THIS IS YOUR NATION ON WHITE PRIVIELEGE

This is one of those emails that seem to swirl like papers in an up draft. I have gotten it from more people than any other email this year. At first I didn't want to publish it because this has been a Palin free zone for the last week or so but is not working. As a thought piece this brings the polarities of race relations front and center. My hope is that by raising these issues and bringing them to the surface in our hearts and minds we just might open up a an honest national dialog. This is one piece I would love to hear your comments.

Parental advisory there is some strong language here.

This is Your Nation on White Privilege (Updated)
September 13, 2008, 2:01 pm
By Tim Wise

"For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

"White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

"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.

"White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action. - M O R E -

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Thanks to DJ and AS who sent me my orgianl copies of the email. To all of the others who continue to send it and to my friends at World Trust who are working on solutions.