Tuesday, September 27, 2011

White Guilt or Empathy - Note to Conservatives/Liberals

Conservatives seem to have a number of thoughts in there head about "reverse racism" and other things so I thought I'll weigh in on some of these ideas.

The arguement about blacks being more unemployed and commiting more crimes not being because of Racism, is only partly true. Yes there are many black people who work hard and become employed in belittling to great jobs. However the historical reasons behind that unemployment is easily documented. The reasons are only partly Racial but mostly economical.
Corporations employed many blacks early in the last century because they were cheap labor. Around the 50's they began to leave urban areas for more white surburban, and rural areas, giving jobs to mostly whites. (I'm not saying every corporate head did this cause he was racist, race is only one factor.)
In fact this outsourcing of jobs is the same thing White American is now complaing about because many of those jobs have now gone over seas. (No this does mean I'm saying its not about race, cause Asians haven never been denegrated to the extent as those of African and also Native American heritages). And just like how blacks (a small part of the population) began to use illegal means to suppliment their income. In white neighborhoods all over American, it is has been documented that crime, especially drug distribution, and use, is on the rise.
Saying that, since the 80s it has also been well documented that a young black males caught selling drugs or in possession of drugs with no violence, will most likely be sent to prison. While a young white male selling drugs or in the possession of drugs with no violence is highly more likely to be sent to rehab or placed on probation. I think that explains itself.

The thing about not making white people feel bad. For some reason many think that white or black people should not make fun of white people. No wait they think they should not be able to make white people feel guilty. That seems to be their arguement. Don't make white people feel guilty in your jokes! Well you don't have to look at it as they are feeling guilty. In fact many Liberals don't think it's all guilt. Most of them would say it's mostly Empathy.
They have this crazy idea in there head that America as a whole has had some bad cultural, economical polices in history and some know that has had a bad effect on Black people. I wonder where they get this idea. I already know you will say,
'yeah but that was in the past now "blacks have it great". For some reason conservatives don't seem to think bigots in America don't exist anymore. True they don't have the power they once had politically and culturally before the civil rights act. But all those people didn't just die when the Civil Right bills were past and they didn't all just say "You know, they are right why did I put so much hate on these people, they are ok by me and I'll teach my children and grandchildren the same". So if you want to think that bigotry doesn't still exist look at what I said about young blacks going to jail, while young whites go to rehab (Unless of course it's a privitized prison or juvenile detention center. In the last five years they have been sending far more young white kids to prison, but that's greed.)
Another arguement is don't bunch all white people together. This I would agree with. What ever their origin their are different white people. Some are new to America and don't really understand all of the historical and cultural infigting. So many say, "I and my family had nothing to do with all of that slavery and segregations stuff." But then I would say why are you taking any side at all. You'll say, "Because I'm white." I'll say, "So what." You say all white people shouldn't be lump together but if you weren't lumping yourself with all whites to some degree, the "guilt trip" none of it, would bother you. So you need to figure that out. You would say well other lump me in. I'll say, "Well tell them your family came recently, after all that other stuff. If that isn't enought to deter them they are irrational. Just move on.
Of course then you have people who have been during those dark times. Or their family were there. Their families may even had participated. They say, "yeah but that wasn't me, that was them. Don't blame me from stuff in the past." One of those sins of my father agruments. Of course in the bible the sins of your father did weigh on you as well.

There is a underlining thing to that "guilt" or empathy. If you say that because whites now, had nothing to do with slavery or segregation they shouldn't feel guilt for it. Well that's not actually true, but not only for whites, black should have some guilt but only a small degree, foreigners now citizens should feel some guilt or empathy to a small or great degree(empathy great, guilt small). And anyone else living in America. Why you say? Because you benefit from slavery. Every person living in America does, it doesn't matter how long they or their family have been here, is benefitting off slavery. America wouldn't be the economic powerhouse it is today without slavery. That is a fact.
The idea that because you weren't physically there it should not matter to you or anyone else. Well if I follow that logic completely. You or me or anyone else can't call themselves American. America was created in the American Revolution. So only those that were in the Revolution can be Americans. Of course we don't do this. We, all of us that call ourselves Americans, have benefitted from the acts of those people. From the acts of the people during the Civil War to keep America whole, and from those of War World two that protected it from possibly being conquered.
You can't say well I benefit from those things and they were "positive" (the quotes are because it's war) in history so I'll feel a connection to that but slavery makes me feel things I don't like so I'll say "don't blame me for that." Another example is Native Americans, the conquering and also theft (I say theft when treaties were made and then dishonored, that's not conquering) of Native lands. We are able to live here because of that, but having Empathy or some degree of guilt not just for what was done but how NAs are treated now by America should be felt. People that feel this realize that it wasn't just noble acts but also dishonorable acts that made their comfortable lifes.
Being an American, No matter you Origins, no matter the length you or your family has been American. You benefit from the blood, sweat and tears of all these people. Whether it be noble act or a stain on our history. As an American you have to take the good with the bad, because you are benefitting from them. Whether you like it or not. Only way to change that is to not be or live in America (Why the hell would anyone not want to). So what does it hurt you to have some empathy. The only way the logic works of denying slavery, is if you say nothing in the past affects life now, or makes life now. Which is a ludicrous statement.