White Privilege and Sarah Palin

[bush]

Obama/Palin '08!

[leemajaz]

Originally Posted by SlowGoose

Yeah, it was interesting seeing the different subsections of the hardcore community in Columbus react to black kids. The sharps, of course, were totally inclusive, the white power kids, of course, were not. It was a fun scene until it got truly violent. Saw a guy get curbed and another one stabbed and at that point I was done with it. It became more about fighting than music and community. Same story that played out everywhere in the eighties and nineties in the hardcore scene.

the scene never really gained a big foothold in south jersey but we had our fair share of nazi's like the a.c.s ( atlantic city skins), punks, a few straight edge and quite a few blue collar standard skins. i was more of a rude boy back in those days.

[BigArn]

Originally Posted by bush

Obama/Palin '08!

Now just about everbody is happy

[truckstop]

Most of the points of the article, and how I took it, boil down to how white privilege can sneak in anywhere, in ways that we don't want to look at, since racism is so institutionalized in our culture. Many of you are making points that all things *should* be equal, and not matter, and you're right - but that's not reality.

We're taught that racism is individual acts of mean-ness against another person, and for white people who are honestly trying to be aware, and consciously respect diversity and people of other races, it's hard to come to terms with the fact that no matter our socio-economic background, we live in a white-normative society that puts white people in a place of privilege. While we all have our own personal struggles, being a white person, you have one less hurdle to overcome just based on the color of your skin, and I don't think we think about that enough.

Nobody should say you're racist if you don't support Obama, just as I don't think you're automatically sexist if you don't like Palin. That wasn't the point.

[jim schmidt]

Originally Posted by truckstop

Most of the points of the article, and how I took it, boil down to how white privilege can sneak in anywhere, in ways that we don't want to look at, since racism is so institutionalized in our culture. Many of you are making points that all things *should* be equal, and not matter, and you're right - but that's not reality.

We're taught that racism is individual acts of mean-ness against another person, and for white people who are honestly trying to be aware, and consciously respect diversity and people of other races, it's hard to come to terms with the fact that no matter our socio-economic background, we live in a white-normative society that puts white people in a place of privilege. While we all have our own personal struggles, being a white person, you have one less hurdle to overcome just based on the color of your skin, and I don't think we think about that enough.

Nobody should say you're racist if you don't support Obama, just as I don't think you're automatically sexist if you don't like Palin. That wasn't the point.

Good points all but it's worth clarifying that lots of people don't support Obama simply because they are racists. The valid point is that one can't assume someone is racist simply because they don't support Obama.

[Teej]

Originally Posted by BigArn

Now just about everbody is happy

I bet if they stood next to each other in the vicinity of the Hadron Collider, the earth would cease to exist.

Even worse than obama/clinton's pissing contests. (time for another old movie quote... "Don't cross the streams, Ray!")

[SlowGoose]

Originally Posted by leemajaz

the scene never really gained a big foothold in south jersey but we had our fair share of nazi's like the a.c.s ( atlantic city skins), punks, a few straight edge and quite a few blue collar standard skins. i was more of a rude boy back in those days.

Right on. The ska scene didn't make much of an appearance in Columbus but it sure did in St Paul/Minneapolis when I was in college.

[Teej]

Originally Posted by jim schmidt

Good points all but it's worth clarifying that lots of people don't support Obama simply because they are racists. The valid point is that one can't assume someone is racist simply because they don't support Obama.

Funny how swords cut both ways...

I know of (don't know her personally) a black woman who has admitted she's against Obama (not necessarily for mccain, but definitely against O) on a number of issues, but is supporting Obama because of race.

[mgw24]

I see that a lot on TV interviews, it's almost like to some just having a non-white person or a woman in office is more relevant to them than the candidates stance on the issues at hand, and many don't even know or care what those issues are. I also believe that McCains Campaign played that card as a partial reason in choosing Sarah Palin.

[dave b]

Originally Posted by mgw24

I see that a lot on TV interviews, it's almost like to some just having a non-white person or a woman in office is more relevant to them than the candidates stance on the issues at hand, and many don't even know or care what those issues are. I also believe that McCains Campaign played that card as a partial reason in choosing Sarah Palin.

+1

Issues? What issues. Let's talk about hunting moose.

db

[SlowGoose]

Originally Posted by mgw24

I also believe that McCains Campaign played that card as a partial reason in choosing Sarah Palin.

Yep, but the main reason for picking Palin, I believe, was to shore up the fundy right Christian base. Her being female just made the choice the perfect pander.

[mgw24]

Originally Posted by SlowGoose

Yep, but the main reason for picking Palin, I believe, was to shore up the fundy right Christian base. Her being female just made the choice the perfect pander.

Yup, and guess what- to no surprise, it's working.

I am really looking forward to the debates, not really for any valuable information, but strictly for entertainment purposes.

[SlowGoose]

Originally Posted by mgw24

Yup, and guess what- to no surprise, it's working.

I am really looking forward to the debates, not really for any valuable information, but strictly for entertainment purposes.

Yep, the debates are going to be fun. Probably maddening, but fun.

[jim schmidt]

Originally Posted by Teej

Funny how swords cut both ways...

I know of (don't know her personally) a black woman who has admitted she's against Obama (not necessarily for mccain, but definitely against O) on a number of issues, but is supporting Obama because of race.

Somehow, I find that much less dispicable.

[bush]

Originally Posted by jim schmidt

Somehow, I find that much less dispicable.

Yes, because it's perfectly acceptable to use race as a determining factor if it's beneficial to you.