I guess I have to admit that I have had positive experiences concerning my race and ethnicity (which is white). I was fortunate in many things, such as being born healthy and not having to live in hardship and poverty during my life. I wouldn't say that all the opportunities to succeed were given to me because I was white, I had to work for what I have now. In school and growing up, I was taught the value of a person and how to not judge a person solely on the outside, but instead on his or her character.
That being said, the article "White Priviledge" seemed to be written in order to make white individuals look like horrible people. I know that some things on the author's list could be true concerning the mistreatment of not just African Americans, but any "non-white" individual. I really feel that many opportunities have opened up and become available to minorities, it's just up to the individual to seize them and become successful. I know white people did a lot of bad things over the years and hardly treated anyone with respect while America was just starting out, but you can't blame us for everything that's on the author's "white priviledge" list.
Pretty much everyone can criticize the government and its policies; including whites, blacks, Indians, Mexicans, on and on, without having to be considered a cultural outsider. If you don't like something or someone, it's sometimes the norm to speak out against it/them and give your opinion.
In my opinion, being white or black has nothing to do with being able to succeed or not succeed: it comes down to character and perserverance. If an individual is lazy, undependable, tardy all the time, and has a bad attitude, of course he or she is NOT going to succeed in life, regardless if they are black or white. I really get mad when someone comes up with the excuse: I wasn't hired or I got fired because I was minority. NO: you weren't hired/ were fired because you didn't meet the criteria or job specifications the employer was looking for!
In other words, being white hasn't really affected my life. I would have done my absoulte best to become somebody and be a productive member of society regardless of my race/ethnicity or my background.
On the other hand, I think people have become more intolerant towards homosexual people than they have minorities. I have gay friends, and I really see how the "Heterosexual Priviledge" list applies in their daily lives. It seems men and women, whether they are black or white, can be successful in whatever they want, but if they reveal they are homosexual, then their success is in jeopardy. You can't hide your skin color, but you can hide your sexual orientation, which is why I think some heterosexuals make it a big deal if they fnd out someone is gay. Even so, a gay person can be just as successful as a heterosexual person, it comes down to their internal drive and motivation to succeed, and their perservance to keep doing well.
I get so frustrated when people blame their problems on their race. Yes, that can happen, but not as much as they like to say. You have this problem becuase of your actions and character.
ReplyDeleteI agree that people have become more intolerant of gays than of minorities. However, I think that is because more and more people are "coming out" with their sexuality. I think that the more people show that they are not heterosexual, the more they will be criticized. But it's a good thing, once people realize that being gay is not a negative thing, and get used to seeing it around them they will begin to accept it.
ReplyDeleteI did not think the article was shedding a bad light on the white race. I read it as an informational article about the unawareness of white privilege. You mentioned “I would have done my absolute best to become somebody and be a productive member of society regardless of my race/ethnicity or my background.” it’s an easy thing to say because you will never be another race. In a perfect world I may be likely to agree with your post and how everyone is treated the same; and hopefully one day it will be a reality. However, there are those people who do their best and still get the short end of the stick. I have experienced being in a work place where a black person was fired because they were black. Obviously, they did not say “you are black and that’s why I am firing you”, but it has happened. I was raised in Georgia and they can fire an employee for no reason at all. It’s called the “AT-Will” law; I personally would not say that all people who come up with excuses are lazy, tardy etc... Everyone is an individual and has different circumstances. Although, I do agree with you in that opportunities have opened up and hopefully that will continue; I can’t say that we are all treated the same.
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