White Privilege? Part 1

I went to a talk on white privilege, and how to use it, yesterday (it was given by a white person bum bum bum).  The talk was about what white privilege is, the cycle of prejudice, and what we can do to stop these negative situations.

The cycle starts with stereotypes, which lead to prejudice, prejudice leads to discrimination, discrimination leads to racism and racism goes back to creating and reinforcing more stereotypes.  Understanding this cycle can better enable someone to stand up for what they know is right and use their privilege.

This leads me to another very important fact, that nearly everyone has some sort of privilege.  On a racial scale, I have light skinned privilege, meaning that for the most part I don't get followed around Wall-Mart.  I only get followed if I am with people darker than me, never lighter.  On a side note the professor was talking about how ridiculous it is to watch employees following people and it is very obvious and quite hysterical.  Anyways, race and class are not the only things that are privilege.  It can also include the financial or emotional support of friends and family, good health care, having a stable job or the ability to have a job.  I would argue that everyone who reads this has some sort of privilege.  If you have the internet and/or a computer, you have privilege.

Privilege is not bad, infact it can be used to help many people and stop a myriad of social injustices.  All you have to do is confront someone who is acting in a way that shows they have fallen into the cycle of discrimination.   


This is the list that my professor posted about her white privilege, from my prievious post...

I guess just think about which of these you have (regardless of race).

Here is the video discussing the essay by Peggy McIntosh. 



These are issues that a lot of Americans don't want to talk about, but they will not go away because we wish they didn't exist.  The only (well not the only, but one)  thing that we can do is stand up for injustices whenever we see or hear about them.

Just found this video we watched a clip of this last night.  I haven't seen the whole movie yet but I will probably comment or talk more about it.  It talks about a lot more than just black and white issues.

Making Whiteness Visible Pt. 1


Pt. 2
Pt. 3 - Listen to the first couple min of this.  Holy crap!
Pt. 4
Pt. 5
Pt. 6 - I was told this was in six parts but I am not finding it...there might just be five.