Explaining Privilege: It may not be what you think.

[Trausti]

It’d get much more acceptance if it weren’t framed in racial terms. The 20th Century taught us not to judge/treat people based on their race. Let’s not forget that lesson.

That lesson isn't something you "learn" just once, and suddenly everything is solved. You have to keep fighting, pressing, insisting that rights are actually applied. If it were true that simply passing a law immediately created equality, the passage of the 14th amendment in 1868 would have solved everything. Women would have had the vote, Blacks a right to compensated employment, Gays a right to marriage, Trans people a right to use the f*cking bathroom. But obviously, that isn't how the world works. You can't tell people it is a crime to identify with a social identifier like race or gender while socially, they are still discriminated against on the basis of those categories. It is painfully obvious that the 20th century did not, in fact, teach us all these admirable lessons.

Don't put people into racial categories and treat/judge them based on that category. Why is that so hard?

 

[Politesse]

It’d get much more acceptance if it weren’t framed in racial terms. The 20th Century taught us not to judge/treat people based on their race. Let’s not forget that lesson.

That lesson isn't something you "learn" just once, and suddenly everything is solved. You have to keep fighting, pressing, insisting that rights are actually applied. If it were true that simply passing a law immediately created equality, the passage of the 14th amendment in 1868 would have solved everything. Women would have had the vote, Blacks a right to compensated employment, Gays a right to marriage, Trans people a right to use the f*cking bathroom. But obviously, that isn't how the world works. You can't tell people it is a crime to identify with a social identifier like race or gender while socially, they are still discriminated against on the basis of those categories. It is painfully obvious that the 20th century did not, in fact, teach us all these admirable lessons.

Don't put people into racial categories and treat/judge them based on that category. Why is that so hard?

Because that wasn't what happened.

 

[laughing dog]

It’d get much more acceptance if it weren’t framed in racial terms. The 20th Century taught us not to judge/treat people based on their race. Let’s not forget that lesson.

That lesson isn't something you "learn" just once, and suddenly everything is solved. You have to keep fighting, pressing, insisting that rights are actually applied. If it were true that simply passing a law immediately created equality, the passage of the 14th amendment in 1868 would have solved everything. Women would have had the vote, Blacks a right to compensated employment, Gays a right to marriage, Trans people a right to use the f*cking bathroom. But obviously, that isn't how the world works. You can't tell people it is a crime to identify with a social identifier like race or gender while socially, they are still discriminated against on the basis of those categories. It is painfully obvious that the 20th century did not, in fact, teach us all these admirable lessons.

Don't put people into racial categories and treat/judge them based on that category. Why is that so hard?

Physician, heal thyself.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

The problem is that this is basically saying we are at fault for something we didn't do.

Where did I say in the OP anyone here was at fault for anything?

Without fault there should be no punishment. You seek a misguided notion of equality that amounts to punishment.

Just look at the world--attempts to force equality always end up tearing down the successful, not helping the unsuccessful. (Although often they are a cover for taking from the successful and giving to cronies.)

 

[Metaphor]

The problem is that this is basically saying we are at fault for something we didn't do.

Where did I say in the OP anyone here was at fault for anything?

Without fault there should be no punishment. You seek a misguided notion of equality that amounts to punishment.

Critical race theorists say that white people are not to blame, but they need to take 'responsibility'.

This is rather like saying "somebody stole your car and ran a red light. We know you are not to blame, but you need to take responsibility and pay the fine and cop the demerits".

 

[Elixir]

edit: wrong thread

In the spirit of getting along, I admit this is a rare time that I actually agree with Metaphor.

 

[laughing dog]

The problem is that this is basically saying we are at fault for something we didn't do.

Where did I say in the OP anyone here was at fault for anything?

Without fault there should be no punishment. You seek a misguided notion of equality that amounts to punishment.

You are posting in the wrong thread again, since the OP is not advocating punishment or even talking about it.