I'm a straight white male

[NobodyHere]

I'm sorry

[Marie Marie]

1. Apology accepted.

Now don't do it again.

[actslikeacarrot]

2. I see this thread going places!

[Bonx]

3. Well... Don't do it again. Now go to bed.

[M0rpheus]

4. Nice try?

[NobodyHere]

6. As long as you get a laugh

Too much sadness in this world.

[M0rpheus]

10. It's been a good day for me.

I've laughed until i couldn't breathe today!

Be careful though, that white guilt could lead to tears, then Game Over, man!

[JustAnotherGen]

34. Happy Friday!

[M0rpheus]

55. Happy Friday!

[Eleanors38]

71. Damn, it IS Friday!

[quinnox]

5. Ok, as long as you go around with a guilty conscience

It's all good.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. I am a straight white male. (WASP even)

And am not sorry about it.

[nomorenomore08]

21. I'm not sorry either. You're responding to a strawman. n/t

[Tuesday Afternoon]

70. Ba-Zinga!!

[Jetboy]

8. I'm a straight white male and I have the lovely Marilyn Monroe

as my icon!

Hadn't really thought about it as I chose it due to my affinity for the music and style of the 1950s and not for some sexist reason. Of course affinity for 1950s anything is another boo boo I've learned.

Between all of that, I figure that I rate half a notch above Rush Limbaugh around here. I always vote for the Democrats though and hope we can all work together against the 1%!

[Cali_Democrat]

9. I accept your apology. Don't let it happen again. nt

[NobodyHere]

11. Do you have any advice

It's not like I asked to be a white straight male.

[Cali_Democrat]

12. Well the unarmed black teens who were gunned down recently didn't ask to be black

Trayvon didn't ask to be black and neither did Jordan Davis.

They're dead. At least you're still alive.

[VanillaRhapsody]

14. Yeah there's a big advantage they won't admit....they will never fear some

White racist teabagger with an itchy trigger finger will find reason to shoot you for no good reason...

[edbermac]

15. Like the Florida movie texter?

[VanillaRhapsody]

17. fewer and farther between....

he just had an extra twitchy trigger finger....and I bet you he doesn't have a hung jury either...

Not enough so that you have to warn your kids about racists with an itchy trigger finger that are looking for a reason to "pop a cap in a thug" or anything....

[Cali_Democrat]

19. The big difference

Trayvon was profiled because of his race. If he was white, Zimmerman would have never profiled him and gone after him.

The guy who gunned down Jordan Davis is an obvious racist who wrote racist letters from jail. He was angry Jordan Davis was playing that "rap crap". He also told his neighbor he was angry minorities were "taking over America".

The texter? Was race factor?

Don't think so.

Was race a factor for Trayvon and Jordan?

Abso-fucking-lutely.

[edbermac]

22. Zimmy had run-ins before that.

He sounds like an Equal Opportunity macho asshole.

http://racerelations.about.com/od/thelegalsystem/a/The-Real-George-Zimmerman.htm

[Cali_Democrat]

23. You think if Trayvon was white the same thing would have happened?

hahahaha....

Give me some of what you're smoking. I want out of the real world as well.

[edbermac]

24. A guy that picks a fight with a cop and beats up his ex-fiancee?

Yes I do!

Did you read that article?

[Cali_Democrat]

25. LOL...you're funny

Naive, but funny.

[edbermac]

27. Did you read the article, yes or no?

[Cali_Democrat]

29. It was an article on his background

I've known all about Zimmy and his life for some time now.

You obviously don't follow many of my posts.

I've posted extensively about Zimmerman.

[edbermac]

31. I just don't buy he'd let a white stranger slide by him.

I'm the watch guy, I got a gun, nobody fucks with me.

He confronted a cop, beat up a woman, got fired from a security job.

If Trayvon was white, I think he would have confronted him, it's his pattern. And he's still at it, threatening his estranged wife and her father a few months back.

And I'm sorry but I have not read your posts about him, I'll check them when I have the time.

[AverageJoe90]

80. That may be true, but I don't think it doesn't discount the profiling, IMO.

He might very well have attacked Mr. Martin if he had been white, maybe. But even so, it does seem kinda obvious to me at least, that Zimmie *did* profile him on top of all the other things he did.

[edbermac]

119. Cali I think I misread one of your posts.

In one post you wrote "Trayvon was profiled because of his race. If he was white, Zimmerman would have never profiled him and gone after him."

You later wrote:

"You think if Trayvon was white the same thing would have happened?"
You meant he wouldn't have been profiled?

If so, my apologies. You are right of course, Trayvon was profiled because of his race. My screwup. I don't think too well at 3:00am.

[VanillaRhapsody]

100. I think a serious Conservative troll infestation is going on...

This week we have denial of White Male privilege....We have haters of Unions and deniers that women make less money than men.....and now we have deniers that racists are shooting Black people because of Stand your Ground laws......All in one week


ON a DEMOCRATIC FORUM!!!!

Unfuckingbelievable!

[AverageJoe90]

173. You have GOT to be fucking joking.

Are you serious? This is honestly no better than going after Obama supporters for standing by the President, for Chrissakes!

[VanillaRhapsody]

174. What????

What the hell does this have to do with anything....you are one of the culprits that are continuing this pile of bullcrap.

there is NO correlation to what you just said...

[AverageJoe90]

175. Not in the least.

In fact, now I'm beginning to wonder if a few of the more hardcore "white privilege" people aren't disruptors themselves.....just sayin'.

[VanillaRhapsody]

176. NO.....but RACIAL equality is a platform for DEMOCRATS....being in denial doesn't change that fact.

White men ARE privileged...they are NOT being institutionally discriminated against....

For much of the past three decades, the wage gap between men and women began to shrink. But progress has slowed in recent years, and the wage gap has actually widened during the current recovery, according to a new study from the Institute for Women's Policy Research.

Also see...

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0882775.html

[AverageJoe90]

177. Where has anybody here gone against equality? Where?!?

You're fucking kidding, right? Please tell me you're fucking kidding. EVERYBODY on this site wants ethnic equality. Me, you, and pretty much the 99% of everybody who isn't a troll. Are you honestly suggesting that people who don't agree with the term "white privilege" are somehow against ethnic equality? Really?

[VanillaRhapsody]

178. by denying that White men are privileged....THAT is.....

denying that OTHERS are not being treated the same....

YOU don't suffer that mistreatment...therefore you ARE privileged.

You can follow me all over the internet and I WILL NOT change that stance....

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data, women in the United States are paid just 77 cents for every dollar paid to men on average. But a closer look reveals that for African-American women, this disparity is much worse, with women of color earning just 70 cents for every dollar paid to men and just 64 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/wage-gap-african-american-women-infographic_n_2568838.html

proof of privilege right there....

[AverageJoe90]

180. I'm not even sure if this stupidity deserves much of a response.

So you really *are* saying that disagreeing with the use of "white privilege" terminology automatically equals against ethnic equality? Really? If true, then.....well.....that is just extraordinarily screwed up. SMH.

[VanillaRhapsody]

181. NO your stupid belief that White men are NOT privileged is the problem.....

by the way....Women are institutionally discriminated against TOO...you seem to conveniently leave THAT out your last 2 posts...

YOu are not a minority....you are not being discriminated against on the job...

You are not a woman.....you are not being discriminated against on the job...

THUS you as a White Male do not suffer those indignities....you are privileged not to!

Denying it just exacerbates and continues the problem....you are not being part of the solution...

[gollygee]

38. I think you're deluded if you think Zimmerman didn't racially profile Trayvon Martin

And also, if Trayvon had been white, he might have been comfortable in calling 911 when Zimmerman was following him. But the African American community doesn't have the same experience or history with police, and know there's a good chance they'll get arrested or shot if the police show up somewhere, so they are less likely to call the police and therefore don't have the same protection from people like Zimmerman. If he'd been following me, I could have called the police and they would have been there right away.

[NuclearDem]

48. You've got to be joking.

That's a false equivalency if I've ever seen one.

[Ghost in the Machine]

32. Try doing a poll on how many white people have lived in fear of some other white people..

Make one of the choices "long haired, tattooed bikers worried about rednecks in their big trucks deliberately trying to run them off the road... for no good reason".

Another could be "white women who clutched their purses tighter, or men and women who ducked into a store, stopped by a mulling crowd, or crossed the street just because they saw a long haired, bearded, tattooed "biker looking" guy walking towards them".

I've had BOTH happen to me. Someone throwing beer bottles and/or cans at you, or swerving at you while you're riding along minding your own business isn't fun at all! Especially when you have to lay your bike down. The other examples are much easier. You can just smile, chuckle to yourself and keep on walking.. no harm, no foul, just people bigoted or frightened by stereotypes.

Sorry, but I've never bought into or fell for the "white guilt" trip. Neither my great grandparents, my grandparents, my parents nor I have ever owned any slaves, and we never condoned slavery or understood how someone could "own" another human being, so we don't have anything to feel guilty about as far as I'm concerned.

Another point *everyone* needs to remember is that slavery in the US began with white Europeans who came here from England and settled under the British flag. Slavery was/is a big stain in the history of our Country, but it was around for thousands of years before us, and it was ABOLISHED in less than 100 years of becoming our own sovereign nation known as the United States of America.

The racists and hatemongers of today just somehow failed to evolve with the rest of us.

Peace,

Ghost

[NuclearDem]

47. Did they target you because you're white?

Additionally, no one here is demanding you suffer from "white guilt." The whole thing is a stupid strawman set up by right wingers who want to make AAs the real bullies.

I really wish people would give this whole meme a rest. No one is out to persecute you for being a straight white male.

[AverageJoe90]

77. "No one is out to persecute you for being a straight white male." It would certainly help...........

if some folks stopped acting like and/or coming across like they *were*, to be truthful.

[VanillaRhapsody]

117. It would be helpful if straight White men would ADMIT that the problems even exist....

that would be the first step in addressing it...

No one is asking you to feel guilty....just freaking admit it is real.....this denial stuff is even more degrading!

[AverageJoe90]

128. I'm not denying that the problems exist.

The issue cuts both ways; there may be a few on DU who don't understand the problem, but there are certainly also those who aren't willing to admit that there's been a miscommunication problem as well(and yes, the use of "white privilege" terminology is a huge part of it, unfortunately).

[VanillaRhapsody]

133. YES you and several others ARE....BUT we do have a number of men on DU

Last edited Sun Feb 23, 2014, 01:16 AM - Edit history (1)

stepping up and ADMITTING they have benefitted from White Privilege....

Whether you like the words or not...its a FACT! If we called it White male Cotton Candy....would that satisfy you?


You as a white male....have a better footing in life...than women OR minorities...period.

priv·i·lege

noun
1.
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.
"education is a right, not a privilege"
synonyms: advantage, benefit; More
something regarded as a rare opportunity and bringing particular pleasure.
"I have the privilege of awarding you this scholarship"
synonyms: honor, pleasure More
(in a parliamentary context) the right to say or write something without the risk of incurring punishment or legal action for defamation.
noun: absolute privilege; plural noun: absolute privileges
the right of a lawyer or official to refuse to divulge confidential information.
historical
a grant to an individual, corporation, or place of special rights or immunities, esp. in the form of a franchise or monopoly.



Your advantage (ie privilege) is you DON'T have to deal with the hurdles put in front of minorities and women....

?1392843468

[AverageJoe90]

135. .....

I guess it could be argued that it's really about the illusion of privilege more than anything; do remember how the .1% have used divide-and-conquer tactics over the years; in fact, convincing white men that they're somehow special is probably one of these!

Unfortunately, however, whenever the term "privilege" is used in the literal sense, one other thing I'd like to point out, too, is that it often ends up actually reinforcing said illusion in the eyes of conservatives, even including those who might otherwise be receptive to the truth(or at least parts of it); thus, it helps make them even more fearful and even more willing to buy into FoxNews agitprop.....I've seen that happen all too often and it's not pretty.

And even many ordinary people will simply not be able to understand this rarified and strange concept of collective privilege, particularly those who have had some difficulties in their lives. To them, it's as if you're speaking Greek, basically.

While talking about literal "privilege", particularly "white privilege" above all, may be a catharsis for some, it's not useful as an overall educational tool, when describing very real social discrepancies to the general public, and never has been. I realize this may be hard for some to accept, but all you need to do is open your eyes and look past your bubble.

[VanillaRhapsody]

137. If you are NOT a White male there is nothing "illusion" about it...

walk mile in OUR shoes and you will suddenly know it's reality!

You are not being paid 56 to77 cents on the dollar...THAT is reality

[AverageJoe90]

142. You seem to have missed my point again.

"You are not being paid 56 to77 cents on the dollar...THAT is reality"

That may be true. But again, it's more of a case of disadvantage compared to the norm, rather than men being "advantaged" above the norm.

[VanillaRhapsody]

144. NO YOU are the one missing the point...if you are NOT the disadvantaged population....

then YOU are the advantaged....

there are exceptions to the rule....but it doesn't change the rule. Men make 56 to 77 cents on the dollar over women....therefore men are advantaged....and the exact same theory applies to being WHITE


Hence White Male privilege

[AverageJoe90]

145. Whoosh.....went right over your head.

[VanillaRhapsody]

146. No that sound you hear is the cognitive dissonance between your ears...

White males ARE the privileged class....they do NOT suffer the hurdles that everyone from all other classes face...

You do not come out of the running gate with a handicap....YOU won't be held back because of your skin color or gender...

[AverageJoe90]

147. And?

"You do not come out of the running gate with a handicap....YOU won't be held back because of your skin color or gender..."

No, but it doesn't disprove my point that "privilege" isn't the best way to describe social disparities.

[VanillaRhapsody]

148. Yes actually it IS exactly how you describe it...

priv·i·lege
ˈpriv(ə lij/Submit
noun
1.
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.
"education is a right, not a privilege"
synonyms: advantage, benefit; More

Privilege is: About how society accommodates you. It’s about advantages you have that you think are normal. It’s about you being normal, and others being the deviation from normal. It’s about fate dealing from the bottom of the deck on your behalf.

http://brown-betty.livejournal.com/305643.html

[AverageJoe90]

154. I'm afraid I'm at a loss here.

Privilege is: About how society accommodates you. It’s about advantages you have that you think are normal. It’s about you being normal, and others being the deviation from normal. It’s about fate dealing from the bottom of the deck on your behalf.

Here's the problem with this: not being bothered by the police for no reason is the norm. Not worrying what people think of you just because of your skin tone is the norm. Even being paid full money on the dollar is the norm. That's how it is! This isn't hard to understand; there are no special privileges actually being granted to ordinary white folks(no matter how much the .1% may want to convince the 'Baggers otherwise and that these "privileges" are being "taken" from them).

What it *is* is disadvantage compared to the norm. There is no need to couch the truth in arcane wanna-be abstract '80s fringe academic language(yeah, that's what it is. Doesn't make it "bad", really. That's just how it is.), and in fact, as I and others have pointed out, this way of doing things has actually not been working all that well for us(the select few success stories set aside), because the American public in general have been absolutely befuddled by all this; it's not that hard to see if you bother to take even a cursory look.

It's really up to you to figure this out, but all I'm saying is, we need a different approach to this. We need to be more practical.

[VanillaRhapsody]

155. the ONLY problem is....

you cannot accept facts....

[AverageJoe90]

157. There is no fact that I haven't accepted. Not at all.

I think the biggest problem here is, we actually do agree on the basics, pretty much. It's just that we don't really agree on the terminology; I happen to be a more practical and pragmatical person, so that's a large part of why I disagree. Take that as you will.

[VanillaRhapsody]

158. You haven't accepted the FACT that you are part of a privileged class!

if you are a WHITE male!

[AverageJoe90]

159. ......

Well, as I said, it's not that we disagree on the basics, it seems, it's just that we differ on terminology; you think that "privilege" is a perfect term to describe such; I, however, being more practically minded, disagree with you.

[VanillaRhapsody]

161. there is nothing to disagree about....White Males do NOT suffer the disadvantages...of being

Non male and non White....THAT is a privilege...

what is privilege?
the set of unearned advantages a person gets (you get) for some perceived trait a person possesses (you possess).
the set of unwarranted disadvantages you don't suffer under, but other people suffer.

[AverageJoe90]

163. ". there is nothing to disagree about..." There wouldn't be, certainly.....

were it not for the problems with terminology. Hell, not all white people benefit at all from racism, or discrimination, etc., even indirectly, let alone directly. And this truth does not at all take away from or diminish the very real disadvantages(or risk of disadvantage) suffered by People of Color; these things are not mutually exclusive. They do in fact, exist in the same reality. Not a hard concept to understand, to be truthful.

[VanillaRhapsody]

164. it is NOT a problem of "terminology"....

The problem is YOU just cannot accept the truth...and that truth is that White Males in America are Privileged. They do not suffer what women or non whites suffer.....EVERY dictionary defines that word exactly the same way....

even if you lived among the the poorest of poor people....those with female genitalia and whose skin are not white .....will suffer even MORE from the effects then you...

[AverageJoe90]

165. Yes it is. Unfortunately, it certainly is.

Whether or not one is willing to accept it it is the truth.

[VanillaRhapsody]

166. NO it is NOT....YOU are a privileged White male.....get over it!

then perhaps we can do something to change it!

the first step is always acceptance.

YOU are "immune" to the disadvantages of being a woman or non-white.....THAT is privilege. No one is going to pay you less because your skin isn't white and your your gender isn't female....YOU are privileged NOT to be forced to experience those disadvantages....

furthermore it has gotten worse not better:

For much of the past three decades, the wage gap between men and women began to shrink. But progress has slowed in recent years, and the wage gap has actually widened during the current recovery, according to a new study from the Institute for Women's Policy Research.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/03/07/the-wage-gap-between-men-and-women-has-grown-during-the-recovery/

[VanillaRhapsody]

156. those are the ONLY things YOU can think of because you are not one of the OTHER classes

the fact that you likely will not suffer being paid LESS because of your gender or skin color.....IS a privilege that the rest of us DO NOT enjoy

[AverageJoe90]

162. .....

IS a disadvantage that the rest of us suffer

I fixed that for you.

[Ghost in the Machine]

98. "Did they target you because you're white?" I believe so. Also because I had long hair and rode a

Harley. It happened to a lot of bikers in Florida *and* Georgia. When I lived in Georgia, I had to cut my hair off to collar length and trim my beard down real short to get a job with a very good company. While I was working there, I heard several rednecks talking about "running bikers off the road or making them lay them down just for fun". I guess they thought I fit in with them since I don't have any Harley Davidson tattoos like a lot of bikers. Mine are Native American, Tribal and Pagan oriented.

Peace,

Ghost

[1StrongBlackMan]

106. I suspect your being targeted had little ...

if anything to do with your being white ...

[Ghost in the Machine]

124. And just *how* did you come to this conclusion?? n/t

[Ms. Toad]

129. Your own words -

The evidence you posted supporting your premise mentioned nothing about your race - it was merely directed at bikers.

[Ghost in the Machine]

131. I thought my original response made it clear that I was white....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4539377

Peace,

Ghost

[Ms. Toad]

132. I also happen to be white -

But I was targeted for rape because I am a woman.

My spouse happens to be white, but she was fired because she was a lesbian.

Just because something happens to you and you also happen to be white does not mean it happened to you BECAUSE you were white. The person you quoted didn't say they were targeting whites, or even white bikers. They said they were targeting bikers. You just happen to be a biker who is white. The two are not even in the same ballpark.

[VanillaRhapsody]

118. not BECAUSE you were White.....that was BECAUSE you were a biker....

that was the major malfunction....

do you think they would have treated a Black biker the same way? Then NO it wasn't your skin color....

[Ghost in the Machine]

125. "do you think they would have treated a Black biker the same way?" I don't know, mainly due to

the fact that weren't any black M/Cs around at the time in our area. There sure were quite a few white bikers who got run off the road, with some ending fatally. In a few cases I can remember off the top of my head, it was the woman on the back of the bike who was killed.

On the other hand, you could be partially correct. Maybe it was someone who was pissed off because their wife/girlfriend ran off with a biker and they were seeking revenge by doing this, but that doesn't negate the fact that it was WHITE bikers who were targeted.

Peace,

Ghost

[Ms. Toad]

130. That is kind of the entire point.

Targeting because of race is very different than identifying the race someone who was targeted for other reasons.

[VanillaRhapsody]

134. That has NOTHING to do with it.....this persons problem was the fact you were a biker...YOU

are suggesting that is racial because "there were no black bikers then" THAT proves it was not racial.....sorry you're wrong.

It was coincidental that you were white....

[VanillaRhapsody]

116. You CANNOT be serious.....

YOU really think being a White Male....is the same?


OMG the cognitive dissonance this week is deafening!!!!

[Ghost in the Machine]

123. Speaking of cognitive dissonance, which you seem to have trouble with, please explain...

in detail, the exact difference between a woman clutching her purse tighter and/or moving across the street when she sees a big, burly, white biker looking guy, who have stereotypical bad reputations, walking towards her and doing the exact same thing when she sees a black man walking towards her. I'll patiently wait for an intelligent response from you, as I know you're capable of one.

What you NEED to understand is the fact that I am NOT DENYING there is ingrained racism in some people. I'm simply showing that there is also an ingrained perception of some people too, regardless of skin color. It's an ingrained fear in some people due to stereotypes.

Once you can understand that, reconcile it with yourself and live with both opinions.. that there is both racism *and* ingrained fear due to stereotypes, you can work on your own cognitive dissonace.

Peace,

Ghost

[VanillaRhapsody]

138. YOU are having cognitive dissonance if YOU think people being afraid of you because you dress

like a Biker is the same thing as what a Black man feels...

Being targetted because you CHOOSE to look like a biker is MUCH different than being targetted for NOTHING you can do ANYTHING about....


You sound like a republican that thinks being Gay is a choice...

[Ghost in the Machine]

149. "You sound like a republican that thinks being Gay is a choice..."

YOU sound like someone unable to come up with an intelligent response, so you have to resort to reactionary ad hominem attacks.

You can differentiate between ingrained racism and/or ingrained fear of someone because they *look different*. racism, and fear, are TAUGHT, usually by example from parents to their children.

I won't even get into a pissing match over who's more Liberal, but I've raised over $50,000 in the last 8 years for helping the homeless and Toys for Tots (which, ironically, was founded by a group of Marine Bikers). What have you done??

Your final sentence doesn't even dignify a response, but I'll give you one anyways, just to put you in your place. I *KNOW* being gay is NOT a choice and that people are born that way. WHY would someone CHOOSE to be persecuted, treated like 3rd class people and being subject to attacks causing serious bodily harm, if not death?? Answer: THEY WOULDN'T!

You need to grow up some and learn to have an intelligent debate instead of posting emotionally charged, reactionary bullshit, which can be seen in a LOT of your posts.

I hope you find some inner peace one day...

Peace,

Ghost

[VanillaRhapsody]

150. the fact that YOU choose to dress like a bike is not Ad Hominem....

you don't get to choose to be Black, Female or Gay...

Biker...meh...that's on YOU!

[Ghost in the Machine]

167. The fact that you can't even recognize your own ad hominem attack only further proves my

statement that you can't have an intelligent conversation or debate. Hint: I even put it in quotations in my title reply. My bad! I thought you might have been capable after our somewhat spirited exchange the other night, when it took you a little time to realize we were on the same side of the debate, just on different paths and some wires might have gotten crossed.

You STILL don't get the point that ties ingrained racism with ingrained fear. As I stated, it is something that is TAUGHT, or LEARNED BY EXAMPLE from a young age. The common thread being that we both LOOK DIFFERENT, and some people are taught to fear us, whether it be because of skin color or because of the way we otherwise look and/or dress.

*WHO* do you think gets feared more: the black man with a bandana, pants sagging halfway off his body so his boxers are showing and wearing a "wife-beater" t-shirt or a hoodie... or the black man wearing a suit & tie, carrying a briefcase?? How about the clean cut, shaves every day white guy in the suit & tie carrying a briefcase, or the one in jeans, boots, a black t-shirt & either a black leather jacket, or a cut-off jean jacket with a Biker Gang Patch on the back?

Personally, I don't think I CHOOSE to dress like a biker, it's just a part of *WHO* I am, who I was BORN to be. It's where I fit in in this world. Where I feel the most comfortable. I tried the clean cut, suit & tie world, and felt like an alien in that world. I've always been a free spirit, an island unto myself and marched to the beat of my own drum. Some people go through life hating their jobs, hating themselves and feeling trapped because they thought they had to live up to someone else's standards and expectations. These are the ones who usually wind up snapping and going postal at work or home.

I only CHOSE to follow the paths that life called me to follow, and they were usually well off the beaten paths, with me sometimes having to blaze my own trails. I didn't always follow the *right* path, but knew when to change direction when I figured out it wasn't the right path.

Since I quit riding many years ago though, I'm mainly considered just an "old hippie" now. I still have the long hair, beard, moustache and tattoos. I still have the jeans, boots and leather jacket for the cold winters, but summer time you'll find me in cargo shorts, tank top and flip flops. Sounds real "biker-like", doesn't it??

Please, for both of our sakes, try to put some deep thought into what I said about "ingrained racism" and "ingrained fear", both being TAUGHT because someone *looks different*. Any way you slice it, it still comes up as PREJUDICED BEHAVIOR! Whether it's skin color, or a certain way you look or dress, you are STILL being pre-judged according to some certain criteria.

Peace,

Ghost

[VanillaRhapsody]

168. that is a fucking insult to those who HAVE experienced REAL racism and sexism

you don't choose to be a female or non-white....what you described IS not racism....that's an anti biker bias...but not racism or SEXISM.

You CHOOOSE how you look....I didn't choose to be born a woman


this response is DISGUSTING as many others on this thread have pointed out to you OVER and OVER!

If I get robbed....it doesn't mean that I was robbed BECAUSE I am a woman even though I am one....

So here is what I have for this response...

[VanillaRhapsody]

169. and this tells me YOU just don't "get" racism OR sexism....

[VanillaRhapsody]

170. You can take your bandana off.....a female cannot grow a penis...nor can a Black person

become white....so your theory is horrendously false...

Its demeaning to those who have experienced REAL racism and gender bias...and frankly it makes me sick to my stomach to read it on DU.

[AverageJoe90]

136. It's not really so much an "advantage" for white folks.....

as it is a disadvantage for People of Color. EOM.

[VanillaRhapsody]

139. If you do not suffer the disadvantages....then YOU are advantaged!

[AverageJoe90]

141. The word doesn't quite work that way.

You see, this is the problem with binary thinking. It never really works well.

Sure, I mean, we can compromise a bit and say that some individuals may reap benefits from discrimination(whether it be ethnic, gender-related, etc.) from time to time; that actually does make sense. But not everyone does, and that's the thing.

[VanillaRhapsody]

151. Yes actually it DOES....

priv·i·lege
ˈpriv(ə lij/Submit
noun
1.
a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group of people.

[VanillaRhapsody]

152. not some...WHITE MEN!

they are not forced to suffer the hurdles put in front of OTHER groups.....

[malaise]

44. Perfect answer

[Cali_Democrat]

68. Thanks!

I thought it was pretty good myself.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. Yeah, here's the user manual

http://www.amazon.com/The-Tibetan-Book-Dead-Understanding/dp/0553370901

[ecstatic]

87. lol! nt

[Jamaal510]

171. .

[edbermac]

13. "Well, nobody's perfect"

[Jesus Malverde]

30. Are these guys cousins?

[The Straight Story]

16. So - you are the one who looked at those women on the SI cover

I knew it.

[VanillaRhapsody]

120. hahahahahahahah Brilliant Straight.....simply sublime!

[LostOne4Ever]

18. And Im just a little lost black piglet

so what?

[nomorenomore08]

20. Which doesn't make you evil, but doesn't make you special either. Just human like everyone else.

[AverageJoe90]

78. I agree completely. nt

[Jesus Malverde]

28. Cat picture would have been nice gesture to go with the OP.

I'm not sure you mean it and might just trolling..

[NCTraveler]

37. What an amazingly cute little fuzz ball. What a great way to start the day. nt.

[gollygee]

39. I considered

posting a picture of the rabbit with a pancake on its head.

[NuclearDem]

46. Well if you won't...

[gollygee]

51. LOL

[Skittles]

33. yes you are

[DiverDave]

35. Me too

Now wheres all this privilege I been
hearin about?
I sure aint seen it

[NCTraveler]

36. What are you sorry for? nt.

[Heidi]

40. Louis CK describes your problem perfectly.

You poor thing.

[Sheldon Cooper]

42. Bravo!!

[smokey nj]

50. I LOVE this bit!

Here's Louis CK on being broke:

[seaglass]

88. whoops wrong spot. n/t

[gollygee]

52. Hilarious

especially the very end. ROFL

[Heidi]

54. I figured we might as well use this opportunity to shed some light

on the OP's very pressing predicament. Bless his or her heart.

[gollygee]

56. His

or so he says in the subject line of the OP.

[Heidi]

57. One never knows.

This one also claims to be sorry.

[gollygee]

58. Ha!

[theHandpuppet]

82. Fabulous!

[seaglass]

89. Excellent! n/t

[1StrongBlackMan]

109. Cute bit; but ...

as a Black man, I would be okay with going back in time ... so long as I was able to not stop from 1430 (beginning of the trans-atlantic slave trade) and 1980.

[Heidi]

111. No going back in time for you!

You stay right here. You and a handful of other great DUers are the reason(s) I still come around.

[1StrongBlackMan]

114. LOL ...

Believe me ... If I went back in time, it wouldn't be to stay! I've grown way too comfortable to do without electricity and in door plumbing.

[VanillaRhapsody]

121. OMG ....simply Brilliant Heidi!

Thank you.....I saving that for the next crop of White Guys in denial about how good it is to be a White Guy!

I cannot believe the cognitive dissonance of Liberals who cannot grok this simple concept....either that or its willful!

[CBGLuthier]

41. Most Likely, you are. very Sorry. As sorry as sorry can be. If you know what i mean

Sorry waste of space.

[Sheldon Cooper]

43. Here, let me play you the song of your people:

[Heidi]

49. Oh, dear.

[Tien1985]

108. +100 nt

[Earth_First]

45. Thinly veiled.

I'm surprised this remains an open discussion, frankly...

[Puzzledtraveller]

53. You should be sorry

[Iggo]

59. I'm sorry, too.

[FSogol]

60. Not me. "I'm a street walking cheetah w/ a heart full of napalm, I'm a runaway son of the nuclear A

-bomb."

[nomorenomore08]

63. You're also the world's forgotten boy... Poor you...

[seattledo]

126. Why the attack on Freddie Mercury?

[NuclearDem]

61. You can't spell strawman without swm.

[1StrongBlackMan]

110. Thread Winner! eom.

[Rex]

62. Well isn't that special?

[deutsey]

64. I'm not sorry

But I try to develop my self awareness of how being a straight white male has worked in my favor and to the detriment of others as a result of the privilege this gives people like me.

My eyes were first opened to this by Utah Phillips and his recollection of his friendship with a "Catholic anarchist, pacifist" and "one-man revolution" named Ammon Hennacy:

Tougher'n nails, heart of gold, fella by the name of Ammon Hennacy. Anybody know that name? Ammon Hennacy? One of Dorothy Day's people, the Catholic workers, during the Thirties they started houses of hospitality all over the country; there're about eighty of 'em now.

Ammon Hennacy was one of those; he'd come west to start this house I'd found called The Joe Hill House of Hospitality. Ammon Hennacy was a Catholic anarchist, pacifist, draft-dodger of two World Wars, tax refuser, vegetarian, one-man revolution in America - I think that about covers it.

First thing he said, after he got to know me, he said: "You know you love the country. You love it. You come in and out of town on those trains singin' songs about different places and beautiful people. You know you love the country; you just can't stand the government. Get it straight." He quoted Mark Twain to me: "Loyalty to the country always; loyalty to the government when it deserves it." Get it straight -It was an essential distinction I had been neglecting.

And then he had to reach out and grapple with the violence, but he did that with all the people around him. These second World War vets, you know, on medical disabilities and all drunked up; the house was filled with violence, which Ammon, as a pacifist, dealt with - every moment, every day of his life. He said, "You got to be a pacifist." I said, "Why?" He said, "It'll save your life." And my behavior was very violent then.

I said, "What is it?" And he said, "Well I can't give you a book by Gandhi - you wouldn't understand it. I can't give you a list of rules that if you sign it you're a pacifist." He said, "You look at it like booze. You know, alcoholism will kill somebody, until they finally get the courage to sit in a circle of people like that and put their hand up in the air and say, 'Hi, my name's Utah, I'm an alcoholic.' And then you can begin to deal with the behavior, you see, and have the people define it for you whose lives you've destroyed."

He said, "It's the same with violence. You know, an alcoholic, they can be dry for twenty years; they're never gonna sit in that circle and put their hand up and say, 'Well, I'm not alcoholic anymore' - no, they're still gonna put their hand up and say, 'Hi, my name's Utah, I'm an alcoholic.' It's the same with violence. You gotta be able to put your hand in the air and acknowledge your capacity for violence, and then deal with the behavior, and have the people whose lives you messed with define that behavior for you, you see. And it's not gonna go away - you're gonna be dealing with it every moment in every situation for the rest of your life."

I said, "Okay, I'll try that," and Ammon said "It's not enough!"

I said: "Oh."

He said, "You were born a white man in mid-twentieth century industrial America. You came into the world armed to the teeth with an arsenal of weapons. The weapons of privilege, racial privilege, sexual privilege, economic privilege. You wanna be a pacifist, it's not just giving up guns and knives and clubs and fists and angry words, but giving up the weapons of privilege, and going into the world completely disarmed. Try that."

[Heidi]

65. + infinity!!!

Mornin', dude!

He said, "You were born a white man in mid-twentieth century industrial America. You came into the world armed to the teeth with an arsenal of weapons. The weapons of privilege, racial privilege, sexual privilege, economic privilege. You wanna be a pacifist, it's not just giving up guns and knives and clubs and fists and angry words, but giving up the weapons of privilege, and going into the world completely disarmed. Try that."

[deutsey]

67. Hola!

Nice to "see" you! Hope all is well.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

72. Thank you. Wish this was an OP so I could K&R

[theHandpuppet]

83. Excellent post

Thanks for sharing.

[clarice]

66. ...and that's ok !!!

[sufrommich]

69. Happy Passive Aggressive Day !

[NuclearDem]

73. Great post! PAD is such a terrific day.

We all really enjoy the sarcasm and poignant backstabbing so much we made a whole day out of it!

[Kali]

74. I see two very good responses to your trolly passive aggressive bullshit in this thread

one is very funny and another from a great and humble man I suggest you or at least the other people who identify with your sorry feelings read/watch/listen to those two examples and then maybe, just maybe try listening to the people around you, here and in real life, that are also trying to be heard. Not reacted to, not ridiculed, not fought with. Just heard.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024538942#post40

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024538942#post64



yes some white straight men have it bad, but it will never be as bad as somebody that has the same problems who aren't one of those particular three traits. when you finally realize that, you will be one step ahead to becoming a full human being and then you can take another.

good luck

[Tuesday Afternoon]

75. I stand with Kali. Testify. Witness. Present. Here.

[upaloopa]

79. When did you develope this line of thinking in your life ?

Where did you develope the moral authority to tell others what they should think or do or how to act?
It is puzzling to me the DUers who come here daily to dump on others with their bullshit.
Where are your credentials? Are you a holy person or an enlightened one or just some sorry version of the rest of us?
Get over yourself!

[Kali]

81. it takes time, it takes learning to really listen (very difficult for me), and it takes observation

and by no means am I a holy person

being quiet and listening/observing can make a difference in your thinking and your behavior

I ain't no saint, but I am not a whiny white guy that can't look past his own problems to see the reality of the world, either.

[DiverDave]

84. So I'm just a WHINER???

Yeah, if I was Black, Brown, I would have it worse.
BUT, I AINT and I am in the same spot as if I was.
So, how bout you get down and see that
poverty and despair isnt color blind.

[Kali]

86. well

can you look past your own problems to see the reality of the world?

you acknowledge if you were a man of color you would have it worse

I would say you are capable of looking past your own problems to see the reality of the world.

poverty is a horrible grinding depressing place to be, for anyone. I have been fairly poor in my life but honestly I have never been truly hungry nor without shelter. I hate that we don't seem to care much about our fellow human beings.

[AverageJoe90]

172. This, x1,000!

It's not hard to see. We can accept that People of Color generally have it worse than white folks, while also acknowledging that white folks don't always have it easy, either, and that some individual People of Color may not actually have it as bad as some individual white folks. None of these things are mutually exclusive, at all.

[upaloopa]

92. See you are so enlightened you know that I am

whatever you called me. You don't know me my life what I think or anything about me. Nor do you know anything about all the other people you call out here daily.
You are not deserving of the greatness you give to yourself.

[Kali]

94. ok

(do I call out people daily? )

[NuclearDem]

96. Nope, poster's just kneejerking.

[upaloopa]

76. I am too and I blame my parents it's all their fault

[MO_Moderate]

85. You have no reason to be sorry for anything

Stop falling for the stereotypes and hysteria.

[hunter]

90. You poor thing, you.

Thankfully, I've always been a little bit twisted and eccentric.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

91. LOL. nt

[uppityperson]

93. Are you sorry you are a st wh male or are you a st wh male and sorry or do the 2 have nothing

to do with each other as it is possible to be a sorry type person of any color, sexual orientation, gender?

Are you just trying to cash in on being sorry or simply trying to join in the gender wars, mocking people who are not in those categories?

[Heidi]

95. Oh, dear. Multiple choice question.

I predict a cranial implosion in the immediate, personal vicinity of the OP. Bless his straight white male heart.

[Warren DeMontague]

99. you're the guy from the hamburger train, right?

[alittlelark]

102. uh, yeah........

[cherokeeprogressive]

103. Given the number of posts you have... you're also a TROLL. n/t

[d_b]

104. lol

what a great year its been on DU, and we're just getting started.

[goldent]

105. That's ok, everyone's gotta be something

Now that you've brought it up, I've always wondered, in what order are those characteristics distasteful (i.e. of straight white male, which is the worse)?

[1StrongBlackMan]

107. What are you sorry for?

Are you apologizing for the conduct of other straight white males? Why would you apologize for something you had no part of.

Are you apologizing BECAUSE you are a straight white male? I fail to see why you would do that, either.

Are you issuing a (fake) apology because people are pointing out racism, sexism and discrimination against folks that are gay, and your feeling are hurt because you have not done exhibited racism, sexism or discrimination against gay? Then you are being a too clever, by half, a$$hole trying to start crap that should really reflect on why you feel the need to show your a$$.

[Heidi]

112. That it's essentially a hit-and-run OP

is pretty telling, in my opinion.

[1StrongBlackMan]

115. Yeah ...

I kind of figured.

[Democracyinkind]

122. lame.

Even lamer when considering that this type of thread is posted about every 2 months.

[sibelian]

127. Well I'm a gay white male and I want you to be MORE SORRY.

Because your mind is all about ME.

DON'T YOU DARE MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT ME OR MAKE UP WEIRD STUFF ABOUT ME BECAUSE OF CATEGORIES I BELONG IN! I know all about you straight white males. I'm gay and that means I OUTRANK YOU in the "being felt sorry for" competition SO THERE. Being gay is the absolute essence of my whole personality and identity and everything about me is GAY. EXCEPT IF YOU SAY SO you great big bullying straight white male guy.

LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!

sob, flounce

[Initech]

140. One of my favorite Simpsons moments:

Lisa: It's rotten being a kid. No one listens to you.
Grandpa: It's rotten being old, no one listens to you!
Homer: I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everybody listens to me no matter how dumb my suggestions are!

[AverageJoe90]

143. Well, the Simpsons always did have a knack for humor.

Still one of my favorite shows to this day.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

153. And I'm a white Latin female of Spanish grandparents. Are we all giving our background/ethnicity

and gender?

If not, sorry 'bout that!

[WinkyDink]

160. "I won't go to jail." (Sung to the tune of "I'm an Old Cow-hand...")

"I will stand my ground,
As I shoot a round."

[mike_c]

179. me too, bro....

It's all good.

[AverageJoe90]

182. Heh, lulz. nt