White Skin Privilege

[honeychile]

Okay, this is my experience. I am a geriatric counselor; I visit clients, sum up the type of help they need, and then send the appropriate person.

Most of the people we subcontract are nurses aides and companions. There are some excellent ones who have burnt out on having 25 patients a day in a nursing home but are wonderful on a one to one situation, and there are others who are doing this work because, frankly, they don't know what else they can do.

I wish I had a nickel for each time I've scheduled the person I thought would be best, and immediately gotten a telephone call from a distraught son or daughter saying, "Of course, I'm not prejudiced, but Mother is very old school..." or the sort. I try to explain that this is a person I would have take care of my own mother - doesn't make a difference. One beautiful, lovely woman of color had a door slammed in her face after the man said, "We've never had a n** in our house!"

My career has made me see a side that I have never really experienced before, and there's a lot of heartbreak involved. And yes, there has been reverse discrimination in our field, too.

I don't know what the answer or solution is - I just know that there are times when I realize that my life is easier simply because of my birth. Maybe that's why, as I delve into my own genealogy, I also try to learn as much as I can about doing African-American genealogy. As my mama has said so many times, there have been blacks on this continent as long as there have been whites, and we have an obligation to try to get along!

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Taualumna
I've heard that Asians have higher average incomes because in more traditional famlies, teens who work don't make money for themselves, but to contribute to the household income. A family of four, with two high school aged kids may have 3 incomes (high school kids working part time). I don't know anyone who had to do that, growing up, however. Also, Asians who do make more money tend to be in the health or technical fields, which can give pretty decent incomes, even at lower levels.

Hon I'm trying to understand what you're saying but I don't speak giberish.

-Rudey

[James]

"Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill . . . ."

Originally posted by DeltAlum
Well, it's like this. I don't consider myself to be particularly bright in relation to some on this board, so age and experience are all that I have to offer as proof of what I think.

[DeltAlum]

Originally posted by James
"Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill . . . ."

Damn. Found out again!

[enlightenment06]

Originally posted by madmax
Where do education standards and marketable skills factor into the equation?


In the US, Asians have the highest per capita income. They also have the highest percentage of 2 parent households and the highest educations levels. Is their per capita income a result of their skin, hair or Eurocentric features or is it becuase they have the highest education standards?

White skin privilege is deeper than that and isn't so easily measured

[wishuponastar]

Originally posted by sugar and spice
You guys, can we get off the reverse discrimination topic? We've discussed it before and we've said all of this stuff before and, well, there are more interesting things to talk about.

Yes, reverse discrimination happens. Regular discrimination happens a lot more, so if you're keeping score you're probably benefitting a lot more than you lose out. So let go and move on.



So anyway, white skin privilege?

I feel this bears repeating.

[Honeykiss1974]

In the US, Asians have the highest per capita income. They also have the highest percentage of 2 parent households and the highest educations levels. Is their per capita income a result of their skin, hair or Eurocentric features or is it becuase they have the highest education standards?

Are you sure about this (i.e got this from the US Dept of Labor's website) or is this something that you've "heard"?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Honeykiss1974
Are you sure about this (i.e got this from the US Dept of Labor's website) or is this something that you've "heard"?

Even if what he's saying isn't true, I'd like to know why underfunded schools in areas like NYC that have asian populations with lower incomes manage to send lots of kids to college (and good colleges often) than the black schools. I'm just interested.

-Rudey

[AXO_MOM_3]

Check this place out ... I'm just going to post the website since I don't know how to make the link work...

http://www.tolerance.org

It is really neat because you can take tests to determine if you do have hidden biases based on color, age, weight, sexual preference etc. I was surprised at some of my results, and it was an eye opener for me. I think we all have biases in some way or another against certain groups. Perhaps by recognizing where we are biased, we can start to make changes in ourselves and be more sensitive to others.

ETA - The link works (or did for me) and if you look on the website in the Dig Deeper section you'll see "find your hidden biases".

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by Rudey
Even if what he's saying isn't true, I'd like to know why underfunded schools in areas like NYC that have asian populations with lower incomes manage to send lots of kids to college (and good colleges often) than the black schools. I'm just interested.

-Rudey

Because Asian families stress education and make sure that their kids do well. Often, the parents are only in lower income jobs because of a lack of English skills and/or "US Experience" (I don't know if this term is used in Stateside, but immigrants often have trouble getting work here in Canada because they lack "Canadian Experience"). Many of these immigrants are highly educated, sometimes with multiple degrees.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Taualumna
Because Asian families stress education and make sure that their kids do well. Often, the parents are only in lower income jobs because of a lack of English skills and/or "US Experience" (I don't know if this term is used in Stateside, but immigrants often have trouble getting work here in Canada because they lack "Canadian Experience"). Many of these immigrants are highly educated, sometimes with multiple degrees.

where did you get that from?

-Rudey

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by Rudey
where did you get that from?

-Rudey

Well, I DO know that lots of immigrants ARE highly educated, but are unable to get work here because they don't have the English skills, because their credentials aren't recognized here or because they "lack Canadian experience". I've heard it from family friends and relatives who have just come to the country.

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by Rudey
Even if what he's saying isn't true, I'd like to know why underfunded schools in areas like NYC that have asian populations with lower incomes manage to send lots of kids to college (and good colleges often) than the black schools. I'm just interested.

-Rudey

Culture, not skin color. The value placed on education is extremely high.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by russellwarshay
Culture, not skin color. The value placed on education is extremely high.

And parental involvement.

American culture is weak in one aspect in that kids aren't pushed enough by their parents unless they're Tiger Woods.

So the solution isn't throwing money at schools. It's not going to "create equality".

-Yedur
--French kisses to all the American girls out there.

[enlightenment06]

sooo, to go back to the topic of the thread...

why are people so afraid of discussing topics like this? why does it have to go to "reverse discrimination" and "Asians do well in this country, Blacks just don't try hard enough" and etc. etc. If you want to talk about that start another thread.

This is about the Eurocentric power structure in our society and the world. Not "fat" people. Not "ugly" people. Not little Billy from down the block and around the corner who got made fun of because he wore glasses.

if you don't want to discuss it, just don't post. how's that sound?