisy of calling Fox News a propaganda network when all of the rest of the media fawn over and worship the President and his socialist sycophants. They invested everything in Obama, and his failure will be their doom. The only capital a news agency has is its credibility, and virtually every media outlet in this country cast its pearls before the swine that is this President and his administration. Neither Obama the President, nor Obama the God can save this cast of unsavory characters from the growing wrath of the American people.

During the election, Pastor Rick Warren asked our future President when he thought life began. After he thought about it, Obama decided it was above his pay grade to answer the question. Perhaps the Pastor ought to give Obama a call. I would think one of the fringe benefits of a partnership with God would be knowing exactly when life begins. Especially considering that this partnership is based on matters of life and death.

It wrong to feel this way.

But it’s alright because I know where it’s coming from

Michelle Duggar is pregnant with her 19th child. Deep down I know  this is an awesome thing, but inside it just creeps me out.

It’s a sign.  The liberals sucked out my mind.

I’ve been brainwashed!

Just like when I see pictures from a national home schoolers convention.  All I see is a room full of white people who all look allot alike.  That creeps me out.

If it were a room full of Asians or Black people, I wouldn’t have a problem.  But all white people?  Clearly I have “White Guilt!”

It’s a sure sign of brainwashing.  It’s too much network news, NPR and CNN International.

First of all people like the Duggars, who stand on God’s word alone, who get together with like minded people, share their belongings and work together is an awesome thing.

And as for White Guilt or any form of racism it’s unbiblical as well as very unscientific.  The bible shows we are all from Adam and Eve’s race and genetic studies prove we all came from the same  male ancestor and the same female ancestor.  Not quite Adam of Eve but MIGHTY CLOSE!

The point is we are all one race, no ifs,  ands or white guilt about it!

THERE!  That’s the ticket!

Thanks for reading this everyone.

I feel better already!  

The other day I was running. I hadn’t run that long in quite awhile. I was on the last leg of the run, and headed up hill. I passed a man who was walking the opposite direction, leaning on a cane. I thought, “He’s getting his exercise. Good for him.” I thought, “He’s doing what he can. More power to him.” I moved out of his way, sharing the sidewalk. Didn’t matter to me whether I ran up hill three feet to the right or left, it was still uphill. As I passed him, I said, “Morning.”

He said, “How are you, sir?”

I answered his question, asked him how he was, and responded to his answer over my shoulder. As I kept running, I thought about the conversation. I wondered why he thought it was a good idea to ask an open-ended question of a guy who was running, uphill, sweat pouring off of him, and obviously working very hard. A simple “hello” or “hi” would have been fine.

Then there was the “sir.” It hasn’t been protocol to call me “sir” since I took my uniform off the last time in 1992. I resigned my commission in the US Army around 1999. I prefer to be called “Rich,” but “Rick” is okay with me. One of my favorite bosses in the Army called me “Rick,” so it’s got positive associations for me. I’m getting used to being old enough that people call me “Mr. Redman” when dealing with me in the course of their work, but it’s uncomfortable. I’m still not used to being old enough that people think of me as a “mister.” I don’t mind being called “man” or “dude,” but please don’t call me “friend” or “buddy” unless we actually are friends. There’s no point in calling me “brother” unless we’re in church together, or you’re one of my three sisters.

I actually thought through all of that, while I was running, uphill, before reality kicked me in the backside. The man with the cane was older than me, and African-American. Did he call me “sir” because I’m white? It’s certainly possible. It takes generations for changes to work their way through cultures. We elected a mixed-race man to be President of the United States, but that doesn’t force an immediate change in everyone’s thinking.

Am I a bigot for even thinking about it? Or was he just being polite, and I’m over-thinking things out of white guilt?

The only conclusion I’ve reached is that we’re still, as a culture, divided by skin color, and that’s sad.

The End of White Guilt?

Obama’s comments were idiotic, and they were racist. Why? Because:

1) Obama said that any of us would have been upset about the situation.

Really? Why is that?

I would welcome the cops coming over to check things out. Instead of calling the responding cops racist pigs and declaring something about their momma, I would thank them for their vigilance. Instead of whining about victimhood, I would tell the police how appreciative I was that they were responding to a possible burglary at my house, as their intention was obviously to keep me from being a victim.

2) Obama said that the Cambridge police acted stupidly.

After admitting he didn’t know the details of the case! Here’s the President of our Republic, the most powerful man in the world who was supposed to be commenting on his healthcare bill goes off on a tangent about how a local police department in Cambridge acted stupidly! Are you kidding me? How about “no comment”? How about “I don’t know the details, so I’ll keep my trap shut, and besides, this is about healthcare”? Why is the President of the most powerful nation in Earth’s history commenting on a trivial matter in a tiny state after he admits that he doesn’t know the facts of the case?

3) Obama again chastised America for its racist past.

After how many TOTUS speeches and just days after telling blacks to accept responsibility for their own successes and failures at the NAACP, he’s talking about personal responsibility, one day and the next, he’s pushing white guilty. Which is it?  A black president won the election with white votes and still they are playing the race card? This is starting to wear real thin now- did they ever hear of a breaking point?  I think we’ve reached it! I know I have!

Meanwhile, the professor is demanding the officer BEG for his forgiveness. That apology is not forthcoming as Crowley is backed by his superiors and co workers including those who sat in on his “beware of racial profiling classes”. This is a man with full department support. I think it is about time we stand up to this racism and forced apologies. The POTUS pressure will at best yield a standoff but this cop will never back down!

I heard a FOX interview on Sirius radio that has disappeared- but I know what I heard and I heard it from many many blacks- vitriol toward white and specifically white cops. Tell me what was all that ‘gangster rap’ all about and why weren’t we up in arms over that or over the black panthers that intimidated our voters? More on that below and I URGE you to read that full STORY.

There was racial profiling in this case and a rush to judgment and it was from many black pundits and I am sick of it. Why is it not called racism and race baiting and race profiling when it comes from blacks? Call it what it is! Why are we afraid to call it what it is.

Only racists of any color will be offended – non racists want no part of this – only radicals want to carry on with this. Look at the Black Panther incident in Philly- they were not only dismissed – they are free to be poll watchers again. This comes directly from the Obama administration. http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m7d30-Black-Panther-voter-intimidation-case-dropped-by-Justice-Department

Black Panther voter intimidation case dropped by Justice Department

July 30, 12:00 PM

First, we learned that the US Congress dropped its investigation of voter fraud allegedly perpetrated by the activist group the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now or ACORN, with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) claiming the “powers that be” forced the House to drop its investigation.

What Conyers neglected to tell reporters is that he is the “power” who forced the end of the congressional investigation into the activities of ACORN during the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. It’s well-known that President Obama once worked for ACORN and that ACORN worked hard for his successful election.

Now today we learn that officials at the US Department of Justice announced that they had dropped their investigation of voter intimidation by the radical New Black Panther Party, yet another radical group who were devoted to the election of Barack Obama

I have a message for Obama and Gates. The Obama who was at the NAACP is part of the solution for the black community. The Obama who was at the press conference is part of the problem. Professor Gates is part of the problem. When women who really are left behind dare to say a word – its whining and we are told whining, moaning, groaning, and blaming others never improves your lot.

Well let me throw that right back, this racism and sexism only pisses off those of us who are the vast majority of the community who, like Crowley, and Lucia Whalen who clearly are not racists. If you continue blaming me and others like me, you will earn our animosity, not because you are black, but because you are crying wolf and detracting from real problems and are the racist and sexist hypocrites.

And there ya have it there will be no apologies. Crawley is my hero! Sharpton et al are uncovered as the coward racist bigoted sexists that they are. I hope the PD Unions have learned a valuable lesson, I hope those suffering white guilt have paid enough, I hope the Latino’s  see what side their bread is buttered on and to women- of all colors – if you did not get the message by now- you never will. This is a women hating black racist – anti American socialist dictating con man.

Please read this article today- http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m7d30-Black-Panther-voter-intimidation-case-dropped-by-Justice-Department

That’s right, I’m talking about Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates. You know who he is, right?

By now, you should all be familiar with the sad story of Professor Gates, our unfortunate President, and the eminently professional police Sgt. James Crowley. If not, I direct you here. In a nutshell, a neighbor observed 2 men attempting to break into a house. She called 911. The police came, rang the bell of the house at the potential crime scene, and interviewed the man purporting to be the owner—Harvard Professor Henry Gates. This was all too much for Professor Gates to handle, so he became disorderly and uncooperative and was arrested. It turns out that it was him trying to enter his own house because he forgot his keys. But instead of explaining that to the the officer at the scene—Sgt. Crowley—he became abusive. You see, Professor Gates is black. Sgt. Crowley is not black. Professor Gates assumed that his race entitled him to act however he wanted and that others not of his race should accept that and leave him alone. Forget about the FACTS and whether they require certain people (POLICE) to act certain ways (INVESTIGATE A POTENTIAL CRIME SCENE).

Gates’ race was all that mattered. Safety of the community be damned.

Here’s a good take on the affair:

White guilt is best described by author Shelby Steele, who says “White guilt is literally the same thing as black power.” Steele hypothesized that America lost its moral authority when it acknowledged and apologized for the sin of slavery in the early 60’s. This ‘moral authority’ transferred to the victims of historical racism and became their great power. The power to stigmatize one as a racist became a powerful tool. A tool that has been wielded for decades with virtually no opposition, until now.

The power to evoke white guilt and the stigma of racism has been used time and again to bring corporations, politicians and public figures to their knees. White guilt has also played a significant part in the shaping of public policy and political correctness. It has also shielded generations of blacks from accountability, with predictable and damaging results.

Because white guilt is a vacuum of moral authority, it makes the moral authority of whites dependent on proving a negative. As in, ‘Have you stopped beating your wife yet?’ For over 45 years, discussions of race in America have been constrained by the threat of being deemed racist. For over 45 years, most white Americans have been put in the impossible position of having to prove a negative. It now appears this might be changing.

via Flopping Aces » Blog Archive » The End Of White Guilt? [Reader Post].

In the realm of international aid and development, it’s hard to judge effective interventions for development.  However, I’ve begun to notice one tell-tale sign of bad development: the white man’s burden.

How many times have you seen fundraising and advocacy efforts that try to place the salvation of the project on one act or the group of people carrying it out?  How many times have we seen the objects of our efforts labeled and put into boxes?

Case in point:  Invisibile Children.  Having traveled to Uganda and Sudan, child soldiers and the abuses of Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army have been on my heart.  I was excited when a group of college students who called their project Invisible Children came along to promote awareness of the issues in Uganda and to raise support.  However, years after viewing their materials, I’m convinced that while they probably have good intentions, their materials contain a significant amount of white guilt and elicit a messiah-complex.  Their movie victimizes the people of Uganda by referring to the people as “The Raped” and “The Abducted”, and most of the movie is about them and their experiences, and less about Uganda.  The movie trivializes the people in Uganda and makes their problems one-dimensional — which means it’s easier for us Westerners to swoop in on the clouds and solve their problems.

I don’t mean to harp on and single out Invisible Children.  They are good guys who are attempting to do something meaningful, but their story is an example of one that is repeated all too often in the realm of “charity.”

We cannot trivialize the needs and issues faced by the people we want to help.  They lead complex lives and face complex issues, just like we do.  We don’t like people coming in and running our lives, so why should they?  True aid development (both internationally, at home, and in our personal relalionships) seeks to partner with, to listen, to understand, and then “maybe” to offer some form of assistance.  When we reduce people’s problems to being raped, abducted, poor, homeless, or hungry, we destroy their humanity.  In order to help people, we must honor their humanity first, seek to understand, and then seek to find ways to help.

Our traditional way of helping those in need is not sustainable, will create dependence, keep people mired in their problems, and will only satisfy our guilt that we are doing nothing.  The white man’s burden is a guilt for other people’s suffering and a messiah-complex that believes that we have the solutions and answers, before we’ve even asked the questions.

We don’t.

We may have a few extra resources and a few extra ideas.  But until we listen to people and their needs, truly understand their lives, and seek partnership over charity and subsistence, we  all fail.