Are You White? Then You Should Probably Watch This.

[desireejones]

Are You White? Then You Should Probably Watch This.



Do you become annoyed anytime a person of color writes, tweets, sings, or speaks about racial inequality? Have you ever wondered why it’s culturally acceptable for black people to use the n-word, while no one else is supposed to use it? Have you ever used the word postracial without a trace of irony? Do you believe that the sole purpose of affirmative action is to allow less qualified minorities to take jobs and positions from the smarter and more qualified?


If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, then you should check out White Like Me: Race, Racism, and White Privilege in America, anti-racism activist Tim Wise’s educational film about racism and white privilege. Especially if you’re white.


http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/08/16/white_like_me_movie_with_tim_wise_should_be_seen_b y_all_especially_white.html
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/08/16/white_like_me_movie_with_tim_wise_should_be_seen_b y_all_especially_white.html

[broncofan]

And if you answer no to all of those questions, should you still watch it because you're white?

[maddygirl]

The woman in the introductory clip says: "There are more black men in prison than there were slaves in America in 1850." How the hell is this an issue of racism? I'm not denying the fact that some people are still in an old-fashioned racist mentality, but this film seems more like propoganda, in my opinion. It seems like instead of trying to resolve the issues of racism and coming together, the society is dividing apart. Sad.

[broncofan]

Natina?

[lr9000]

the woman in the introductory clip says: "there are more black men in prison than there were slaves in america in 1850." how the hell is this an issue of racism? I'm not denying the fact that some people are still in an old-fashioned racist mentality, but this film seems more like propoganda, in my opinion. It seems like instead of trying to resolve the issues of racism and coming together, the society is dividing apart. Sad.
Я согласен с вами))

[maddygirl]

Я согласен с вами))
Но это уже новейшая история, творящаяся на наших глазах)

[Ben in LA]

Natina?
That was my first thought...and I don't care if it's a yes or no.

[broncofan]

That was my first thought...and I don't care if it's a yes or no.
It's good to have a broad range of viewpoints. Even when we have a hard-core Republican I think it makes the discussion more interesting. I don't think any of Natina's posts have ever materialized into an interesting discussion because she usually leaves very little commentary herself.

And when you agree with her there's very little to discuss because the posts are polarizing. It's either a denunciation of racism, which almost everyone agrees with or it's something meant to appall people like a shirt with a bullseye over someone's face.

I was kind of happy when she was booted because I thought she added nothing to the politics forum.

[robertlouis]

I'm pretty sure that our own much-loved Ben has shared this polemic at least once before, so I don't think it's new.

And when you think about some of the disgraceful racist crap that we've had from time to time here on HA, and in profusion elsewhere, this strikes me as no more than a deliberately and wickedly provocative attempt to redress the balance by playing the racists at their own game.

It certainly doesn't offend me, and it challenges my own conventionally liberal presumptions, so that's no bad thing.

[broncofan]

this strikes me as no more than a deliberately and wickedly provocative attempt to redress the balance by playing the racists at their own game.

I think this is right, but I see it as kind of an indictment. Once in a while people feel the need to strike out at racists by leveling an attack at their ethnic group and given the emotional nature of some of these discussions I understand occasional lapses in judgment. But this has always characterized a decent percentage of Natina's posts.

I've never seen the benefit in taking gratuitous (and repeated) shots based purely on ethnicity, even if the group attacked is generally seen as privileged. I wouldn't even be seen as white by many members of white supremacist groups. But I just think that unless you're attacking an ideology specifically, it's unfair to generalize about the inherent tendency towards racism of an entire ethnic group.

[hippifried]

From another more realistic perspective:

Louis CK - Being White - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4f9zR5yzY)