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Most white people I know dont go around saying that they are white or even talking about it. Why bother its usually obvious. For that matter most the people I know dont identify themselves as anything but american or US citizen.
Too each there own.
Something I find interesting as a Blind person is that Black people have announced to me that they are Black before, but White people have never in my experience announced to me that they were White. I think the reason for that is that socially, white is the default. Most people assume "white" until told otherwise. If a white man makes the news, often the headlines read "MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]" or something. If a Black man makes the news, often the headlines will read "BLACK MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]". The fact that Black people have felt the need to tell me their race and not white people to me is very telling. I have also met Black people who didn't tell me their race, but later when the topic came up, they thought I assumed they were white. Also very telling, IMO, not just about that person, but about society in general. To be clear, I don't think it has to do with Black people being obsessed with their identity, but rather, I think it has to do with the fact that white people just don't have to announce their whiteness, in the same way straight people don't have to "come out". Society already makes that assumption for them, and most people, most of the time, before seeing someone, will assume that person is white.
Then you may have been as livid as I was one day, when my son came home and said his teacher embarrassed him and some other kids, by referring to them as "purple".
It was the first day of school at a new high school, for my son, we had just moved. The teacher took roll call and asked for a show of hands for every child that was black, and every child that was white. I'm paraphrasing, what the kids and the teacher said:
"Well, i have 30 students, and only 16 hands went up, so I guess i must have some purple students in my class."
When the kids asked what she meant, she said: "Well, if you're not white, and if you're not black, then you must be purple."
My son, and some other Asian and Hispanic kids in the class, ended up being put down as "black" by the teacher, and the other kids snickered at them. Turned out that the school got extra money for each black child in the school.
I went to school the next day and made that teacher apologize to my son and the others in front of the class. I was really ticked off.
Wow. I would have been beside myself with righteous indignation!
I had something similar happen when my youngest son and I were filling out his paperwork at a new school. At the time, the forms here didn't give you any other choices but straight out one race answers - no "other," and no option to check more than one - you had to choose one. So, as usual, we left those sections blank.
When we stood up (in a room full of people) and turned in the forms, this little country hick receptionist hollered out "Uhhhh, excuse me - EXCUSE ME! You left the race section blank. You have to pick a race. What are you - black, white, what?"
My son was staring at her with huge, alarmed eyes, and he said quietly, "I'm not black OR white - I'm brown."
"Well. You have to choose one."
You could have heard a pin drop in that room. I stepped up then and told her, "I am not going to make my child choose one race to identify with. If it's so important to you, YOU fill it out. We will NEVER fill that section out."
Everyone in the room was watching to see if that little idiot would alter that form, but she didn't. She just turned around and shoved it under a stack of forms and turned her back to us.
What are you are describing-"color-blindness"-is the pretense that race doesn't matter in the real world, that racism doesn't exist anymore, and that everybody should be judged by their "merits" (Who defines "merit', anyway?? Oh, that's right-privileged white people).
It's a dishonest, insulting, yet insidious ideology. It makes white people feel less "guilty" about racism, so they don't have to look at how they have benefited from the privilege of being white-because heaven forbid, that more people get the idea that this system of hierarchy and inequality is unjust.
This is ridiculous.
I agree that there is an element of "white privilege" just as there is an element of "black privilege" in African countries, and "British privilege" in the UK, and "Saints football fan" privilege in New Orleans (don't wear a Giants jersey in New Orleans during football season!) - Oh, wait, that last example might be a bit over the top, but you get my drift. People do relate more to people they see as similar to them, even when they are being polite and doing their best to be fair. African American people do it just as much as anyone else.
When I am in San Antonio, this here white lady is at a disadvantage. If I were to open a business there, I would be at a distinct disadvantage - not because most people would INTENTIONALLY treat me unfairly, but because I am not as familiar with Hispanic culture as the many Hispanic business owners down there. Is this FAIR? Or is it just a reality? Would it be up to them to alter their businesses to suit my weaknesses, or would it be up to me to learn the ropes, become fluent in Spanish, etc? Even then, I probably would always have to work harder in order to succeed in that society - and that's right here in the United States - in my OWN STATE! What the heck - it's just not fair!!! Make them change! Now of course, unlawful discrimination is just that - unlawful. But there are some things that the law can't control - my customer base, who chooses to apply to work with me, whether or not I learn Spanish, whether or not I choose to make my labels and signage bilingual, what sort of music I play in my store, how well I treat my customers - the law can't and doesn't and shouldn't mandate those things, but all those would play into whether or not I was successful as a minority business owner in San Antonio.
But back to that white privilege thing - I have NO REASON to feel guilty about things my ancestors did. I didn't do them. Not only that, many of my ancestors came to this country as indentured servants - some of them indentured for 10 years. I've seen the ship records. They came here with nothing but the shirt on their backs. They never owned slaves - they were basically slaves themselves.
Some of my ancestors were native Americans. They never owned slaves. They had their land and property taken from them.
Some of my ancestors were Jewish. They were fleeing persecution in Europe.
Some of my ancestors were French. They moved to south Louisiana from Canada, and married native Americans, and scratched out a meager living in the swamps and bayous.
And finally, some of my ancestors DID own slaves. But you know what - I did not inherit anything from them. They've been dead for over 100 years, and their property long gone. In fact, now most of their property is owned by African Americans, ironically.
So -no white guilt here. Sorry - go sell that somewhere else, I ain't buyin' it.
I have several friends and family that find "African-American" offensive at worst and inaccurate at best, though admittedly, most Black people I know don't mind and often refer to themselves as "African-American" in more formal contexts. Like with all things, no one is going to agree on one term.
Harahrhaarhhahrahar, this reminds me of the flummox that some guys feel when they don't know whether to open a door for a woman or not, or offer to help her carry something heavy.
Something I find interesting as a Blind person is that Black people have announced to me that they are Black before, but White people have never in my experience announced to me that they were White. I think the reason for that is that socially, white is the default. Most people assume "white" until told otherwise. If a white man makes the news, often the headlines read "MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]" or something. If a Black man makes the news, often the headlines will read "BLACK MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]". The fact that Black people have felt the need to tell me their race and not white people to me is very telling. I have also met Black people who didn't tell me their race, but later when the topic came up, they thought I assumed they were white. Also very telling, IMO, not just about that person, but about society in general. To be clear, I don't think it has to do with Black people being obsessed with their identity, but rather, I think it has to do with the fact that white people just don't have to announce their whiteness, in the same way straight people don't have to "come out". Society already makes that assumption for them, and most people, most of the time, before seeing someone, will assume that person is white.
But are you ASSUMING people are white? If so, that's an issue in your mind, not theirs.
As for people making an announcement to you that they are black - wow, I think that is really, really weird. I mean, really weird. Do you really think they do it because of society's default? I don't think so but I could be wrong. But I think it may have more to do with how they see themselves - it's so clearly part of their identity that they have to be sure you know it since you can't see them in person. I mean, I guess that's fine but WHY do they feel the need to point it out?
I cannot imagine feeling like I need to announce to a blind person that I am white BUT also Native American and Jewish and that my kids are biracial.
Speaking of biracial kids, sometimes I find myself in a surreal situation. Let me explain. Often I will make a new friend or business acquaintance and since my kids are grown and out of the house, it may be weeks till they know they are biracial. Then they come to my house, and of course, I have lots of family photos around, which also include several Korean people (brother, grandson, and daughter in law), and some Hispanic people (son in law, grandchildren) - so...
People will often walk down my hallway (where I have most of the photos) and suddenly they look confused. I actually feel SORRY for them at this point. I mean, how do you prepare someone for this beforehand. Do you say, "Oh, by the way, before we get to my house, let me explain something to you so you don't embarrass yourself." Or do you just act as if they are the crazy ones when they start acting confused on their walk down the hall? (And everyone acts confused, no matter what color they are by the way.)
Finally, I just started making a joke out of it. As we start walking down the hall, I say, "Ok, get ready - my family is more like a UN delegation. We are multiracial so bear with me while I help you figure out who is who!" See, my EX husband is AA, and my current husband is white, so people REALLY do not expect my kids to be biracial!
Anyway, people are always really interested, and making a joke out of it on the front end really lightens the mood.
Interestingly enough, I have had several AA friends or business acquaintances actually burst into laughter and start HUGGING me when they realize how diverse my family is. Usually they are also the ones who just stand there and repeat over and over again, "Girl. You pulled one over on me." Or "Oh my gosh. I had no idea. I can't believe it!" No white person has ever said anything so blatant about my interracial family.
But no one has acted weird about it afterwards either.
Anyway, people do automatically assume that we marry and beget people who look like us. Ah well.
After reading innumerable threads and comments regarding racial self-identification, lack of assimilation, and screeds about multiculturalism I thought to myself why is it that I've never read a thread or comment advocating the ending of the classification referred to as white? I mean if African American is so offensive because of its alleged inaccuracy then why not do a way with the term white, after all, white people are exactly white or anything close to it. So, in the hopes of bringing about that much touted color blind society, I would like to make the following offer.
Do away with the idea or whiteness and I will stop identifying myself as an African American and ask others to do the same.
What do you think?
I do not call blacks african american, after all i dont call myself european american. alot of true africans think it is really funny that blacks here in the USA call themselves something which they are not.
Something I find interesting as a Blind person is that Black people have announced to me that they are Black before, but White people have never in my experience announced to me that they were White. I think the reason for that is that socially, white is the default. Most people assume "white" until told otherwise. If a white man makes the news, often the headlines read "MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]" or something. If a Black man makes the news, often the headlines will read "BLACK MAN [DOES THIS OR THAT]". The fact that Black people have felt the need to tell me their race and not white people to me is very telling. I have also met Black people who didn't tell me their race, but later when the topic came up, they thought I assumed they were white. Also very telling, IMO, not just about that person, but about society in general. To be clear, I don't think it has to do with Black people being obsessed with their identity, but rather, I think it has to do with the fact that white people just don't have to announce their whiteness, in the same way straight people don't have to "come out". Society already makes that assumption for them, and most people, most of the time, before seeing someone, will assume that person is white.
Great post! This is a very interesting observation. Very insightful and honest about the "default" setting.
After reading innumerable threads and comments regarding racial self-identification, lack of assimilation, and screeds about multiculturalism I thought to myself why is it that I've never read a thread or comment advocating the ending of the classification referred to as white? I mean if African American is so offensive because of its alleged inaccuracy then why not do a way with the term white, after all, white people are exactly white or anything close to it. So, in the hopes of bringing about that much touted color blind society, I would like to make the following offer.
Do away with the idea or whiteness and I will stop identifying myself as an African American and ask others to do the same.
What do you think?
Nobody in their right mind would claim to be white in this society. It's like saying I don't want the promotion or raise but I'll do the extra work and responsibility anyway; I need the job but since I'm so "privileged" it will go to someone of a more "downtrodden" race; I'm happy to pay so much in taxes even though I don't qualify for any gov't give-away (and never will, despite political promises).
I have a family member who is 1/4 hispanic, and if he had mentioned this to the Personnel Dept when he joined the company 25 years ago I'm sure he'd be getting 100 times the pay--and NONE of the stress/misery/hassle. Reverse discrimination is so prevalent today that I sometimes wonder if I actually AM African-American, or appear so to everyone around me. Cashiers literally walk away from their registers when I finally reach them in line, after waiting quietly and patiently. I have stood waiting for a restaurant seat and more than once had the greeter avoid my eyes, step around me, and ask to help the person behind me. I have waited in line at the Pharmacy and had many people walk in front of me "just to ask a question" and then tie the cashier up for 20 minutes, and I have waited at the same Pharmacy in the long line, and then when my order was ready and I was called, the cashier told me to go to the end of the line again--something that I had never seen happen ONCE in hundreds of trips to that pharmacy. My spouse gets the same treatment I do: we're both non-descript white, we both are not either aggressive or too passive; and we're of opposite sexes. I wonder what exactly other people SEE when they look at us and classify us as "To be Ignored" since I never see this treatment given to anyone else.
In short, people treat some types of people like dirt, and if you happen to be African-American you'd naturally assume that your race was the reason. I'd NEVER choose to be "white" in America today, and in fact when I change careers (hopefully soon) I think I'd better paint myself very dark and use brown contacts. I wonder if I'd still be ignored by sales clerks and restaurant greeters?
After reading innumerable threads and comments regarding racial self-identification, lack of assimilation, and screeds about multiculturalism I thought to myself why is it that I've never read a thread or comment advocating the ending of the classification referred to as white? I mean if African American is so offensive because of its alleged inaccuracy then why not do a way with the term white, after all, white people are exactly white or anything close to it. So, in the hopes of bringing about that much touted color blind society, I would like to make the following offer.
Do away with the idea or whiteness and I will stop identifying myself as an African American and ask others to do the same.
What do you think?
I should first protest, act all put upon & demand to be called ecru rather than endure this oppressive white amorphous blob stereotype that exists in the AA, NA, and latino narrative that, incredulously, expects my support but couldn't be bothered to defend their very own daughters by insisting on equal rights for them.
For the sake of intelligent discourse, what relevance should it have to identify as any given group, including the delineation of male and female? Are the nature of the problems we're discussing genuinely falling along these group affinity lines? Are the causes and effects really all that different when we're trying to hammer out policies intent on solving problems, rather than mitigating them infinitely? Tavis and Smiley seem to grasp that poverty, throughout history, and wherever it's happening on the globe, has common themes of cultural dysfunctions that compound over generations.
That color blind society already exists if your pigmentation is irrelevant when we've got work to do. When you see the twin towers coming down and grieve every soul in those buildings as your brother and sister, red state and blue alike. My grief and rage was not reserved for the women in the building. Or the native NY'rs, but not the fellow from Tennessee working there. My grief was not different for the janitor as opposed to the CEO. The Christian, Jew, Hindu, Muslim, or atheist.
White only means anything because blacks insist it does. In the AA community, how is it they've come to parse out the difference between a white SC politician lynched on a tree a century ago fighting for your civil rights as opposed to the white Klansman doing the hanging? As opposed to myself never raised in or around an environment of segregation or a society separated based on color charts? I lived in an integrated neighborhood until demented trash like this decided to dis-integrate it in the name of "black pride" militancy.
I'm unclear what the definition of AA is. Which of these 2 below in your opinion is the AA community? One seems to comprehend what her rights as an American are, and the other is living out another country in her head entirely.
girl terrorizing elderly lady atlanta marta bus - YouTube
Who do you want for a neighbor? Who owes that girl therapy? Whose job is it, and how much effort should any gov't program continue to invest before she's cut loose and given a one way ticket to the country she's living out in her head?
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