How to be a better white person in 2020

[fallenarch]

"The Root" is generally a good source of African American intellectual discourse, although it does have it's radical moments and contributors. As I read this it clearly exposes truths people like me know and experience daily. I guess the big question for me is whether fair or not an advantage is an advantage, how many people would give that up in the name of morality and justice? For most people "good" has it's limitations and self interest usually over rules our "best selves". Many here will not get this at all. But rather than taking of it as an accusation against white people, read it as a fairly factual assessment of the real situation in this country - at least from an African American POV. If nothing else, it's a glimpse into what that Black guy you know is thinking. Do with that what you will, just throwing it out there more or less as information most here will not usually be privy to.

How to Be a Better White Person in 2020

Occasionally The Root will interrupt our coverage of black news, opinions, politics, and culture to openly address our white readership. In 2020, we’d like to finally have that oft-discussed “conversation about race” we hear you guys mention so often. To be clear, white people need to have a...

www.theroot.com

 

[kml]

I'll do my best!

cheers
ken

 

[Bumblebee]

Interesting read, thank goodness I live in Canada, we have our problems of course.

The only active racism I have ever witnessed was against people in Iraq and Afghanistan where the soldiers had derogatory names for them...as a Sgt-Major, I didn't tolerate this and put a stop to it and disciplined the offending soldiers...the soldiers were of mixed races but all were involved in open racism against this certain group of people.

 

[Tached1300]

Unfortunately once a label has been assigned to someone or something, one has created the avenue for them/it to be compared, criticized, liked or disliked etc.... Folks tend to forget there are layers of differences even within a given category/label. Assuming all in a given category move, act, and think a like is where the train usually runs off the tracks!

With dark skin color you are automatically and easily lumped into a category or disliked solely on based skin color. Whereas you can be white yet be atheist or catholic or Jewish or KKK or whatever and no one will know that by simply glancing at you, you can hide any of those traits you wish but a black person can’t hide their skin color.

 

[Bumblebee]

Unfortunately once a label has been assigned to someone or something, one has created the avenue for them/it to be compared, criticized, liked or disliked etc.... Folks tend to forget there are layers of differences even within a given category/label. Assuming all in a given category move, act, and think a like is where the train usually runs off the tracks!

I think people should work harder on being people.

A buddy of mine used to hate being referred to as "African American" he used to say, "my family didn't come from Africa so why am I being labelled as that?" He would also mention he was a Canadian same as all of us and he came from generations of Canadians...he didn't see himself as a person of color.

Of course he might just be fortunate enough to not have to grow up in a racist environment.

 

[c10]

My reply from this phone is simply not enough. My personal experiences as a white Male would typically place most in the do not associate with anyone of color .
However hate is not in my heart .
I get to see on a daily basis places ,homes and ,schools of color. Sometimes I think looking at a young innocent child in these places how are you going to get out .

 

[kml]

Interesting read, thank goodness I live in Canada, we have our problems of course.

The only active racism I have ever witnessed.....

I see a lot of racism in Canada towards first nation people.

Indigenous man and girl handcuffed for opening bank account

Maxwell Johnson says his 12-year-old granddaughter is "scarred for life" by the ordeal in Vancouver.

www.bbc.com

 

[Tached1300]

My reply from this phone is simply not enough. My personal experiences as a white Male would typically place most in the do not associate with anyone of color .
However hate is not in my heart .
I get to see on a daily basis places ,homes and ,schools of color. Sometimes I think looking at a young innocent child in these places how are you going to get out .

Yep and we should never forget that children do not get to pick their circumstances.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

Racism.... it’s an ugly thing and I dont really see any end to it.
It appears to be self perpetuating, as though it is rooted so deep the human psyche, nothing will ever change.
I just googled “the Root” (never heard of it before) and this is the first thing I saw . . .

New York Teacher Compares Black Students to Monkeys in Photo

It seems as though a week can’t go by without a racist incident occurring in an American classroom.

www.google.co.nz

A sad story, but we have all seen it over and over.
Please be aware of my situation here in NZ.
We have our own racial issues here, but I live in a small ‘white’ country town of 2000 people. Mostly dairy farming and reasonably affluent... everyone is employed in some way, zero homelessness, a brown face in my town is very unusual.
So in a sense I am isolated from all the troubles and division of racism, I see the effects of it in the news but I am able to steer clear of it in general.
What I’m saying is I reckon I’m lucky enough to live a life relatively free of the hatred and divisive attitudes caused by the issue.
So.. I’d rather be free of even the idea of racism but I’m willing to learn more about what the average American experiences in this social sphere so I will read more of the Root, to educate myself on this.
Thanks for bringing this to the table, Willie.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

Oh, and by the way, having met @fallenarch and @Tached1300 and knowing you are not “white”, has been a positive experience for me, you are both very smart, bright and intelligent human beings and I don’t see your skin colour but only who you are as a man that is holding his head high and worthy of respect.

 

[HayaWakened]

Discrimination ...
Interesting definition:

Pretty sure I don't practice enough discrimination (#2) when practicing discrimination (#1).

The other day a co-worker asked me if Moses really did carry down commandments written on stone tablets from the mountain. Cuz you were there, right? Age discrimination. I stomach-punched him then asked what kind of bike he rides. Cuz I discriminate against those who don't ride.

 

[Tached1300]

Oh, and by the way, having met @fallenarch and @Tached1300 and knowing you are not “white”, has been a positive experience for me, you are both very smart, bright and intelligent human beings and I don’t see your skin colour but only who you are as a man that is holding his head high and worthy of respect.

Hey now and just to clarify it’s a positive experience for anyone that meets me lol

 

[Bumblebee]

I see a lot of racism in Canada towards first nation people.

Indigenous man and girl handcuffed for opening bank account

Maxwell Johnson says his 12-year-old granddaughter is "scarred for life" by the ordeal in Vancouver.

www.bbc.com

Of course there are millions of transactions with indigenous people each and every day and one ends up like this which gets sensationalized within media. There was definitely over-reaction by LEO on that one.

I believe there is profiling when it comes to indigenous people though. I did mention we have our problems....I'm not a visible indigenous person but I am Metis and am active within this community.

 

[Tached1300]

The people I admire the most are those who don’t have to belong to something or be directly impacted to genuinely feel for those who are or have been. (Sometimes it even means they are putting themselves at risk in some way) Not only do they feel but they take action in the various ways and means available to them, those folks have the capacity to be heroes and facilitate change.

I think where many fall short, is with the following type of thoughts it’s not my neighborhood, state, school, I don’t have a child with special needs, I don’t live in Flint etc... Like any of that is a prerequisite to care or be involved. It’s amazing how many can overlook things which does not directly affect them. I understand certain issues and scenarios may be a lack of awareness issue for example if there’s a rare genetic condition that only impacts 1% of the population it can take awhile in getting others to understand your cause. However, some issues are widely known across the board and prevalent in everyday situations in society that get rationalized or overlooked all together.

 

[SSGT_B]

I realize that this is. Not the world we live in, but why do we as people still assign people a color to define them? Are we not just people? When will we actually learn from our past and build a better future for our children. Sad really. All the hate is one of the reasons I want to just live in the middle of a few thousand acres with no neighbors, but then where would I get pie........

 

[Tached1300]

I realize that this is. Not the world we live in, but why do we as people still assign people a color to define them? Are we not just people? When will we actually learn from our past and build a better future for our children. Sad really. All the hate is one of the reasons I want to just live in the middle of a few thousand acres with no neighbors, but then where would I get pie........

There will soon be drones that can deliver pie to your doorstep I’m sure hang in there

 

[Bumblebee]

I realize that this is. Not the world we live in, but why do we as people still assign people a color to define them? Are we not just people? When will we actually learn from our past and build a better future for our children. Sad really. All the hate is one of the reasons I want to just live in the middle of a few thousand acres with no neighbors, but then where would I get pie........

Hate and racism is a thing which is passed along from generation to generation, until this trend ceases, there will always be this issue.

I know a person who has Greek ancestry, he is a 4th generation Canadian but still hates Turkish people for something they did to his ancestors. I mean if you mention anything about Turkey, he goes off....he has never even been to Greece...this has been handed down to him from his family. I generally just laugh at him and tell him he's an idiot and never have kids.

 

[Bumblebee]

There will soon be drones that can deliver pie to your doorstep I’m sure hang in there

If one has thousands of acres, fruit trees/bushes and wheat can be grown therefore pie can be made.

….but I digress

 

[Kiwi Rider]

I realize that this is. Not the world we live in, but why do we as people still assign people a color to define them? Are we not just people? When will we actually learn from our past and build a better future for our children. Sad really. All the hate is one of the reasons I want to just live in the middle of a few thousand acres with no neighbors, but then where would I get pie........

maybe . . you just don't NEED pie, but I know how much you WANT it lmao.

 

[WuzzaCBXRider]

"The Root" is generally a good source of African American intellectual discourse, although it does have it's radical moments and contributors. As I read this it clearly exposes truths people like me know and experience daily. I guess the big question for me is whether fair or not an advantage is an advantage, how many people would give that up in the name of morality and justice? For most people "good" has it's limitations and self interest usually over rules our "best selves". Many here will not get this at all. But rather than taking of it as an accusation against white people, read it as a fairly factual assessment of the real situation in this country - at least from an African American POV. If nothing else, it's a glimpse into what that Black guy you know is thinking. Do with that what you will, just throwing it out there more or less as information most here will not usually be privy to.

How to Be a Better White Person in 2020

Occasionally The Root will interrupt our coverage of black news, opinions, politics, and culture to openly address our white readership. In 2020, we’d like to finally have that oft-discussed “conversation about race” we hear you guys mention so often. To be clear, white people need to have a...

www.theroot.com

Good read Arch but sadly (this) is still much too prevalent,

‘Willful ignorance is still malevolent if they choose to ignore the facts or, maybe they still wouldn’t care.’