The ever-changing face of hatred: Justice has been served in church bombing, but racism still remain

MSNBC ^ | May 23 2002 | By Jill Nelson

[tricky_k_1972]

It might be easier if all racists were like Bobby Frank Cherry: easily identified, cartoon character good old boys. It might be simpler if all racism manifested itself in violent, clumsy ways. But like any virus, in order to survive, racism adapts to its conditions. These complex times call for a more subtle approach. Today, some racists wear suits and ties, run big bureaucracies or work in government and private corporations. Some are those who have declared racism dead, that the playing field has been leveled, and that affirmative action unnecessary and in itself racist.

Today’s racists are those who willfully ignore the existence of both discrimination against African Americans and their own white privilege. They are those who insist that all they have is due to hard work, while all that other, less fortunate members of society lack is a result of their own ineptitude. Like Cherry, today’s racists take lives and livelihoods, crush spirits, and then blame the victim. I’m pleased that Bobby Frank Cherry will spend the rest of his days in prison, but his conviction won’t bring those four girls back. And racism still is not dead. That can only happen when Americans recognize the entrenched system of white privilege that disenfranchises not only black Americans, but all people of color, not only here, but around the world, and work to dismantle it.

[tricky_k_1972]

Well I guess this means that anyone who dissagrees with the Left is a Racist, there's news for ya. by the way you can write her back using the URL and going to the bottom of the article. Sorry I'm not familliar with HTML yet, so you'll just have to cut and paste.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/756345.asp?0dm=O1FPO

[AlGone2001]

Try this:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/756345.asp?0dm=O1FPO

[Husker24]

Yea, I guess it must have been my white privilege that got me that 25K a year job in that hot geasy factory.

[concerned about politics]

I too feel there's world racism, but I think the most discriminated people in the world are the straight white males.
When applying for a job or college admission, they have to go to the end of the line. PC Quotas get in first.
All other races and genders are the privaliged. They don't even have to work for the position. It's handed to them.

[rintense]

Well, that's kinda along the lines of if you're a Republican, you're automatically a wealthy, racist white guy.

[fporretto]

You forgot the BARF ALERT!

Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
Visit the Palace Of Reason: http://palaceofreason.com

[Bigg Red]

Well said!

[DainBramage]

They are those who insist that all they have is due to hard work, while all that other, less fortunate members of society lack is a result of their own ineptitude.

This line of thought makes the assumption that all whites are successful and are looking down on minorities. More BS whining.

Finish school, keep your record clean, work hard and you have as good a chance at success as anyone

... except Shaqeal O'neal.

[GeorgeHL]

Just another attack on the white race by the leftist liberals who hate their own forebearers. And whats with this privilege business? My great Grand father fought in the Civil war to preserve this Union,my father fought in WW1 and my brother was killed in Nam is this privilege or is this hard won freedoms? Why is it only the White Europeans are accused of rascism? I've worked with blacks and over heard their rascism but to say this makes me a racist?? I am white ,European descent, and proud to look in the mirror and see a white face looking back. If the liberals love the blacks so much how come Hillary doesn't marry one or any of the Kennedys??

[Celtjew Libertarian]

The problem the this argument is that it's not the case that to be white is to be privileged. There's a legacy of discrimination against Catholics, Germans, Jews, and others -- not to mention any number of white English, who were sent to America as debtors and prisoners.

The problem is that most people of privilege have been white males, but not all whites have been privileged. White may have been a necessary condition for privilege in American history; but it was not, in and of itself, sufficient.

Even if it makes any different, Ms. Nelson and others like her, can't see the difference between a Boston Brahmin and poor, white farmer, whose ancestors were debtors, brought to Georgia by Oglethorpe.

Or, as a friend of the family once said, "My father couldn't get a job, because he was Italian. Now my son can't get a job, because he's white."

[cgk]

Ditto.

Mrs Kus

[Pearls Before Swine]

Gee, I live with my wife and five children in a 3-bedroom, 1,100 apartment. Where's my "privilege"?

She's your wife, and they're your kids!

Just kidding. I'm with you 100%. My suburban white kids can just go to the end of the line. We see it with the local busing program. The ungrateful, minority inner-city kids cause most of the trouble in the school, and the teachers are far more tolerant of them than of the local kids, who get the PC zero-tolerance Africa was a wonderful civilization treatment. My kids are fairly bright, so when they had a state-wide test (Massachusetts famous MCAS) they did very well in Math and Science. However, in history, they did quite poorly, because history isn't what they teach these days. Fortunately, they can imbibe some of my perspectives, which have imbued them with a healthy amount of cynicism.

[Arkinsaw]

The article is partially right. There are racists among us. Some of them have even tried to hijack the US Civil Rights Commission from the rule of law.

[Verginius Rufus]

White privilege disfranchises people of color around the world? If non-whites are disfranchised in other countries that is the fault of white Americans? No doubt they should all be allowed to vote in US elections. Gore lost in 2000 because only those who had actually come to America were able to vote.

Bill Bradley pushed the theme of "white skin privilege" in the 2000 primaries, but it didn't win him a single state--and that was with 'Rat voters. Obviously talking about white privilege by itself isn't enough...it needs to be combined with a practical plan for reparations. The 2004 Democratic platform should include one.

[GeorgeHL]

OH! I forgot to mention he fought on the side of the Confederacy!!