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TygrBright

(20,987 posts)
6. I would put it higher, myself.
Thu Nov 1, 2018, 03:37 PM
Nov 2018

Being white and female and educated and, if not precisely in that "suburban women" demographic, close enough that it would be easy to assume I'd voted for [Redacted] if you didn't know me.

I am not sure how many people who self-identify as "white" have come to America from places that don't have an essentially racist culture, economy, and social order. But however many there are, those are the ones that are probably not racist. Depending on how long they've been here- if they were brought here as young children and raised here, that will not apply.

America is a racist culture, economy, and social order. By that definition, it privileges people who are (or look) white.

Raised in that culture, with that privilege, imbues us with racism so profoundly that we may not even be aware of all the levels and cues, ideas and assumptions, we have accrued. Being privileged with whiteness also acts as a disincentive to even examine our racism. The privilege, and the racism that creates and sustains it, are part of our identity.

The attempt to not be racist is relatively easy, up to a point: Understand the grosser manifestations of racism, the systemic evidence in various laws, regulations, etc., and work against those. Understand the grosser expressions of racism in word and action, and eliminate them from our own patterns of speech and lifestyle.

The next level is more difficult but still quite do-able: Stay alert for those grosser things among other white people and, where we have influence or power, identify them, speak against them, act against them.

The next levels are a little harder, at least I have found them so. My assumptions about racism came largely from the people who raised me, taught me, helped define my identity, and THEY WERE WHITE. Now, I'm lucky in that they were aware of racism and attempting to counter it insofar as that awareness went. I grew up in a "liberal" white family, went to a church that expressed the values of inclusion and equality. The people around me reinforced those values, supported the Civil Rights movement, tried to counter the grosser manifestations of racism on the legal level.

But, again, THEY WERE WHITE. I never had much contact with non-white people until I went to college, and, later, entered the workforce. And it was damn' hard to realize that all the assumptions I had about racism, which had been shaped in my white culture, neighborhood, and family, had NOTHING TO DO with the actual experience of racism.

It took quite a few knocks upside the head (metaphorically speaking) for me to realize that my white ideas about racism, while generally benevolent in intent, were only (at best) a good start. If I wasn't willing to listen, learn, and accept the experience of racism from the actual targets of racism, I was still pretty racist. Not mean racist. Not intentional racist, but still... racist.

It's taken me a long time to come to terms with the reality that on some level I will ALWAYS be racist, simply because of where I grew up (America) and what color my skin is. The best I can hope for is to continually try not to let my racism- and the privilege that created it- influence my awareness and assumptions about the world, and other people.

What's helped me most is my experience as a woman, and my awareness of misogyny and how it's shaped me and everyone else in this misogynistic culture, and how impossible it is for someone who hasn't experienced misogyny- someone who's benefited from male privilege- to over come that misogyny.

So yeah. Virtually all white people are racist, whether we "act" racist or not. Virtually all males are misogynist, whether they "act" misogynist or not. It's baked into a racist, misogynist culture and the privileges that culture bestows and the structure that culture maintains and defends to perpetuate itself.

Can we overcome it?

Yes. Over many generations.

To overcome racism, we have to listen to those who've experienced it, empower them, and follow their leadership.

To overcome misogyny, we have to listen to those who've experienced it, empower them, and follow their leadership.

Doing those things is as close as we can get to "not being racist" or "not being misogynist."

opinionatedly,
Bright

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I will counter your assertion, I am 65 old white guy and ALL my white friends are zero racists... beachbum bob Nov 2018 #1
I dunnno...fellow white dude, and while I'd agree that "all my friends" keep any racism to themself anarch Nov 2018 #2
91% sounds right to me...great post! Many within that 91% try very hard NOT to be Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #3
The OP and your post make me appreciate DU even more. brush Nov 2018 #51
I think that's a bit high, but I think it's still well over half Bradical79 Nov 2018 #4
Some very valid points better Nov 2018 #5
THIS is a GREAT point, never heard it like this before, thank you Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #8
My pleasure, and by all means, please feel free to spread without attribution. better Nov 2018 #9
You wil probably be more successful than I will, while i have the same goal and have talked about Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #11
For whatever it may be worth... better Nov 2018 #44
Thank you for this well said reply The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #13
And thank you, MSgt, for your well-said OP! better Nov 2018 #15
Thank you. I will be stealing your closing paragraph The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #16
Excellent points! BlueMTexpat Nov 2018 #41
Thank you The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #48
Sincerely, thank you for that. better Nov 2018 #50
I would put it higher, myself. TygrBright Nov 2018 #6
I once said in this group The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #14
One thing that might help that happen better Nov 2018 #17
Well said. N/t cate94 Nov 2018 #21
I'm a three score or so years old white woman... haele Nov 2018 #7
I'm going to back you up on this. But go a little further. violetpastille Nov 2018 #10
I'm really enjoying the intellectual tone of this discussion better Nov 2018 #12
I could have written this myself... Ferrets are Cool Nov 2018 #18
Recently was asked ... kooth Nov 2018 #19
As you show, the answer is always more complicated than the question. Sometimes it helps to get the ancianita Nov 2018 #20
K&R, bookmarked too. This is a great post. Thank you Sarge! yonder Nov 2018 #22
This presidency proves cate94 Nov 2018 #23
Thank you Msgt for holding up that mirror. alwaysinasnit Nov 2018 #24
An off branch of this: I think racism in cultures can be fluid. Let me explain and forgive my ramble dameatball Nov 2018 #25
I appreciate your reply The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #30
Regretfully, I spent about twenty minutes. I hope it made sense.Thanks for your OP. dameatball Nov 2018 #32
I agree 100%. Eko Nov 2018 #26
Wish i had a like or agree button for replies The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #29
One thing Dump has done Eko Nov 2018 #33
You need to do what you believe is best. The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #35
As much push-back as we tend to see over cutting trumper family members out of our lives better Nov 2018 #42
I would agree that it's at least 91% MaryMagdaline Nov 2018 #27
Thank you and I agree The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #49
Thank you SallyHemmings Nov 2018 #28
Thoughtful and honest mcar Nov 2018 #31
I appreciate everyone's honest and respectful input. The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #34
Dear Mr. The Polack MSgt, you remind me of this quote Kind of Blue Nov 2018 #36
I'm shamed by your praise The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #37
I want to repeat my tagline... Kind of Blue Nov 2018 #38
Respectfully, I think you mean humbled, not shamed. better Nov 2018 #43
I for one think this is a great idea. better Nov 2018 #57
Hey, better! Totally agree. Kind of Blue Nov 2018 #60
Thanks for a most thoughtful and important OP RoadRunner Nov 2018 #39
Thank you RoadRunner. The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #40
Some of us W guys, I dont like using the full word, risky to do so, are fully aware Eliot Rosewater Nov 2018 #53
It's a shame that we never got to serve together, Sarge MrScorpio Nov 2018 #45
We almost did on the ROK The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #46
You know that I could have extended again MrScorpio Nov 2018 #47
I want to take a little bit of a break from the heavier part of this conversaion better Nov 2018 #52
I was raised in a racist family prudence54 Nov 2018 #54
Welcome to DU! better Nov 2018 #55
Thanks for this response - I understand that family dynamic The Polack MSgt Nov 2018 #56
We are all racist to an extent TlalocW Nov 2018 #58
+1 violetpastille Nov 2018 #59
I agree ismnotwasm Nov 2018 #61
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