The awful truth is that if you are not successful in this country, then it is your own fault. There are too many cases of African-Americans, black Africans, women, Cubans, (insert the name of your favorite minority here) rising from extreme poverty to become wildly successful to make the case that anybody suffers much from so-called "white privilege."

 

If a black man like Dr. Thomas Sowell, who grew up without a father in Harlem in extreme poverty, dropped out of high school at age 17 from an all black high school can rise to the top of his profession, then there is no excuse for anybody to fail in this country who has the raw ability to succeed.

 

When boat people from Vietnam and Cuba, and modern day African immigrants who reach our shores without being able to speak English can become wildly successful, then there is no excuse for anybody who was born an American citizen not to become successful.

 

You are correct in some ways. What you miss, maybe because you haven't experienced it, is that if you are a minority, no matter how skilled, how experienced or how hard you've worked, you will be passed over for opportunities in favor of a white male...and then more galling...asked to train that person. When I gave my notice at my last job, my boss eventually promoted a guy from within because he "liked computer stuff". Never mind that he had know system knowledge, no background that would lend itself to understanding the concepts of my field. His claim to fame was he found us lots of in-room phone replacements on E-bay. All due respect, but bidding on E-bay doesn't mean you understand how the GDS/OTA/IDS/PMS systems all work, nor how you forecast demand and yield to achieve maximum occupancy/revenue. My boss also offered that gentleman $7,000 more than I was making. On my first day at my new position, I received a phone call from my former boss, because said gentleman had walked out by noon that first day, because he had thought the job was 9-5 and easy. I then worked on a contract basis for about a year, 6 months of which was training a girl who was promoted into the position, whom my boss paid $10,000 less than I had been making when I left, despite the fact that she actually had some knowledge and experience with aspects of the job. How do you explain the fact that the white male with no experience was offered $7K more than I was making, while 1) I wasn't offered any increase to stay, and 2) the girl with experience was offered $10K less than I was making?

Really? Men (in general) feel this way?

 

It's a big world with a lot men. There are, of course, variations. But, in general, I see no reason to revise my statement. Shoot, here on BGP, you can go to some of the threads we've had where the discussion is about a female, and read the posts. A lot of pretty sexist comments.

It's a big world with a lot men. There are, of course, variations. But, in general, I see no reason to revise my statement. Shoot, here on BGP, you can go to some of the threads we've had where the discussion is about a female, and read the posts. A lot of pretty sexist comments.

 

And yours is right there among them but of course you can't see it.

The awful truth is that if you are not successful in this country, then it is your own fault. There are too many cases of African-Americans, black Africans, women, Cubans, (insert the name of your favorite minority here) rising from extreme poverty to become wildly successful to make the case that anybody suffers much from so-called "white privilege."

 

If a black man like Dr. Thomas Sowell, who grew up without a father in Harlem in extreme poverty, dropped out of high school at age 17 from an all black high school can rise to the top of his profession, then there is no excuse for anybody to fail in this country who has the raw ability to succeed.

 

When boat people from Vietnam and Cuba, and modern day African immigrants who reach our shores without being able to speak English can become wildly successful, then there is no excuse for anybody who was born an American citizen not to become successful.

 

The issue is those people all had to overcome roadblocks that others didn't.

You are correct in some ways. What you miss, maybe because you haven't experienced it, is that if you are a minority, no matter how skilled, how experienced or how hard you've worked, you will be passed over for opportunities in favor of a white male

 

You are right in some ways as well rockmom, but I've seen firsthand of cases where the white male is passed over specifically because they are a white male and there needs to be more diversity. I've seen and read about young white males being declined admission to certain universities while an African-American (you could insert other minorities here) males/females are accepted in their place. And yes the white male did have better test scores and GPA. However, due to wanting to ensure a certain amount of diversity, the white male was declined.

 

I'd be willing to bet that happens quite often at universities across the country and I'm not necessarily even saying its a bad thing to provide more opportunities to minorities, even though someone else might be more deserving. So at times, it can go both ways, maybe not in most industries but there's a perfect example of how minorities are not always passed over by the white male for better opportunities.

 

Makes me think of a great movie, American History X. One of the cutback scenes when Norton (before he went Neo-Nazi) is talking about how an African-American received a promotion over his dad who was more qualified because of a diversity quota. Again, probably rare in a lot of industries, but in some others, this might happen.

Edited May 30, 201412 yr by MJAlltheWay24

How do you explain the fact that the white male with no experience was offered $7K more than I was making, while 1) I wasn't offered any increase to stay, and 2) the girl with experience was offered $10K less than I was making?

 

Can't answer #1 but on #2, maybe the male negotiated a higher salary and the female just accepted what was offered? Probably not the case in this specific scenario but I've read articles before that have pointed to this as being part of the reasons that women get paid less in similar jobs. Men are more likely to ask for a raise than women (sorry I don't have a source).

You ever worry about being pulled over at random for driving in the wrong neighborhood or driving the wrong kind of car? I know I sure don't. I have friends who do, however.

 

You ever warn any of your friends about towns like Corbin? I know I do.

 

You ever have people come up to you and berate you for daring to allow a black person to sit in the front seat of your car while a white person sat in the back? I have.

 

You ever been in a car when a black friend was driving and you had to smooth things over with the cops because they decided your friend shouldn't be driving in that neighborhood or some other random garbage? Yep, done that too.

 

You do realize there are black families living in Corbin dont you?

 

All the above others you mentioned, No I havent experienced that. Maybe you should move if its that bad.

You do realize there are black families living in Corbin dont you?

 

All the above others you mentioned, No I havent experienced that. Maybe you should move if its that bad.

 

He just gave you some very good examples of white privilege and instead of acknowledging that, you just suggest he movies haha!

 

Do you think those are examples of white privilege?

It's a big world with a lot men. There are, of course, variations. But, in general, I see no reason to revise my statement. Shoot, here on BGP, you can go to some of the threads we've had where the discussion is about a female, and read the posts. A lot of pretty sexist comments.

 

Very true. There is definitely evidence of a locker room mentality here on BGP in some threads.

It's crazy to me that so many people deny this.

 

 

When heads are buried in the sand it's hard to get them out of the sand.

White males are, or almost a minority in this country now... they will definitely be in 15 yrs or less..

 

Oh. No.

It's crazy to me that so many people deny this.

 

When heads are buried in the sand it's hard to get them out of the sand.

 

I'm sure there are plenty of people who do bury their heads in the sand, so they don't see it.

 

But I don't believe the majority bury their heads in the sand, I just think the majority (aka most white people) just don't think about it because it doesn't affect them or their everyday lives, so they don't have to think about it.

 

Which is exactly the privilege.

It's crazy to me that so many people deny this.

 

There are privileges that come with both races, now who has more or less is up to debate.... Help me out and give me a true example you have witnessed as of late of white privilege.

He just gave you some very good examples of white privilege and instead of acknowledging that, you just suggest he movies haha!

 

Do you think those are examples of white privilege?

 

An example of white privilege, NO. I have smoothed stuff over with cops for a white guy.

I guess I am oblivious to some things I have never been around or had to experience. Maybe I jsut dont want to think that there are racist cops out there. I dont know. Maybe its where I live and we dotn have those kind of problems.

White males are, or almost a minority in this country now... they will definitely be in 15 yrs or less..

 

How do you figure? White males versus all other races/gender?