And in reference to shinerbock's "blaming the big white devil," acknowledging structural constraints based on race (class and gender) isn't about blaming "white people." Power differentials are largely in favor of whites and the upperclass in this country but to change the social structure means looking at institutional practices and how we recreate the structure through daily interactions. Blaming white people has never accomplished anything because what's going on exists above and beyond what "white people do." Socially conscious and well-read people of all backgrounds know that.
Paranoia, defensiveness, and anger over feeling blamed also accomplishes nothing (looking at shinerbock).
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