I Used To Be A Normal Person

[5829]

I Used To Be A Normal Person

(below is only the text of the article, comments in the below link)

https://anysubj.com/p/I-Used-To-Be-A-No ... ref=315270

(I did not write this. But I agree with it.)

As a man, I used to think I was pretty much just a regular person, but I was born white, into a two-parent household which now, whether I like it or not, makes me "Privileged", a racist & responsible for slavery.
I am a fiscal & moral conservative, which by today's standards, makes me a fascist because I plan, budget & support myself.
I went to High School, paid my way thru college, earned a degree, & have always held a job. But I now find out that I am not here because I earned it, but because I was "advantaged”.
I am heterosexual, which according to "gay" folks, now makes me a homophobe.
I am not a Muslim, which now labels me as an infidel.
I believe in the 2nd Amendment, which makes me a de facto member of the "vast NRA gun lobby.”
I am older than 60, making me a useless person who doesn't understand Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
I think & I reason, and I doubt much of what the "mainstream" media tells me, which makes me a "Right-wing conspiracy nut”.
I am proud of my heritage & our inclusive American culture, making me a xenophobe.
I believe in hard work, fair play, & fair compensation according to each individual's merits, which today makes me an anti-socialist.
I believe our system guarantees freedom of effort - not freedom of outcome or subsidies which must make me a borderline sociopath.
I believe in the defense & protection of America for & by all citizens, now making me a militant.
I am proud of our flag, what it stands for and the many who died to let it fly, so I stand & salute during our National Anthem - so I must be a racist.

[AYHJA]

I'm glad I am finally able to take the time to read this. It lends itself to an important conversation. The kind that we used to miss around here. I feel I understand the spirit of the writing, so before I respond, I'd like to ask a couple of questions.

1. Why do you agree with it, specifically?
2. What would you say you've done that lends itself or takes away from those ideas..?

The ebb and flow of this seems to go from one extreme to the next, so we can just take it piece by piece. It's my wish to better understand your position, while highlighting some of it. Speaking directly to the writer here, not you.

"but I was born white, into a two-parent household which now, whether I like it or not, makes me "Privileged"

But it does make you privileged. The United States government has made sure that you'd be given chances racial and ethnic minorities have not. Certainly not your fault, but you have benefited. That is by definition a privilege. For example. As a white person, what laws or rules or instances can you think of that can compare to the Federal Housing Administrations efforts to keep minorities out of the suburbs..?

Check out the book "The Color of Law" by Richard Rothstein


To put this into perspective, let us assume we are playing an imaginary game of Monopoly, winner take all. A person we both trust sets the game up and decides the rules. That person then dictates that I get to go around the board and pass go 4 times before you even get to pick up the dice.. I don't want to trivialize what the government has done to minorities and poor people, in actuality it is much worse.

I go around the board buying up property, getting the money under free parking, collecting my money from passing Go, and then you finally take your turn, and are expected to never get your 4 free trips around the board, and to play by the same basic rules. Is that a game you'd want to play? With everything you own and have on the line, your family and your future generation's well being..? What situations might your being forced to play this game have on your family outcome.?

And on top of that, not only watch me profit mightily from the game, not share with you or cut you any breaks, after having watched myself have an advantage, then also listen to me say, "I didn't make the rules! Not my fault!"

And if you agree that wouldn't be cool for you, that you would have a problem with that, what have you done to advocate for fairness..? Wouldn't you like it if I said to the person who put the game together, "Hey, I got to go 4 extra times, why not let the other guy go 4 extra times as well?" I'm pretty sure you would not be sitting there quietly, saying to yourself, "Rules is rules! No need to give me the 4 extra turns you got! I'll catch up! Thanks but no thanks." I imagine you'd be grateful, and ready to forgive. But no, I sit on the other side of the table and I never say that. I never take action on your behalf. I never advocate for you. I continue to take my turns, collect my rent and watch you struggle when you land on my property. This is how I see you. And you've done little to nothing to change it. You take no responsibility for this game and how it's played. It fell in your favor and you're fine with it.

Except, again, remember this is not a game.

[5829]

1. Why do you agree with it, specifically?

Actually, everything fits me, and I agree with it all, except for a couple of modifications.

I believe in the 2nd Amendment, which makes me a de facto member of the "vast NRA gun lobby.”
Yes, but I do not own any guns.

I believe in the defence & protection of America for & by all citizens, now making me a militant.
Yes, defend the country if it was attacked. But not fighting wars all over the world because of something somebody does not like.

I am proud of our flag, what it stands for and the many who died to let it fly, so I stand & salute during our National Anthem - so I must be a racist.
Yes, but i do not stand and salute. And have not done so long before it became 'a thing'. Nor do I 'take a knee', I will just sit there quietly.

2. What would you say you've done that lends itself or takes away from those ideas..?
I treat people like people. I recognize that they are different than me but I do not treat them different because of it.
Within reason. EX: I will not ask a blind person to drive me somewhere nor will I ask a person in a wheel chair to help me carry something up the stairs.

"but I was born white, into a two-parent household which now, whether I like it or not, makes me "Privileged"
Not by choice. Just like everyone else.

As far as being 'privileged'. I have not ever said to somebody 'hey, I am white, I deserve special treatment'. Nor has anyone ever said to me 'We are doing this because you are white'. As far as the law goes - I have not control over that. Nor do I have any control of other people ignoring the law.
But I agree with you that the laws have not treated people equally but they are getting better. As far as people ignoring the law and getting away with it that requires a change in peoples attitude.

I do not have the time to listen to the show right now, but I will.

Here is a 'parody' about privilege.
The Privilege Game (8 minutes 30 seconds)
6,010,386 views•Apr 25, 2016



As far as your 'Monopoly' game goes to me that is about the rich vs poor and/or powerful vs people without power. There both white and non-white people that fit both categories. If you are talking about the laws, see above.

[AYHJA]

Thanks 5829. Lots to talk about, but I want to start here because I think that this will make up some ground in the other areas. Hoping you will clarify/expand upon this a little more as well.

"As far as your 'Monopoly' game goes to me that is about the rich vs poor and/or powerful vs people without power. There both white and non-white people that fit both categories."

Are you saying that the challenges of poor blacks or non white minorities are the same challenges faced by poor whites.?

That video was hilarious, btw lol

[5829]

>> Are you saying that the challenges of poor blacks or non white minorities are the same challenges faced by poor whites.?

I am saying legally yes. As far as I know there are no laws the that say you can discriminate against a group of people.
As far as what is being done, no. But then there are people breaking laws all the time (my favourite example is speeding). In order to change this it requires a change in people's attitude. No matter how many laws are passed, what is happening will still continue.

[AYHJA]

>> Are you saying that the challenges of poor blacks or non white minorities are the same challenges faced by poor whites.?

I am saying legally yes. As far as I know there are no laws the that say you can discriminate against a group of people.

In this way, we agree. Technically (legally) this is correct. But as I pointed out one of many instances like what The Color of Law points out, that was not always the case. Technicalities have existed in our laws for a long time. I could do an essay on how they exploited the 14th Amendment all day about disenfranchisement after reconstruction, and here we are now in 2021, watching the same kinds of things happen.

I think what is lost in conversations like this is systematic control and inherent prejudice. For example, as a black man, if I walk into a room of mixed occupancy where I don't know anyone, my eyes will scan the room for people who look like me. It's just how we're built. It's not wrong, but as you say, thinking should change. I should maybe talk to the group that is drinking the same beverage as me or where everyone in the group is smiling.

Our system is predominantly controlled by white people who have that same inherent prejudice. It's not purposefully evil or intentional. It's just problematic in that sense you spoke of. A white person and a black person can go into an apartment rental office with the same credentials, and if the person behind the desk filling vacancies is white, they will understandably so pick the person most like them. That's not evil. It's just that 75% of the places all people go will have a white person making that decision. This isn't a hypothetical situation. My brother learned to take his white female friend to check for vacancies when he was hunting for an apartment. They would tell him no and tell her yes.

The chances of you needing to ever have a black person speak for and vouch for you to get somewhere to live are virtually non-existent. That is an unfortunate plight of my reality.

It's an interesting case study. I'm glad we're discussing it.

[5829]

am saying that now there is no legal discrimination

am saying people will (illegally) discriminate now because they think that can get away with it (like speeding in my previous post)

my only solution is that it will require a change in peoples attitudes.

what is your solution?



here are some posts that i just made that you might be interested in.

Coded Bias
about the bias built into ai
viewtopic.php?f=283&t=56018


The Irish Slave Trade – The Forgotten “White” Slaves
viewtopic.php?f=283&t=56017


The Center for the Study of Global Slavery
viewtopic.php?f=283&t=56016



nothing to do with race, but it sort of applies to the first post.

i can tell you that when i was in collage a recruiter came and some of us got interviewed. i was rejected and somebody (who was not as good as me - we both agreed on that) got accepted. they asked why i was rejected and they were told that it was because i wore a blue shirt instead of a white shirt with my suit.

i applied as a volunteer for both the local domestic volience and sexual assault programs. i was told that they did not want a male interacting with their clients because it would be too disturbing / traumatizing (probably not the words they used) for a male to be working with their clients.
have not tried in a few years. do not know if anything has changed.