Why do white feel that they are such a privileged group? when this country was built on the backs of slaves.?

Question

had it not been for slaves would this country be the most powerful?

europeans came to this country and inslaved raped killed and diseased native americans and all thoseother races where enslaved as well after the robberies and the raping and the diseases that almost wiped out most american indians . read the real history books not the ones that betray you as saviors. the ones that really tell you what happen.

Answer 1

Well that's almost a coherent thought.

I'm going to take the pro-slavery argument because no one ever does. Yes this country was built on slavery but it was whites who figured out to import the free labor instead of paying other whites to do it.

So its the white mans American entrepreneurial spirit that makes white folks a privileged group

Answer 2

It is a matter of perception. I am thought of as 'white'. I have Native ancestry. The Irish were treated badly by the English and so I would not call the Irish a privileged group, though I can get any job I want. This is a serious problem, that people are judged on this basis for opportunity. It is also an issue in housing and education, with Bush cancelling programs that help African-Americans and other minorities.

That said, I do not consider myself 'privileged'. I consider this type of thinking to be problematic. We must not cut people down by seeing them only in terms of groups.

I would favour more anti-poverty programs in the Black community as well as more money for daycares, community-based learning, community-based policing, and such. Definitely I believe that media and police atttitudes towards Black men have to change. It creates tension and anger, and reinforces the idea of keeping the races separate. The government could do a lot better.

Answer 3

This country was not built on the back of Black slaves. America was built by the White Pioneers and English people, way before slavery. Go read your History Books. Early emmigrants, like the English, German's , British, Chinese, Irish, Norwegians, Bohemians, and many more , helped to build the Country up. Black Slaves were used by the South. Long time after the other cultures came here. Slave days are gone and many Whites , helped free the slaves. So don't be so hard on the White People.

Answer 4

NOT all whites think they are sooo better than anyone else. yah there are a few racist and allout prejudiced people out there, and there were many in history, but that doesnt mean we all are today. if its anyone its you whos prejudice for assuming such a thing. and dont think the slaves MADE america powerful. you didnt live back during the american revolution so you dotn know what made america powerful.

it may have had a part in it, but you dont know if it was the one and only. the country wasnt built on teh backs of the slaves, it was built on EVERYONES backs. if it werent for the men who lead the revolution, who worked secretly and against british law to start america, we wouldnt even HAVE the U.S. THEY were white people actually so you should thank them.

white people worked out in the fields too, like black slaves. not every white person was rich enough to own slaves, so they did it themselves or with hired help. And black slaves werent everywhere in teh u.s. when people were discovering the west, families would migrate often by themselves and do EVERYTHING for themselves, not make some slave do it for them.

Answer 5

I believe i speak for many of us (whites) as you call us! In today's society there is no slaves except for any race who is taken advantage by the Big Corporations who don't believe in the rise of the cost of living expenses that we are facing every day.It's not only hard to deal with the lack of money we should be getting by the companies or better medical benefits they should offer, but then to know they're still people who live in the past over the whole racism issue,we all need to form a better union to better all races in this vast economy that we are having to deal with every day. So please think of a better way to use your time and thoughts that you can help the world instead of trying to hurt the feelings of many whom one day may become a friend and help you when you are in need...ty

Answer 6

I know this will come as a total shock to some people but a couple of white people helped build the country too. I refuse to apologize to a group of people that are STILL in slavery after being released from it 150 years ago.

Answer 7

I love how the blame is always on the caucasians. I think the race that was most effected by Europeans moving to N America was the American Indians. My heart goes out to them. Read a history book and see how much their people suffered.

I also agree with one of the statements above, think of the now not the past!

Answer 8

Mitch is right. A better question is why keep bringing up something that happened hundreds of years ago. Stop using it as an excuse. I am part cherokee and I am not trying to get something for free because of what happened to my people in the past. I am not looking for reparations of any kind. I go to work every day and I am grateful for it. I don't purposely walk slow in front of someones car or talk on the phone in a movie theater just because of what happened 200 yrs ago. Get over it. Move on.

Answer 9

UHHHH, because the black people were brought here to work for the white people and help make them rich beyond their European dreams. Because after slavery there was much talk about sending us back to Africa to die in unknown tribes with people who hated our American butts.

But you are right...no way the USA could have made all that money if the plantations had to PAY for that labour...and the North NEVER would have fought to keep the south w/o all that slave money.

Answer 10

I'm white and I don't feel privleged at all. I don't have anything handed to me and I bust my as* for what I have. My boyfriend is black and we struggle together. I wasn't around in the slave days, just like you weren't either, so don't tell me what you think happened.