babble home
rabble.ca - news for the rest of us
today's active topics


Post New Topic  Post A Reply
FAQ | Forum Home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» babble   » current events   » international news and politics   » White privilege and the US election

Email this thread to someone!    
Author Topic: White privilege and the US election
Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560

posted 14 September 2008 06:13 AM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
An excellent article about Palin, Obama, and the role white privilege is playing in the election.

quote:
White privilege is being able to attend churches over the years whose pastors say that people who voted for John Kerry or merely criticize George W. Bush are going to hell, and that the U.S. is an explicitly Christian nation and the job of Christians is to bring Christian theological principles into government, and who bring in speakers who say the conflict in the Middle East is God's punishment on Jews for rejecting Jesus, and everyone can still think you're just a good church-going Christian, but if you're black and friends with a black pastor who has noted (as have Colin Powell and the U.S. Department of Defense) that terrorist attacks are often the result of U.S. foreign policy and who talks about the history of racism and its effect on black people, you're an extremist who probably hates America.

White privilege is being able to be a gun enthusiast and not make people immediately scared of you. White privilege is being able to have a husband who was a member of an extremist political party that wants your state to secede from the Union, and whose motto was "Alaska first," and no one questions your patriotism or that of your family, while if you're black and your spouse merely fails to come to a 9/11 memorial so she can be home with her kids on the first day of school, people immediately think she's being disrespectful.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a "fuckin' redneck," like Bristol Palin's boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll "kick their fuckin' ass," and talk about how you like to "shoot shit" for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.



From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
remind
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6289

posted 14 September 2008 06:36 AM      Profile for remind     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yes it is, thank you Michelle. I can'rt believe Palin actually stated, being subjected to racism one's entire life, is "light" compared to being a POW. Especially considering that MCCain's POW status was actually not what it seems to be spun as.
From: "watching the tide roll away" | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
Stargazer
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 6061

posted 14 September 2008 01:04 PM      Profile for Stargazer     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Especially considering that MCCain's POW status was actually not what it seems to be spun as.

That's for sure. Counter Punch has an excellent article of John McCain's POW experience. Let's just say, someone exaggerated - greatly. The Counter Punch article is only available with a subscription but below is a website with a lot of dirt on McLame.

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/


From: Inside every cynical person, there is a disappointed idealist. | Registered: Jun 2004  |  IP: Logged
M. Spector
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 8273

posted 14 September 2008 01:19 PM      Profile for M. Spector   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
From the article in the OP it seems that the double standard applied to U.S. politicians based on their race is due to white privilege. It would be just as accurate to say it's due to racism.

Why does it suddenly become such a clever analysis when the terminology is changed?


From: One millihelen: The amount of beauty required to launch one ship. | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged
BetterRed
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 11865

posted 15 September 2008 04:49 PM      Profile for BetterRed     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Stargazer:

That's for sure. Counter Punch has an excellent article of John McCain's POW experience. Let's just say, someone exaggerated - greatly. The Counter Punch article is only available with a subscription but below is a website with a lot of dirt on McLame.

http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/


Ha
This seems to be true, Stargazer. Even assuming McSame wasnt much 'singing' and aiding the NVA, he still wasnt exactly tortured. At least not according to laws of the new world order.

many bloggers now note that, there was no true torture done on McCain, if we would go by Bushian rules for what defining it.


From: They change the course of history, everyday ppl like you and me | Registered: Jan 2006  |  IP: Logged
Star Spangled Canadian
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15502

posted 16 September 2008 06:13 AM      Profile for Star Spangled Canadian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Interesting article. I actually remember when the story about her daughter broke, I recall thinking that if this were a 17 year old black girl from an inner city, there'd be far more moral condemntation taking her to task for irresponsibility. Certainly not nearly as much sympathy for her as someone who found herself in a tough situation and valiantly opted to make a brave choice and do the right thing.

of course, that girl's mother wouldn't be running for VP so would at least not have the details of her personal life splashed across the front pages of the papers.


From: Originally from Ontario, now in Virginia | Registered: Sep 2008  |  IP: Logged
Jacob Two-Two
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2092

posted 16 September 2008 09:53 AM      Profile for Jacob Two-Two     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Good article. At least a few of those points, however, are probably more Republican privilege than white privilege. The right is always making double standards. It's not solely confined to racial divisions, just intensified by them.
From: There is but one Gord and Moolah is his profit | Registered: Jan 2002  |  IP: Logged
Star Spangled Canadian
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 15502

posted 16 September 2008 10:11 AM      Profile for Star Spangled Canadian     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yeah, very true. Republicans are very forgiving of one of tehir own when tehy mess up and very quick to condemn the moral failings of others. So, like I said, lots of compassion for the teenage daughter of a GOP governor who gets pregnant, lots of scorn whenever it's someone else's daughter. Drug addicts are all moral degenrates who should be locked away for life but when rush Limbaugh is popping 20 oxycontins a day, he's a guy bravely struggling to overcome a problem.
From: Originally from Ontario, now in Virginia | Registered: Sep 2008  |  IP: Logged
Kevin Laddle
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 14976

posted 16 September 2008 10:50 AM      Profile for Kevin Laddle     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Note that when a black guy going to a black Church whose pastor says something controversial, it's a scandal, whereas when a white guy goes to a church run by lunatics he's a good x-tian.
From: Planet Earth | Registered: Feb 2008  |  IP: Logged
Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560

posted 16 September 2008 11:57 AM      Profile for Michelle   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Yeah, they noted that in the article I quoted, Kevin. It's really something, isn't it?
From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged

All times are Pacific Time  

Post New Topic  Post A Reply Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic next oldest topic   next newest topic
Hop To:

Contact Us | rabble.ca | Policy Statement

Copyright 2001-2008 rabble.ca