White Guilt

[Nell]

White Guilt-

A belief, often subconscious, among white liberals that being white is, in and of itself, a great transgression against the rest of the world for which one must spend their life making atonement.

Here is a brief litany of obvious truths that have been resisted in the public discourse of black America over the last thirty years: a group is no stronger than its individuals; when individuals transform themselves they transform the group; the freer the individual, the stronger the group; social responsibility begins in individual responsibility. Add to this an indisputable fact that has also been unmentionable: that American greatness has a lot to do with a culturally ingrained individualism, with the respect and freedom historically granted individuals to pursue their happiness--this despite many egregious lapses and an outright commitment to the oppression of black individuals for centuries. And there is one last obvious but unassimilated fact: ethnic groups that have asked a lot from their individuals have done exceptionally well in America even while enduring discrimination.

It doesn't help that he locates the cause of black weakness in things like "structural racism" and "uneven playing fields," because there has been so little correlation between the remedies for such problems and actual black improvement. Blacks from families that make $100,1300 a year or more perform worse on the SAT than whites from families that make $10,000 a year or less. After decades of racial preferences blacks remain the lowest performing student group in American higher education. And once they are out of college and in professions, their own children also underperform in relation to their white and Asian peers. Thus, this young man must also nurture the idea of a black psychological woundedness that is baroque in its capacity to stifle black aspiration. And all his faith, his proud belief, must be in the truth of this woundedness and the injustice that caused it, because this is his only avenue to racial pride. He is a figure of pathos because his faith in racial victimization is his only release from racial shame.

http://www.mcgath.com/whiteguilt.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_guilt

http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad503.html

I admit I have felt white guilt. And i have long wondered why. Why do I feel like I should atone for all the wrong my white ancestors did? Why am i so careful to not hurt feelings and step on toes? Why is it ok for comedians of other races to be racist? So many people laugh their asses off at Carlos Mencia, or Dave Chappeles parodies of how white person talks and acts. Why?

Please discuss.

[TwiztidAngel]

i dont take carlos mencia or dave chappelle serious because they rip on EVERYBODY...if it was just based on one race i wouldnt feel that way

i havent experience white guilt to the extent of some...i guess its because im a mutt

very good topic you chose Nell...i hope everybody uses their head

where's Pebo? lol

[malq]

Definitely a breeding ground for a good cockfight. Thanks for this thread Nell.
I'll start and will vow to remain civil.

lets see, for starts, white guilt is the birthplace of PC. It makes people feel better to jump on the bandwagon and support those who don't really need the support. Even as far as supporting those who are reverse racist. I feel that there are many who say things that sound PC just to look good within their peers. Not all, or even a majority but close to that.

White guilt prevents racism directed at whites.

White guilt is not justified as most of the last generation has not practiced racism as a general standard. In fact the new generation is so tolerant it has swung the other way.

[Gidget]

Let's see ... my work (a large office) has company sponsored, organized networking groups for black people, asian people, gay people, older people, people under 30, and women (but this one is by invitation only and you have to be in a certain level of management or higher to participate).

You'll notice that the average, straight white person is excluded from company sponsored, networking opportunities. But you know for a fact that no one dares complain about being excluded. It's white guilt, I guess. Somebody should start a networking group for people who don't give a shit about age, race, gender, or sexuality and see what happens.

[malq]

Probably the most glaring example of white guilt is NOT speaking of your own race as other races do. In a proud manner. Whites are not allowed to do that it's unsaid but true.

I am curious does any one disagree with the author in the statistics he quoted about black making more money then whites, but scoring less on the SAT"s?
That seems to insinuate they are less intelligent, or given the positions because they are black.

Because of white guilt you are afraid to respond to that aren't you?

[sheevaa]

I do feel white guilt, to a point. I am one of the most PC people you're likely to meet (IRL, anyway:P). Thank you customer service! I am ashamed of some of the things that my ancestors have done to other people.
Unfortunately, in customer service, people will do and say ANYTHING to get what they want. I'm been accused of being racist, discriminatory and bigoted...all because our policy was no refunds. lol. I had one guy, on the phone, tell me I was discriminating against him because he was blind...um, wtf??

However, *I* didn't do any of that shit. No one is going to browbeat me into feeling like an ass because of what 18 generations of people ago did. How is that my fault? How does it even affect anyone PERSONALLY, today?
Although you'll never get rid of it completely, in any race. We live in one of the most tolerant times, racially speaking, time to move on.

[Valasca]

i dont take carlos mencia or dave chappelle serious because they rip on EVERYBODY...if it was just based on one race i wouldnt feel that way

Actually, Mencia STEALS things from people who rip on everybody.
The Olympics thing he does? Stolen from our local radio show hosts Paul and Young Ron on Big 105.


Myself, I'm certainly not ashamed to be white, I didn't get to pick it... I'm just ashamed to be of the same race as certain people.

[Silvahalo]

I don't have White guilt, as I'm mostly a Latin mutt and not White regardless of what the census bureau has to say about it. Tho, my step-father who was White, German American and openly racist, (yeah fun, fun times growing up), would say, "the only thing a White man has to feel guilty about is not being black".

[jayjan127]

Actually, Mencia STEALS things from people who rip on everybody.
The Olympics thing he does? Stolen from our local radio show hosts Paul and Young Ron on Big 105.


Myself, I'm certainly not ashamed to be white, I didn't get to pick it... I'm just ashamed to be of the same race as certain people.

He steals from everybody from Bill Cosby to Sam Kinison...even little kids like Cartman and Jimmy...that South Park episode was hilarious! lol

[TwiztidAngel]

Actually, Mencia STEALS things from people who rip on everybody.

i still love him :P

DEEE-DEE-DEEEEE!!

[Gidget]

However, *I* didn't do any of that shit. No one is going to browbeat me into feeling like an ass because of what 18 generations of people ago did. How is that my fault? How does it even affect anyone PERSONALLY, today?
Although you'll never get rid of it completely, in any race. We live in one of the most tolerant times, racially speaking, time to move on.

I had a large crowd over for dinner on Easter Sunday. Several of my guests were Jewish. One of my friends particularly enjoyed the irony of having Jewish guests on Easter: "They killed your Jesus!! I can't believe you're going to let them IN YOUR HOUSE! On EASTER!!" I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm reasonably sure they personally did not 'kill my Jesus.' Good lord, get a grip."

Just like my Jewish dinner guests didn't personally "kill my Jesus," I personally did not have slaves. Hell, none of my ancestors had slaves, either, seeing as neither side of my family has lived in the US for more than a few generations. And yet I still have "white guilt." WTF?!

[Lizard]

Sorry, I know I'm not contributing much (yet), but Lisa Lampanelli is definitely white and builds her whole act around race and sexual orientation. I wonder if it's seen as acceptable for her because she admits to preferring black men.

[jayjan127]

Sorry, I know I'm not contributing much (yet), but Lisa Lampanelli is definitely white and builds her whole act around race and sexual orientation. I wonder if it's seen as acceptable for her because she admits to preferring black men.

No not to me & I don't really find her funny at all..however as a black female I have been conditioned to despise the white women who.."take our men" lol j/k

[DamagedGoods]

I have to say, I've never felt "white guilt," anymore than I feel guilty because a white person killed a baby, raped women/men women or any of the other varied and atrocious acts people of every single race has committed. I didn't do it, I wouldn't do it, and the behaviour makes me vehemently angry, so wtf should I feel guilty because I share race with them?

[TheMorningStar]

This post has to do with my white/black experience but you can insert any race you like.

As a white guy who went to a 99%+ black high school, I can safely say that any inkling of White Guilt was completely destroyed.
Guess why:
a) - I had it beaten out of me.
b) - I discovered blacks really are dumber than whites.
c) - They sure are musical people.
d) - I decided not to give a fuck.

If you answered 'd' you are correct! Well, 'a' is kind of correct. To see why, read on.

Here is the thing and it sounds so simple but is really hard to grasp considering how we all have been programmed. Please consider how you have been programmed because the rabbit hole runs deep. The answer is....... People are people - end of story. We all have cultural histories to be proud of and to be ashamed of.

I went from private school to getting kicked out of boarding school to ghetto school. I walked through those doors programmed in ways difficult to tell anyone who hasn't been in the ultra white boarding school world. I got my ass beat down the first day at the ghetto school. I was a little spoiled shit head in the 80's weighing a whopping 120 lbs and yet this was the only beating I received in my four years there.

As I lay there bruised and crying that night the secret came to me. Fuck color - I mean completely. Judge somebody on their behavior and leave it there. Respect everybody and if they suck stay away. If you have always been respectful, they have no reason to come looking for you. I knew I didn't get beat because I was white, it was my attitude which needed to be corrected.

It is my hope that the anonymity of the internet can help to span some of this gap. In a world of colorlessness I believe - no, I know - that bigoted whites would be surprised at how many friends they had who were of other races and vice-versa. Notice, I treat everyone with respect here and if they suck I ignore them and stay away. I will die living my life this way. I reserve the right to say "Fuck you" before ignoring you and this will only happen after you have been really sucky.

My White Guilt now involves letting my ex down (breaking her heart because I was not ready for her) and not giving my parents grandchildren. Does that count?

[MC30]

i guess i have done enough shitty things in my life to feel guilty about, why would i feel guilty about being white? its not as though i had a choice, and its not like i can do anything to change it.
and i'll be damned if i reach for a goal and aquire it, only to downplay it 'cause i'm white.
shit if i was purple i would still be proud of myself if i did something good (but if im purple then i'm more likely then not dead). actually, imo, to feel white guilt is a little .... well, almost racest. its gonna take me a min to explain myself, so give me a min.

[MC30]

ok, so i needed some help on this and then hubs came home. i asked, do you feel white guilt? his reply: 'what the fuck are you talking about?'...so i was like 'you know, feeling bad that you might get ahead 'cause your white.'
his reply: thats all bunk considering Obama is president, and im sure hes (our president) has got higher test scores then you or i put together.


and..
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7CclVneVpw"]YouTube- Rare Porky the Pig Thats All Folks[/ame]

[Aslan]

Half of my ancestors didn't get here until 1910, the other half were too poor to own land, much less people. So good luck with 'slave guilt'. Didn't exist in my family. Too busy being rogues or immigrants.
I don't feel any remorse for being born the color I am, any more than I'm sorry for being a female. I don't understand the people who feel that they are justified in attacking you because you are white and don't agree with them.
I saw a lot...LOT of this in college and I just never got it.
The way I see it, if there is something that upsets you that much, perhaps it's more a mirror than anything else.
We tend to pick out the negatives in others that are traits we share.

It's a shame we don't do that so naturally with the positives.

[Unamused Cat]

No guilt here. My family didn't arrive here until the 1890s.

[Mare]

No guilt here. My family didn't arrive here until the 1890s.

LOL! I didn't get here until the 1990's.

No guilt here either.

[TwiztidAngel]

most of my people (the mexican ones) didnt get here till 1900...my g-pa was the 1st that was born here....my people made a run for the border....the the other half of my peoples were here to begin with and they didnt do it either (the native american ones)

now my 2 youngest kids ancestors prolly did...but like someone else mentioned...that was 8 or 9 generations ago...they didnt do it

[MichaelJCheaney]

I don't feel any tinge of white guilt.

And quite honestly I don't believe that any white person should either.

I live in one of the wealthiest suburbs of Milwaukee-which also happens to be one of the most segregated cities in America. (Milwaukee I mean, NOT Pewaukee) And do you know why it is one of the most segregated cities in America?

Because of white guilt.

[backlash]

I fucking hate everybody equally. White, black, mulatto...doesn't matter. That is why I'm such a great person. I don't discriminate either.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

I don't know anyone who has white guilt. I think it's a myth.

[MichaelJCheaney]

I fucking hate everybody equally. White, black, mulatto...doesn't matter. That is why I'm such a great person. I don't discriminate either.

If I lived in DC, I would hate everybody too!!!

Hell I live around Milwaukee and also hate everybody!

[Paigey]

I don't have any white guilt, but I do get embarrassed when I witness racism.

[MichaelJCheaney]

I don't know anyone who has white guilt. I think it's a myth.

I can think of a few people here on DD that have to suffer from white guilt....

[Saffron]

I don't agree with calling anyone names no matter what their racial makeup is so that makes me "PC" and makes me have "white guilt?"

I don't have white guilt. Half of my family was here a long time ago and probably did own slaves but that was LONG ago and NONE of that money trickled down to me at all... The other half of my family emigrated in 1962 so they had nothing to do with it... in fact, my own grandmother was effectively a "serf" until shortly before WWII. She worked for a local ruling family who told her if and when she was allowed to marry, she was paid but was told what she was allowed to do with the money and where she was allowed to spend it, etc. My grandfather had to pay the family she worked for a substantial sum so that they would allow my grandmother to quit her job, marry him and start her own family.

I do tend to have "rich guilt." I am not rich by any means but I do see so many people who are poorer than me and I feel guilty that there is so much more that I want when so many go without basic necessities. It is only an accident of birth that I am not living in a mud hut, walking 5 miles to the nearest well for semi-clean water. If I were rich, I would probably not live much differently from how I live now... I'd probably give most of my money away so that everyone could live better. That's not because I'm white. It's because I'm middle class in one of the wealthiest nations in the world, it's because it's the right thing to do when you are better off than your peers to help others. Maybe it's the Girl Scout in me, it never fully leaves you...

The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.

The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be
honest and fair,
friendly and helpful,
considerate and caring,
courageous and strong, and
responsible for what I say and do,
and to
respect myself and others,
respect authority,
use resources wisely,
make the world a better place, and
be a sister to every Girl Scout.

[Echo]

Because of white guilt.

That would be White "Flight", not White Guilt. Not the same thing.

[MichaelJCheaney]

Personally I see white guilt as being more of a way for the minorities to "beat down" the people who are better off than them, so that they can get repirations for the bad things that happened to them in the past.

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are two masters at this. By telling other minorities that they are in the position they are in (poor) because of the evil white person, they are able to look like heroes to other minorities and at the same time extort money from the white people who are dumb enough to believe they are responsible for keeping the black man down.

Its extortion.

Plain and simple.