White men in NPHC

[preciousjeni]

Originally posted by fantASTic
preciousjeni: You are basically expressing a sentiment which I just don't understand. There is nothing a white person can SAY that's acceptable! If we say, "I don't care WHAT race you are," then we are told that we just say that because we're white. If we ever said, "You're black/asian/latino/etc and it matters to me," you know it would be a huge deal. What would be an acceptable statement?

I simply don't think things will ever be completely equal until whites AND non-whites say, "I don't care what race you are or what race I am." And from the views expressed in this thread, it's not the Caucasians who are having trouble with this statement.

However, I digress.

It's not simply the statement "I don't care what race you are" that's a problem. It's the belief that making the statement makes it a reality. Qualify that statement with further evidence that you realize how this country truly is. To an extent, you're right that things won't "ever be completely equal until whites AND non-whites say, 'I don't care what race you are or what race I am.'" But, how can that ever be a reality while vast disparities persist in areas such as access to health care, mortality, banking/finance/lending rates/homeownership, justice/incarceration, etc?

Caucasians in this thread are having trouble with this statement.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

It's not simply the statement "I don't care what race you are" that's a problem. It's the belief that making the statement makes it a reality. Qualify that statement with further evidence that you realize how this country truly is. To an extent, you're right that things won't "ever be completely equal until whites AND non-whites say, 'I don't care what race you are or what race I am.'" But, how can that ever be a reality while vast disparities persist in areas such as access to health care, mortality, banking/finance/lending rates/homeownership, justice/incarceration, etc?

Bravo!

Add to that how people's perceptions and interactions DO vary by things like race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, and region of the country.

None of us are blank slates who treat everyone the same regardless of who, "what," and how they are.

But power differentials make it such that those with the greatest power's perceptions and interactions have the biggest impact on society.