tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post8557357591629944066..comments2024-03-22T20:34:13.792-05:00Comments on Indomitable | The online home of Chauncey DeVega: An Object Lesson in White Privilege: What if Sarah Palin were Black?Lady Zora, Chauncey DeVega, and Gordon Gartrellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09138154899923808806noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-10575527113956748662012-03-06T11:23:55.672-06:002012-03-06T11:23:55.672-06:00I saw it ).
If Palin where black she...
...wou...I saw it ). <br /><br />If Palin where black she...<br /><br />...would be married to a convicted larson, because the RNC would have gone after him for not repaying them for the $137,000 worth of underwear he took.<br /><br />...would never have made it past the door of the party convention, because they would have mistaken her for a protester or a spurned paramour trying to get child support.<br /><br />...would have been laughed off the stage once she got there, because McCain wasn't choosing her for her politics, he was choosing her because their base demographic (white males) go for white women with big boobs and he was in a hurry. She was picked because she was a beauty queen, not because she had any bona fide qualifications. They already had Steele, they didn't need anyone of color to be a face. <br /><br />Another poster made an extremely cogent point that pretending the Republican party of the 60s and its support for Civil Rights was laughable as a reason for supporting them today, as if the black community somehow owed them something. What the poster missed was how they then turned around and completely destroyed what rep they might have had by embracing the Southern Strategy and crapping all over the very people they had previously helped. <br /><br />Today's Republican isn't the Republican of the early 60's, kiddo. You have no claim to Eisenhower's legacy, and you have every right to be painted with David Duke's brush. Don't conflate "conservative" with "Republican" - though the two are extremely tightly paired today, it wasn't always so: the Democrats of the South in the 60s were conservative in ways that would make Limbaugh look like Rosa Parks.<br /><br />As a white male, I'm grossed out to see morons like "Scruffy" and "M" try to pull such obviously illogical - and honestly, ass-holish - arguments out and trot them around. <br /><br />@the author: This was a really good post. It served very well to "bring home" your point in a way I hadn't considered before. Well done, I'll be recommending it to others, and thanks for the insight. <br /><br /> TThomas Theobaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04993902826736792553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-38641355585758223432012-01-18T12:51:53.823-06:002012-01-18T12:51:53.823-06:00I hope SOMEBODY see's this, it's been near...I hope SOMEBODY see's this, it's been nearly a full year since it has been posted.<br /><br />"Tell me, how would you fill in the blank? If Sarah Palin were black she..."<br /><br />$he would have become irrelevant as quickly as Hermie Cain was, as soon as she quit her job and started to grift. Her PAC's would have been charged as illegal, and she would NOT have gotten a time slot and bug fat contract with Fux News or ANY News Organization.<br />Hell~ Her ass would be sitting in Prison by now for all the laws she has broken.<br />Last, but not least~ we would know who Tri-G's REAL Parents are!!mary bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14939648953352491256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-76540093224330476352011-02-04T23:06:53.368-06:002011-02-04T23:06:53.368-06:00"Michelle
New York, NY
#7
Sep 19, 2008
I..."Michelle<br />New York, NY <br />#7<br />Sep 19, 2008<br /><br />I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight.....<br /><br />* If you grow up in Hawaii, raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."* Grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, a quintessential American story.<br /><br />* If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.* Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.<br /><br />* Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable.* Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well-grounded.<br /><br />* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a vote r registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 2 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking ex ecutive.<br /><br />* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your broken and disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.<br /><br />* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant, you're very responsible.<br /><br />* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DUI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.<br /><br />OK, much clearer now. "Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-49240297461094535242011-01-21T13:21:26.523-06:002011-01-21T13:21:26.523-06:00"So let me get this straight, if I disagree w..."So let me get this straight, if I disagree with you, I'm a racist, is that it?"<br /><br />Actually, I think you're probably a racist regardless of whether you agree or disagree. I mean, you're a racist -- what does that have to do with other people's opinions of you? <br /><br />I've never understood this retort. Everyone who whips it out is racist whether or not it's snowing, whether or not there's a re-run of Cheers on, heads or tails -- I mean, you're a racist because you *hate blacks*, not because you agree or disagree with anyone else on anything in particular.<br /><br />Am I missing something?hnicenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-57601527402531506362011-01-20T16:51:45.774-06:002011-01-20T16:51:45.774-06:00There is nothing respectable about this article or...There is nothing respectable about this article or the comments - you are just plain mean.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-59014458967508028182011-01-19T13:21:30.648-06:002011-01-19T13:21:30.648-06:00Scruffy, when you fix your mouth to tell an ENTIRE...Scruffy, when you fix your mouth to tell an ENTIRE RACE what they are thinking, why this thinking is wrong, and what they need to do to come into compliance with your worldview, you might have some race issues. You have been lecturing like MAD about "the black race" and how we are so ungrateful and don't know how lucky we are to have wise folks like you to tell us what the fuck is wrong with us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-74180347958582580442011-01-19T13:04:21.438-06:002011-01-19T13:04:21.438-06:00I love how Scruffy is the Appointed White Arbiter ...I love how Scruffy is the Appointed White Arbiter of All Things Racial.<br /><br />He really feels that you darkies should be looking to him for tips on how to be a Good Minority That Does Not Discuss or Do Things That Make Whites (i.e. "naturally good people") Uncomfortable. No one wants to hear our darkie issues. Hint - Non-whites should be grateful and deeply obsequious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-78084930656851263152011-01-19T12:59:37.236-06:002011-01-19T12:59:37.236-06:00Scruffy: So what you are saying is that a black A...Scruffy: So what you are saying is that a black American who votes for a black politician is ONLY doing it for racial solidarity. If they don't vote for a white person, they are racist (because no black could be qualified, right?).<br /><br />Because we always vote for black candidates. That is why Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson won so many presidential elections. Why they ALWAYS carried the black vote. Because we are stupid and mindless and racist. All black people. Got it. <br /><br />No, you aren't a fucking racist shitbag at all. And you know what, I don't appreciate my ENTIRE race being lectured by some fat white gasbag who thinks he knows why I vote, how much I know about a candidate, and moans about how somehow - I am suppose to vote Republican because, you know, Lincoln freed the slaves. Your candidates are anti-intellectual, dog-whistling morons. That is why they generally don't get my vote.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-83303360593087399202011-01-19T12:18:38.916-06:002011-01-19T12:18:38.916-06:00If Sarah Palin were black, she'd be just as sc...If Sarah Palin were black, she'd be just as scary a candidate for president as she is white.<br />An idiot is an idiot, doesn't matter what their skin color is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-81902052346055408932011-01-19T11:34:58.545-06:002011-01-19T11:34:58.545-06:00FYI, I tried to share the link to this post at Fac...FYI, I tried to share the link to this post at Facebook, and was notified that "the content has been flagged as abusive." I filled out their form explaining why it's not abusive, but clearly the "leave Sarah Palin aloooooone!" syndrome has already kicked in. But nah, there's no privilege there.Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09460519271990997286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-10938623747432326572011-01-19T11:33:38.728-06:002011-01-19T11:33:38.728-06:00"Bus you across town so you would have to go ..."Bus you across town so you would have to go to school with people you neither like or choose to freely associate with?"<br /><br />Who knew "those people" where staying away from the white schools on their own decision?!<br /><br />History is lost on some people. They lack the comprehension abilities to understand its flow and evidence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-53015731197560030242010-12-02T13:19:05.941-06:002010-12-02T13:19:05.941-06:00IF PALIN WAS OF ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP SHE WOULD N...IF PALIN WAS OF ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP SHE WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION OF NATIONAL AUTHORITY ANYWAY, THIS IS WHITE PRIVILEGE.<br /><br />Question: Do white people lower their<br />heads in collective shame when they listen to Sarah Palin? Is there a<br />moment where white folks shake their heads in mass and say to<br />themselves, "Lord, I wish she weren't white?"<br /><br />NO, PALIN REPRESENTS A LARGE SEGMENT OF WHITE SOCIETY WHO APPLAUD HER IGNORANCE, MANNER, AND FIND HER CLOAKED/CODED RACISM CLEVER.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-32229866112580819212010-02-14T19:03:48.704-06:002010-02-14T19:03:48.704-06:00I am fascinated by scanning the comments here, jus...I am fascinated by scanning the comments here, just as I was fascinated by reading the comments on my blog posting on what if Palin and Limbaugh were black.<br /><br />There was a tendency of some commenters on both blogs to want to avoid the taboo subject of racism in our society. Some people used verbal aggression on your blog, while I noticed some people using deflection and denial on my blog in order to avoid an uncomfortable subject. The open discussion of racism has become a bigger taboo in our society than the open discussion of sex. Our society isn't well served by either taboo. You've done something really interesting with this blog posting.libhomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537213558568338561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-40991165649915570462010-02-13T11:20:40.394-06:002010-02-13T11:20:40.394-06:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKIfzoC8D0
God, i...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlKIfzoC8D0<br /><br />God, if Sarah Palin had made a gaffe like that you guys would be crawling all over it, talking about how unqualified she is and what a terrible person she is!<br /><br />As a vet, I just have to hang me head in sadness. . . <br /><br />I just have this vision of Gunny R. Lee Ermy getting in Obama’s face : “What’s your malfunction numbnuts? You’re a Harvard Grad and you don’t know the difference between <b>Corps</b> and <b>Corpse</b>? You flunked lunch at Harvard, didn’t you?” LOLScruffy Sciroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08052356705555455175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-1308794614615866772010-02-13T00:32:58.676-06:002010-02-13T00:32:58.676-06:00@Scruffy
"How is this such a heinous gaffe?&...@Scruffy<br /><br /><i>"How is this such a heinous gaffe?"</i><br /><br />I never called what she did a "heinous gaffe".<br /><br />I in fact have no real problems with a politician wanting to speak off of notes during a Q&A. It's her prerogative. My only hope, however, is that if she had wanted to use notes, she would have stopped off at Staples first and picked up some index cards. It looks a bit more professional.<br /><br />What I did say was that "The damage to Sarah Palin over this is going to be negligible".<br /><br />Everything that I have seen so far from Fox News, the Tea Party organizations and from conservative radio has reinforced this opinion.<br /><br /><i>"But I don’t hear anyone directly addressing the actual content of what she said on it’s merits, except to say “she’s an idiot... Tell me what she said that was so out of line with you.”</i><br /><br />I never said she was an idiot - again attempting to words in my mouth. In fact, the only person I see being obstructionist in this discussion is you and possibly M.<br /><br />http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/tirelessrebutter.htm<br /><br />Let's actually look at the crib notes themselves, since her ideas written on her hand were obviously apart or her overall message:<br /><br />"Energy", "Tax" and "Lift American Spirits".<br /><br />As a friend recently said to me: If these were her major talking points for the entire evening, why didn't she have these memorized already? Especially since she was briefed well in advance regarding what subjects were going to be covered during the Q&A?<br /><br />To me, this doesn't make her an idiot. What it does make her is unprepared. And that may be just as bad in a potential commander in chief.<br /><br /><i>"I saw the same speeches and thought the guy [Obama] was a disaster, and espouses the antithesis of what I want to see in my government."</i><br /><br />Well, having lived through 8 years of folksy down-home straight shooting under George Bush, let me just say that I was refreshed to see the President actually going into the "enemy camp" and attempting to have a debate. That, to me, showed balls.<br /><br />And if you can't admit that, regardless of whether you agree with his politics or not, then AE is right. You do have blinders on.Bill the Lizardhttp://open.salon.com/blog/bill_the_lizardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-41186536177193213242010-02-12T23:01:12.518-06:002010-02-12T23:01:12.518-06:00Masterful threadhijacking, scruffy. You managed to...Masterful threadhijacking, scruffy. You managed to run this discussion right into the ground. Right into the sewer. In fact, I'm very tempted to ask, "Who's paying you, meatball?" There's this certain deathly stench rising from your words. Indeed, from you yourself; you emanate the reek of the walking braindead, the compassion challenged, the empathy starved, the morally stunted, the childishly selfish. You've learned to ignore so thoroughly the bones and skulls grinding beneath your feet, that you don't even know they're there anymore. You smugly assume that your paltry throne is of your own making. You have absolutely no idea how absurd you look to those to whom you so confidently condescend. And don't you fucking dare try to claim that this response is an ad hominem about you; it's about the bilious, puerile content of your words. Only your life-quenching words.AEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-17593693350130165222010-02-12T22:32:57.518-06:002010-02-12T22:32:57.518-06:00@Bill
I’m a little confused by the – I don’t know ...@Bill<br />I’m a little confused by the – I don’t know – attention? Outrage? That this Palin with notes on her hand thing has generated. Can you please enlighten me? <br /><br />How is this such a heinous gaffe? What if she had written the very same notes on a 3x5 card? Would you be so incensed then? You know, ladies don’t have the advantage of convenient pockets in a lot of outfits that men have. She wrote eight words on her hand, and from those notes she spoke for more than an hour. Who here can do that? She even made fun of the fact that this has gotten so much attention by later writing “Hi Mom!” on her palm. I think this was classic, to show just how silly this whole discussion has become. I hear all kinds of criticism of the fact that she *gasp* wrote on her hand! But I don’t hear anyone directly addressing the actual content of what she said on it’s merits, except to say “she’s an idiot.” Is this what passes for political discourse in your world? This attitude is obstructionist and does nothing toward persuading your political adversaries to consider your position. Tell me what she said that was so out of line with you.<br /><br />If Obama had gotten caught with notes on his hand, exactly nothing would have happened. Obama has attended a blatantly racist church preaching liberation theology for twenty years. He’s a close associate with a Governor who was unseated for political scandals directly associate with Obama. He was closely associated with a real estate fraud scandal. He’s spent an enormous amount of resources and funds to deflect questions about his birth certificate which a simple letter and $40 fee to a county clerk could clear up. He has known ties to a co-founder of a communist revolutionary group that conducted domestic terrorism in the ‘60s and ‘70’s. <br /><br />All of this, and the media refuses to investigate or even comment. I think Obama could have survived a notes on the hand scandal just fine.<br /><br />You say Obama was hitting home runs, because he said thing sin such a way that you could read in what you wanted to hear. I saw the same speeches and thought the guy was a disaster, and espouses the antithesis of what I want to see in my government. This whole healthcare thing is a manufactured crisis that promises to cripple our economy, healthcare and government. Obama speaks of bipartisanship, yet has shunned the inputs of the right at every step. The clock ran out, though, and now the democrats lack the supermajority. You guys had your chance, you had total control, and you got exactly nothing done.Scruffy Sciroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08052356705555455175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-64945628747015059192010-02-12T21:50:35.157-06:002010-02-12T21:50:35.157-06:00The rest of these points are understandable, real ...The rest of these points are understandable, real insecurities that any reasonable person would feel in a society where that person was an easily recognizable minority. They’re not by any means unique to the black Americans. Here in America, you have to ask the question for each of these points if race is affecting your experience. Try going to Japan. There’s no asking there, you <i>know</i>, because the Japanese are the most deeply racist people on the face of the planet, and they’re unashamed of that fact. Still, I would argue that while these are reasonable anxieties, one should keep them in perspective and not become overtly paranoid, assuming that every interaction you have in life is tainted by the color of each other’s skin. You can’t blame every white person for “white privilege”. The white population can’t help being a majority any more than you can help being an easily identifiable minority. If you ignore it when it happens and be secure in your own abilities and sense of worth, I promise you it’ll go away. If you choose to cater to your anxieties, segregate yourself and interpret every action with racist overtones, then I promise you they will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you use this as an excuse for not being able to succeed, that does nothing to promote your cause. I still maintain that social color blindness is the ultimate objective. This was Dr. King’s vision. It cannot happen unless we all become color blind – your side included.Scruffy Sciroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08052356705555455175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-46730075937628021442010-02-12T21:50:00.047-06:002010-02-12T21:50:00.047-06:00AE,
Please accept my apologies, my first cursory ...AE, <br />Please accept my apologies, my first cursory glance at this paper gave me an incorrect impression and I reacted without carefully analyzing the paper. <br /><br />I’m looking at http://www.case.edu/president/aaction/UnpackingTheKnapsack.pdf<br /><br />I vehemently disagree with the Author’s assertion that to empower one group you have to dis-empower another. That’s divisive, not constructive. Empowerment is not a limited resource.<br /><br />This work would get a lot more traction if items 1,2,6,7,8, 24, 26, 44, 45, 46 were redacted. These points make the assumption that color is of primary importance to the individual, and assumes that the individual has deeply racist leanings to the point where contact with other races is shunned, contact with people of one’s own race is preferred, or that it’s important that the individual is bombarded with imagery about that person’s skin color. If this is that important to you, then you have some real problems.<br /><br />Item 33 is both paranoid and racist. It assumes stereotypes. I’d be more worried about what my shape, bearing or body odor said about me than about my race. <br /><br />Items 9, 12 and 41 are facetious. There’s no shortage of publishers or stores to cater to black culture, and no one gets turned away at the ER on the basis of color. If I get turned away for some lame reason, the system is asinine. If you get turned away for the same lame reason, the system is racist. See the logical disconnect? Item 40 is also no longer an issue that’s predominantly black<br /><br />Item 22 is just plain untrue. People of “color” are not the world’s majority. Unless by your definition of “color” you mean non-white. The fact is that the American Black feels just as out of place in most of the world as does the American white. Ex-pat Americans congregate together around the world without regard to race, because we feel more comfortable with other Americans, no matter what their color. The American Black culture is a unique culture exclusive to America. And most blacks are just as oblivious of the world’s cultures as are whites. I really don’t know what point the author is trying to make.<br /><br />Item 31 speaks in foreboding generalities, null point unless those generalities are specified.<br /><br />Item 35 speaks of affirmative action as if it’s a good thing. I contend that it’s day is past and that it’s a net negative in 2010.<br /><br />Items 3, 4, 5 14, 37, 48, 49 and 50 have little or nothing to do with race. These are normal anxieties experienced by everyone regardless of color. Item 49 is a real reach. The Mother/Father/children family unit is still the norm in black American society, so what is the author’s point? Sounds like racist stereotyping on the point of the author.<br /><br />Item 15 is false. How we educate our children differs, and affects race relations.<br /><br />I think items 10 and 30 are particularly poignant, considering the challenge I’ve experienced being heard on this forum. Item 34 really has me howling! As minority, I would think you would take pride in demonstrating a higher standard than that which is applied to you. Item 11 applies here too, but really is a null point. Anyone can be casual about anything.<br /><br />Item 27 is facetious. Why would someone belong to an organization if it made them feel like that?<br />(continued)Scruffy Sciroccohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08052356705555455175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-5556646988920032502010-02-12T20:57:33.463-06:002010-02-12T20:57:33.463-06:00@M:
"...I call instant BS on that. The few t...@M:<br /><br />"...I call instant BS on that. The few times he's gone off prompter he's been horrible."<br /><br />Oh Really?<br /><br />So it was Obama's horrible oratory skills that caused Fox News to cut away from the GOP Caucus while it was in progress - while Obama was in mid-sentence?<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yJorq5mBVs<br /><br />And this must also be why a Republican told Luke Russert behind closed doors: "It was a mistake that we allowed the cameras roll like that; we should not have done that."<br /><br />http://twitter.com/RussertXM_NBC/status/8380253627<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aW9V2chiRCk<br /><br />He was schooling them and they knew it. The GOP has been on damage control ever since Jan. 29.Bill the Lizardhttp://open.salon.com/blog/bill_the_lizardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-52581580320939711802010-02-12T16:46:12.724-06:002010-02-12T16:46:12.724-06:00M, u must've missed O making homeruns out of e...M, u must've missed O making homeruns out of every one of some Repulicans' questions in Baltimore recently. Your confirmation bias is blinding you.<br /><br />As for w privilege, you're both rebutting claims that no one has made and understating the pervasive significance of racism.<br /><br />For someone wearing such big blinders, you sure sound arrogant. It's quite comical.AEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-89656769526075319972010-02-12T16:26:25.439-06:002010-02-12T16:26:25.439-06:00@Bill the Lizard: I think you and I are experienc...@Bill the Lizard: I think you and I are experiencing the same bias. I feel like Palin has been unfairly excoriated for the hand thing and that Obama gets off scot free. You can tell me all day long about "his obvious ability to skillfully and thoughtfully debate and discussion wide-ranging issues without any notes whatsoever" and I call instant BS on that. The few times he's gone off prompter he's been horrible. Which is why he brings his teleprompter to elementary school speeches.<br /><br />On other hand, Palin uses the analog version of a teleprompter and gets made fun of (very inappropriately, I might add) by the White House Press Secretary, who is as pompous a windbag as Rush Limbaugh.<br /><br />So, I think we suffer from the same bias and see what we want to see. I don't think it's inappropriate for either person to use a teleprompter or hand notes. <br /><br />But don't start telling me Palin's getting off without any damage and Obama's been mortally wounded because that's simply not true.mhttp://mjb.biglaughs.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-8815810940240931082010-02-12T16:21:52.309-06:002010-02-12T16:21:52.309-06:00@AE: "nitpicky responses", huh? I fail ...@AE: "nitpicky responses", huh? I fail to understand how challenging the fundamental thesis offered up is "nitpicky". Yes, inherent in the word privilege is the idea of haves and have nots. Yes, white people are the majority (overwhelming, it turns out: 77% of all citizens are white, non-hispanic, while only about 13% are black). So, yes, there are more of us. And, yes, that means we're more likely to be in situations where we're in the majority (i.e., many more white people in the room than black).<br /><br />Does that automatically mean we're more comfortable? Unequivocally, no. Does that automatically mean we're listened to? No. I attend meetings each month with our company's executive committee (I'm not an executive). Am I comfortable? No. Am I listened to? No. Most of the time I make a comment, I hear crickets afterwards. My boss will make the same comment 2 minutes later and instant nods and agreement. And we're all the same color.<br /><br />So, to Scruffy's point earlier, race is not the only dimension and not necessarily a valid one to consider. It doesn't correlate with educational achievement (on an individual basis) and it doesn't correlate with job performance.<br /><br />Are black people going to ever be in a situation where they are in the position whites are? Doubtful. There are about 6 whites in this country for ever black person. Does that mean black people can't succeed or compete successfully with whites? <br /><br />Heavens no! And anybody who tells you that you can't either is trying to keep you on welfare or is wearing a white sheet. And, frankly, I dont' see the difference.mhttp://mjb.biglaughs.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-20338087401716242022010-02-12T15:56:04.334-06:002010-02-12T15:56:04.334-06:00@Scruffy
You state: "If you can convince me ...@Scruffy<br /><br />You state: "If you can convince me that white privilege in fact exists..."<br /><br />Since this discussion started with Sarah Palin, let's re-focus on her:<br /><br />http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/feb/09/sarah-palin-speech-notes-palm<br /><br />The damage to Sarah Palin over this is going to be negligible. She will still continue to gain support amongst the Tea Baggers and the Right. She will continue to offer political commentary to Fox News. And she will still be a major Republican candidate in 2012, just in time for the "end of the world" (if you believe the Mayans and John Cusack).<br /><br />The palm pilot thing will not hurt her as a politician, because, as Chauncey and others have already stated, her cult of personality is too strong.<br /><br />Now, what would have happened to President Obama if he had written notes on his hands and gotten caught using them in just the same way that Sarah Palin did?<br /><br />Better yet, what would have happened to Senator Obama if he had been caught with crib notes on his hands? My thinking is that he would <b>not</b> have been the Democratic candidate for the President in 2008.<br /><br />Keep in mind: Obama has already been mocked in some circles for supposedly relying on teleprompters - an attack that Sarah Palin herself made against him.<br /><br />And these "teleprompter" attacks against Obama come despite his obvious ability to skillfully and thoughtfully debate and discussion wide-ranging issues without any notes whatsoever:<br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1y04g6OPLnQ<br /><br />This, to me, is a massive double standard. And since the idea of White Privilege is that white people view their experiences as "normal" and not "advantaged", I consider this to be an extremely serious problem regarding the state of politics in the United States.<br /><br />Sarah Palin may just view herself as "normal". But looking at the facts, it is obvious she has an advantage here that is not afforded to all of her peers.Bill the Lizardhttp://open.salon.com/blog/bill_the_lizardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57113078446695664.post-3561601234397403572010-02-12T15:49:02.281-06:002010-02-12T15:49:02.281-06:00Scruffy: you think that foundational work of anti-...Scruffy: you think that foundational work of anti- racist thought is itself racist? Holy shit -- I think there really may be no hope for you. At any rate, I'm done playing in the sandbox with you; I'm way past childhood (and no, that's not about YOU, it's about the level of your displayed understanding of racism today).<br /><br />m: there seems to be a glimmer of hope with you, but you should know that your nitpicky responses to that article are mighty white of you (whether you're white or not). White privilege simply is, and privilege only exists when others don't have it.AEnoreply@blogger.com