Asclepias
Diamond Member
Sounds to me like you have done all you can regarding yourself and thats what matters. If you want to take it further you can educate other whites that harbor racist assumptions and beliefs.The main thing is to acknowledge your automatic head start without feeling guilty about it even if its just to yourself. You hit the nail on the head when you said whites fear retaliation. One of your founding fathers said the same thing. Jefferson feared retaliation as well. Albert Einstein said racism was a disease of white people. My view point is that if whites didnt have an inferiority complex they would have never legislated themselves white only affirmative action for over 400 years then get upset when Blacks have partial affirmative action. If they discover and deal with the reasons for their inferiority complex they will be able to stop racism.I am a middle aged white man living in a predominantly white region. I used to think I was not racist at all, but in light of recent black-white tensions in the US, I have taken a close look at myself. While I do not disparage black people, I have been in groups where racist things were said and not spoken out and denounced them. I have also been slow to admit the white priviledge that I have been able to take advantage of my whole life. I now acknowledge that institutional racism exists in this country. I guess I would say I am a recovering racist. I think that most white people fear loss of priviledge and harsh retaliation if blacks gain too much power in our society. Certainly white priviledge would be lost in a society ruled by blacks and other minorities, but that is the goal, a society that does not unfairly advantage whites. I would be more than willing to serve a more subordinate role in society if it meant being able to live in peace and I believe a society with more people of color in authority would be a better society. To hasten this inevitable paradigm shift, I would like to hear from black people what I can do on a daily basis.I do acknowledge my head start and perhaps I do have a bit of an inferiority complex but I have nothing against blacks. I just want to know, from a black person's perspective, what concrete actions I should take to improve conditions for blacks and other minorities.The main thing is to acknowledge your automatic head start without feeling guilty about it even if its just to yourself. You hit the nail on the head when you said whites fear retaliation. One of your founding fathers said the same thing. Jefferson feared retaliation as well. Albert Einstein said racism was a disease of white people. My view point is that if whites didnt have an inferiority complex they would have never legislated themselves white only affirmative action for over 400 years then get upset when Blacks have partial affirmative action. If they discover and deal with the reasons for their inferiority complex they will be able to stop racism.I am a middle aged white man living in a predominantly white region. I used to think I was not racist at all, but in light of recent black-white tensions in the US, I have taken a close look at myself. While I do not disparage black people, I have been in groups where racist things were said and not spoken out and denounced them. I have also been slow to admit the white priviledge that I have been able to take advantage of my whole life. I now acknowledge that institutional racism exists in this country. I guess I would say I am a recovering racist. I think that most white people fear loss of priviledge and harsh retaliation if blacks gain too much power in our society. Certainly white priviledge would be lost in a society ruled by blacks and other minorities, but that is the goal, a society that does not unfairly advantage whites. I would be more than willing to serve a more subordinate role in society if it meant being able to live in peace and I believe a society with more people of color in authority would be a better society. To hasten this inevitable paradigm shift, I would like to hear from black people what I can do on a daily basis.