Posted on Sep 18, 2016
Does White Privilege exist? If so, do you think White Supremacy exists also?
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I know I'm probably playing with fire and causing people to be uncomfortable, but I can honestly sit and have this conversation with anyone and not get upset. I just want to know peoples views who served and who is currently serving now. If you don't think any of it exist please explain why. Thanks
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 147
I guess there are millions of poor white americans who forgot to get their free supply of "white privilege". Do I believe white supremacy exists? Yes.. I also believe black supremacy exists. What people call white privilege is more or less class privilege which applies to all races... there just happens to be more whites in america.
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White privilege exists in the minds of those not white, ashamed of with what they where birthed, and SJWs. White privilege does not exist in the mind of those individuals that do not feel that they must justify their hard work and dedication to their personal and professional lives to anyone...much like me.
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It doesn't bother me but you can expect some lively responses, every problem in our World needs to be discussed because if we don't then we just accept everything as is and will never make improvements, I think most realize that there are judgmental and biased people in our society, I wish it weren't so because we all should play on the same level playing field, that's just not possible because even economically some are born in debt while others have a trust fund, stereotyping and preconceived notions are bad and cause problems, some is based on the locale and home environment, the key is how people in a certain class react, we've seen many great people of all backgrounds in the USA but I'd be foolish to think that they didn't have to exert themselves more, the color of one's skin has nothing to do with the qualities of any person but I can tell you that "white trash" is about the worst, I'm not going to amplify but any that have been exposed to them know what I am saying, racial or any bias does not fit in with the military, in my time in USMC we referred to folks as either light green or dark green Marines....and they all bleed red, they all have people that love them and want them to come home safely, they all have goals and dreams and to a man they all looked out for the men on their flanks, Best wishes.
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I think it exists although to a small degree. I grew up poor and white, I know what food stamps look like and what welfare cheese tastes like. I grew up in an economically depressed community in the rust belt where most of the so called good jobs were factories that's made everything from cardboard boxes to engine bearings and all were in decline, laying off workers for a decade or more before finally closing. I was NEVER handed anything in life due to my being white... I enlisted at age 19 because I was tired of working 3 minimum wage jobs just to try and get ahead. I worked essentially all day six days a week at three different places and still had little left over after I paid my rent and utilities. I eventually got out and used my GI bill (before it was post 9/11) and earned a degree going to college full time while Working a civilian job at 60 Hours a week and starting a family.
I then used this degree to commission through OCS.
How was I privileged again? Any other race of person in the military could have done exactly the same things I did. Enlisting as an E-1 and making it to 04 via their GI bill before retiring.
So while I have never been given a single material thing or job, position, or title in life due to my race, some will always assume that I am somehow privileged due to the color of my skin alone. This view ignores my hard work ethic over many years to earn my own way in life.
Now let's look at my kids. They are half Asian and half white. They will have the money (through my wife transferring her post 9/11 GI bill to them) to attend a state college mostly for free.
Let's look at President Obamas kids. With his wealth and status, his daughters will get their college paid for as well, and at an Ivy League university.
As his daughters are already famous, and our society financially rewards the famous, his girls will likely make much more over their lifetimes than my kids could ever dream of making.
Now tell me which kids are "privileged" it's obvious, President Obamas kids are... but they are black, how can that be?
Because privilege exists more due to social status and wealth of the family and not due to color of skin.
I then used this degree to commission through OCS.
How was I privileged again? Any other race of person in the military could have done exactly the same things I did. Enlisting as an E-1 and making it to 04 via their GI bill before retiring.
So while I have never been given a single material thing or job, position, or title in life due to my race, some will always assume that I am somehow privileged due to the color of my skin alone. This view ignores my hard work ethic over many years to earn my own way in life.
Now let's look at my kids. They are half Asian and half white. They will have the money (through my wife transferring her post 9/11 GI bill to them) to attend a state college mostly for free.
Let's look at President Obamas kids. With his wealth and status, his daughters will get their college paid for as well, and at an Ivy League university.
As his daughters are already famous, and our society financially rewards the famous, his girls will likely make much more over their lifetimes than my kids could ever dream of making.
Now tell me which kids are "privileged" it's obvious, President Obamas kids are... but they are black, how can that be?
Because privilege exists more due to social status and wealth of the family and not due to color of skin.
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SGT (Join to see)
Thank you for your response to this topic.
I will first start out by saying that this topic and question and singling YOU (Major Christmas) out as being privileged. I'm being broad with the question. Does it exist? That's it, simply do it exist.
Secondly I will point out that using President Obama is a bad example because hes the president and is holding a powerful position so comparing your family to the President's family is not the way to go. The Obama's is not the standard because most black families do not make what they make so you're right about them privileged bc once again he's the President. I assum you and your wife both dual military. You just said that your wife gave your daughters her GI Bill so they can go to school mostly for free. Majority of American students who don't get to go to school for somewhat free and end up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to go to school so that makes you and your family better off that a high percentage of America. So comparing you to majority your family is privileged as well as the Obama's in this case.
I honestly hope that someone can answer my question w/o putting their life story in because I'm not saying all of Americans that are white are privileged. I just asked if it exist.
Thank you sir
I will first start out by saying that this topic and question and singling YOU (Major Christmas) out as being privileged. I'm being broad with the question. Does it exist? That's it, simply do it exist.
Secondly I will point out that using President Obama is a bad example because hes the president and is holding a powerful position so comparing your family to the President's family is not the way to go. The Obama's is not the standard because most black families do not make what they make so you're right about them privileged bc once again he's the President. I assum you and your wife both dual military. You just said that your wife gave your daughters her GI Bill so they can go to school mostly for free. Majority of American students who don't get to go to school for somewhat free and end up hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to go to school so that makes you and your family better off that a high percentage of America. So comparing you to majority your family is privileged as well as the Obama's in this case.
I honestly hope that someone can answer my question w/o putting their life story in because I'm not saying all of Americans that are white are privileged. I just asked if it exist.
Thank you sir
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MAJ (Join to see)
I understand your intent. And I know you are not singling me out. But today there is a culture of "white shaming" going on. It is rampant in the media and it is abrasive to those of us who are not born with a silver spoon in our mouths. One black freind of mine brought up Paris Hilton as an example of white privilege and I agree with him, she is definitely white and definitely privileged. She did nothing to earn the millions she has. She is simply an heiress of the Hilton (hotel) family.
Does that mean that because I am white I enjoy her fame or fortune? Of course not! And like you pointed out, blacks won't enjoy the Obama girls level of fame or fortune either. I point out Obamas girls my kids and Paris Hilton as examples. Real people with far different prospects in life.
Yes my wife and I are dual military. I think that is a good thing! Yes we have her GI bill to our kids. Many blacks in the military give their GI bill to their kids...so what? This is something we have all worked hard for and EARNED.
How is it fair for one race to be able to tell their stories and another race shouldn't be allowed to tell their stories?
Why is my story offensive? It is simply my story!
SGT (Join to see) -
Does that mean that because I am white I enjoy her fame or fortune? Of course not! And like you pointed out, blacks won't enjoy the Obama girls level of fame or fortune either. I point out Obamas girls my kids and Paris Hilton as examples. Real people with far different prospects in life.
Yes my wife and I are dual military. I think that is a good thing! Yes we have her GI bill to our kids. Many blacks in the military give their GI bill to their kids...so what? This is something we have all worked hard for and EARNED.
How is it fair for one race to be able to tell their stories and another race shouldn't be allowed to tell their stories?
Why is my story offensive? It is simply my story!
SGT (Join to see) -
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MAJ (Join to see)
My view is that it does exist. Just not on an enormous widespread scale as the media makes it out to be. And I don't think we can have a conversation about it without telling our stories in both sides.
I've never been out into the front of the line, or handed a job, position or title due to being white. I've never raped anyone so I've never received a lighter sentence than any other race (like the idiot Swimmer Brock Turner). So I literally have experienced no white privilege personally. In fact this picture pretty much sums up my experience with white privilege.
And our experiences are what drive our perception and thus our reality day to day.
I've never been out into the front of the line, or handed a job, position or title due to being white. I've never raped anyone so I've never received a lighter sentence than any other race (like the idiot Swimmer Brock Turner). So I literally have experienced no white privilege personally. In fact this picture pretty much sums up my experience with white privilege.
And our experiences are what drive our perception and thus our reality day to day.
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my wife went to a day school. She was separated from the white kids. native kid sat on one side of the room serious if they disobey they were hit with a ruler on the hand. White kids did not get hit. the white kids have mental issues and talk to their parents about the Injustice having to their fellow students in the classroom. Eventually, these days schools for Native Canadian went away as well and no more of this. Now, Social Services finds new ways to destroy the family it has a double standard poor white trash gets away with it but irresponsible Canadian Indians get their kids taken away the first time they screw up. White privilege
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White privilege exist in Canada. If it Canadian white person's kids are running around outside Social Services will not touch them natives put him in foster care most likely yes white mom is drinking and neglecting your kids they will take the kids away but it's a native forget it social services will be all over the and the kids will be in foster care. Up until 1996 the social genocide in Canada kids had to be in residential schools from like 1950 on by law they have to be there to take care of tuberculosis crisis but it really was to take away their native culture cut their hair make them speak English. What happened is many of the kids got raped by the church leaders are none there.. They were forced to convert to Christianity Catholicism and protestantism. To this day, my wife is attacked by sometimes when my wife wants to go to a sweat or to the native traditions of the old ways are criticized by Christian natives today as being devil worship.
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White privilege? Yea I had it. I grew up in a great, hard working middle class family. I joined the Army at 18 because I didn't want to work on the family farm. I busted my ass for 21 years in the Infantry. After I retired, I was excepted to attend the fire academy and even though I had my rotator cuff torn in a car accident, half way through the 17 week academy, I graduated in the top 1/3 of the class. I was almost 41 when I graduated with 22 others from 21 years old to 44 years old.
My privilege was that I learned early that if you want something, you give 110% for it. That is the only privilege I have ever had.
My privilege was that I learned early that if you want something, you give 110% for it. That is the only privilege I have ever had.
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SGT (Join to see)
Thank you for your response. What you've done to overcome adversity is amazing and it's motivating, but I honestly don't know why people answer this question about their personal lives. Although you had to work for what you want it's not about you.
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SFC Terry Murphy
SGT (Join to see) - Apparently, you are too worried about what I responded with to a question about white privilege to see that the only people who are truly privileged are those that learn to work hard and continue to drive on no matter what they are facing. I don't care if you are white, black or purple. If you were not raised to work your ass off to succeed, then you won't succeed. If you were raised that way, then you are privileged.
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What does exist is privilege for the attractive, talented, or endowed. The fact that some see themselves and their attributes as undeserving is the root cause for any type of privilege. If it were Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Jordan or Alex Rodriguez next to you in the middle of the dessert and only room for one more in a car, who do you think would get the lift home?
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Depending on the nation, society, or culture there certainly can be a privilege to belong to part of a majority, or more importantly there are legal codes that deny you the rights of others. Look at what the Nazis did. Also the Japanese were just as bad in their treatment of other Asian cultures and Europeans.
If you are looking for evidence of that in the US you really have to dig deep. There is absolutely no privilege or punishment for being one particular race. What I will say is that whatever "privilege" whites have are usually nothing more than having been given a proper upbringing by their parents. They are given a moral compass, a good education, a work ethic and a belief in family. People of any color with those qualities generally stand the same chances.
That being said there certainly are small companies and departments within larger ones where ethnicity plays a part in hiring, firing or promotions. But its not confined to just " the good old boys".
As far as White Supremacy. It is a personal belief that is certainly held by some, but there are supremists of every race
If you are looking for evidence of that in the US you really have to dig deep. There is absolutely no privilege or punishment for being one particular race. What I will say is that whatever "privilege" whites have are usually nothing more than having been given a proper upbringing by their parents. They are given a moral compass, a good education, a work ethic and a belief in family. People of any color with those qualities generally stand the same chances.
That being said there certainly are small companies and departments within larger ones where ethnicity plays a part in hiring, firing or promotions. But its not confined to just " the good old boys".
As far as White Supremacy. It is a personal belief that is certainly held by some, but there are supremists of every race
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In order to make any kind of a rational answer to this question, you must first define "white supremacy" and its corollary "white privilege". "White" refers to race and the other two words refer to ranking or ordering, making the combined concept a "SOCIAL RACE RANKING" idea. America was founded on the ideal of NO CLASS DISTINCTIONS, that all men (humans) had Equal rights in Society and that Government was instituted to protect those rights. Social "Questions" such as "Does White Privilege/Supremacy exist" are not really questions but rather accusations that our society has Racial ranking inherent in it. America does not. Americans do if they are "very carefully taught" by idealogs who are convinced that all humans do NOT have equal rights, IE Racists. You'll notice that in all replies to this question form up on one side or another of the question and thus, forced into separate camps. It is a 'divisive' "question" that serves a purpose as much as "Have you stopped beating your wife?" Fellow veterans, we have groups of domestic anti-americans who love to see us fight each other. If we are to hold a Class free America as our ideal society and goal, the only answer to this 'question' is "Only to a Racist." I for one, am blind to race as an element of Character, to which i pay close attention. You asked my opinion, these are mine based on the intellectual warfare I see in civilian life, trying to change our free country into a Socialist one. TANSTAAFL.
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MAJ (Join to see)
"In theory, theory and practice are the same thing. In practice, they aren't" --Unknown
In theory, America is the classless society you describe. In practice, it has always had a hierarchical class structure. This isn't conjecture, or "dividing" people, it's just the cold hard truth. You can't address a problem if you won't acknowledge its existence, and there are a lot of people who know deep inside that they benefit in various subtle ways from the unequal status quo, and thus twist themselves into knots to avoid acknowledging that inequality.
In theory, America is the classless society you describe. In practice, it has always had a hierarchical class structure. This isn't conjecture, or "dividing" people, it's just the cold hard truth. You can't address a problem if you won't acknowledge its existence, and there are a lot of people who know deep inside that they benefit in various subtle ways from the unequal status quo, and thus twist themselves into knots to avoid acknowledging that inequality.
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