The Silent Guilt of White People in America (Page 2)

[Bananaman177]

This letter from a black professor excoriating the scapegoating of white people for black people's problems is worth reading.

My favorite excerpt:
"If we claim that the criminal justice system is white supremacist, why is it that Asian Americans, Indian Americans, and Nigerian Americans are incarcerated at vastly lower rates than white Americans? This is a funny sort of white supremacy. Even Jewish Americans are incarcerated less than gentile whites. I think it's fair to say that your average white supremacist disapproves of Jews. And yet, these alleged white supremacists incarcerate gentiles at vastly higher rates than Jews."

[DonCachondo]

I can understand the guilt, but I don't feel guilty. I feel INDIGNANT and DISGUSTED on behalf of black people and their recent ancestors. Whenever I hear about a new story like the Tulsa bombings, the Hampton FBI raid, etc. my blood boils as I imagine the humiliation and resentment I would feel if all those lines had been crossed in reverse.

I already have enough beef with how slow and resistant our government is to progress, but I can't imagine having the same problems revisted every couple of decades to so little effect and then having even those small gains used against us in some contrived, elaborate way (e. g. slavery partially substituted with mass incarceration for prison labor)!

[TremorJay]

White men are under fire for more than just racial division. I think a lot of this is justified and I am somewhat comfortable bearing the weight. I'd rather take too much responsibility, than not enough.

In a positive light it motivates me to be a good person. On the other hand, I do prefer to fly under the radar and avoid direct criticism from absolute strangers. In general it seems like people are scouting for political opposition. It seems people are becoming more and more isolated and less welcoming.

I know I might be going off topic, but I hope that enough men in my generation are making a change in the narrative that we are corrupt, racist, and/or sexual predators. I also hope people can recognize when a group should not be defined by the actions of a few choice individuals.

[David92506]

I enjoyed reading your comment and gave it a "thumbs up."
I'm a white male and I do feel scared. But I believe the sentence, "The Silent Guilt of White People In America" is a stereotype. Just as the following are stereotypes, "White people are racist." "Black people are put down by White people." "Blacks have huge dicks." Etc. Stereotyping a race just hurts that race. There are millions and millions of each race who don't believe those statements.

[NaultD]

My own sinical take. The hardliners are going to fall on there own swords as martyrs to prove there self fulfilling proficiency of the great replacement before accepting any guidance of peace.

The average American conservative dosen't even see there own spouse and children as people with agency. They are only extensions of self. Without that image of self they are gone without hesitation. They are probably look at less then the "other" I like your take but underestimate how people don't think beyond themselves.

[standingUP]

People are only discriminated or isolated if you own someones projection of blame. It is the same if someone called you are frog. If you know you're not a frog then it doesn't apply, simple. That also goes from ignorance pointing a finger at you. Someone who is an idiot doesn't get to own space in my shit's given.

There are all sorts of trash from all colors but I don't own what Billy John thinks or does. I am my own person. Nobody is going to divide me by their ignorance of not even knowing who and what I am. No matter what color you are you should never own someones opinion of you. I have had exes be wrong about me as well as you have. did their opinion make you own guilt? Probably not.
So why allow others that have no idea who you are project that on you.

LOL, You know what the strangest part about me being racist is? How I am suppose to break that news to all my colored friends I have had for my entire life. I think they are in for a shock, lol...

[lightbulb27]

You are correct. I see... baffled people. They want this to be ok and move forward. But decades go by and it just seems more like a boiling volcano than a sold rock.

some small % of black people enslaved people and 1% of white people took those slaves and benefited. Many people benefited from that free labor as nations were built... and the slaves never compensated, as if they could be. The rich kept their loot!

This is all what least to many being killed in the civil war, one could argue that similiar behaviors lead to WWI and WWII... that is sins of the past dealt with by a new generation.

So we recognize the suffering that can occur because trauma of the past is not resolved and carried forward.

The knowledge of good and evil continues...

[Natashakir72]

I'm fine and so is my boyfriend. My closest friend and family as well. We just kinda don't care about it all. We live our lives as we always have and leave it to the people who have lots of time and nothing to do to get involved in all these things like going to black protest and being apologetic and bowing etc. I talked to my x boyfriend few days ago and as a black man I assumed he would have a different perspective, but he didn't so I don't know where all this is coming from. I think as usual the 0.3% gets so much attention it look like a big deal. If you look at it like it really is, it's an asshole cop and he's getting prosecuted so...

[Anonymous]

I posed a similar question about how white people were also effected by the brutality of racism and slavery and the only commenter I got was someone telling me to go back to Africa.

I wish we could all have a better understanding of the racial divisions in our society and how it effects everyone so we can work together to end it. Unfortunately the voices of devicevness are the loudest. Some people only want to see black people on the bottom because they fear losing power. It's hard to be understanding to people who just want to continue hating you.

[GlitterFairy16]

Really lovely take, thank you for seeing things from a different point of view.

Im from a very diverse town and I've never seen any race different to myself or treated them that way. Most people in the real world get along with each other no matter their skin colour and have bigger issues to worry about besides their skin tone and all this hate on white people is making me feel like i can't say anything at times with friends of a different race just because im scared of upsetting them when really they just want to be treated the same as everyone else and don't need any special treatment.

[andreasderjuengere]

As a paleface who's NOT living in the U. S., my impression is that 'dominance', 'superiority', 'competition', 'rating' and 'categorizing' is very exaggerated over there.
It looks like a country filled with extremists to me, that's based on pointing out differences instead of looking for what 'we' have in common.
If it's not skin colour, then it's political 'side';
if it's not skin colour, then it's economic 'success';
and so on.
'Apope': as well meaning as I perceive you... aren't you also in a 'me/they-loop'?

[Porcelaine]

I dont know why so many people see America as the greatest country in the world to live in. It seems like a nightmare to me

[andreasderjuengere]

@Porcelaine The world's greatest mountain (Mt. Everest) is not even visible from where I live :) It's related to horizon. My own hill here is greater :D

[Porcelaine]

Haha :D

[zagor]

The media isn't the reality.

[andreasderjuengere]

@zagor So true. Henry Ford mentioned it in the 1920's already. I get my impressions from direct contacts (incl. GaGers) I try not to generalize, and do see individual people doing individual things. But the impression -overall- cannot be avoided.

[Stockton]

Are you kidding me? scared? Walking on eggshells? Why because a bunch of pussies want to act like animals let them come and try to take shit for me only scriptures that will matter then is this one I will fucking drop you where you stand I will fucking put around right between your eyes. I have the zero guilt for the shit that people put themselves into righteous anger my ass we had a black man freely elected to the most powerful office in the world president of the United States there is no inequality I have served in Africa I was in Rwanda every brother I served with thank God for their ancestors who are slaves simply because they got to grow up here in the United States these rioters can you find out who's in charge and shoots them in the middle of the street like the dogs they are

[alligatorblues]

I feel not the slightest fear or guilt In the last five years I've one black person and a few Mexicans putting on a roof. Blacks have the same opportunities as whites. The police are hard on everyone who refuses to comply, many more whites than blacks. If blacks complied to official police orders--which every citizen is legally required to do--there wouldn't be any problems.
We have laws to deal with maverick cops. We also have laws to deal with rioters. If a kid drown in a swimming pool, should we get rid of water?

[Dargil]

This may or may not be relevant to subject but it is relevant to me.
I do not and have never done anything to hold to obstruct anyone for racial reasons. I am not responsible for the sins of my ancestors. I do not owe anyone anything except my mortgage lender and credit card carrier. If you protest perceived wrongs peacefully, I will cheerfully support your Constitutional right to do so. If you attempt to violate my person, family or property as an extension of protest, I will cheerfully and lawfully send you to the morgue and still won't have any silent guilt. Systemic racism is a straw man construct that can neither be proved or disproved. If you feel the system is rigged against you (it is) look to the leaders you elect locally. You have a right to equal opportunity but no right preferences or equal outcomes.

[purplepoppy]

People also forget the whites brought civilization to the dark continent and helped them advance. We've also given colossal sums in aid both through our government taxes and charitable donations. The Romans get credit for bringing peace and civilization to Europe so why shouldn't we be thanked the same way? Before anyone shouts racist remember that African-Americans hate real Africans because they see them as less advanced.

[JosephJoestar60]

We dont want to talk about that. White people bad.

[blank_expression]

@purplepoppy You recently posted a question that promoted white guilt and now you post this. Do you consistently stand for anything?

[purplepoppy]

A questions a question not a viewpoint

[yseaguy]

So, you have never heard of Egypt? Carthage? Numidia? Nubia? Kush? Punt? Aksum? Mali? Great Zimbabwe.

Just out of curiosity, what was Europe doing while the Egyptians were constructing the Great Pyramids and operating an incredibly complex, technologically sophisticated civilization?

[yseaguy]

Also, do you give the Moors credit for bringing advanced civilization back to Europe after it had declined during the medieval period?

[DiegoO]

Lol, read history books.

[Daniel_Dano]

European countries advanced because they colonised other countries and didn't let non Europeans to advance

[DiegoO]

@Daniel_Dano And because China decided not to do it before them. The Chinese were ok their way to that.

[Powderpuff97]

Whites think their God and think their above everyone else just because they “helped with advances” whatever you said. Nobody asked y’all to do that! You killed MILLIONS of native Americans. Wiping out many tribes!

The Genocide of Indigenous people!

WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU WANT TO BE THANKED YOU ENTITLED PIECE OF SHIT!

So people should be grateful that you killed their families and took their land? G, thanks!

Whites were SELFISH! They did it entirely for themselves!

[Powderpuff97]

All nationalities had their own advantages and civilization! It wasn’t right to kill them, steal them and treat them like shit!

Fuck you ! Fuck your grandfather too 👎🏾

I’m tired of you

[DevilsAdvocator]

@Powderpuff97 Yes, HUMANS were selfish, and did it for themselves. Always for themselves. Any claim that "the whites brought civilization to the dark continent and helped them advance" are complete and utter bullshit- Africa's had a ton of civilizations over the millennia. And most of that time, the slave trade was mostly the other way, from Europe TO Africa. The largest, most prolific slave-trading markets in human history, were never involved in the Atlantic slave trade- Dublin, Prague, Genoa, Kiev, Krakow, Verdun, all founded as slave market towns, and the whole reason that slaves are called "slaves" is because the people who were enslaved and traded the most, for the longest of all, were the Slavs. The whole reason that Czechia, and the Czech national identity, came into existence in the first place, is because of slavery- because these were arguably the most prolific slave traders in recorded human history, based on the % of the world population at the time, and Czech region of Bohemia was the epicenter of the global slave export trade for over a millennia. And unlike the African slaves in America, who were at least allowed to live and breed, the Islamic states in North Africa (especially the Moors, who operated Cordoba as a slave port above all else, where the 'Saqaliba', as they called all Slavic and White European slaves, comprised more than 10% of their total population, a higher percentage than the black population of the CSA) had a serious fetish for indiscriminately castrating all of them, and using them as eunuch slave-soldier expendable cannon fodder in their wars instead. Just imagine if the White American colonialists had done the same- would there have ever been a historical black community in the Americas? But the claim that "African-Americans hate real Africans because they see them as less advanced" has some element of truth to it. All you need to do is look at the history of Liberia, and how racism works there, to illustrate that point.

[DiegoO]

On their way*...

[whoamiagain]

@DevilsAdvocator Well said
have a BA in History myself
I am appalled by how historically illiterate most of this world seems to be

Ironically her replies seem to be quite racially charged themselves

[duanemc86]

Guilt? No. Pitty? Not even a little. Annoyed as hell at the stupidity? Fucking right I am. Here's why. Actual, legitimate slave owners and the slaves themselves have been dead for almost 150 years. Just because some people like playing the victim role means shit to me. If that's what they want, that's fine. Just don't make the mistake of expecting me to feel sorry for you. Our lives are the direct result of our own choices and actions. If your life is shifty its because you made shifty choices and has nothing to do with me. I'm just going to be over here with my popcorn watching the shit show youve created for yourself.

[yseaguy]

Right. Breonna Taylor made that choice to sleep in her own bed. So that is her fault. Philando Castile was a gun owner, I am sure you believe that is punishable by death, right? Terence Crutcher had the audacity to choose to have his car break down, so that explains why he was killed.

I suppose black communities also chose to be redlined and deprived of capital, that was their poor life choice as well? Just like they chose Jim Crow, Sharecropping, and slavery? Please with that ignorant nonsense.

[zagor]

@yseaguy What about the white guy who was swatted by some gamer he pissed off, and was killed when (like Ms. Taylor's boyfriend) he pulled a weapon when a bunch of people burst into his house? Yes, being black makes you more likely to be a victim due to preconceptions by white AND other groups. But not exclusively; about 40% of the lynching victims in the first half of the 20th century in the US South were white.

[cush_ebo]

Ok... If you based your point of view on the Bible... I am sorry but you are just another dumber African lost somewhere. Please feel free to express yourself without putting religious matter in it cause as I am African, we are on the 4th wave of globalization but still serving the interest of France (14 countries control entirely by France). Don't be mad that I say you are wrong. Globalization has started with slavery so Please again don't bother myself I am black and they are systemic racist... when I was looking for a job, or flat,... even when I try to open a business bank account in HSBC they refused until I said I know the Vice president of Pepsi worldwide... so please shut up. They have advantages and racism will never stop, we are so stupid to have never manage their rules.

[Porcelaine]

What privileges do they have? Those privileges are long gone.

[cush_ebo]

Há bon? May be I was incorrect... I was just having a business plan for Europe, starting at 1,5 million euros per month... they said in France, no i can't cause I have to integrate one of the 3 family who have all restaurants in Bordeaux. For HSBC, they were only interested in my portfolio of contacts, that I got from an international institutional level in Finance. They blocked me for my skin until I show them some private phones numbers. I was pissed off... I don't work for them. So I move back. But the fucking French control our fake money.

[Porcelaine]

Clearly you are one of those black people, that if a white person doesn't give you what you want, its because of your color. If they wanted the contacts, what does that have to do with skin color?

[cush_ebo]

Han okay... you are interesting... indeed wrong... when you analyse 5 years of evolution among 7 friends in France having the same backgrounds and who used to work at the same private bank... you realize that only the 2 white ones have got premium access into jobs. Another one, I was first in my university in an international contest among 7 others for 9 available places, some shit called me back 3 days after having selected me as 1st to tell me: no we won't execute your awards not because of your results. Please... I am African yes. That doesn't mean I am poor remember that. Another one, I was in Germany, in VIP Train, I took a command at the restaurant, I choose my place beside a Japan architect... for no reason a white old women was behind my head to see why I am eating there. Yes I am African. If you don't make laugh don't bother me, USA has been made through slavery, and our frontiers and international institutions in Africa have been designed by colonialist. So where do you go with your reactions? What will it change? Take some learning then come back.

[Porcelaine]

Again, all you did is give me a few examples of POSSIBLY racism, but you just assume this, and even if they were true, these are just a handful of examples, go to another bank and they will give you the job, stop caring if someone is looking while you are eating. And where is the white privilige here? White people get rejected for jobs everyday, white people get stared at if they are in a place full of non white people. Yes America had slavery...150 years ago. It is done, it is finished. Racism still exists, but slavery is over.

[cush_ebo]

Who said I was looking for a job? Damn it. I am a little shareholder of bank in Cameroon. What the hell did I need to go for another job when I need to make business account? I ve been into all French banks before moving my demand to HSBC international in Paris... please go back and read again, I'm telling you that if I was unable to bring a fucking white into my business, the HSBC international neither the 6 French banks were not going to proceed my demand. I am not going to bring them customers... then you say slavery just end in America... America is not the world... we're talking about White Privileges and I said go read some news, you will understand what's going between Europe and Africa about African to see how slavery is still open against African... IMF, World Bank, FCFA, Free Masons... go read. For my point of view, you are just uninformed as typical from American people. If Africa don't get much better, it's impossible for African in America to get safer. White supremacists are oppressors.

[Porcelaine]

So you couldnt bring one white and that to you means this is proof white privilege exists? MAYBE he was racist, you still cannot know his true motives. Before you mentioned slavery in America, but now that I said slavery in America has ended 150 years ago, you bring up Europe, and Africa... you are giving a lot of accusations, but 0 proper examples of how is that true. Please show me some examples of how racially based slavery still exists today. And I am not American, I live in UK.

[MissDawn7961]

I am white , live in America and so are my brothers and we do not feel guilty about what happened to the black man by the police ! it is not white peoples fault when any one breaks the law ! as the song goes - do not do the crime if you can not do the time ! Thanks

[Anonymous]

Especially since white people didn't actually enslave the Africans. The Africans were already enslaved byy orher Africans in a slave-trade that had been going on for hundreds of years. The African slave owners sold them to the whites. And if they remained in Africa then they likely still would have been slaves. There is still an active slave trade in Africa

[Numbnuts89]

it should be the silent guilt of white RICH america

im white, and if i was a cop, and saw someone was doing something wrong like putting a knee to a guys throat and said he couldn't breathe. i would have physically lifted the guy off the guy

floyd was already on the ground, face down, in handcuffs, he wasn't going anywhere. the fact that chauvin had his knee in his neck, is unacceptable

[Porcelaine]

What does this situation have to do with the take? What happened was horrible coldblooded murder. But what he said in this take was spot on.

[Numbnuts89]

nope

not at all

it's about RICH white america

not just white america