Are " White men Damned ? "

[skye]

I am a " White " man.Do I have to be ashamed for my birth?I have worked very hard over the last 15 years to provide for a family.We have a modest home that my wife and I both work to pay for over the next 30 years.I have 2 children that attend public school.I work and have worked a labor job my entire working life.I get up at 4 am and work to 6 pm.I don't know how fortunate I am.Why do I have to be ashamed? I stay informed on politics and issues of the day.I am very disturbed by the actions of the government.I am disturbed that the same government taxes 30% of my family's income and then spends it unwisely.I don't see how much has changed in all of history.When feeding and raising a family is your priority not much else seems to matter.Do I have to be damned for this ?Is it really all my fault that no one cares about poor people.I'm working poor and I can't worry to much about why no one helps me.I guess you need faith but it hard to find any.Does it make it better knowing some "white men " are just that and not horrible white devils bent on destruction.Where is the love to be found?

[Tracey]

It is important to understand the term "white" when it is being referenced to issues concerning racism. You should know that this term is a social construct of mental conditioning that the majority of whites must deal with when confronting systemic issues that supports an individual by mere virtue of the color of their skin.

No matter what the scenario of one's personal life...whether they themselves be poor, average, or wealthy the fact remains that the system is more in favor of the "white" person than the non-white person trying to function under the same system. We live in a social system created by and for whites to benefit the majority; not the minority.

It is extremely difficult for most whites to grasp many of the issues concerning racism because invariably they tend to view the playing field as "equal," totally dismissing the horrific history that African Americans had to endure before they even begun to enter the race of obtaining equal status. And as such, even after many generations have passed, are still dealing with the historical ramifications of slavery that still lingers to this day. So right from the begining the many points raised by whites are often moot because the grounds for comparison are unequal and unbalanced.

Here are some relevant articles worth considering....  http://www.africaspeaks.com/reasoning/index.php?topic=3109.0

[skye]

I appreciate the links and I did read them.Some I've seen before and other are newer to me.My question or concern is not the understanding of how our( Roman=English=United States ) functions it's just what now?Changing hearts and minds will take a very long time, perhaps as long as it took to damage them ( 500 years ).I feel like a grain of sand compared to the ocean of problems.Do " whites" need to apologize to every Afro- American they meet for the sin of being " White ".I'm not being cynical or aggressive I just don't know what to do.What response is real and what is over done political correctness of the moment.The problem is deep , so the response should be as well.Do all whites need to give up their lives to show we , I , recognize pain and damage.Like I'm saying, I just don't know what is enough, or rather how to begin.

[Tracey]

When considering and evaluating the issues of racism from the Euro/American/white perspective, it is important to realize that it is not about bashing one's self nor forever condeming one to a life of damnation, this is what is considered as a "defensive" reaction and does little to advance the reasoning. However, I will say that it is a most typical reaction when discussing racism, and is almost something like a 'rights of passage' that most whites must pass through given the heavily conditioned mind-set we come from.

Since you appear to be in a "searching" state of mind...here are some more valuable extracts to consider from an added article to the previous link given...

"We can first educate ourselves about racism and address our own racist attitudes which should start with the basic premise that if you are white and born in America you are a racist. Don't think otherwise because it will not be true. We can learn from Blacks and other whites how to get beyond our racist background, how to be watchful of our own actions and attitudes and change them. Secondly, never let other whites get away with their racist attitudes and actions. Stop them immediately. Don't excuse them or attempt to make them feel comfortable. Thirdly, study the history of white and Black resistance to racism and injustice. This is not something you will learn in public schools, which would view white resistance, in particular, as traitorous to the racist American system. After all, it is traitorous to the status quo in America as well it should be. Fourthly, and most importantly, seek advice from Blacks on what we as whites should do to adequately and aggressively address racist problems in our communities, in the nation, in the world. Don't ever think for one minute that we as whites have the answers because we don't.

Finally, after centuries of "white" deceit, be mindful that pathetically we as whites still want to control everything and usually think we know everything. We need to recognize that we should never pursue any struggle against racism or for justice alone - or any other struggle for that matter. With whites leading the way we have experienced untold disasters for centuries. Forbid we should revisit such devastating consequences and pain. Actually, this is rather a non-issue. Our deceit and lies are now out there for everyone to see, we could never get away with leading the way even if we tried. Let's admit our ignorance and false vacuous, hopeless pride. It's time we started to learn and do something worthwhile. We are centuries too late, but now is as good a time as any to start!"
 
 -  HEATHER GRAY

http://www.africaspeaks.com/reasoning/index.php?topic=3109.msg10207#msg10207

Where is the love to be found?

well....if you are willing to do the work to expand your thinking - hopefully you will discover that for your self....

[skye]

Thanks again.Some things really are ringing with truth to me.I am not overtly racist but I realize that some of my actions when seen by others would be, and are.I work with Latin Americans and many racist practices exist within the labor industry that I disapprove of but have ignored because of coarse " It didn't effect me ".Or rather it worked in my favor.I know where immediate changes are needed in my life and deeper ones that will take more time and will power to make happen too.I know it is the luxury of the so called White man to be able to choose to ignore what he doesn't wish to see or deal with.I know I can't change everything wrong with the world and myself but thanks again for helping me get started.I do feel ashamed , not so much for outward actions, which is bad enough, but for the inner weakness I have had.We all know, meaning white men, what is right.Some seem to be afraid and angry and some are weak and complacent.I guess that was me.I had the " hippie " mentality of " I'll just be good and that will be good enough".Non-participation is submission to the enemy.If I turn away from issues they still exist and often without any oversight most things just get worse.I know it's selfish but it feels good to confess, the truth hurts but the lie kills.Thanks again.

[Tracey]

"I am not overtly racist"..... this thought is what gets us. Since we do not consider ourselves to be like the klu klux klan, we often excuse our impassive complicity of benefitting from the same system that supports white supremacy - because we're not like THAT. Yet deep down we know-and see-and feel that things are not right, and if we look close enough - there it is - there we are - youch.

That you are willing to see these things, question the status quo, question your self, question the system AND your place in it, is a good place to start - and yes - it won't always 'feel good' and THAT is a good thing because you shouldn't feel good about seeing others suffer while you are allowed to live large.

There is another board connected to this site that also addresses many of these issues - http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/config.pl