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Does your whiteness make you uncomfortable?

(Multiple choice options) As a white person. . .

  • being white is uncomfortable for me.

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • as a white person I need help to discuss social issues.

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • I would appreciate a seminar to teach me how to discuss social issues.

    Votes: 2 4.4%

  • none of this ever occurred to me.

    Votes: 29 64.4%

  • Other that I will explain in my post.

    Votes: 15 33.3%
  • Total voters
    45
I don't need to apologize for being white, which is the purpose of these seminars. They want white people to hate themselves because of the color of their skin.
 
Indian Giver said:
Saying that you have a black friend makes you a racist in the minds of the people who push these "whiteness" seminars.
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Probably true. Some of the worst verbal abuse I've ever taken on these message boards was in trying to explain our relationship. So I rarely do anymore. Something about not throwing pearls before swine or some such.

What I wish these seminars on race would be about though, is how those who are militant about political correctness and 'sensitivity' when it comes to race are in fact perpetuating racism by engaging in that.
 
AlbqOwl said:
Sometimes I think academia has lost its mind.

Now I don't get up in the morning thinking about being white, nor does that cross my mind at all during the day unless I happen to read or watch something about race. It certainly never occurred to me that I needed help with dealing with my 'whiteness'.

But nevertheless, there is this piece re the University of Michigan this month:

Excerpt:
[FONT="]A two-day professional development conference held recently at the University of Michigan included a training session that aimed to help white employees deal with their “whiteness” so they could become better equipped to fight for social justice causes, according to organizers.

[/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][FONT="]Participants who took part in the “Conversations on Whiteness” session, held December 5 during the university’s Student Life Professional Development Conference, were taught to “recognize the difficulties they face when talking about social justice issues related to their White identity, explore this discomfort, and devise ways to work through it,” the university’s website states. . .​
[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40145/

[FONT=Verdana]So how about it you folks who check 'white' or 'caucasian' on your census form? Does that bother you a lot? Do you feel a great deal of discomfort being white and at the same time talking about social justice issues? Would this seminar appeal to you?[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#333333][FONT="]

[/FONT]
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Only in the black / brown area of town.

I check "black" on a teaching application once in Sacramento City Schools district. When I got to the interview they didn't know quite what to do. No one brought it up. Whites could apply but were a last choice pick due to affirmative action. And no, I didn't get the job. LOL.

Besides I'm not "white". I'm a variety of tan-ish colors with a couple of brown spots here and there.
 
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AlbqOwl said:
Sometimes I think academia has lost its mind.

Now I don't get up in the morning thinking about being white, nor does that cross my mind at all during the day unless I happen to read or watch something about race. It certainly never occurred to me that I needed help with dealing with my 'whiteness'.

But nevertheless, there is this piece re the University of Michigan this month:

Excerpt:
[FONT=&quot]A two-day professional development conference held recently at the University of Michigan included a training session that aimed to help white employees deal with their “whiteness” so they could become better equipped to fight for social justice causes, according to organizers.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Participants who took part in the “Conversations on Whiteness” session, held December 5 during the university’s Student Life Professional Development Conference, were taught to “recognize the difficulties they face when talking about social justice issues related to their White identity, explore this discomfort, and devise ways to work through it,” the university’s website states. . .​
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40145/

So how about it you folks who check 'white' or 'caucasian' on your census form? Does that bother you a lot? Do you feel a great deal of discomfort being white and at the same time talking about social justice issues? Would this seminar appeal to you?[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]
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Not liking to take "the college fix . com" the daily dose of news from the right (their headline) at face value as you presented it, I tried to access the U. of Michigan website to see exactly how this was presented and what the intent was (rather than through the filter of college fix,) but was unable to since it is for their students and staff.

One only has to read a few threads here to understand that racial issues are perceived in many different ways.

So this may or may not have been a useful seminar, which may or may not have been as described in the OP.
 
JMR said:
Not liking to take "the college fix . com" the daily dose of news from the right (their headline) at face value as you presented it, I tried to access the U. of Michigan website to see exactly how this was presented and what the intent was (rather than through the filter of college fix,) but was unable to since it is for their students and staff.

One only has to read a few threads here to understand that racial issues are perceived in many different ways.

So this may or may not have been a useful seminar, which may or may not have been as described in the OP.
Click to expand...

Yes racial issues are perceived in many different ways, and yes, a conservative slant probably does present a different slant than a leftist/liberal slant would have presented. ('Slant' in journalism-ese is a different thing from 'bias'.) But I was impressed with the quality of journalism in what little I read at "The College Fix" site. The quoted article did not show discernible negative or positive bias and appears to be informative, objective, and untainted by the writer's opinion. That does not mean that facts stated are not in error or even intentionally incorrect, but when those facts are so easy to check, I doubt that they were.

If I was there, I probably would have read the prospectus on another seminar mentioned in the same article: “I Don’t Feel Safe Talking About Race.” Depending on the content, that one could possibly have useful application. Some of the most vile and hateful verbal abuse I have taken on these message boards was in discussions on race, and if race or other controversial issues come up in an interview, to honestly state one's opinions about race and/or other controversial topics could be fatal so far as consideration for employment is concerned. You can't know if the employer is looking for a snowflake or somebody who isn't one. And in professional and social situations, you never know who you will offend by expressing your opinion about something.

It shouldn't be that way. But these days, it is.
 
Indian Giver said:
brothern said:
Likewise I think this would be a valuable seminar. For example, when I first joined management a few years back, I had several older black women who reported up to me. That's a big challenge. In that relationship there's four power differentials: manager-employee, male-female, white-black and young-older. If some issue came up--say a conflict between team members or a layoff--I would have said it would be very unwise of me to not be cognizant of the differences between us and recognize that I'm in a position of privilege in respect to them.
Click to expand...

Are you trying to say that employees, females, blacks, and young people are inferior to managers, males, whites, and older people respectively?
Click to expand...

No. I'm talking about power differentials and privilege. American society has both historically and to this day granted white men, like myself, power and privilege; while it has looked away when it comes to empowering, respecting and protecting (black) women. In the another vein there also exists power differentials between managers and employees, as well unfairness in how some employers have treated older employees.

In other words, two of those women were of the age where they legitimately remembered a time in their lives where whites forbade them from peeing in a bathroom because of the color of their skin. Or from getting an education and having a career because of their gender.

Therefore as a manager, because those employees don't just have different experiences than you do, but experiences that have demonstrated real prejudice and injustices, you must take that into account in your demeanor, behavior and decision-making. Otherwise your tone-deaf business acumen and lack of empathy is going to create problems.
 
brothern said:
No. I'm talking about power differentials and privilege. American society has both historically and to this day granted white men, like myself, power and privilege; while it has looked away when it comes to empowering, respecting and protecting (black) women.
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You must live in a different America than I. It has never given me as a white man any power and privilege but many blacks get all kinds of power and privilege.
 
Indian Giver said:
You must live in a different America than I. It has never given me as a white man any power and privilege but many blacks get all kinds of power and privilege.
Click to expand...

So do many whites, and other skin colors.
 
Indian Giver said:
You must live in a different America than I. It has never given me as a white man any power and privilege but many blacks get all kinds of power and privilege.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry to hear that. I guess ... would you prefer to be black?
 
If people are comfortable with their whiteness, why do so many spend vacations sunbathing?
 
AlbqOwl said:
Sometimes I think academia has lost its mind.

Now I don't get up in the morning thinking about being white, nor does that cross my mind at all during the day unless I happen to read or watch something about race. It certainly never occurred to me that I needed help with dealing with my 'whiteness'.

But nevertheless, there is this piece re the University of Michigan this month:

Excerpt:
[FONT="]A two-day professional development conference held recently at the University of Michigan included a training session that aimed to help white employees deal with their “whiteness” so they could become better equipped to fight for social justice causes, according to organizers.

[/FONT][/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][FONT="]Participants who took part in the “Conversations on Whiteness” session, held December 5 during the university’s Student Life Professional Development Conference, were taught to “recognize the difficulties they face when talking about social justice issues related to their White identity, explore this discomfort, and devise ways to work through it,” the university’s website states. . .​
[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/40145/

[FONT=Verdana]So how about it you folks who check 'white' or 'caucasian' on your census form? Does that bother you a lot? Do you feel a great deal of discomfort being white and at the same time talking about social justice issues? Would this seminar appeal to you?[/FONT][/FONT][/COLOR]
[COLOR=#333333][FONT="]

[/FONT]
Click to expand...

I think Germany's National Socialists pioneered this concept back in the 1930s:

1) being Jewish is uncomfortable for me. 12.44%
2) as a Jew I need help to discuss social issues. 12.44%
3) I would appreciate a seminar to teach me how to discuss issues of being Jewish. 24.88%
4) none of this ever occurred to me. (the 6 million checked this box)
 
brothern said:
I'm sorry to hear that. I guess ... would you prefer to be black?
Click to expand...

No, I wish that the cultural Marxists would quit trying to make white people hate themselves because of the color of their skin and implementing a systematic process of genocide to make us extinct.

I wish they would leave us alone.

I will not apologize for something that I didn't do and didn't happen to any black American living today.
 
TheGoverness said:
I'm white. My whiteness does not make me uncomfortable. I just happen to be white. That's it.
Click to expand...

But waitaminute. How white are you? Are you Eminem white or Mitt Romney white?
 
AlbqOwl said:
Yes racial issues are perceived in many different ways, and yes, a conservative slant probably does present a different slant than a leftist/liberal slant would have presented. ('Slant' in journalism-ese is a different thing from 'bias'.) But I was impressed with the quality of journalism in what little I read at "The College Fix" site. The quoted article did not show discernible negative or positive bias and appears to be informative, objective, and untainted by the writer's opinion. That does not mean that facts stated are not in error or even intentionally incorrect, but when those facts are so easy to check, I doubt that they were.

If I was there, I probably would have read the prospectus on another seminar mentioned in the same article: “I Don’t Feel Safe Talking About Race.” Depending on the content, that one could possibly have useful application. Some of the most vile and hateful verbal abuse I have taken on these message boards was in discussions on race, and if race or other controversial issues come up in an interview, to honestly state one's opinions about race and/or other controversial topics could be fatal so far as consideration for employment is concerned. You can't know if the employer is looking for a snowflake or somebody who isn't one. And in professional and social situations, you never know who you will offend by expressing your opinion about something.

It shouldn't be that way. But these days, it is.
Click to expand...

Obviously a conservative slant or lean presents a different slant or lean than a liberal one. As to bias, that is generally measured by the use of loaded words, and sometimes obvious omissions. You may enjoy the college fix . com and admire their journalism. It is just a blog that gathers "news" stories that they assume their right leaning readership will enjoy. As to bias, Media Bias Fact Check rates them as extreme right bias. Of course that doesn't mean they don't have interesting well written stories. It does mean to readers who share a different lean that they may need to check for overall truthfulness and objectivity, which is sometimes a hallmark of journalism.

You never did provide a link to your OP, just the name of the source. I read the latest issue....take that back, I looked at the latest issue briefly, got the picture and then went to the University of Michigan. That was a dead end.

I completely agree with you that the most hateful and vile posts on this message board involve race.

I cannot imagine a situation in which I would decide to act the role "of a snowflake" or "an un snowflake" in order to get a job. We are a multi cultural society and I hope thinking educated people know how to behave in public.

If you are correct that in professional and social situations you never know who you will offend, perhaps there is great need for seminars such as the one mentioned in the OP.
 
Does your whiteness make you uncomfortable?
Click to expand...
No.

Why the hell would it? I've been white all my life. I'm used to it, so, no, it doesn't make me uncomfortable.
 
Every single one of the poll choices sounded like they were designed to rope me into something.
How about just putting YES, NO and other?
Why would that be a problem?
 
When I was a child, when coloring my family, I always used peach instead of white crayons. Even in MS Outlook I change the background away from white to gold, accent 4, lighter 80%.
 
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