Why can't Bernie and Hillary get blunt about white privilege?

[NewHampshiriteGuy]

There were a lot of good questions about issues of race and social justice in tonight's debate, but in my opinion both candidates failed to adequately answer them!

First Hillary initially avoided the question about her own racial blind spots by speaking in broad generalities about criminal justice reform, and then Bernie made the rather tone deaf comment about not understanding what it's like to "live in a ghetto"...ouch, cringeworthy!

Shouldn't the democratic candidates be able to look at white and black Americans in the eye and say, we need to have a national conversation about race, including white privilege and its impact on how a majority white government and unequal power structure treats black citizens?

We can't adequately support the black community and reach true equality if we continue to allow our national discourse about these issues be based on a caricature of the black community. Issues of racism and inequality impact black citizens no matter where they live.

I'm pretty disappointed in our candidates on that count this evening...we can't be afraid to speak bluntly and honestly about issues of racial inequality and racism, and if they can't even acknowledge the concept of white privilege and racism without summoning visions of jails and housing projects, then we are never going to reach true racial justice.

Just one guy's opinion here!

[Ken Burch]

1. Good points there. The great tragedy is that we already have an AA president...

...and even that guy didn't feel he could get real about race.

There is a horrible amount of white arrogance and defensiveness about race. Too many of my fellow whites act as if POC are making a big deal about nothing(a lot of them felt that way DURING the freedom movement).

BOTH candidates could be better. Both should be held accountable.

So should every one of us with white skin.

[Chitown Kev]

2. The majority of voters in this country are white

that's why.

Gots to keep that mythology up...and that applies for both candidates.

[Recursion]

3. Because white voters go apeshit when privilege is pointed out

Hell, look at DU's reaction, and this place is much much farther to the left than most of the country.

[NewHampshiriteGuy]

4. Well, I'm a white voter...

And maybe I'm an atypical white suburban male voter, but I want to hear a little blunt talk about white privilege and racial injustice from the democrats! Are they really aiming for the white folks who go apeshit over uncomfortable discussions of race voter demographic? I'm thinking the republicans have that bloc locked down already. I think it's time for our candidates to take the much needed risk.

[Garrett78]

5. White denial is a force that needs to be reckoned with.

A conversation about white privilege and institutionalized racism is sorely needed. A conversation about reparations is sorely needed. Policy changes are sorely needed. But white denial is so incredibly profound that I think candidates running for POTUS are scared to push white peoples' buttons. Tim Wise has pointed out that even in the early 1960s, the vast majority of white Americans believed black folks had equal opportunity. Any honest, reality-based person knows that is absolutely insane. But, sadly, white denial is pretty much just as strong today, especially since racism (in its many manifestations) of today is, generally speaking, more covert than it used to be.

This is a problem even in some of the most 'liberal' cities in the US, such as Portland and Seattle. Far too many people don't get that historical racism continues to impact the present (every time I hear a white person say racism is a thing of the past - "get over it" - I just want to scream). The enormous wealth gap between black and white households (which is getting worse) has not only to do with ongoing racism but also systemic realities of the past. For instance, black folks weren't eligible for all provisions of the GI Bill or Social Security. Black folks were denied employment and educational opportunities. Black folks were denied housing, particularly in areas where properties were most likely to appreciate in value. Therefore, black folks had far less to pass on to the next generation. The impact is still being felt and will continue to be felt absent some major reforms.

[LuvLoogie]

6. I think she has those conversations with people. I've heard her address the difference

in perspective and experience. A couple of examples:

"White Americans need to do a better job at listening when African Americans talk about the seen and unseen barriers they face every day," she said. "Practice humility rather than assume that our experience is everyone’s experiences."

http://www.vox.com/2016/2/22/11069158/hillary-clinton-in-harlem

Clinton warned that racism continued to plague much of society, and said “all of us have to search our hearts hard” on the issue.

“If we’re honest, for a lot of well-meaning, open-minded white people, the sight of a young black man in a hoodie still evokes a twinge of fear,” she said before warning that examples of structural racism “too rarely spur us to action or prompt us to question our own assumptions and privilege.”

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/hillary-clinton-takes-hard-truths-about-race-and-justice

[angstlessk]

7. I have a different perspective

I am a white woman who was okay looking till I hit 65 (okay 60)

I have a sig other for 25 of those years and he is a black man.

I recall a foray into a bookstore when the manager watched my sig other, and ignored me...though I was the one who wanted to purchase a book..he was just there cause I was.

But this bookseller was so sure a black person was there to steal books he ignored his real customer.

We left the bookstore sans purchase...this was my first real vision of what racism looked like.

That is what white privilege looks like..I could have stolen 10 books while he watched the 'presumed' thief!

[karynnj]

8. I think it is generational and phrases like white privilege are rather new

I admit that I never heard the phrase until about 5 or 6 years ago when I was listening to my daughters, who were in their early 20s then. Since then I have heard it often in social action groups and from younger people.

This does NOT mean I did not see how much harder it was for POC. I simply did not have that very apt phrase in my vocabulary. I am younger than both Clinton and Sanders.

Both, to me a 65 yr old white person, sounded like they WERE speaking of their own awareness of the amount of privilege you have just being white.

To me, it seems like there is a demand to use specific words without considering if what they spoke of was the same thing. Respectfully, I have trouble seeing what they actually missed.

[silvershadow]

9. speaking as a white guy, every time I have tried to

speaking as a white guy, every time I have tried to, I get shunned, shushed etc by family for example or other white Democrats. so I am just guessing that it would be political suicide to do so? I really don't know…