African American
In reply to the discussion: I was recently asked whether I really believed that most white Americans are racist. [View all]haele
(13,639 posts)And I'll say that almost all of the white people I know are nominally racist to varying degrees simply due to acceptance of the status quo in their favor - whether they acknowledge it or not. Rich or poor, male or female.
They're not bad people. They're just privileged in a way that minorities aren't and act in public on the assumption that they don't have to worry about being put in their place at any time. Even I am guilty on occasion.
It's walking around without the assumption that we're going to get called out if we make a mistake or are in the wrong place at the wrong time.
It's the automatic acceptance of our presence in most venues. It's that we as white people are considered "normal" - whatever we're doing, so when we go off the deep end and shoot up a place out of hurt fee-fees or political frustration, it will be a "surprise to everyone."
A minority hoards a cache of guns and ammo - must be a gang-banger or wanna be.
A white person doing the same is "a collector", a hunter, or exercising his/her second amendment rights - until s/he isn't and starts hunting fellow human beings.
It's just the way the status quo goes. The assumption of privilege due to being a member of the "normal race" is a subtle racism that almost everyone either experiences or holds.
Haele