You May Not Be Able to Say How You Feel About Your Race

[pinkocommie]

That sounds awful.  I can't imagine what the process of someone trying to "re-whiteify" me might be, but I can imagine it being an extremely unpleasant process.  

[Will]

I'm sorry Will but you seem almost ashamed that you are white.

Not at all. There's a big difference between being ashamed and not caring.  I'm not responsible for the acts of other white people (or any other people for that matter), so I don't feel I should be ashamed of racism or slavery.  I really, really, really don't care that I'm white.

I'm frustrated that anyone ever cares about skin pigment. Other than issues of melanin and UV protection, it's completely irrelevant. Still, the fact that non-whites are still victimized by racism explains why they have a sense of racial identity. That was my point. I don't agree with their sense of racial identity, but I can understand why it's developed. White people, on the other hand, really don't have any non-racist reason to have a sense of racial identity. Cultural identity? Sure! Cultural heritage? Absolutely. Race, however, is nothing but a tiny fraction of one's phenotype no more important than detached/attached earlobes or hair color.

[Tanker]

I'm sorry Will but you seem almost ashamed that you are white.

Not at all. There's a big difference between being ashamed and not caring.  I'm not responsible for the acts of other white people (or any other people for that matter), so I don't feel I should be ashamed of racism or slavery.  I really, really, really don't care that I'm white.

I'm frustrated that anyone ever cares about skin pigment. Other than issues of melanin and UV protection, it's completely irrelevant. Still, the fact that non-whites are still victimized by racism explains why they have a sense of racial identity. That was my point. I don't agree with their sense of racial identity, but I can understand why it's developed. White people, on the other hand, really don't have any non-racist reason to have a sense of racial identity. Cultural identity? Sure! Cultural heritage? Absolutely. Race, however, is nothing but a tiny fraction of one's phenotype no more important than detached/attached earlobes or hair color.

Thanks for the clarification. I was worried you were taking on all sins and crimes of all the people who have had a melanin deficiency in the 50,000 years or so. I hate when people try to put that bullshit on me, or as I thought of you, put it on themselves. (hmm I'm not white I'm melanin deficient )

Though to be fair the one and only time a minority has tried anything of the sort on me was when I was in basic training. I got the impression he hadn't assoiciated with many white people. We were having an argument, the subject of which I don't remember for sure but think may have been religion (I never hide who I am) the argument was getting heated as arguments rather then discussions are wont to do. We were both at the near shouting stage I said "You stupid..." and stopped myself to prevent escalating the argument and calling him  Mother Fucker. His irate response was "you stupid what? Nigger?" I could not have been more shocked. He had assumed that because I was white I was racist, which ironicly of him was pretty damn racist. He and a couple of his friends were staring daggers. I was actually at a lose for words and stammered for a response. I have rarely been so insulted. I was actually afraid they were gong to beat me. But like I said that's the only time anyone has ever been overtly racist to me for just being white. Racism is ugly and stupid no matter the form or source and I envy no one who expiriences it often.

I've cought a few mumbled slurs over the years from various people but never again something so direct. Most people if you treat them like the equals they are treat you the same regardless of ancestory. I'm also a quarter jewish (its a religion and a race) and have heard someof the most ignorant bullshit from people who don't know my grand ma was a jew. (oh and I was once told, innocently but serriously, that all white smell like blongna which I found more funny than insulting.)

(Sorry for the slight derail)

[PoopShoot]

then doing black things which i'd rather not go into describing.

But pig knuckles are a great appetizer for chitlins and cornbread.

[skwurll]

Myself being white, obviously I'm going to feel more comfortable in a group of white or mixed-race people compared to a group of people who are a different skin color.

Think of it this way, if you're the only white person in a group, you're seen as "that white guy".
If you're in a group of mixed-races, whites, blacks, hispanics, asians, etc, you're not going to stand out as much and feel more comfortable.

You're obviously going to feel less comfortable if there's something setting you apart from the group.

[Ultima22689]

then doing black things which i'd rather not go into describing.

But pig knuckles are a great appetizer for chitlins and cornbread.

*throws up in a mouth a bit*

They say that black people ate that shit because during slavery times they had to the best with what they had which was often salt pork and throw away parts of meat. Some things just need to be left in the past, a good example of this. Go watch the Boondocks episode "The Luther". I love the Boondocks, it points out everything that's wrong with black culture and it does a good job of making me laugh.

[Ultima22689]

I feel your pain. I may have thought the same thing awhile back but I wouldn't have berated you for it, it would have been better if you just called him a stupid mother fucker. Blacks who don't get to know people outside of their race don't know how to react well and this is a result of how they were raised, how they're perceived by mainstream media and a couple of other things. I didn't really get to know white people daily until college, made some of the best friends ever there. You know what though? It was the same for them, awkward. I remember someone slipped and said nigger then the room went all silent, so I just jokingly responded with a coon stereotype voice(Yes sir Boss! I'll go feed the chillun! Stuff like that.) Lulz ensued and we continue to play Dnd. To poke even more fun I made a DnD charaacter named Negro Tomias, I don't think I need to go into detail about that one. XD

I think when talking to folks about pride in your heritage you should try to make a distinction from racism because the people who are loudest about being proud of white heritage are groups like stormfront even though there is very little similarities which I know from experience. I had a friend who was Irish, quite proud of his heritage and took joy in talking to me about it, he cooked a lot of Irish meals and I enjoyed most of them, me being a potato fiend. Anywho, if you ever end up in a conversation like that again, try to find the common ground because in reality, we're all the same and many cultures share common ground, black and white culture do infact share a common ground. I just wish more people would see that.

I'm sorry Will but you seem almost ashamed that you are white.

Not at all. There's a big difference between being ashamed and not caring.  I'm not responsible for the acts of other white people (or any other people for that matter), so I don't feel I should be ashamed of racism or slavery.  I really, really, really don't care that I'm white.

I'm frustrated that anyone ever cares about skin pigment. Other than issues of melanin and UV protection, it's completely irrelevant. Still, the fact that non-whites are still victimized by racism explains why they have a sense of racial identity. That was my point. I don't agree with their sense of racial identity, but I can understand why it's developed. White people, on the other hand, really don't have any non-racist reason to have a sense of racial identity. Cultural identity? Sure! Cultural heritage? Absolutely. Race, however, is nothing but a tiny fraction of one's phenotype no more important than detached/attached earlobes or hair color.

Thanks for the clarification. I was worried you were taking on all sins and crimes of all the people who have had a melanin deficiency in the 50,000 years or so. I hate when people try to put that bullshit on me, or as I thought of you, put it on themselves. (hmm I'm not white I'm melanin deficient )

Though to be fair the one and only time a minority has tried anything of the sort on me was when I was in basic training. I got the impression he hadn't assoiciated with many white people. We were having an argument, the subject of which I don't remember for sure but think may have been religion (I never hide who I am) the argument was getting heated as arguments rather then discussions are wont to do. We were both at the near shouting stage I said "You stupid..." and stopped myself to prevent escalating the argument and calling him  Mother Fucker. His irate response was "you stupid what? Nigger?" I could not have been more shocked. He had assumed that because I was white I was racist, which ironicly of him was pretty damn racist. He and a couple of his friends were staring daggers. I was actually at a lose for words and stammered for a response. I have rarely been so insulted. I was actually afraid they were gong to beat me. But like I said that's the only time anyone has ever been overtly racist to me for just being white. Racism is ugly and stupid no matter the form or source and I envy no one who expiriences it often.

I've cought a few mumbled slurs over the years from various people but never again something so direct. Most people if you treat them like the equals they are treat you the same regardless of ancestory. I'm also a quarter jewish (its a religion and a race) and have heard someof the most ignorant bullshit from people who don't know my grand ma was a jew. (oh and I was once told, innocently but serriously, that all white smell like blongna which I found more funny than insulting.)

(Sorry for the slight derail)

[PoopShoot]

They say that black people ate that shit because during slavery times they had to the best with what they had which was often salt pork and throw away parts of meat.

I know too many white people who eat that shit to accept it at face value.  In fact, pig knuckles aren't bad, but I don't like pickled meat and they're hard to find straight up (that and other parts are still better for the same price).  Regardless, I know more white people who eat knuckles and head cheese.  Other than specifically chitlins (which just taste like straight fat anyway), I know more whites and Latinos that eat the weird shit that blacks are stereotyped with.

Some things just need to be left in the past, a good example of this.

Whether this is an example is debatable, but I do agree that there is a lot of shit that once happened that needs to be let go of, much of it in the form of "defining characteristics" of certain cultures.

Go watch the Boondocks episode "The Luther". I love the Boondocks, it points out everything that's wrong with black culture and it does a good job of making me laugh.

Rarely do I enjoy that show, but part of that is from living it as a child.

[Ihateyoumike]

Myself being white, obviously I'm going to feel more comfortable in a group of white or mixed-race people compared to a group of people who are a different skin color.

Think of it this way, if you're the only white person in a group, you're seen as "that white guy".
If you're in a group of mixed-races, whites, blacks, hispanics, asians, etc, you're not going to stand out as much and feel more comfortable.

You're obviously going to feel less comfortable if there's something setting you apart from the group.

...And when you are 6'7" and tend to tower over most people in any group, such as myself, you tend to feel you stick out no matter what the racial mixture of the group you're in. You're just "That Tall Guy". Especially when you hear, "Wow, you're tall!", or "Do you play basketball" all day and every day.

People don't point out how short you are all day. People don't point out how fat someone is all day. People don't point how black you are all day. If they do, it's socially unacceptable and often considered offensive.

But no, I kid. It doesn't offend me. Gets on my nerves to have to tell about 50 people a day how tall I am. And yes, my back does hurt from having to bend over farther to reach counters and shit that are all made for you short people. And no, I don't play basketball. And yes, I hit my head alot which may have to do with why I'm such a goofy bastard. And no, you'll never see my lanky ass out on a dancefloor.

I guess the point is, we are all different, and we all just need to get the eff over it. We should probably just go ahead and embrace the differences. Would suck if we all looked and acted and dressed all the same. The world would be one big cult.

[TheWilliam]

Please excuse my cultural ignorance, but why is 'TOM' an insult?

An Uncle Tom is a black person that will betray other black people to please white people.

but over time we became more equal in this country and a term like that was no longer needed.

but some dumb niggas feel the need to still toss it around even they aren't using it in the correct context because they really don't have anything to say or can't find the words to express how they feel in the moment.

and with fools like that I'm the worst of the worst because I date white women, annunciate, eat healthy, and don't chat with an invisible man in the sky.

and little do they know that visually I strongly prefer black women but they're all christians.

and at the same time they want to be racists, but they cling to the religion that was forced on their ancestors in the 17-1800s...........

yup, as a black dude it's embarrassing, I just try to smoke a joint and ignore, I'm not gonna spend my life mad 'cause other people are simpletons.

[Ihateyoumike]

yup, as a black dude it's embarrassing, I just try to smoke a joint and ignore, I'm not gonna spend my life mad 'cause other people are simpletons.

Something tells me we'd get along just fine.  

Another point to add to this is that no matter what the race, there are gonna be complete assholes.
Reminds me of the Chris Rock skit where he's comparing the black people to the "niggas".
There's white people, and there's white trash. It's the same for any race. No group of people can be completely stereotyped by their race. It just seems to me that in America, most black youth want the nigga stereotype and use it as a badge of honor. And having grown up as a white male in America, I see it as a trend that white youth want to be the same way.

I guess I don't understand making a virtue out of stupidity.

[TheWilliam]

that's word.

it reminds of when I was working on the (lower income) hispanic side of town out here, and one of my buddies that's P.Rican told me......

"You out there where them Spics at"

at first i was gonna be like, dude you can't say that, but I stopped, because I know when I used to mention other black people on the west end of town, I didn't say "niggas" I made a point to pronounce it with the dreaded "ER"

[Thumpalumpacus]

To poke even more fun I made a DnD charaacter named Negro Tomias, I don't think I need to go into detail about that one. XD

Wait, I thought it was against the law for black folk to play D&D.

He had assumed that because I was white I was racist, which ironicly of him was pretty damn racist.

This is a common irritant here in SoCal, and I've faced it on the job a couple of times.

[DropLogic]

I didn't have time to read all the responses here, so I apologize if I'm repeating an issue that has already been discussed.  
White Guilt.
In many corporate policy structures, there are tons of clauses that offer incentives and and perks to minorities.  The same goes for scholarships and government assistance programs.  My company, for example, extends special discounts and extra time to pay us if the company belongs to some minority leaders club.  I can't remember the name right now...but the gist of it is, they get a 3% discount on everything they buy, and have 60 days to pay instead of the normal 30.  Why does stuff like this exist?

[elliebean]

I really, really, really don't care that I'm white.

Neither do I, but that in itself is really kind of a distinct privilege too, isn't it? Hmmmm...