Anti-Racist White Culture?

Recently I was emailed a question from Katie at 3rdfloor that really made me think and I'm sharing it in the hopes that it will do the same for others.  I'm not sure I have an answer yet, but I'm going to try to get something together in the next week.  What do you think? 

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or email me (let me know if I can post it, and any racist/idiotic comments will be deleted).

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How do white people simultaneously steer clear of cultural appropriation and disavow the parts of white culture that are fucked up?

For example, I know that white privilege and white ways of seeing medical issues historically has led to a rampant overperscription of drugs (fronted by medical insurance often white people can afford and few others) and in general a gross mockery of the medical profession. However, seeing white people getting into tai-chi and feng shui and yoga and all that shit turns my stomach.

This happens across the board, with a lot of shit, politically, socially. For me, I have never found anyone who has a good answer. How do white people reclaim a white culture that is non-exploitative, non-capitalistic? White culture is so infused with racism and privilege at this point that it seems completely unhelpful. How do whites live racially- and socially-conscious lives, seeking to uncover and combat our own racism within ourselves, and at the same time living authentically as whites (meaning not trying to shroud our whiteness because of guilt)?

Comments

[burgess]

Indeed the culture of whiteness permeates every aspect of american society. I strongly maintain that some white people are not at all ready to critique the ways in which they are fueling the racist, gender and class-based paradigm we all suffer in. I say this because, per AWK's comment, many white folks participate in the culture of difference in several ways, while assuming that this participation negates their "subconscious" adherence to racist ideology. Listening to rap, doing yoga, or reorganizing one's house under the auspices of feng shui doesn't do much when one's world has absolutely no contact with the culture that its appropriating.

This dabbling in the culture of the other becomes a way for white people to say they are not racist or classist. This also offers them a reprieve from the guilt they feel. It's funny that white folks can be enlightened because they do yoga, because they are vegans, because they have a community garden, but they treat the people of color whose culture they love when it's food, music, or on the wall in their house like shit.

Think of how many progressive communities where there are no people of color, or there are people of color who become the tokens, the safe friends of color. When people of color occupy space in the white person's life, they, without even opening their mouths, call into question a white person's liberal/radical/progressive personal politics.

Many a time it's the white person who pulls the race card first. People of color struggle against the psychological dilemmas of this everyday: "Is this person having a bad day, or is it because i'm an out, queer person (put in the race)?" This pulling of the card is a very subconscious move, and it is so very, very difficult to critique, to discuss, with a white person who thinks they are open-minded. This dialogue is especially difficult to engage in
when you're a person of color who performs/expresses their race/gender etc. in ways that do not appease a white person's cultural anxieties. I feel that progressive white folks only can deal with certain productions of raced/gendered bodies. These safe bodies often appeal to their notions of what a person of color should act like, say, be like etc.--all ideas that are fashioned based on a framework of whiteness. Whiteness means neutrality and safety, it means that white people have the privilege of constructing race etc. the way they see fit, i.e. what works for them and their sensibilities.

Am i intimating that for a person to be less racist etc. they ought to have friends of color, friends from the working-class etc.? A little bit--though this runs the risk of tokenism, which white folks do A LOT (Oh, i have one friend of color--from another country often, not those people of color living in america-- so i'm obviously not racist. I am talking about REALLY participating the lives of people of color, not being a paternalistic/maternalistic/great white hope voyeur. White people might have friends of color, but do white folks take them home, are they just the friends at the job, do white folks hang out with them outside of work, build community with them?

"How do whites live racially- and socially-conscious lives, seeking to uncover and combat our own racism within ourselves, and at the same time living authentically as whites (meaning not trying to shroud our whiteness because of guilt)?"

This is the double bind of being white: white folks run the risk of being seen as tokenizers, great white hopes, and especially of not being trusted. And my only answer to this is that white people should make an effort to be constantly conscious of their racism, their classism, and their adherence to heterosexual notions of gender. This is exhausting and i know because as a woman of color, living in the racist etc. society, i daily have to check myself time and time again. I do not have the privilege of being white. They need be ACTIVE in working to change their behavior and thoughts, change the way they live their lives, do something with their privilege that is more than just tokenizing a specific group of people they might be fond of, writing a check to the Nation, establishing a community garden, going to a drum circle, doing peace corp for a few years and then thinking that's it, or listening to the latest putamayo release.

burgess

[barb]

Wow, burgess, I think that's the best explanation of the contemporary white "man's" burden I've read in a long time. It is hugely complex and nuanced, this problem and a good example of how racism hurts even the perpetrators for generations. The way I see it it's like a relationship on a global scale. We are one part of humanity who has severly damaged our relations with the rest of humanity and now we have the long, slow process of healing that broken relationship. It's going to take a very long time and a lot of work and we won't do it perfectly but we shouldn't give up. We can heal this rift and it'll take a lot of listening, a lot of empathy and good intentioned people on both sides generations to do it. This is just the beginning.

[katie]

I'm the original question asker, thanks to both burgess and barb for your comments.

Another aspect of this question that i left implicit but should have been more explicit about is how to whites finally start calling ourselves into account? All too often in our history it has been people of color that we rely on to check our racism, as though people of color didn't have enough problems without having to educate us about our racism. Tim Wise in White Like Me goes into this briefly. Racism is endemic in white culture, and it is white people who must start taking ourselves (most importantly) and each other into account, to realize how this MUST be a lifelong project in ourselves to uncover and dismantle the racism we are saturated by as white people. I agree that this does mean white people having real, genuine relationships with people of color, approaching those relationships as openly and with as much to learn as possible, while being aware that the color of our skin, as white people, is often threatening to people of color.

It is just as difficult for me to traverse this economy where almost anything that is culturally "different" from the traditional white culture is packaged, specifically to me, so that I, the "good", "open-minded" white person will buy it. So on the one hand I understand that Putamayo CDs are completely appropriative and not very respectful towards the cultures they come from, that is, they are produced solely for consumers, usually white ones. But on the other hand, I hate folk music and other traditionally white forms of musical expression, and even those histories are clouded with the appropriation and exploitation of traditionally black forms of music, say, Elvis in rock-'n'-roll as one prominent example. So, do I listen to hip-hop acknowledging that I am being culturally appropriative and continue to question my white friends that ironically refer to one another as "yo" and "homey," using black language to make fun of either it or themselves (sometimes both), or do I shut up and strap on the headphones pumping bluegrass? But even bluegrass has a history of exploitation of black music. Any thoughts?

[Johnny]

Any thoughts?
Where do I begin? Lighten up folks. We live in a racially diverse world. Influences (exploitation- your term for influences) are a sign we are recognizing one another's cultural diversity. Is better to have "Whites Only Music".

[Timothy Tilliard]

>>>I do not have the privilege of being white.
- What privilege does that entail? I still have to pay my bills, obey laws and be respectful of the world around me. The privileges you imagine are all in your head and do more damage to race relations than a hundred KKKlan rallies.

>>>They (imagine a white person writing "those people" Your use of "they" is just as insulting) need be ACTIVE in working to change their behavior and thoughts, change the way they live their lives, do something with their privilege that is more than just tokenizing a specific group of people they might be fond of
- I hope this message was directed at ALL members of society. A world tolerant of all cultures is everyone's burden.

[adwred]

Hey Scott -- the baby showed up happy and healthy so I am finally returning to normalcy and constructively wasting time at work on your blog.

I think Johnny and Timmy's comments point out an important responsibility that white allies (whatever term you like) to people of color need to accept -- I think we need to work very hard on our language and tactics for confronting racism in white communities. Too many white progressives/radicals ignore this responsibility, but we have access to our own communities and we need to use it.

The majority of white america has accepted an ahistorical, fantasy world of "equality" where the only "racism" that exists now comes from people of color -- see Timothy's comments. Its bizarre and upside down, but it is where many white people start from.

Burgess puts it best, I think; we are saturated, and it is a long struggle to create a different community. But I also think we don't start by worrying about appropriating music, or dreadlocks; that is symptomatic of larger issues and is counter productive in conversations, at this point, with the "color-blind" white community.

[burgess]

Ahhh, the language issue.

I agree with Timothy's critique of my use of language and Adwred's response to language in general, for we all need to consider (really need to consider) the way we use a language that's already steeped in phallocentric and hegemonic philosophies to speak about such an incendiary issue as race. For me, Timothy's comment elicited one thing that is at the very core of dialoguing about whiteness with white people: The rhetoric of democracy and equality, which assumes that everyone's experience in america is uniquely and distinctly american and therefore the same. This, per Adwred's comment, "ahistorical, fantasy world of "equality" IS where most white people begin their discussions about race, forgetting that it has socially, biologically, and historically constructed. While it is important that we take stock of each other's cultural diversity, it's also very much about how we recognize this cultural diversity. Anti-anything folks, especially those with access to their communities, really do need to work on how the language and tactics we use to confront the paradigms they are seeking to change.

Beginning with appropriation/propriety is, perhaps, not the best place to start because such conversations are counter-productive. As hindering as these types of discussions can be, they might be a kind of springboard for beginning to broach these larger issues.

[scott]

Thanks for everyone's comments. And congrats on the baby, adwred, that's wonderful news!! I hope s/he gets to see NOLA soon. Keep us updated on all that.

On the ideas of language, framing, and reaching out to communities where you have access - I've been sitting in front of my computer for the past few hours working on my thesis, trying to figure out how to explain white supremacy and white privilege to white US anarchists in a way that doesn't immediately make them react defensively and dismissively. And I don't think I can do it.

For me, that's very depressing, as anarchists are technically against all hierarhies and oppressions. But if radicals can't/won't hear it, how do you explain it to the everyday white consumer?

This also bears on who educates who. I strongly agree with whites working on other whites, but I feel that there are important limitations on the ability of whites to do anti-racist work. I've heard a lot of critiques of the anti-oppression work done by white allies and the dangers of bringing all the attention on combatting white supremacy onto the shoulders of whites themselves - thus making whites liberators and oppressors at the same time.

I think the appropriation issue can help and hinder. Like burgess said, I feel it can be a springboard of sorts. At least for me personally, when I started learning about all this, it wasn't because someone layed out white supremacy and privilege all at once, but because I noticed or had things pointed out to me here and there and then a larger picture started to form. My rantings about dreadlocks where met with as much hostility as my rantings about white privilege in general, so I don't really know which works better. Maybe it's just my rantings that are the problem :)

There's lots more to say, but I'm wondering if people have more thoughts on katie's question? I don't want to control the discussion, but I'd be interested in what people think about that as well. Looking forward to more...

[Timothy Tilliard]

Scott I hope this steers the conversation back to more thoughts on katie's question?

>>>How do whites live racially- and socially-conscious lives, seeking to uncover and combat our own racism within ourselves?

A. I think the first step to a racially- and socially-conscious life is we need to accept that we are ALL racist, in our lives, in one way or another (anyone who says no is a liar). Accepting this truth is the beginning of the healing. The only way an alcoholic stays sober is he must constantly remind himself of his problem. He then accepts the past for what it was and moves foward. Sound simple? Yeah! Sometimes we look to hard for the socially-conscious text book answer.

[senatortombstone]

>>>How do whites live racially- and socially-conscious lives, seeking to uncover and combat our own racism within ourselves?

A: I treat other how I want to be treated. I am not owed anything and owe nothing to anyone.

Western civilization is the basis for the freedoms that all people enjoy. Capitalism is responsible for all technological innovations, conveniences and comforts in life.

American blacks, were they a separate nation, are the 14th richest on the planet. This is because capitalism.

[Tulip]

My initial response to Katie's question comes from the fact that I am half white, so I have some insight into white culture from a person of color perspective (I don't look white). With friends of mine of color, we talk freely and honestly about the experiences we've had coming from a different culture. But only with each other. A common example, we have talked about how our white friends would make fun of the "weird" food we eat and how we wouldn't want to invite them over to dinner as children. Most people can probably relate to being embarrassed about something related to where they come from at some point. The point for me is simply that people of color talk about racism and what it means to be a person of color in this culture all the time (in my experience,and only when white people aren't around). Most of my white friends avoid the issue of whiteness altogether. Some of my white friends even go as far as to tease me about my race in a way they think is funny (and sometimes I agree that it's funny), but it's hard for them to see that it's something we should be talking about seriously first. Because they don't see it as a serious issue. Maybe it's because we're from similar backgrounds economically.
(Have I brought it up that I take offense at their jokes? Of course, but they were "just kidding around" and it was "all in fun" with "no harm meant".)I wish white people could get together and talk about what it has meant to them to be white in this culture. To share similar experiences, like people of color feel the need to do.

[meghan]

Hi. I'm a black girl with locks and I just read your article about dreads and white people being a bad combination. Until recently I held the same opinion that you did about this subject; not because I'm racist or even militant, but because I felt that dreads, cornrows, etc. were symbols of black pride. I did my research and found that that is not completely true. After reading about the religious and mental aspects of dreads, I learned that if I have the right to lock my hair, then so do Asians, Latinos, Whites, and everyone else. Its not just a black thing.
Even though I locked my hair out of appreciation for my race and rebellion to some people who are stuck in the past- black and white alike- I no longer see anything wrong with anybody of any race wearing dreads
because they think its a cool hairstyle or even to show that they're not racist or colorstruck.
Even among mixed friendships, anything dealing with race or racial issues can turn into a touchy subject.Maybe sharing such a 'controversial' hairstyle will be a small way for our generation to bring about a change. Hopefully it will.

[lynx]

a few points:

1) I’ve noticed over and over again that much of what gets described as "white" privilege in America is actually class privilege. people of color are far more likely then white people to be poor (the average black family's income is just over $10 thousand a year compared to around $48 thousand for white people), so it's understandable that so many people associate "whiteness" with being relatively well off. what people forget, however, is that the vast majority of poor people in this country are white. these ties closely into point 2...

2) white people are not a culturally, ethnically, or economically homogenous group. Anglo Saxons actually only form around 8% of the total population of the US, the other 64% of the population identified as "white" is composed of assimilated ethnic minorities - who on average are MUCH less wealthy then the white elite.
As an example, there are aprx. 30 million Scotch-Irish Americans (12-16% of the total population), and their average incomes are far below the "white" average (I don't have a solid exact figure). Appalachia, where they are most heavily concentrated, is one of the single poorest regions in the entire country - it's essentially a giant reservation for poor Celts. Irish, Italians, and eastern European Americans are also majority poor and working class. The fact that the wealthiest 2% of the population owns something like 80% of the countries wealth, and most of them are Anglos, severely distorts the average "white" income figures I listed earlier. If we look critically the fact that Anglo Saxons (who have traditionally seen non-Anglo whites as culturally and even racially inferior) are disproportionately wealthy doesn't really do a damn thing to tangibly improve the lot of poor and working-class whites. The experience of "whiteness" experienced by the majority of poor white people is a very, very different thing then the experience of middle and upper class whites - a distinction that most Radicals and Academics forget to make.
If we were to - as a culture - recognize the distinct experiences and struggles of Celts, Slavs, Italians, and other invisible minorities instead of lumping them in with the relatively elite Anglo minority; our entire social structure would be turned upside down. The first step of that process is recognizing their existence in our rhetoric and analysis.

3) If the vast majority of "white" people whose cultures have been actively repressed and marginalized were to reclaim their own cultures there would be no need for them to "appropriate" other people's cultures. People appropriate because their looking for something deeply important that has been stolen from them and they cannot find within the bounds of "whiteness" - so they look outside of it.

4) also, there is a critical difference between disrespectful appropriation and a respectful and open dialogue and exchange between cultures and traditions. There is nothing inherently wrong with "white" people practicing Tai Chi or acupuncture (to refer to the earlier posters examples) - especially if these medical techniques address health problems that pharmaceuticals cannot address. It’s just plain dumb to suggest that people should not take advantage of a medical technique that addresses a legitimate health problem because to do so would be appropriation. It would be stupid to say Asians can't use aspirin and it's equally stupid to say white people can't practice Tai Chi. If Tiger Woods can Golf then the Beastie Boys can Rap, and it's really that simple. The more critical issue is whether interactions between cultures are respectful or patronizing.

5) structural racism is still very much in effect - just look at the prison system. in my experience it's much more productive to focus on organizing then it is to sit around and endlessly deconstruct everything. If you want to combat racism, do it by organizing against things like the drug war that affect millions of peoples lives every day.

6) On the personal level, no one cares how many black (or Asian, Indian, Chicano, etc.) friends you have, and as long as you think of them as your "black" friends instead of as your friends there's gonna be tension. Basically recognize and respect differences where they exist but focus on what we have in common. cuz if we can't work together we're all fucked.

to summarize, the best thing for "white" people who want to build an anti-racist culture to do is (a) stop assuming that skin tone correlates to class status, (b) learn about and ASSERT your own history culture and identity, (c) be consciously respectful of other peoples cultures, (d) take action to oppose structural racism whenever and wherever you find it, (e) and finally chill the fuck out and stop creating unnecessary counter-productive tension.

[lynx again]

oh, and about dreadlocks:

Celts have been wearing dreadlocks for *at least* 2,000 years. Romans who were conquering and colonizing us specifically mentioned them. Indian (as in in India) gurus have also been wearing them for thousands of years, so have Jewish mystics. big ups to the previous poster for doing the research before making a judgement...

[scott]

Thanks for dropping by, lynx.

I see your points about the issues of class and whiteness. At the same time, it's important to recognize that though Celts and others who are now called white were not originally seen as white, they are now and therefore receive the benefits of white privilege. Of course not as much so as other whites who have had access to it longer. White privilege even benefits working class whites.

As for dreadlocks, well, we've talked a lot about this, but no one is saying blacks have a monopoly on the hairstyle - though a Celt's mudcaked, unwashed hair forming into locks is different that say, a Rastafarians dreadlocks. However, in the US dreadlocks hold a certain significance to blacks in particular, that I feel must be respected. I would argue virtually all white people with dreadlocks aren't trying to reclaim some past culture, they do it cause they're ignorant fools who think it looks cool. And I bet some even use their Celtic heritage as an excuse to wear locks, even though that's the only aspect of Celtic heritage that they identify with.

[lynx]

of course white people get white privledge, if they didn't it wouldn't be worth giving up their cultures to be accepted as white. the point i'm trying to make is that at some level becoming 'white' is a choice and a social construction, and can thus be deconstructed. ward churchill goes into this one a lot and when i say white anti-racists should start by reclaiming their own cultures instead of coopting other people's cultures I'm basically plaigerizing him (sorry ward!). also, one thing that bugs me no end is when rich white kids use "white provledge" as an excuse to not talk about their class privledge and silence working class people. it'd be silly to claim working class/poor whites don't get white privledge, it's just a different (set of) privledge(s) then those enjoyed by rich folks.

as per dreadlocks, there's nothing neccessarily muddy or dirty about white people's dreads, although some people do get pretty grungy with it... I've got several friends who are very vocal about being Celts and wear locks as one of many ways they express that. I don't wear 'em cuz for me it's not worth dealing with the stereotype of white dready kids as wanna-be rasta's (and cuz they make my head itch).

basically, all i'm saying is rasta's didn't invent dreads and the fact that pop culture associates dreads with rastafarians says more about the ignorance of american pop culture then it does about anything else.
it's one of those things where it's easy to make a judgement in passing but the real issue is more complex then that...

have a good one -

[Asian guy]

If justice is to be served...then white people need to be ran off this land, used as slaves, lynched, raped, and killed.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

I was raised in the South...with all the racist white rednecks...learning American history of how the whites f*cked up the lives of so many others.

By posting these messages, you're trying to relieve your guilt trips. If you really want to contribute to justice...then commit suicide.

[Asian guy again]

By the way, everytime you use the word "white privilege" it gives me a shudder. It's just plain insulting to anyone who's not white. I think it also subconsciously drives that notion deeper into your (white people's) minds. There is no white privilege, period. It's an idea that makes you feel better. To really make that idea concrete, you justify it using all sorts of statistics and facts, events, etc. To acknowlege that the idea of "white privilege" is just a fallacy to boost one's own ego, is the first step you guys need to take. Seriously. I mean...otherwise we have this whole statistics war....Asians are smarter...they get all A's...so by definition, Asians are superior. Asians and Jews make up 5% of the population but 40% or more in Ivy League schools. The upper limit quota of Jews in Ivy League schools have been abolished for Jews after WWII, but still exist for Asians. Asians are enrolled at 2/3 rate compared to whites but still make up at least 20% of the student population. The average yearly income is higher than that of whites. I can go on and on. Black people have dominated every sport that they were "allowed" to play. We all know the history here. Running, Baseball, Basketball, Football(last Superbowl: both teams had black quarterbacks), Golf, etc. Man...it's tiring to even talk like this.

My point:
These are numbers. We use these to justify our "superiority" It's a basic human instinct. To want to be better than the next guy...or at least to be perceived as being better. Even within whites you have this want to look better, wealthier, superior to your own white neighbors. The extreme of this form had crossed the cultural boundary and was applied to all other races. Hence, your "white privilege" bullshit. Simple argument, if whites are privileged, then why aren't there more of them in the top schools? Why are they losing sports games to black people? Why are they losing their jobs to people of other races? etc. etc. If you can't get jobs using your "privilege" then I guess you don't really have a "privilege" in the first place. Simple questions to negate the fallacy of "white privilege". White privilege exists only in the U.S. and Europe. I suggest you travel to China, Korea, and Japan to see how much "white privilege" there is. Over there it's "asian privilege". All it is, is that since there are more asians than whites in asia, asians get to do things that maybe whites can't. Isn't that so 1+1=2 obvious? Let's try to get some of these basic notions right first. Of course, unless whites come in with guns blazing and occupying asian countries like the phillipines and others. Then, you would again have the appearance of being "superior". But in the process, you've just f*cked up another people. And the vicious cycle continues. Oh by the way, Africa's political, economical, social systems are so manipulated and corrupt starting from the English and French occupation that...it's just impossible to make even a simple comment. Too many factors.

If you really want people to look up to you...then you gotta win their trust, which will take you about 50 more years of just plain I'm f*ckin' sorry. Then win their respect...probably another 25 years.

Plain and simple. To ask you to remove your innate want/need to seem better than the other person is like asking you to remove your libido. It's as deeply ingrained as sex is to men.

Braveheart: William Wallace told the king or someone or the other of England's army to pass through the Scotland's villages begging for forgives for so many years of theft, rape, and murder. Sounds familiar?

Superiority is an idea created by man. Go study asian meditation practices and try to remove those false preconceptions.

[C.J.]

I agree with lynx that people need to recognize the differences between class and ethnic status, that everyone should have an understanding of their personal ethnic history, etc.

I also don't particularly like the term race because of its racist origins. I'm not just another latte sipping, Bob Dylan playin hippie white chick (although I admit to all but the "hippie" description) - ethnic tension and violence exists all over the world, often but not always linked to how white the dominant ethnic group is. I don't see myself as a member of a separate race from anyone else, and while I recognize that I benefit from white priviledge, I also don't seek a deeper understanding of "white" culture. Personally, I'm struggling to resolve my personal problems with my own ethnic group - Jews, which nowadays is conflated with the term Israeli, even though I never signed up for being part of a racist nationality. And yeah, I'm also struggling in the economic game created by capitalism and I recognize that my "sister Ivy" degree (from Wellesley) could be opening doors I choose to ignore, which is more of an educational priviledge than an ethnic one.

I seek deeper understanding of all forms of priviledge, recognizing racism as the most virulent 'ism. Its been pointed out to me that white people tend to want to talk about all discrimination at once because they are uncomfortable dealing just with racism. For me, I've never personally seen racism displayed without classism, sexism, and heterosexism so it is difficult for me to discuss one without the others. By being honest with my friends and sister activists, my intentions are clear and I am not accused of tokenism. One friend told me once I suffered from white guilt, which got me to stop focusing so damn much on the color of my own skin.

And falling in love with a person of color changed my perspective as well - our ethnic identities were intertwined with different religions that neither of us practice much, but which became the subject of strange discussions about children we didn't have.

[PugMaHone]

I'm an Irish-American with proud roots and a strong foundation in Irish culture.

I don't need some arrogant Anglo-American like Scott to presume that I share the same culture as him because are both "white". White isn't a real designation, as we all know, and it merely goes to show that Scott has the nerve to declare himself a part of an imaginary race and that other white people should listen to him because of it.

He's probably an Anglo anyway, ethnically speaking, and I will not be taking advice from the descendant of a wretched race anytime soon, a race that has caused havoc across the face of the earth for centuries, the very race which INVENTED racism and practiced it first against my people, the very first victims of the British Empire.

"White culture". Hah. What a joke.

[blackademic]

my two cents:
irish, itallian, jewish...doesn't matter. in the united states you are seen as white and you have privilege that people of color do not.

[sex-pos fem]

If that were true, Jews and Catholics could be white nationalists. They're not always seen as white. Besides being seen as white can clearly work against you, that's how this whole debate about white privelege even started, it was seen as a problem.

[Guyomar]

White... who's to say that all white people share the same culture? Many white people, worldwide - all with very different cultures.

You complicate the issue, by thinking too much, and imagining things that aren't even there. And this is what leads to problems with people of different races/cultures interacting.

I'm not white. I don't feel any less privileged than white people, I don't feel inferior...and you, who talk about people who aren't white as 'they' ... 'them'... you're the one actually creating that distinction.

We all look different, think differently, have been brought up different. Just accept it, no need to make a song and dance about it!

[Michael Lynch]

I am a white man who married a black woman and my best friend is a hispanic. There are times when I get labeled a racist,and these people don't know who I am.They look at me because my head is shaved and I've even got fired from my last job because they thought that I was involved with the skinheads and I wasn't.Rascism is very pathetic and a ignorant way of life, there are both good and bad people in every culture and we should'nt judge people by the color of their skin, we should'nt judge a book by its color.We are all equal, because I'm white I'm no better than a black man or a hispanic man or anyone for that matter.I'm very happy to have friends of color I would'nt want it any other way.And besides when me and my have kids my kids will have some rhythm in their system thanks to my wife.

[Womble]

I don't think I will ever get it- the whole "white culture vs. black culture" thing. There is no "white" or "black" culture any more than there is a gay culture, a blonde culture or a long crooked nose culture. The French culture and the Russian culture are DIFFERENT cultures, just like the Black American culture is a different culture from that of the Black Nigerians. Trying to push things so different into some kind of a unified category of "whiteness" or "blackness" is downright silly.

All this over-consciousness and search for a meaning withing a meaning within a meaning can be a source of amusement and perhaps some minor intellectual stimulation- but building your entire social perception on it is about as productive as shooting yourself in the foot. It warps your moral compass to the point when you cannot distinguish between racism and the absence of one. Which leads to such severe cases of cognitive dissonance as a self-proclaimed "anti-racist" demanding that people live "racially conscious lives".