Agnostic.com

5 0

Has the Diversity Movement lost their way??

I am pro-diversity. However, I am also an "Old White Guy". Am I overly sensitive, or does it seem the fight for diversity has taken on the assumption that ALL "Old White Guy"s have been discriminating and need to compensate everyone else for all the wrong doing?

There is such a thing as disenfranchised white youth, (aka "white/trailer trash" ) who grow up (into old white guys) trying to contribute to a system that has rejected them their entire lives only to be told they are not entitled to rise in society because those opportunities belong to OTHER disenfranchised people and shame on me for keeping the opportunities from them for so long!!

What the actual heck? Is reverse discrimination a real thing?

The phrase that keeps ringing in my head is from Martin Luther's "I have a Dream" Speech ......" ...I have a dream that my four little chi1dren will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. ...."

Was that dream only for his children, or only for black children?? OR is discrimination and ANY assumptions based on the color of skin WRONG??

And no, I am not the only one. I can go back into my family tree and try to demonstrate that none of my distant ancestors were "slave owners". But would it really matter? People immigrate from the Ukraine, clearly they and their ancestors did not participate in US slavery, yet it will be assumed their successors have that background. AND the way procreation works, in a few generations, we will ALL have ancestors that owned slaves, came over on the Mayflower, or fought for diversity.

So I think my answer to my own question is ANY assumptions based on the color of a persons skin is WRONG.

Yet, it seems, we persist!!

~ "Lower Class" Old White Guy ~

Normanbites 7 Mar 20
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

5 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

0

Without white guys we would not be diverse. It is just that white privledge has been in power for so long. It is difficult to recognise &/or give up & share power.

1

Privilege is a relative thing. No, a white boy born in a trailer is not going to have the same privileges as the Obama girls. Where it is real is in how much harder it is for a black girl born in the same park. OWGs (and I am one) do get it easier ALL OTHER THINGS BEING EQUAL. We do not face a history (only finally dealt with in the Anglophone world in the 1990s and currently showing a disturbing resurgence) of legally entrenched discrimination on the basis of our sex. We do not face a history (only finally dealt with in the Anglophone world in the 1980s and currently showing a disturbing resurgence) of legally entrenched discrimination on the basis of our race. They're the two biggies followed by discrimination on gender, and sexual preference. All these things produced systemic biases that favour OWGs. We don't think about them because they don't hinder us. Quite the opposite. Where the diversity movement is shafting everyone is that it is shutting down (as you say) discussion of class. Progressives are scrabbling for position at the bottom of the barrel rather than smashing their way out.

1

As gently as I can. You want diversity to be about you, a white dude. So you believe your chances in life were hindered by being a white dude, for real?

Honestly, mollybell, I think it has always been about "social classification". If it is clear you don't have access to wealth, that meant you were lower class and not entitled to opportunity. A dark skin tone was just an "easy" marker of that lack of access. This did clearly make life ore difficult for those of darker skin tone than for those who were "passing" or white but socially dis advantaged. But this does not make the denial of opportunity to anyone because of their "social standing" any more fair or just.

In short, I think the "race" issue is more of a distraction from the fact that there has always been class warfare and it is still going on.

The plantation (corporation) owners are eating everyone's lunch, but they can distract everyone from doing anything about it by saying it is a diversity problem.

I think it is a social class warfare problem and always has been.

Fighting amongst ourselves is the surest way for the wealthy elite to keep a firm grim on political power and national wealth.

Just my humble opinion, of course. But to answer your question; yeah really!

@Beach_slim You mean like winning the lottery, stumbling across a highly profitable idea or marrying well? .... that would be random chance, not hard work. Those who have had this kind of luck, as in "choosing their parents well" tend to want to stay "lucky".

2

You might find this article worth reading. He suggests that diversity makes it easier to avoid talking about class. [prospect.org]

Excellent!!! Love it!! Thanks!!

2

You know, I think it's a fair but delicate question. Be careful asking it, because everyone is used to some pretty awful racist feelings being concealed in this sort of inquiry and will respond in a way that is meant to say that in no uncertain terms, being an old white guy has advantages you can't even see because it's just the water you swim in. But I'm going to assume that your question is well-intended and that you are coming from a good place: White-Trash Americans ARE disadvantaged. With no example of success, no help getting started in life, no connections, no ability to mix credibly with people who in other societies would be called your "betters", you have an uphill climb. Makes it hard when you get lumped into the Oppressors Group. You get stereotyped if you don't try to rise above and stereotyped if you do. My advice? Use this experience to understand how other stereotyped groups must feel. Live like you can see the humanity in everyone, including the privileged, by the way, but don't be too in awe of them. They get stereotyped too, mostly as assholes, or idealized as smarter, better looking and more deserving than the rest of us. Then remember: we all carry some baggage from history. People have been pushing others around, conquering, fleeing their homes, finding new homes, waging wars and winning and losing since before history. People's memories are long, but not long enough to understand that history has made winners and losers of just about everyone at some point. We are all the same. But the function of historic memory is, among other things, identity. Start by knowing that historic resentment had a beginning. Refuse to participate in the contest over who has the biggest right to a grievance. If your own life is a struggle, identify with all who struggle everywhere, not just those who look like you. Compassion for others is always a good place to start.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:40244
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.