The Subtle Linguistics of Polite White Supremacy

[mrsukyankee]

This is a long one but very interesting.  We've definitely discussed most of this but it pulls a lot of things together.


What is Polite White Supremacy?

Polite White Supremacy is the notion that whites should remain the ruling class while denying that they are the ruling class, politely. Affectionately, it’s called #PWS for short. It has been referred to as the Casual American Caste System, Delicate Apartheid, Gentle Oppression, or what I like to call it after a few drinks: Chad Crow, the super chill grandson of Jim Crow.

No but seriously, Polite White Supremacy is very real. So why is it that we must specifically say ‘Polite White Supremacy’ rather than Racism? We must say Polite White Supremacy for three reasons. First, saying #PWS puts the responsibility solely on the creators of a systemic problem. Second, this phrase addresses the subtlety and casualness with which oppression is administered. Thirdly, it eradicates the all-too-common confusion between racism and prejudice. It’s important to eradicate this confusion so it can be clear that racism is tied to a power structure and access to resources.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
RACISM AND PREJUDICE

Racism and prejudice are NOT interchangeable. Racism is the systemic oppression of one group of people who can be categorized within certain phenotypical traits over multiple generations that has been, at one point, sanctioned by a country, the majority and/or ruling class. Racism is committed only by the ruling class and agents of the ruling class because they have the power that comes with racism. Racism, in America, is absolutely the attack dog of the white ruling class. However, sometimes it’s also a slow poison in that it causes its victims to die of exhaustion or grief. Again, racism is a kind of prejudice that comes with power. Racism is the systematic and intentional oppression of group of people from the ruling class and its agents. In America, the ruling class is white people…of all classes.

America has been playing a centuries-long game of ‘stop hitting yourself’ while holding the arms of Black America.
Prejudice, though harmful, is not necessarily systemic and can be committed by anyone. It simply requires one to pre-judge. It does not require its user to have any access to the ruling class or status of whiteness. However, you have to be part of or support the ruling class to wield the power of racism. Those who are not part of the white ruling class, yet support white supremacy of any form, are called agents of white supremacy. They are not white, but benefit in some direct way from empowering and enforcing white supremacy often times on their own people. Historically black overseers and house slaves were bestowed more rights, and ultimately more power during slavery. These were employed agents of white supremacy who oppressed their fellow blacks. This employment was a status. It was a form of racist power that white slave owners gave to black overseers as a way to also instill mistrust within the black community. Prejudice alone, has no real power without the system of control and power to support it.

OVERT RACISM TO COVERT RACISM:
THE EARLY STAGES OF POLITE WHITE SUPREMACY

Today’s covert version of white supremacy is a lot more subtle than having black overseers beat their fellow slaves. Nor is this power the same as buying or selling your slaves children for a good price, using black children as alligator bait, cutting open pregnant black women, castrating black men, generational rape and molestation of black women and men, and lynchings of those who were accused of making whites nervous. This is something more subtle than that. The ruling class has begun to employ a particularly clever passive tactic to remain in power while denying this power. They pretended this was the natural way for society to function and influenced perception by using double standards in language as a starting point.

The passive methods of #PWS have been ingrained in almost every facet of American society to such a point that speaking about it’s existence seems mythical. It’s not a unicorn though. In fact, bringing it up causes people of all colors to feel discomfort because Black Americans have become accustomed to appeasing the comfort levels of white fragility. As a result, certain black folks think about white reactions first before doing any action. This subservience illustrates the passive ‘slow poison’ effect of polite white supremacy that still effects many Black Americans until this day.

THE 3 KEY INGREDIENTS OF
POLITE WHITE SUPREMACY

In detail, Polite White Supremacy relies on three key components to ensure its success: comfort, control, and confidentiality.

Whites who participate in #PWS desire to be comfortable in all settings while maintaining some influential level of control over all situations without acknowledging this power. Omitting acknowledgment of white privilege gives off the psychological effect that whites have somehow worked harder than non-whites and blacks must be lazy since statistically blacks are suffering a great deal in America. They pretended this was all natural.

These three components manifests themselves in various scenarios. They are not restricted to obvious positions like law enforcement or government. Often times, it was not the wealthy or elite that carried out the bulk of these practices. Their employees did. One such group of employees were home loan officers. White home loan officers carried out and maintained Polite White Supremacy by using the subtle tactic of redlining.

Redlining ensured whites would control of their neighborhoods comfort by confidentially employing this tactic. Later, discriminatory hiring practices reinforced an intrinsic authoritative status for whites.

INGREDIENT 1 — COMFORT
The comfort level of whites relied on redlining to keep blacks out of white neighborhoods. To maintain comfort, home loan officers covertly switched from overt segregation to the more subtle practice of redlining, one early example of Polite White Supremacy.

This practice prevented black people people from getting home loans, bank accounts, insurance and other services necessary for financial growth. Often times, poor whites would get the aforementioned services while middle and upper-class blacks faced rejection. This ensured that Black Americans would have a much more difficult time in establishing a multi-generational legacy. Eventually, redlining helped to create present-day black inner-cities across America along with dependence on white oppressors for employment and certain resources. Meanwhile, this white participation privilege lead to multi-generational wealth and self-sufficiency in white communities.

As mentioned before, all classes of whites can and did participate in Polite White Supremacy. Moreover, Polite White Supremacist practices such as redlining reinforced stereotypes and portrayals of blacks as underachievers because it helped create the ghetto. Because of practices such as redlining and employment discrimination, blacks are still inaccurately perceived as dependent underachievers.

Omitting the acknowledgment of white privilege from practices such as redlining gives off the psychological effect that whites have somehow worked harder than non-whites and blacks must be lazy since statistically blacks are suffering a great deal in America.

Redlining is a direct ancestor of gentrification.

The subtle power of controlling neighborhoods, resources and wealth is present today in social and professional settings. Redlining disregarded the qualifications of people of color who already proved their competence, bravery, and skills. Remember, redlining is only one example of polite white supremacy. There are many others that ensured the comfort of white nerves.

INGREDIENT 2 — CONTROL
Control the terminology and you can control the perception. Eventually this perception helps onlookers judge whether an area is good or bad. Polite White Supremacy adapted many forms of control to maintain its subtlety. #PWS controls the narrative and perception by controlling language itself. The subtle linguistics of Polite White Supremacy influence perception through usage of disingenuous and misleading terminology with subtle double standards. These double standards continue to permeate stereotypes within news, film, education and music.

Polite White Supremacy attempts to control the language, the narrative, and the perception. Moreover, the heavy white-washing of history to eradicate black contributions to the global human story has negatively impacted black self-worth and self-confidence. Consequently, psychological effect of believing these stereotypes is that, simply put, blacks deserve to suffer.

CONTROL THE LANGUAGE

Polite White Supremacy relies on subtlety such as using the passive voice to describe events involving a white aggressor and a non-white victim. For example, when a police officer shoots someone, the report uses the passive voice instead of the active voice when describing the shooting. Saying things such as “There was an officer-involved shooting” or “Force was used” sidesteps any notion of personal responsibility and makes it automatically appear as though the officer acted defensively. Often times the officer does everything to escalate the situation regardless of what version of the truth he or she writes in their report. There is a difference between saying ‘There was a person who got into a fight’ and ‘he punched someone because they hurt his ego and they punched him back’.

Law enforcement’s reliance on the term ‘resisting arrest’ incarcerates many blacks who have claimed to do no such thing. As a matter of fact, it’s a simple fact that the human body bends in certain ways at certain joints. So, when an arm is twisted by surprise at specific angles by a burly officer (or several), any person’s involuntary muscular reaction is to correct the pain they’re feeling. This is called ‘resisting’. What regular person can lie perfectly still as their arm is being broken? Who can pretend to not be in pain?

CONTROL THE NARRATIVE

Terms such as ‘black on black’ crime place a spotlight on black crimes while omitting that ‘white on white’ crime is nearly identical statistically. Major news outlets rarely pay attention to black conferences for peace or organizations that uplift our youth such as Black Girls Rock as blacks try to ‘do for self’. As a result, the narrative continues that blacks don’t care about crimes or the well-being of black neighborhoods. Nothing could be further from the truth.

When white crimes are actually acknowledged there are double-standards in the terminology. The same action committed by whites versus those committed by blacks are somehow perceived as less threatening if there is a white aggressor. According to Polite White Supremacy, screwdrivers become ‘burglary tools’ depending on the color of the person holding them. A group of black people gathering is thus deemed a ‘gang’ and a group of whites gathering is…a group of whites gathering. Words such as ‘Lawlessness’, ‘looting’, ‘criminal’ and ‘thug’ often accompany the most peaceful protests by Black Americans long before agent provocateurs can influence a crowd towards violence.


What do media outlets call white rioters who torch property after their team wins or loses? ‘Revelers’. Basically, ‘revelers’ means they’re white and just having some wild fun. The perception is that revelers are white and aren’t scary like those black ‘rioters’ who did just as much property damage, though for different reasons.

There’s also the less of physical control and less lethal assaults placed upon the bodies of unarmed white aggressors. In a nutshell, it’s important to look at what’s not being done when whites pose a threat.


What did the police not do to the white bikers who got into a brawl that killed nine people? What did the police not do to Dylan Roof or TJ Lane when they were arrested? Polite White Supremacy makes it seem safer to be a white serial killer rather than a black man or woman speaking their American rights to an officer of the law.

White aggressors who do the same actions (or far worse) as black aggressors don’t face the consequences blacks often face because white lives are actually valued more by law enforcement.

CONTROL THE PERCEPTION

The value of white lives influences the perception of good neighborhoods vs bad neighborhoods. The oversimplified assumption is that good neighborhoods have very little crime, while bad neighborhoods have high crime. This seems like common sense. Unfortunately, it’s slightly inaccurate. The perception of neighborhoods as good or bad comes highly influenced from whether or not it is being over-policed. Good neighborhoods don’t have a large police presence so naturally one must conclude that bad neighborhoods have a high police presence. The problem with this comes from the documented fact that police departments across America are around disproportionately white males.


Frankly put, these white males are not going to over-police their own communities. They’re not going to snitch on each other and reveal who amongst them are of the ‘Ghost Skin variety. When they do police and potentially arrest their own people, their lives are actually considered. White lives actually matter to the police. To them, ‘white on white crime‘ seems ludicrous. Meanwhile, blacks seem like an easy target to fill a quota.

INGREDIENT 3 — CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality is silent complicity while pretending that black suffering happens because blacks somehow deserve it. Polite White Supremacy uses confidentiality to pretend this is all normal for it’s own existence to remain in power covertly.

The silence of confidentiality is the glue holding this whole charade in place because #PWS can’t exist out in the open as overt white supremacy, not because it’s wrong, but because it’s unfashionable to be an open white supremacist in today’s society.

Instead of openly celebrating a lynching, pretend you actually believe it was a suicide. Pretend you actually believe that whites work harder when blacks worked for free and literally built this country. These are the same people who don’t hire equally qualified Black Americans for positions then complain that Blacks are lazy and unemployed. Pretend that over-policing doesn’t target the poor and perpetuate the stereotype of bad neighborhoods. Pretend you didn’t just see a man choked to death and his heart attack happened randomly at the same moment he was being choked because ‘he was fat’. Pretend that unionization had nothing to do with whites fearing competition from the useful, tangible skills of blacks. Pretend like redlining didn’t exist and that whites just worked harder so they lived in ‘better’ areas.

Pretend that giving a bullet proof vest and Burger King to a person that just walked into a church and massacred nine Black Americans after he has been is not at act of terrorism. Pretend it was a coincidence we had to watch black officers to re-raise the Confederate Flag after a Black American woman bravely, but illegally removed it. Later, white officers took it down and treated it like it was some heavenly artifact during a religious ceremony. Let’s just pretend that didn’t happen.

To practitioners of #PWS, America is one big Sun-Down Town where everyone must pretend there is a magical off-switch for racism that’s been flipped and somehow centuries of physical, psychological and spiritual warfare against Black humans has been undone.

Many brilliant black minds succumbed to the intense pressure of simply trying to live with dignity during periods of blatant and then later, subtle oppression. White America has been playing a centuries-long game of ‘stop hitting yourself’ while holding the arms of Black America. Polite White Supremacy has been feeding off the bodies of Black Americans while pretending Blacks cannibalize each other.

It’s fun to pretend.

[katfco]

Although I was aware of it before, this has become so much more evident to me in the last few months. I've seen and heard so many people make comments that blame the victim and imply (or flat out state) that whatever negative thing has happened, well, it's your own fault it turned out badly.

"He shouldn't have run."
"He shouldn't have charged at him"
"Two wrongs don't make a right"
"The gun looked real"
"He had a record."

I have one friend who, when these events happen, likes to post videos of African Americans scolding his fellow African Americans on how they're supposed to behave.

[twohearted]

I find this topic very interesting, but I'm disappointed that they didn't include much actual data in this article.

[iammalcolmx]

Aug 30, 2015 13:27:49 GMT -5 twohearted said:

I find this topic very interesting, but I'm disappointed that they didn't include much actual data in this article.

Did you read the article? Do you seriously believe it was all hearsay?

[katfco]

Aug 30, 2015 13:27:49 GMT -5 twohearted said:

I find this topic very interesting, but I'm disappointed that they didn't include much actual data in this article.

There are some graphics and links of data in the actual article, but what, precisely, do you doubt? It's kind of all been confirmed countless times before. 

[ringstrue]

Very interesting.

There is a local news station that I like more than others because they seem to be more aware of these subtleties.

These sort of things are so much more apparent to me as we work with our public school and deal with more neighbors in the larger area.

[livinitup]

This language is not an accident. PWS is a real thing and it fvcking drives me crazy. And when I call people on it ... they act all astonished and baffled.

[gpw]

Aug 30, 2015 15:01:19 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Aug 30, 2015 13:27:49 GMT -5 twohearted said:

I find this topic very interesting, but I'm disappointed that they didn't include much actual data in this article.

Did you read the article? Do you seriously believe it was all hearsay?

RECEIPTS!!!  SHE NEEDS RECEIPTS! 

[gpw]

Aug 30, 2015 19:17:12 GMT -5 pennypenny said:

I agree with the majority of this article. I just have issues with the "Control the Language" section. But I guess that wouldn't surprise anyone.

I really don't understand what it is ok to label a whole profession based off these incidents. I am not minimizing them. They never should have happened and the officers involved should have been punished. The majority of officers do not escalate situations. The majority of the time officers have to act defensively because they are responding to someone's actions. Resisting arrest is a real thing. It is not something you can explain unless you have actually experienced it. Seeing it on TV or video does not really explain what is going on in that situation.

There is so much more I could say, but this probably isn't the right audience.

Yes.

[twohearted]

I had typed out a long response and then my phone freaked out and the whole thing was deleted so I guess I will type it out again. My original comment was pretty vague and pointless so I apologize. I didn't mean to imply that I needed more evidence in order to believe the points the author was making. I thought the article was going to be more focused on linguistics as it relates to racism and I was evaluating the article on how well I felt it covered that topic. Given the length I thought it was going to be pretty thorough, maybe even an analysis of how pervasive the problem is. For me the discussion on linguistics was lacking. It gave a few examples, but it didn't really add much that I hadn't read before. There was a lot of discussion on other manifestations of what is essentially racism, but I didn't really see how it tied into the topic. I am curious about how you could go about assessing how much of the language choice is intentional versus subconscious.

[NitaX]

Aug 30, 2015 20:14:28 GMT -5 twohearted said:

I had typed out a long response and then my phone freaked out and the whole thing was deleted so I guess I will type it out again. My original comment was pretty vague and pointless so I apologize. I didn't mean to imply that I needed more evidence in order to believe the points the author was making. I thought the article was going to be more focused on linguistics as it relates to racism and I was evaluating the article on how well I felt it covered that topic. Given the length I thought it was going to be pretty thorough, maybe even an analysis of how pervasive the problem is. For me the discussion on linguistics was lacking. It gave a few examples, but it didn't really add much that I hadn't read before. There was a lot of discussion on other manifestations of what is essentially racism, but I didn't really see how it tied into the topic. I am curious about how you could go about assessing how much of the language choice is intentional versus subconscious.

I don't know that you are going to necessarily get the data you're requesting. What you want is very tangible data to support it. Unfortunately, I don't know if that data exists. But, what I can tell you is that black folks have been discussing negative media portrayals and the narrative around us for a very, very long time. 

I always notice that I have to dig to find the race when the crime was committed by a white person. The media waits to release a picture. Black person committing a crime? Nope. They have the mug shot on the screen the second the story airs. 

For issues relating to redlining and the treatment of blacks - that's an easy find. In its current reiteration - it looks like Wells Fargo and other banks handing out inferior loan products to equally qualified minorities.

How does this article manifest itself in other areas? It looks like black male and female students being disproportionately disciplined at schools when compared to their white peers. 

I'm not going to link this for you. You're going to need to use your Google-Fu skills and find all this stuff out. It's what Black Folks call "In the Sky Is Blue News." We've known it forever, but as you've showcased here, it's not true to others or worthy of consideration until there are longitudinal studies tossed about as evidence. 

I don't need a study to tell me I'm marginalized. But, you aren't black, so you do. So, go forth, search and then come back with your findings.

[WOT?*]

Aug 30, 2015 12:39:05 GMT -5 katfco said:

Although I was aware of it before, this has become so much more evident to me in the last few months. I've seen and heard so many people make comments that blame the victim and imply (or flat out state) that whatever negative thing has happened, well, it's your own fault it turned out badly.

"He shouldn't have run."
"He shouldn't have charged at him"
"Two wrongs don't make a right"
"The gun looked real"
"He had a record."

I have one friend who, when these events happen, likes to post videos of African Americans scolding his fellow African Americans on how they're supposed to behave.

I've had some of those come through my feed and it pisses me off, especially when it's my white relatives posting them. "Look at me and all my middle-class sensitivities. Obviously there's not racism because I live in suburbia just like the white folk  that are sharing this shit. Get off your criminal ghetto ass and quit making us "good" black folk look bad." These people are making it more difficult and undermining efforts for equality more than any ten white people, because it gives the white people someone to point to "as an example." And these idiots fall for that crap rhetoric hook, line and sinker.

[nsuhomer]

Good article. I'm saving this one to pass on.

Also, Chad Crow cracks me up.

[Deleted]

Aug 30, 2015 14:25:48 GMT -5 1234FIF! said:

Aug 30, 2015 13:27:49 GMT -5 twohearted said:

I find this topic very interesting, but I'm disappointed that they didn't include much actual data in this article.

If this is something you want to know more about you can do that work yourself. We have to lead you to the water then pour it in your mouth, too?

I agree that the article lacks data.
I don't need receipts. The water is in my mouth. But for an article for the general public that isn't on PCE, a few concrete examples would have made this better. For my Mom who would read this and say 'oh I'm not racist' and then stop reading and move on.
It has great points but I feel like it's preaching to the choir.

[iammalcolmx]

Aug 31, 2015 5:42:36 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 30, 2015 14:25:48 GMT -5 1234FIF! said:

If this is something you want to know more about you can do that work yourself. We have to lead you to the water then pour it in your mouth, too?

I agree that the article lacks data.
I don't need receipts. The water is in my mouth. But for an article for the general public that isn't on PCE, a few concrete examples would have made this better. For my Mom who would read this and say 'oh I'm not racist' and then stop reading and move on.
It has great points but I feel like it's preaching to the choir.

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

[iammalcolmx]

Aug 30, 2015 19:17:12 GMT -5 pennypenny said:

I agree with the majority of this article. I just have issues with the "Control the Language" section. But I guess that wouldn't surprise anyone.

I really don't understand what it is ok to label a whole profession based off these incidents. I am not minimizing them. They never should have happened and the officers involved should have been punished. The majority of officers do not escalate situations. The majority of the time officers have to act defensively because they are responding to someone's actions. Resisting arrest is a real thing. It is not something you can explain unless you have actually experienced it. Seeing it on TV or video does not really explain what is going on in that situation.

There is so much more I could say, but this probably isn't the right audience.

You are pretty well respected here, so I would love to hear what you have to say.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2015 6:29:35 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Aug 31, 2015 5:42:36 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

I agree that the article lacks data.
I don't need receipts. The water is in my mouth. But for an article for the general public that isn't on PCE, a few concrete examples would have made this better. For my Mom who would read this and say 'oh I'm not racist' and then stop reading and move on.
It has great points but I feel like it's preaching to the choir.

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

I said I understood the article.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2015 6:29:35 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Aug 31, 2015 5:42:36 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

I agree that the article lacks data.
I don't need receipts. The water is in my mouth. But for an article for the general public that isn't on PCE, a few concrete examples would have made this better. For my Mom who would read this and say 'oh I'm not racist' and then stop reading and move on.
It has great points but I feel like it's preaching to the choir.

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

I said I understood the article. I don't need examples.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2015 6:29:35 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Aug 31, 2015 5:42:36 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

I agree that the article lacks data.
I don't need receipts. The water is in my mouth. But for an article for the general public that isn't on PCE, a few concrete examples would have made this better. For my Mom who would read this and say 'oh I'm not racist' and then stop reading and move on.
It has great points but I feel like it's preaching to the choir.

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

I said I understood the article. I don't need examples.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

[NitaX]

Aug 31, 2015 14:19:08 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 31, 2015 6:29:35 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

I said I understood the article. I don't need examples.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

This is why - you - Good White People of the World - need to say shit. Y'all want us to do all the dayum work. I'm tired of coming in here week after week needing to pull stats and shit out to make people listen. I'm burned the fuck out to be quite honest. I can't DO all the work. We shouldn't HAVE to DO all the work. 

We've been doing the work since we set foot on this land some 500 years ago. We've advocated. We've run away. We've started uprisings. We've marched. We've put cases before the highest court in the land. The one thing I simply cannot do is sit down at your dinner table with Uncle Bigot Billy and get him to see the light. I'm not AT your dinner table. I'm at Madea's table eating sweet potato pie.

If you're part of the larger CEP Choir - then it is incumbent upon YOU to take this message back and say something to folks that look like you. They ain't trying to hear me because they are too busy reaching out to touch my dayum hair. 

[iammalcolmx]

Aug 31, 2015 14:20:06 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 31, 2015 6:29:35 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

We have discussed the concrete examples ad nauseam. For example, the comfort section talking about home loans given to black people. Articles have been posted about the types of predatory loans given to black people ,both back in the day AND during the housing boom.

I said I understood the article. I don't need examples.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

Then stop acting brand new

[Deleted]

Aug 31, 2015 14:39:55 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Aug 31, 2015 14:20:06 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

I said I understood the article. I don't need examples.
All I was saying is people who are not motivated to change because they are in denial would be less so with more examples that they could relate to.
Unfortunatley if you are expecting racist Americans that don't even know they are racist to look stuff up - that's not going to happen.
I want the world to change. Preaching to the choir isn't helping.

Then stop acting brand new

Did you read my post? I said I got it. I know examples.
But let's face it - these aren't the kinds of things you just bring up out of nowhere with strangers. Posting this article to Facebook - great way to start a conversation.
I don't know why you are taking it so personally,.i thought the article was good. I will elaborate - it was important. However, I wish there were more examples people could read. Not ME.
So I won't share this article.
I was critiquing the writing not the idea.

[Deleted]

And examples written by a black voice are believed by white people.
If I said to someone 'saying xyz is prejudiced or makes me people upset or whatever' some of them would say. 'Nope that isn't racist. I have black friends'
They will ask me 'how do you know?' Because my background in race relations is likely as shallow as theirs.

With examples from real people - real situations - it makes people get it.
This article does have some examples. I think it could have had more. The end.

[downtoearth]

Aug 31, 2015 14:54:42 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

And examples written by a black voice are believed by white people.
If I said to someone 'saying xyz is prejudiced or makes me people upset or whatever' some of them would say. 'Nope that isn't racist. I have black friends'
They will ask me 'how do you know?' Because my background in race relations is likely as shallow as theirs.

With examples from real people - real situations - it makes people get it.
This article does have some examples. I think it could have had more. The end.

I haven't followed your back and forth, but I don't find this IRL happening. If I mention to someone (family member, friend, etc.) that something they said, "That sounds kinda racist b/c XYZ." they aren't combative or defensive. It might bother them, but I don't know b/c they still listen and I listen to them in their response. Sometimes I am able to explain things well and sometimes I have to say, "Well, I know I read about why that is prejudice/racist and the basis for it, but I can't recall directly.  I know I have some good resources and can look them up." 

I had one coworker who kept saying he didn't understand why the "alllivesmatter" isn't better than just "blacklivesmatter" because the black lives matter is anti-white and I used "My internet friends explained it to me this way..." sort of answer.  I channeled some of the smart ladies on here to answer and even credited them (well as much as I can.)  But I think avoiding talking about it is probably worse than bringing up the issue in everyday life or on social media and only having a general understanding.  Heck I posted this today on my FB...

[NitaX]

Aug 31, 2015 14:50:39 GMT -5 @hannymaren said:

Aug 31, 2015 14:39:55 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Then stop acting brand new

Did you read my post? I said I got it. I know examples.
But let's face it - these aren't the kinds of things you just bring up out of nowhere with strangers. Posting this article to Facebook - great way to start a conversation.
I don't know why you are taking it so personally,.i thought the article was good. I will elaborate - it was important. However, I wish there were more examples people could read. Not ME.
So I won't share this article.
I was critiquing the writing not the idea.

The issue - at least I am having - is that this is a blog post. It's not a piece from The Urban Institute or Pew Trusts that has a ton of data in it. What you want is that every POV piece posted have a bunch of links to longitudinal studies. You aren't going to get that every time. Now, what you can do is follow up this piece by saying "here are two other articles with hard numbers." 

What irritates me is that when it comes to the black experience, it's written off until we have solid data to support it. It shouldn't be that way. But, we are always asked for more concrete examples to explain how a national power system was installed to keep us from fully being a part of it. You don't NEED data to see that. I don't have to dole out data on how the nation stripped us of rights. It was enshrined in law. 

So, why, why on God's green earth I have to churn out data to support how CENTURIES of oppression still impacts our community is baffling. You don't handle people a bunch of bootstraps in 1965 and say - here go vote and in 1971 when schools were forced to integrate - you say - here go learn while you flee the schools and say - we gave you everything in you need in '65 and '71 - why ain't ya'll doing better?

But since you need fact and figures. You just hold on and let me take a few minutes and drop 'em off. 

[NitaX]

Because Facts and Figures:

HUD 2012 Report on Housing Discrimination

Philly Wells Fargo Predatory Lending Lawsuit

Black Students Face More Discipline

ACLU Position Paper on War on Drugs