instructor says only white people can be racist. questions for whites and non-whites.?

Question

The instructor at a university training on racism said that white people are the privileged race, in power, and oppressive of other races and the reason why people of color have a hard time dealing with or accepting white people without resentment is because they feel they are being oppressed. If you are of color please tell me if you agree that white people are privileged as a race, and if so, is it a source of anger that you, as a race are being oppressed. Also, if you are of color, what is it that a white person or community can do to help relieve the anger or end the oppression? If you are white, do you feel that being white has enabled you to receive benefits over non-whites? Do you feel resented by people of color? And do you have any experiences with what works to help improve your relationships with people of color?

If anyone would like to help me better understand, because I seem to be culturally ignorant, I'd appreciate one to one email discussion.

Answer 1

Let me just say one thing African American College Fund. If we wanted to end racism we would stop giving prividledges to any one race. No special programs or scholarships based on your skin color. We are all one race, that of the Human Race. Once we all except that and get rid of racial qualifiers the world will be a much better place.

Answer 2

I think that anyone can be racist. It doesn't matter what race you are. But, I think he is right about white people being the privileged race. I think that is why a lot of people of color are racist against white people. I don't really have resentment for white people because they are privileged. I think that is just the way it is sometimes and they didn't make it that way. I feel that, in time, their "privileges" won't be as good as they are now. Things change all the time. It may seem different for me because I am biracial (black and white). I'm sure people that are not mixed might have different views than I do.

Answer 3

I think your instructor is an idiot! Anyone can be racist!

Judging a person by the colour of their skin, their cultural beliefs or their country of origin is racist. It is certainly not the exclusive domain of the whites to be racist, although we seem to be excellent at this particularly abhorrent "skill".

I consider myself fortunate to be born into a society and culture which allows me to be who I want to be. I don't think this is a particularly race related issue, more the right place at the right time thing.

However as a white woman I have never been followed through shops by security (well as far as I know!) - but this is not the anecdotal experience of many people of colour.

I do not resent other races or feel that they have advantages over me - but then if I was an Aboriginal woman living in a settlement I may feel very differently. I don't know...

As for relationships with people of different races - my best advice is to realise that every person is somebody's child, wife, father, brother or sister and somebody loves them. When you put it in that context how can you fail to not see the humanity in everyone.

mum2MH

Answer 4

I am white and Jewish. I think blacks have been oppressed in this country and have every reason not to trust white people but I think as a society we are getting better but I don't think we are as far along as we should be since the civil rights movements of the 60's.
I know it is not just blacks. Jews have been persecuted. Muslims are being persecuted now. I think it breeds resentment. For whites who live in black neighborhoods, the blacks have power and the feeling of resentment is reversed but it is still there.
Personaly, I think anyone can be a racist.

Answer 5

Honestly, there are some priviliges to being White, especially in America. Personally i don't understand it, nor do I dwell upon it. I don't feel oppressed, because I refuse to let anyone oppress me. I don't have a subserviant bone in my body. I work along side many people of varying ethnicities without race ever being an issue. How? We respect each other's differences. How? We recognize the person within, and accept the skin without.

Answer 6

Your instructor isn't very bright. Anyone, regardless of race, can be racist. I experience racism every day from some who aren't white. As for whites being privileged, that's ignorant as well. I'm white and I grew up in poverty as did my older daughter. My older daughter is struggling to pay for college and had to move back home so she could complete her degree. So nothing and no job has been handed to me because of my race. Statements like your professor has made are racist and will only serve to continue racism. Good luck. 2D

Answer 7

I think it's a rediculous statement to say that white people are the privileged race. Take a look at my life and you'll see I am not privileged. Sure, I have a BSED from a great university and I own my own home, but we live paycheck to paycheck. I'm a stay at home mom with 4 children living in a tiny 800 square foot 2 bedroom house with 1 bathroom. I feel like people with more money than us look down upon us. I guarantee there are plenty of black people that make more money than we do and live in bigger, newer houses. So what I'm saying is I think people of a lower social class, no matter what color they are, are less priveleged.

Answer 8

Yeah, right.

I love this philosophy, what crap. I came from a underpriveledged white family. I choose to screw up and have a kid at a young age (and marry an abuser, but that is irrelevant). As I chose to work, even though I made barely above the minimum wage there has never been any help for me. No one paid for my schooling, no one paid for kids food or daycare and I was never handed a job because I did not have the skills but the skin color.

I have worked my butt off for every little thing I have and I resent some paid for life educator that thinks he knows how the real world works. You will learn that all college professors profess to tell you how the "real world" works, but so few have ever had careers outside acadamia and that they have NO clue.

And when was the last time you donated to a charity set up for white underpriveledged kids. You haven't because it would be considered illegal to start one. But you sure as heck can donate to the United ***** College Fund (do they still call it that?).

Answer 9

Racism is defined as a noun meaning:
1. the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races
2. discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race

Now, if someone could please explain to me where that says that only whites possess this trait, I'll happily concede my point. Until then, I'll continue to assert that people of all races can be racist. As a white woman, do I feel that I'm given benefits over other races? No, as a matter of fact. I see people of other races being given job opportunities before me regardless of who's better qualified, simply because of their race. The same goes for education in colleges and universities. I do, at times, feel resented by people of other races and it infuriates me. I've worked hard to get where I am and I haven't stepped on anyone to get here, so don't blame me if you aren't making something of yourself. That's your problem, not mine. I have enough of my own. As for how to improve relations with other races, I seek out people to associate with that are level-headed and sensible. If a person has decided that everyone is out to get them or that every white person wants nothing more than to hold them down, there's nothing I can do to change their mind. I just chose not to humor them in their pointless tirades.

Answer 10

If blacks would settle down and figure out a way to take control.....what do you think they would do to whites? Have you done any research on Capetown South Africa? Do you know what happened to white people when they decided to GIVE the blacks their equal rights. They raped and murdered thousands of white citizens.

Oak trees cannot help it if they are the tallest in the forest and drown out all of the light for the smaller more numerous trees.

Blacks resent whites because they are dependent on us for their livelyhood. They would not survive without or businesses who employ them. You are always going to resent your boss.

Hispanics could be very powerful, but all of Latin America is corrupt. Most white countries are free. The reason people of color flee to America is to get away from the opression by their own color governments.