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Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?[W: 356]

Does "white privilege exist"?


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Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

1.) easy because REAL AA/EO is only a policy and program to make sure ALL groups are represented and given an oppurtunity, nothing more.

2.) the example is spot on because real AA/EO is defined and has a definitions and other things falsely labeled AA/EO arent factually AA/EO the same with my example.

3.) yes, sometimes this happens and its NOT factual AA/EO.

1) No it doesn't. It actively discriminates against whites.

Ricci v. DeStefano was heard by the United States Supreme Court in 2009. The case concerns white and Hispanic firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut, who upon passing their test for promotions to management were denied the promotions, allegedly because of a discriminatory or at least questionable test. The test gave 17 whites and two Hispanics the possibility of immediate promotion. Although 23% of those taking the test were African American, none scored high enough to qualify. Because of the possibility the tests were biased in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,[23][24] no candidates were promoted pending outcome of the controversy.[25][26] In a split 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that New Haven had engaged in impermissible racial discrimination against the White and Hispanic majority.

I guess your definition of "ALL" is the Dick Cheney version of "ALL" which means basically "just some".

2) Sure... whatever you said.

3). Ofc not. This is just loonacy.

LOL. You, and many others who support the same view that AA/EO is not a racist policy, are just playing the childhood favorite game of "stop hitting yourself", on the receiving end that is. And it's sad.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

1) No it doesn't. It actively discriminates against whites.

Ricci v. DeStefano was heard by the United States Supreme Court in 2009. The case concerns white and Hispanic firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut, who upon passing their test for promotions to management were denied the promotions, allegedly because of a discriminatory or at least questionable test. The test gave 17 whites and two Hispanics the possibility of immediate promotion. Although 23% of those taking the test were African American, none scored high enough to qualify. Because of the possibility the tests were biased in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act,[23][24] no candidates were promoted pending outcome of the controversy.[25][26] In a split 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that New Haven had engaged in impermissible racial discrimination against the White and Hispanic majority.

I guess your definition of "ALL" is the Dick Cheney version of "ALL" which means basically "just some".

2) Sure... whatever you said.

3). Ofc not. This is just loonacy.

LOL. You, and many others who support the same view that AA/EO is not a racist policy, are just playing the childhood favorite game of "stop hitting yourself", on the receiving end that is. And it's sad.

1.) thats false and not what factual AA/EO does at all, you are fooled by the programs and people and orgs that have polices the FALSELY label AA/EE and they are not
2.) I know
3.) so again, it has nothing to do with factual AA/EO
4.) nope we just understand reality and facts and dont buy into people calling something AA/EO when its not :shrug:
Denying the truth is what is sad LMAO
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

1.) thats false and not what factual AA/EO does at all, you are fooled by the programs and people and orgs that have polices the FALSELY label AA/EE and they are not
2.) I know
3.) so again, it has nothing to do with factual AA/EO
4.) nope we just understand reality and facts and dont buy into people calling something AA/EO when its not :shrug:
Denying the truth is what is sad LMAO

Just because you reject the ugly part of AA/EO doesn't mean that they aren't part of it. Then again, if you truly, truly reject all ugly parts of AA/EO, you might as well reject all of it.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Just because you reject the ugly part of AA/EO doesn't mean that they aren't part of it. Then again, if you truly, truly reject all ugly parts of AA/EO, you might as well reject all of it.

I dont reject it, what you are describing is not FACTUALLY AA/EO :shrug:
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

I dont reject it, what you are describing is not FACTUALLY AA/EO :shrug:

Sure it isn't. It's... magical unicorn juice spilled over society.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Sure it isn't. It's... magical unicorn juice spilled over society.

100% correct!, what you are calling AA/EO is as fantasy as a unicorn.

It does happen but it is not AA/EO, sorry this fact confuses you.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

I actually find it weird that this is a debate for anybody and how anybody thinks it doesnt exist.

I mean people understand that simply telling a story or even many stories about situations where one feels that being white hindered them that doesnt change the fact that white privilege still exists.

its the same thing with racism, i could tell story after story how people are not racist, that doesnt mean racism doesnt exist.
It's willful ignorance, period. Anybody who denies the existence of white privilege doesn't want to believe it exists so they close their eyes to it.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

It's willful ignorance, period. Anybody who denies the existence of white privilege doesn't want to believe it exists so they close their eyes to it.

very true, its void of reality and facts to deny its existence.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

In that SAME wiki article, it talks about median income, broken down by race, where Asians are #1 - followed by whites, then blacks, then Hispanics.

Gee...I wonder if EDUCATION plays a part in that.

Take your red herring, and your excuses, elsewhere. Both are a joke here.

'Asians' are No. 1 by less then 5%. Whereas 'white' males are ahead of females by over 40% and over 'black' males by over 30%.

To say that there is no advantage for 'white' males over women and 'blacks' is ludicrous.

But that is apparently your point.

So noted.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

You sound more like an extreme conserative than you do a libitarian.

I sound like an extreme conservative instead of a libertarian for wanting to abolish useless legislature that creates a more meritocratic society.

Funny - you sound like a liberal when you say that.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Yes, it exists. And frankly 'minority privileged' exists in many ways too. Both have benefits and disadvantages. I would guess that being white probably has more societal advantages relative to minority privilege. But I certainly cannot be sure having only ever been white male and never a minority and therefore lack that ability to compare with full knowledge.

However, the 'fight' to fix this has been political for such a long time and I would think that initially, it did needed to be. Today, however, increasing 'minority privilege' is not going to decrease 'white privilege' at this point. We've reached a point of political diminishing returns, which needs to be recognized. Laws need to be in place to prevent any disadvantages, sure. But laws need to be removed that created advantages. The last 10% of society creating these privileges needs to be sorted out in society and punishing 100% for that 10% is only increasing that 10%.

On a side note, I'm not voting on your poll. My vote is 'yes', but we should not fix it with political means. The reason you have listed certainly doesn't describe me. Next time, stick to answers and leave the reasoning to us, if you want a true debate about the topics.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

White privilege certainly exists. White culture is still the overwhelmingly dominant culture in the US.

Case in point: What are your assumptions about someone named Taquanna vs someone named Theresa? Latrell vs. Larry? Dikembe vs Daniel? what job do you envision each person working at? A person who has cornrows vs someone with closely cropped hair?

Whenever a society expects someone to abandon and reject their own culture in order to adopt and assimilate to the dominant one, there is privilege for those who are native to the dominant culture. They don't need to learn a whole new language or way of speaking, for example.

White people who think there is no such thing as white privilege will often say something like "Well if they don't go to a job interview looking like a 'gangsta' or name their children LaDanian or Laketittikaka or whatever the **** they name their kids, they wouldn't have such problems" without realizing the irony of their claim.

When you take into account white privilege, socio-economic privilege, male privilege, etc etc, some people start way behind the eight ball.

I'm not sure if it can ever really be "fixed" though. People aren't really self-aware enough to question their assumptions, especially when the conclusion they might reach is that they are a little bit racist.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

"White privilege (or white skin privilege) refers to what some individuals perceive as advantages that white people enjoy in certain societies beyond those commonly experienced by people of color in the same social, political, or economic spaces (nation, community, workplace, income, etc). The controversial term connotes both obvious and less obvious unspoken advantages that white individuals may not recognize they have. These include cultural affirmations of one's own worth; greater presumed social status; and freedom to move, buy, work, play, and speak freely. The concept of white privilege also implies the right to assume the universality of one's own experiences, marking others as different or exceptional while perceiving oneself as normal. It can be compared and/or combined with the concept of male privilege. Does this still exist? If so, should it be corrected and fought against?

I honestly hate the term "white privilege." Its basically reducing someone's success to their race, saying you're only successful because you are a privileged white. Its not only playing the race card, but it is doing so in quite possible the most blatant way I could possibly think of. Teaching white privilege is essentially the same thing as the Nazi's teaching children to be hateful of the Jews, you're basically saying "look anything that a white person does right in life is because they are white and everything that a nonwhite does wrong in life is because they aren't white, and if they were white then it wouldn't have happened." Its essentially hateful teaching.
 
Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

White privilege certainly exists. White culture is still the overwhelmingly dominant culture in the US.

Case in point: What are your assumptions about someone named Taquanna vs someone named Theresa? Latrell vs. Larry? Dikembe vs Daniel? what job do you envision each person working at? A person who has cornrows vs someone with closely cropped hair?

Whenever a society expects someone to abandon and reject their own culture in order to adopt and assimilate to the dominant one, there is privilege for those who are native to the dominant culture. They don't need to learn a whole new language or way of speaking, for example.

White people who think there is no such thing as white privilege will often say something like "Well if they don't go to a job interview looking like a 'gangsta' or name their children LaDanian or Laketittikaka or whatever the **** they name their kids, they wouldn't have such problems" without realizing the irony of their claim.

When you take into account white privilege, socio-economic privilege, male privilege, etc etc, some people start way behind the eight ball.

I'm not sure if it can ever really be "fixed" though. People aren't really self-aware enough to question their assumptions, especially when the conclusion they might reach is that they are a little bit racist.

Isnt it racist of you to assume Taquanna is a minority name and Theresa isnt? Or Latrell? And how many Dikembes do you know?

Heres another reality...sometimes...stereotypes have foundation in fact and truth. When someone hears murder in Chicago...wouldnt you say that a good number of those 506 murders last year in Chicago had a few common denominators and it would NOT be necessarily inappropriate to make assumptions? For that matter...when you hear "serial killer" dont you automatically think "middle income white male"?
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

White privilege certainly exists. White culture is still the overwhelmingly dominant culture in the US.

Case in point: What are your assumptions about someone named Taquanna vs someone named Theresa? Latrell vs. Larry? Dikembe vs Daniel? what job do you envision each person working at? A person who has cornrows vs someone with closely cropped hair?

Whenever a society expects someone to abandon and reject their own culture in order to adopt and assimilate to the dominant one, there is privilege for those who are native to the dominant culture. They don't need to learn a whole new language or way of speaking, for example.

White people who think there is no such thing as white privilege will often say something like "Well if they don't go to a job interview looking like a 'gangsta' or name their children LaDanian or Laketittikaka or whatever the **** they name their kids, they wouldn't have such problems" without realizing the irony of their claim.

When you take into account white privilege, socio-economic privilege, male privilege, etc etc, some people start way behind the eight ball.

I'm not sure if it can ever really be "fixed" though. People aren't really self-aware enough to question their assumptions, especially when the conclusion they might reach is that they are a little bit racist.

Well, could you please show me a country without a dominant culture? Also, has the culture shift strictly been one sided, or has the shift gone both ways? Are basketball shoes only bought by blacks? Is rap music only listened to/rapped by blacks? Do only Mexicans eat at Mexican restaurants?

The answer is no no and no. Fact is, we are the most successful pluralist country in the world.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Isnt it racist of you to assume Taquanna is a minority name and Theresa isnt? Or Latrell? And how many Dikembes do you know?

Not really. It's like assuming that the names Siobhán and Eamon are Irish. You might be wrong, but logically it makes sense to assume so because culturally-speaking, they are Irish names.

Heres another reality...sometimes...stereotypes have foundation in fact and truth. When someone hears murder in Chicago...wouldnt you say that a good number of those 506 murders last year in Chicago had a few common denominators and it would NOT be necessarily inappropriate to make assumptions?

Yes, most of them occurred in low income areas.

For that matter...when you hear "serial killer" dont you automatically think "middle income white male"?

I don't. But I happen to know a lot about serial killers.
 
Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Not really. It's like assuming that the names Siobhán and Eamon are Irish. You might be wrong, but logically it makes sense to assume so because culturally-speaking, they are Irish names.



Yes, most of them occurred in low income areas.



I don't. But I happen to know a lot about serial killers.

Assumption translates to bias translates to bigotry. And riiiiiiiight. THATS what they all had in common Tucker. The low income neighborhoods. Just like most serial killer profiles indicate the perpetrator likes coke over pepsi. :roll
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Well, could you please show me a country without a dominant culture?

Why would I need to do that? We're talking about the existence of a thing. I don't have to show it's lack of existence elsewhere in order for it to exist here.

For example, if I make the claim that the United States has land, I am in no way required to show that Argentina or Zimbabwe do not have land in order for my claim to be accurate.

Also, has the culture shift strictly been one sided, or has the shift gone both ways? Are basketball shoes only bought by blacks? Is rap music only listened to/rapped by blacks? Do only Mexicans eat at Mexican restaurants?

Why do you think that this acts as a rebuttal to what I am saying?

The answer is no no and no.

But the real question is why do you think that those answers are relevant to the point being made?

Fact is, we are the most successful pluralist country in the world.

How are you determining "success"?
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Assumption translates to bias translates to bigotry.

No it doesn't. where on Earth did you get that silly idea from. Bias indicates a preference exists. Assumptions do not have to be made with a preference in one direction or another. Please do not make **** up and pretend it to be true.

And riiiiiiiight. THATS what they all had in common Tucker. The low income neighborhoods.

That is what they had in common, though. The vast majority occurred in the poorest neighborhoods. What is it that you think they had in common, if it is not the fact that they occurred in the poorest neighborhoods?
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

White privilege certainly exists. White culture is still the overwhelmingly dominant culture in the US.

Case in point: What are your assumptions about someone named Taquanna vs someone named Theresa? Latrell vs. Larry? Dikembe vs Daniel? what job do you envision each person working at? A person who has cornrows vs someone with closely cropped hair?

Whenever a society expects someone to abandon and reject their own culture in order to adopt and assimilate to the dominant one, there is privilege for those who are native to the dominant culture. They don't need to learn a whole new language or way of speaking, for example.

White people who think there is no such thing as white privilege will often say something like "Well if they don't go to a job interview looking like a 'gangsta' or name their children LaDanian or Laketittikaka or whatever the **** they name their kids, they wouldn't have such problems" without realizing the irony of their claim.

When you take into account white privilege, socio-economic privilege, male privilege, etc etc, some people start way behind the eight ball.

I'm not sure if it can ever really be "fixed" though. People aren't really self-aware enough to question their assumptions, especially when the conclusion they might reach is that they are a little bit racist.

Couldn't disagree more.

First of all, America is considered to be the "melting pot", so if that rings true, there really can't be a dominant culture. Also, what is considered "white culture"? Country music? CNN? Coca-Cola? NASCAR? White culture seems to change constantly, as it will occasionally integrate what is considered another culture into its ranks. It really doesn't have a key identifying factor. Now if you said "malt liquor and menthols" or "posses and pregnant teens", you know what they represent. What identity does white culture have?

Second, America does pretty good in balance between commerce and multiculturalism. We don't let it run free like Europe does - and thank God. Look at the more multicultural nations in Europe and see what kinds of troubles they have. In America, the most important color is green. In addition, with the names reference Tucker gave, there's really nothing that says a name that could pass for a Zulu village is indicative of a white person. I've seen some names with 5 or 6 vowels in them, and the person is whiter than snow.

Racism still exists, and probably always will. There's no way around that. However, we've found ways around "white privilege", and things like Affirmative Action are simply not needed because of acceptance on a larger scale than non-economic social circles.
 
Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

No it doesn't. where on Earth did you get that silly idea from. Bias indicates a preference exists. Assumptions do not have to be made with a preference in one direction or another. Please do not make **** up and pretend it to be true.



That is what they had in common, though. The vast majority occurred in the poorest neighborhoods. What is it that you think they had in common, if it is not the fact that they occurred in the poorest neighborhoods?
I KNOW the vast majority involve gangs and drugs and in the VAST majority of cases in Chicago's 526 or so murders and 2600 shootings were not only perpetrated by but impacted minorities. I also knew without a doubt you would avoid that reality like the plague.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Yes, it exists to a certain degree in so much as the notion of "white" is the generalized "default". This isn't inherently a "bad" or "evil" thing but rather a typical cultural human thing. Go into an area where the predominent race is asian and there will be asian privledge. Go into an area where the predominent race is black and there will be black privledge. This is because human nature says that whatever is the most common thing one experiences on a routine basis will be what's set to "default" in ones head unless there's some other strong factor to alter that.

Not so sure about this. I've done a lot of travelling and thanks to European empire I think white privilege is pretty widespread. In Asia you have cosmetics and moisturizers with bleach in them to make people more white looking, advertisements that incorporate foriegners (implying that the product is so great that even white people approve), and a general sense that white people are more beautiful, wealthy, successful, etc. I found it the same in Latin America and India. In general you are either treated like some sort of celebrity or people leave you alone. I have never experienced outright hatred for being white except for in the United States where we have such an extreme history of "active" racism (as you call it) that the divide still exists today. I have never been anywhere else where the color of my skin can so deeply affect the perception of what I say, as in America.

Zyphlin said:
And by and large, the later has happened. However, as the amount of active privledge reduces so to does the amount of active combative actions need to decrease as well lest you create a situation of blowback. There comes a time where people believe there is a fight and battle going on largely because you're still telling them they need to be fighting and battling...and for no other reason.

We're not entirely to a point where all forms of corrective action needs to be removed or ended. There's still teaching needing to be done and there's still some who seek and push for an active notion of it. But that point moves ever closer, but is stifled by the refusal by many to realistically acknolwedge it nor the progress that's been made.

I realize you're trying to be diplomatic about it but your post does come across as having a tinge of a victory to it. Yes, we got over the most obvious forms of racism, but it still lingers in other ways that are just as damaging. The media, the justice system, the employment sector... they all play a role. And yes, there is internalized racism too. I think black and hispanic communities have unfortunately self-reinforced the image that legitimate success is like being an uncle tom and a traitor to your community. The media doesn't help with that image either - B.E.T. is probably the worst example.

It's hard to declare victory though where there are still active racists at large and who are very vocal. Not to mention, the fact that we're talking about race at all means that racism and privilege are still a problem. In a society that is supportive and accepting of everyone, I do believe it's possible to be truly colour blind... but it has to be close to ideal, otherwise human nature of divisionalism will take over. Just don't give biology too much credit. Nurture plays a bigger role here.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Couldn't disagree more.

First of all, America is considered to be the "melting pot", so if that rings true, there really can't be a dominant culture.

Calling it a melting pot hasn't made it one, though. It's a stew. Always has been.

Also, what is considered "white culture"? Country music? CNN? Coca-Cola? NASCAR?

Yes. All of the above are a part of white culture. Wearing suits/certain styles of dress clothing to work, having certain haridos, saying words a certain way, using certain terminology, individualism, the nuclear family, etc etc.

The problem is that people here do not think they have a culture, when they do. That causes them to be even more oblivious to white privilege than they would be if they were not oblivious to their own culture (part of it is just a matter of being ignorant about what culture is).

Rap isn't any more or less a part of "black culture" than the blues are. Country music is not any more or less a part of white culture than Heavy Metal is. They are both equally a part of white culture. There are also things which are part of both white and black American culture equally, such as football, and somethings which are more a part of one over the other, but are still a part of both (basketball vs. Baseball, for example).

We're not simply talking about components, though. There are entire paradigms which differentiate white American culture from other American cultures.

White culture seems to change constantly, as it will occasionally integrate what is considered another culture into its ranks.

All cultures change over time, but white culture is not much different now than it was in the 70's and 80's. It might have some different components now than it did then, but it's very much the same in all of the meaningful ways. People still dress according to a certain style, people still have fairly nuclear families with paternal tendencies (rather than the extended, maternal families you see in the far more collectivist African-American culture).



It really doesn't have a key identifying factor. Now if you said "malt liquor and menthols" or "posses and pregnant teens", you know what they represent. What identity does white culture have?

Suits, rugged individualism, date rape, microbrews, fraternities, Gronkowski... all a part of white culture.

Second, America does pretty good in balance between commerce and multiculturalism.

By maintaining a dominant culture which holds on to power.

We don't let it run free like Europe does - and thank God. Look at the more multicultural nations in Europe and see what kinds of troubles they have. In America, the most important color is green. In addition, with the names reference Tucker gave, there's really nothing that says a name that could pass for a Zulu village is indicative of a white person. I've seen some names with 5 or 6 vowels in them, and the person is whiter than snow.

But even when a white person has something typically associated with black culture it has negative ramifications for them. For example, if a white guy "sounds black" when he speaks, he will receive the same detriments that the black person would experience for the same thing, if not more detriments.


Racism still exists, and probably always will. There's no way around that. However, we've found ways around "white privilege", and things like Affirmative Action are simply not needed because of acceptance on a larger scale than non-economic social circles.

There's your problem right there. Affirmative action was not enacted to counter white privilege, it was enacted to counter the institutionalized racism which was present throughout American society. It doesn't do much to affect white privilege, though.

White privilege exists. This is not a value statement, it's a statement of fact. It is unaffected by your disagreement, as all facts are. Just because something is part of "white" culture or "black" culture does not mean that all people who are white or black will identify with that particular component, or cannot identify with a component in the "other" culture, or even the other culture altogether.
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

I KNOW the vast majority involve gangs and drugs and in the VAST majority of cases in Chicago's 526 or so murders and 2600 shootings were not only perpetrated by but impacted minorities.

So? Surely you aren't trying to say that being a minority causes one to commit or become the victim of a crime?

I also knew without a doubt you would avoid that reality like the plague.

What "reality" am I avoiding? The facts are as follows: The crimes occurred in the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago. The poorest neighborhoods in Chicago are almost entirely populated by minorities. The causal factor for the crime, though, is socio-economic, not racial.

How, exactly, do you think that those facts help your argument against the existence of white privilege?
 
Re: Does "white privilege" exist? If so, should it be corrected?

Calling it a melting pot hasn't made it one, though. It's a stew. Always has been.

Still a conglomerate of ingredients and flavors though.

Yes. All of the above are a part of white culture. Wearing suits/certain styles of dress clothing to work, having certain haridos, saying words a certain way, using certain terminology, individualism, the nuclear family, etc etc.

So white culture is...professionalism? Stability? That really speaks to other cultures if that specifically describes whites.

The problem is that people here do not think they have a culture, when they do. That causes them to be even more oblivious to white privilege than they would be if they were not oblivious to their own culture (part of it is just a matter of being ignorant about what culture is).

Then I'm oblivious.

Rap isn't any more or less a part of "black culture" than the blues are. Country music is not any more or less a part of white culture than Heavy Metal is. They are both equally a part of white culture. There are also things which are part of both white and black American culture equally, such as football, and somethings which are more a part of one over the other, but are still a part of both (basketball vs. Baseball, for example).

We're not simply talking about components, though. There are entire paradigms which differentiate white American culture from other American cultures.

That pretty much hits upon what I suggested earlier - that "white culture" is essentially a huge blend. If rap isn't considered specifically part of black culture anymore, it must be because white people have adopted it, at least in part. It's a cornucopia these days.

All cultures change over time, but white culture is not much different now than it was in the 70's and 80's. It might have some different components now than it did then, but it's very much the same in all of the meaningful ways. People still dress according to a certain style, people still have fairly nuclear families with paternal tendencies (rather than the extended, maternal families you see in the far more collectivist African-American culture).

Suits, rugged individualism, date rape, microbrews, fraternities, Gronkowski... all a part of white culture.

Kinda hoping that was a joke.

But even when a white person has something typically associated with black culture it has negative ramifications for them. For example, if a white guy "sounds black" when he speaks, he will receive the same detriments that the black person would experience for the same thing, if not more detriments.

As he should be, as it's not a reflection of "sounding black", but "sounding uneducated". It's the same thing in reverse - black people are considered to be "talking white" if they use proper inflection, grammar, subtext...and use 3 syllables in "ignorant". They're not talking white - they're talking proper. Blacks themselves use "black" as a negative and "white" as a positive, purely from an academic or intellectual standpoint. Do whites really need to bend over backwards to tell them that they can achieve the American dream too?

There's your problem right there. Affirmative action was not enacted to counter white privilege, it was enacted to counter the institutionalized racism which was present throughout American society. It doesn't do much to affect white privilege, though.

White privilege exists. This is not a value statement, it's a statement of fact. It is unaffected by your disagreement, as all facts are. Just because something is part of "white" culture or "black" culture does not mean that all people who are white or black will identify with that particular component, or cannot identify with a component in the "other" culture, or even the other culture altogether.

I know that Affirmative Action had positive intentions, but these days it has negative applications - not in and of itself, but because legislation keeps getting heaped upon it that unevens the playing field on the side of employers. This is why words like "token" exist - because we have to hire not based on merit, but because of some sort of governmental "boogeyman" that says we need X and Y, even if it's a detriment.
 
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