Posted by Tina
It seems since America elected its first black president issues surrounding race and diversity have exploded. From the Presidents redistribution policies, to voting rights, and from accusations of racism to calls for diversity, the push for “advantage” for “people of color” has gained steam. Has this been positive or negative for America? Victor Davis Hansen raises some interesting questions in a great article at National Review this morning:
“In an increasingly multiracial society, it has grown hard to determine the racial ancestry of millions of Americans. Is someone who is ostensibly one-half Native American or African-American classified as a minority eligible for special consideration in hiring or college admissions, while someone one-quarter or one-eighth is not? How exactly does affirmative action adjudicate our precise ethnic identities these days? – Victor Davis Hansen, National Review
Hansen has an excellent point. How do we decide to give preferences when so many people come from mixed backgrounds? And are our institutions and politics way behind the curve anyway regarding opportunity and race? I look at the fact that whites will soon be a minority in America and the make up of school classrooms and, as is often the case, it seems like demographics are way out in front of expressions of white guilt.
While you’re pondering all of this consider what government programs (and education) are preaching/teaching volunteers and young people about white privilege in America:
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) wants its white VISTA volunteers who work with low-income, racially diverse public schools to examine the “privilege” their Caucasian race confers on them.
This organization has produced a get your mind right set of goals for its white volunteer workers:
— Set aside sections of the day to critically examine how privilege is working.
— Put a note on your mirror or computer screen as a reminder to think about privilege.
— Make a daily list of the ways privilege played out, and steps taken or not taken to address privilege.
— Find a person of color who is willing to hold you accountable for addressing privilege.
Perhaps the most disgusting of all is a suggestion to wear a white wrist band to remind the white person that they are privileged due to their lack of ethnic color and a bunch of luck. What’s next, rounding up white folks and shoving them into ovens?
I know, I know, that’s extreme and over the top! Yes it is…intentionally!
Oprah Winfrey, wealthy, successful black actress and talk show host is billionaire wealthy and living the life of the privileged person. There are many like her in the black community and they are not all movie stars and sports figures. Successful black own business, are on Wall Street, practice as doctors and lawyers. I absolutely dismiss all suggestions that Oprah got where she is by being lucky! Likewise, I dismiss the notion that luck is what caused whites to realize their dreams of success. I dismiss too the notion that white privilege keeps black people down. Talk about teaching people to fail!!!
The problem, as I see it, is that blacks have been told they were born without a chance for so long they believe it. They have been told they would be discriminated against to the point of giving up before they begin or at the first whiff of rejection whether its based in race or not. We have come a long way baby, as the saying goes. The biggest barrier to success for anyone in today’s world is the barriers we put in front of ourselves. Everyone has to overcome obstacles, rejection, failures and self doubt. Those who press on are the achievers. Look closely and you will see plenty of white skinned folks that have not been born to privilege and have not been “lucky”.
My answer to the questions posed by Hansen is that it’s time to let go of color politics and preferences. It’s time to embrace our common humanity and use excellence and achievement as the path to success and recognition.
What do you think?
White privilege definitely exists, and I am all for examining it, but the suggestions quoted by CNS read like a parody of liberalism. White wristbands? Notes on the mirror? Perhaps the most offensive is the suggestion to “Find a person of color who is willing to hold you accountable for addressing privilege.” That treads suspiciously close to “get a token black friend” for me.
I’ve studied white privilege in a classroom setting and too many blog conversations to count, and I’ve never seen any suggestions like the above.
When you click the link to the document on the CNS site, you now get a message from VISTA saying that the document was not theirs, but was included in a “resource packet” for volunteers. They also say that “no DPI official, nor any VISTA volunteer has used, requested, or encouraged anyone in any school to use the wristband activity as ‘reported’ and shared by external groups.”
They’ve also taken down the document, which doesn’t seem appropriate to me. The best thing to do would be to post their message, but also include the document so that people can see for themselves how much the CNS story got correct. I don’t particularly trust CNS, but this story doesn’t seem inaccurate; they don’t attribute the document directly to DPI or VISTA, and even point out that it was written by an external group. They just say that the document was linked to by DPI, which is true. I am not sure it’s fair to say that CNS has posted “misinformation” about the group (although they may be talking about sources other than CNS who have exaggerated the story).
John Scalzi has an accessible explanation of white male privilege here:
http://whatever.scalzi.com/2012/05/15/straight-white-male-the-lowest-difficulty-setting-there-is/
Tina, I am coming around to the belief that affirmative action programs should be eliminated, but I don’t think pointing out the relatively few successful black leaders in our country is a strong argument for that. Especially when you use examples such as Oprah Winfrey, who, if I am not mistaken, supports affirmative action. I am uncomfortable with the implications of using the life of an outspoken black liberal to make a point that she would likely disagree with. I think if you are going to use her as an example, you should probably look at her views of her own life and experiences before making any claims about what her life and experiences prove to you.
Chris thank you for a thoughtful response to this post.
Unfortunately the point wasn’t whether Oprah supports affirmative action or a “relative few” black persons have been elected to office. I used them as examples of achievement. Oprah did not make a billion dollars because of affirmative action. She should be acknowledged for her talent and business acumen. It is absurd to think that there is a shortage of successful blacks or that they only got where they are because of affirmative action policies and white guilt.
The point is that “white privilege” is a bunch of hooey.
I know you will site experts of this theory and that’s fine…I still say its just another divisive PC academic theory that does nothing but divide people, cause resentment, and frankly, impose greater obstacles to success for blacks who believe this crap and whites who spend time unnecessarily feeling guilty and trying to think of ways to “make up for” ancient wrongs.
Dr Carson is a good example of what happens when ANYONE presses ahead through obstacles of ANY kind by sticking to his principles as a guiding force and keeping his eye on his goal (rather than being motivated by resentment, envy, revenge, greed, reparation, lust for superior power, etc).
FREEDOM is already every mans God given right in America. Opportunity is open to anyone who lives in America. Its time we started speaking that truth to power and living like we promote it.
Oh…if any of our readers have not seen the movie, “Gifted Hands” make it a goal to see it. This man’s personal story is amazing and very inspirational!
On a related note, I recently had the pleasure of filling out the latest 4473 form from the Department Of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Evidently the DOJ has a particular interest in “ethnicity” and “race” when it comes to the purchase of a handgun.
Section 10a asks for you to identify your ethnicity as Hispanic or Non-Hispanic. Section 10b then asks you to identify yourself as American Indian, or Native Alaskan, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander or White.
I find it interesting that the DOJ has a particular interest in classifying handgun ownership requests between Hispanic and Non-Hispanic ethnicity yet makes no distinction for any other “ethnicity” such as, oh say, Northern Italian and Germanic Semite. Perhaps they will get around to it someday.
I suppose it is the intent of the DOJ to have such classifications to make it easier to identify and separate legitimate, legal gun owners from dirt bag criminals, but I leave it up to you to draw your own conclusions.
The notion of “white privilege” in this day and age is at best quaint. It is just another false, outdated narrative that progressives cling to for self justification and affirmation. In particular white progressives who ardently wish to purge themselves of their own perceived white guilt.
“Gifted Hands” is on the “Life” channel today at 10:30am.
Dr. Carson is speaking at CPAC right now.
MUST LISTEN. Black Democrat Admits Something is Sinister About Obama
There is evidence that low information voters are starting to wake up!
The sudden awakening of ‘Low Information Voters’ could be attributable to several recent events; one such event would be the Rand Paul filibuster, combined with the over-the-board fear-mongering on the Sequester. Even the media ‘group think’ geniuses are faced with damage control and pushing an odd meme that Obama is on a ‘Charm Offensive.’ Is it just me, or are those two words contradictory?
A Rush Limbaugh caller on the March 13, 2013 show offers further insights into this trend.
A black Rush Limbaugh listener called in and admitted he converted to conservatism thanks to Barack Obama.
“There’s something sinister about Obama.”
http://reagancoalition.com/articles/2013/20130315002-sinister-must.html
Tina: “Unfortunately the point wasn’t whether Oprah supports affirmative action or a “relative few” black persons have been elected to office. I used them as examples of achievement. Oprah did not make a billion dollars because of affirmative action. She should be acknowledged for her talent and business acumen. It is absurd to think that there is a shortage of successful blacks or that they only got where they are because of affirmative action policies and white guilt.”
Well, it isn’t absurd to think that there is a shortage of successful blacks. Statistically speaking, there is.
I agree that it is absurd to think that successful blacks only got to where they are because of affirmative action policies and white guilt. But if that’s what you think affirmative action supporters and the theory of white privilege suggests, then you’ve misunderstood both positions.
While I am now leaning toward opposing affirmative action, back when I firmly supported it I didn’t believe that it was the only way for a black person to get ahead, nor did anyone else I knew who supported AA ever suggest this. In fact, I’d wager opponents of AA are more likely to use this argument (witness many of Obama’s nastier critics referring to him as an “affirmative action” candidate).
Affirmative action doesn’t exist to help minorities (and white women, who are actually the largest beneficiaries of AA) get ahead on the basis of their race (or gender) *in lieu* of actual talent or acheivement. It exists to make sure that the talents and achievments of minorities and women are *recognized*. I’m always amazed at the idea that AA is used to promote undeserving minorities over their far more qualified white peers. This may happen rarely, but for the most part, beneficiaries of AA are just as qualified as anyone else–plus they provide an institution greater diversity. AA exists as a “counter-weight” to institutionalized racism, and makes sure that candidates are not discriminated against because of their race, or an unusual ethnic sounding name. (This happens more often than you might think.)
I’m not saying that AA is still necessary, but it is wrong to say that affirmative action supporters believe that minorities can’t accomplish anything without AA. They do believe that it will help establish more of a balance and help minorities as a group gain more representation in positions of power. But they don’t think it’s the only way for any individual minority or woman to succeed in life.
“The point is that “white privilege” is a bunch of hooey.
I know you will site experts of this theory and that’s fine…I still say its just another divisive PC academic theory that does nothing but divide people, cause resentment, and frankly, impose greater obstacles to success for blacks who believe this crap and whites who spend time unnecessarily feeling guilty and trying to think of ways to “make up for” ancient wrongs.”
Tina, white privilege is not equivalent to “white guilt.” In fact, the first thing you learn in a good class on anti-racism is that guilt is not a constructive emotion. To claim that this theory is really about guilt demonstrates, in my opinion, that you haven’t looked carefully enough at the theory before dismissing it.
I also think it’s backwards to say that acknowledging white privilege serves to divide people or “impose” obstacles. The divisions and obstacles already exist. As a white man, I am less likely than a minority to receive a harsh sentencing for a small crime like posession. I am less likely to be followed in a store. People are less likely to make assumptions about me because of my race, or see me as a representative of my race. I am more likely to see people of my race represented on television and movies. As a child, I was more likely to get the message that people who look like me can be the heroes of our own stories (this intersects with male privilege as well). Politicians are more likely to cater to my ethnic group when crafting legislation and speaking in public. When people see me, they usually don’t think of my race. These are all facts. Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.
I don’t believe acknowledging these realities creates division or imposes obstacles. I think they can help overcome them. But it requires thinking about the world in a way I wasn’t used to growing up, because I was never asked to. The greatest privilege that comes with being white, perhaps, is that we don’t have to think about these things. We can go a long time without thinking about how our race affects our daily lives. In that way our privilege is invisible until it is pointed out to us.
Does this blog have many readers of color? I think it’s revealing that most people who deny white privilege happen to be white themselves.
“Dr Carson is a good example of what happens when ANYONE presses ahead through obstacles of ANY kind by sticking to his principles as a guiding force and keeping his eye on his goal (rather than being motivated by resentment, envy, revenge, greed, reparation, lust for superior power, etc).”
I think it’s offensive and, more importantly, inaccurate to imply that those who recognize white privilege are motivated by “resentment, envy, revenge, greed, reparation, lust for superior power, etc.”
“FREEDOM is already every mans God given right in America. Opportunity is open to anyone who lives in America. Its time we started speaking that truth to power and living like we promote it.”
Tina, I have always believed in the American dream of opportunity, but the fact is that social mobility in the U.S. is now lower than in most other Western democracies. Americans are less likely than Europeans and Canadians to gain a socioeconomic position better than their parents. Yet at the same time, Americans are more likely than any other group to *believe* that they can move up, which is why there is so much resistance in America to progressive policies that have allowed Europeans increased social mobility. It’s a vicious cycle. I don’t feel that simply repeating the idea that anyone can make it in America, while at the same time resisting progressive policies, is constructive. If anything, it keeps us locked in the cycle.
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42400.pdf
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-american-dream-is-now-a-myth-2012-6
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/us/harder-for-americans-to-rise-from-lower-rungs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
The New York Times piece provides some compelling possible explanations for the reduction of mobility in America:
“One reason for the mobility gap may be the depth of American poverty, which leaves poor children starting especially far behind. Another may be the unusually large premiums that American employers pay for college degrees. Since children generally follow their parents’ educational trajectory, that premium increases the importance of family background and stymies people with less schooling…
…The causes of America’s mobility problem are a topic of dispute — starting with the debates over poverty. The United States maintains a thinner safety net than other rich countries, leaving more children vulnerable to debilitating hardships.
Poor Americans are also more likely than foreign peers to grow up with single mothers. That places them at an elevated risk of experiencing poverty and related problems, a point frequently made by Mr. Santorum, who surged into contention in the Iowa caucuses. The United States also has uniquely high incarceration rates, and a longer history of racial stratification than its peers.
“The bottom fifth in the U.S. looks very different from the bottom fifth in other countries,” said Scott Winship, a researcher at the Brookings Institution, who wrote the article for National Review. “Poor Americans have to work their way up from a lower floor.”
A second distinguishing American trait is the pay tilt toward educated workers. While in theory that could help poor children rise — good learners can become high earners — more often it favors the children of the educated and affluent, who have access to better schools and arrive in them more prepared to learn.
“Upper-income families can invest more in their children’s education and they may have a better understanding of what it takes to get a good education,” said Eric Wanner, president of the Russell Sage Foundation, which gives grants to social scientists.
The United States is also less unionized than many of its peers, which may lower wages among the least skilled, and has public health problems, like obesity and diabetes, which can limit education and employment.
Perhaps another brake on American mobility is the sheer magnitude of the gaps between rich and the rest — the theme of the Occupy Wall Street protests, which emphasize the power of the privileged to protect their interests. Countries with less equality generally have less mobility…”
Chris: “Well, it isn’t absurd to think that there is a shortage of successful blacks. Statistically speaking, there is.”
Do you care to discover the reason?
Does it occur to you that young blacks hear more about how much they have been oppressed than they do about the men and women that have achieved and how they got there. they are well aware of how drug dealers, pro sports figures, actors and musicians have achieved but even then it is served up with plenty of black superiority baggage…more divisive crap. They do not learn about the successful black working on Wall Street, in business, in medicine and other professions.
Drugs, broken families, poor schools and a lousy message add up to a dire consequence. Huffington Post:
This woman blames the drug war and racial discrimination for this condition. I think that is a short-sighted, biased opinion that comes straight out of the PC playbook.
“It exists to make sure that the talents and achievments of minorities and women are *recognized*.”
It assumes that this would not happen without government policy interference and force. the result of years of preferences is a situation where black men are in prison and white men have been excluded and given up.
People are capable of working through problems. Some are stronger than others or more determined and they lead the way but others soon follow because of the inroads made by the strong. Over the years I’ve seen what happens and it’s pretty clear to me that outside pressures and (government) regulations create unexpected consequences that are often worse than the original problem. Prior to affirmative action and the growth of race activism black families were in tact, they were religious and the parents were highly motivated to see their kids educated and successful. They saw discrimination as something to overcome rather than something to use as an excuse.
How do you hide the talents and achievements of people? When person is successful, even if his success is simply that he’s doing a good job of providing for his family, it is noticeable. When a person screws up, gets involved in drugs and gangs and ends up in jail that’s noticeable too. I’d rather have the majority of people like the first example because I know that what will result is a safer, more balanced society that also happens to produce a few bright lights that make an extraordinary contribution.
“As a white man, I am less likely than a minority to receive a harsh sentencing…When people see me, they usually don’t think of my race.”
Instead of this becoming less so over the last thirty-forty years it has persisted. Affirmative action, race activism, holding on to and promoting racial resentment for political purposes has created division and resistance to whatever natural forces would have followed the civil rights movement of the sixties. The Democrat Party’s baseless accusation of racism within the Republican Party to win elections is the one thing that angers me most. This is the most despicable trick of all in the Democrat bag of tricks and not because it hurts me but because it hurts black and our society as a whole. Americans are generally inclusive and tolerant of each other. Teaching blacks that nearly half the population is racist is unconscionable. The situation today was created in part (perhaps unintentionally) by ill-advised PC solutions and it will not be solved with more of the same. Affirmative action was not all bad…but it became very political and was only part of the race activism I’m talking about.
“but the fact is that social mobility in the U.S. is now lower than in most other Western democracies. Americans are less likely than Europeans and Canadians to gain a socioeconomic position better than their parents. Yet at the same time, Americans are more likely than any other group to *believe* that they can move up, which is why there is so much resistance in America to progressive policies that have allowed Europeans increased social mobility.”
Chris you have that exactly ass backwards. The left has been in control of our schools. American kids believe in and are living like the socialists of Europe. They have not learned the values that their grandparents and great grandparents had. Values that created true upward mobility in the US. The countries you site are bankrupt. Canada is doing better than America… but it has turned to free market principles. The socialist notion that everyone should attain the same level disallows real success and dynamic achievement and settles for mediocrity for all; eventually it collapses…think Greece.
Chris you are young so you are excused from having experience that would inform you of the past four or five decades. Progressive thought has had great influence over those years, particularly in education and social media. It is, in fact, the cause of the destruction that has you so concerned. The extreme progressive left has done all it can to erase the values and teaching that was America. You live in the result of their efforts…and Electing President Obama has only highlighted and made this fact more obvious.
We have less opportunity and more people in poverty now after six years of democrat control (remember they took the House and Senate in 2006) than we had before. The policies adopted by Obama keep people stuck in poverty, unable to find work and settling for a slow lackluster economy. Their are no proposals to change policies just a doubling down which will only further weaken the country.
The New York Times article makes me what to barf…literally! This liberal rag speaks of poverty as if progressive fixes (the great society) had NOTHING to do with the current condition. Good God…the cheek! Progressives NEVER take responsibility and because of that they will NEVER look at the root problems that cause poverty, high tuition costs, inflation, income inequality, or a non-recovery economy.
Chris I feel like I’ve talked till I’m blue in the face. I won’t specifically address any more of the stuff you posted because its all the same old song from the left.
If you want greater opportunity for all you will have to alter your thinking. May I suggest:
How Excessive Government Killed Ancient Rome – CATO
A Retrospective on Johnson’s Poverty War – Mises
Tina: “Do you care to discover the reason?”
Yes, I do, which is why I have studied the issue extensively. Have you?
“Does it occur to you that young blacks hear more about how much they have been oppressed than they do about the men and women that have achieved and how they got there. they are well aware of how drug dealers, pro sports figures, actors and musicians have achieved but even then it is served up with plenty of black superiority baggage…more divisive crap. They do not learn about the successful black working on Wall Street, in business, in medicine and other professions.”
With all due respect, how could you possibly know this? How much time have you spent in the black community, or in classrooms made up of mostly black children?
“This woman blames the drug war and racial discrimination for this condition. I think that is a short-sighted, biased opinion that comes straight out of the PC playbook.”
Of course you do. “This woman” is Michelle Alexander, a black Stanford graduate and law professor at Ohio State University who has fought for civil rights all her life and worked for the ACLU. No offense, but she has a better perspective of this issue than you. It would be nice if you would listen to the people who are most deeply affected by the policies you propose, even if doing so makes you uncomfortable. They might know something about their own lives and experiences that you do not.
As for your claim that the problems in America are a result of European-style socialism…if that is true, than how is it possible that the European countries you refer to as “socialist” have higher social mobility than the U.S?