As I stated yesterday when somebody else posted this SAME thread. Nearly every single one of these can be directly related to economic class rather than skin color. Some of them are just flat false and based on flawed premises or the subtle racism of the author.
In my arguments below I'm going to go on the assumption that most of us can tell by looking at, listening to, or observing their behavior can determine whether an individual is lower class, middle class, or upper class. While we claim to live in a classless society here in the US, that is REALLY not the case, and shame on anybody who would say otherwise.
I do attribute a few of these as purely race based. But they are the exceptions in this long list of things that can far more easily be attributed to class, or the author's bizarre work place.
1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
This is a false claim that blacks do not have similar options to exist in a primarily black world. Minorities have neighborhoods, groups, organizations, clubs, restaurants, etc... that for the most part are minority owned, operated, and patronized by said minority.
Gays, (and I know this cause I am one) can live practically their entire life in their gay ghetto if they so desire. All their friends can be gay, the bars they go to are full of gays, they belong to gay organizations, etc...
2. I can avoid spending time with people whom I was trained to mistrust and who have learned to mistrust my kind or me.
This is a social economic class thing. White middle and upper class individuals have about as much desire to spend time with poor whites as they do poor blacks.
3. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
That's quite a statement to say that middle class black people can't find the same level of comfort if they want to move. Or is this statement reliant on the
false assumption that all blacks are poor and have to live in run down parts of a town?
4. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
I would say that this one may be true. +1 for the tally.
5. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
Lower class white individuals who dress in thug wear, look like drug addicts, can't afford proper hair supplies or make up, also have this problem. Perhaps upper and middle class black individuals do to, but then again, I'm white and solidly upper middle class, and I've been followed around a store and harassed by security. God only knows what I did to make them suspicious...
6. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
Lower class individuals of any race well be hard pressed to see themselves represented fully in the media. Last I checked there are a whole host of TV shows featuring Middle class black families.
7. When I am told about our national heritage or about "civilization," I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
Lower class whites are rarely told that they are the ones who fought the battles for the revolutionary war, and the civil war, thereby making the real difference. Everything in our history books are centered on the decision makers at the top, who, in our country's history, happened to have been white and very very wealthy.
8. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
I received quite an education on native Americans, Chinese railroad builders, and African Americans both as slaves and as civil rights leaders in my public school education.
9. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
While it would be suicidal for any black writer to write a similar piece on "black privilege" (Bill Cosby's current pariah status for example) if shopped around I'm sure it would find a publisher, if it were well written. Just like your piece. #9 by the way, strikes me as completely 100% off topic.
10. I can be pretty sure of having my voice heard in a group in which I am the only member of my race.
Yeah, so? You don't think lower class people of any race have trouble not being discounted in group discussions? This is a false argument so there is NO evidence that a black individual of middle class or upper class standing would find themselves discounted.
11. I can be casual about whether or not to listen to another person's voice in a group in which s/he is the only member of his/her race.
FALSE. You've mistaken being rude for being racist. What an absolutely appalling thing to have admitted to. I very much doubt that you do this solely based on race. What if somebody looks like white trash to you? What if they are a white Republican? What if they are a teenager? I bet you discount people in all settings for sorts of reasons. Shame on you.
12. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods which fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
I'm going to assume you are not talking about modern pop music in which African-American artists currently rule the day. Instead I'm going to guess you mean classical music created by my race or people of origins. This argument then is false. Unless you are specifically of German, Austrian, or Italian descent you probably don't have many options in the way finding your historic roots classical music in a store.
13. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
I would almost give you this one, except that lower class white individuals who do not have perfect teeth, cannot afford (or are not aware of) current hairstyles, dress in lower class "gang" apparel, etc... can face the same problem
14. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
FALSE. You're making the assumption again that only black people live in crime ridden poor areas.
15. I do not have to educate my children to be aware of systemic racism for their own daily physical protection.
I'm going to half give you this one. The same level of education has to take place for poor people of any race due to the systems in place to keep them poor, deprived, and indentured.
16. I can be pretty sure that my children's teachers and employers will tolerate them if they fit school and workplace norms; my chief worries about them do not concern others' attitudes toward their race.
TRUE
17. I can talk with my mouth full and not have people put this down to my color.
Are you serious? This is a cultural thing. Some cultures (off the top of my head the Chinese I've known) do not have this as part of their etiquette. It's not racist to notice this. I noticed Chinese people often speak a dialect of Chinese... noticing that doesn't make me racist either, it just means I have ears. Just like noticing people of a certain race chewing with their mouth open just means I have eyes.
18. I can swear, or dress in second hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty or the illiteracy of my race.
FALSE. Once again, what the fuck is this? Poor people of any race has this problem.
19. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
FALSE. If you are educated on the subject you are speaking on, people who have invited you to speak are interested in that subject, not your race.
20. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
I've been told this as a white person.
21. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
I've been asked this question as a white person.
22. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of color who constitute the world's majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
Maybe that's because where you live you're in a solid majority. Where I live here in the US the Chinese are actually the majority and while I don't know Mandarin, I do know quite about Chinese cultural norms from living in such proximity.
23. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
ANY person in ANY race or social economic group would have this problem. Hell, I think just posting this makes you a cultural outsider BECAUSE YOU the poster (not the original author) lack critical thinking skills to question some of the points made here. No you just cut and paste them as your own thoughts, and to me that makes you a complete cultural outsider because you've turned your brain off.
24. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the "person in charge", I will be facing a person of my race.
FALSE. Most government or health care offices I've been too lately are strongly populated by black individuals, at management and supervisoral levels as well. Lower class individuals of any race definitely cannot say they'd be able to find somebody of the same economic class level to speak to if they asked for a "person in charge."
25. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
POOR people driving have the same problem. Since there is no "race" bubble on IRS tax forms I have my doubts about the second part.
26. I can easily buy posters, post-cards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys and children's magazines featuring people of my race.
??? You don't think minorities can find these things? Apparently you're only shopping in neighborhoods where there are white people by an overwhelming majority. Oh, suddenly this is all making sense. You're OBVIOUSLY a middle/upper class suburbanite.
27. I can go home from most meetings of organizations I belong to feeling somewhat tied in, rather than isolated, out-of-place, outnumbered, unheard, held at a distance or feared.
Are you going to KKK rallies? I bet you fit right in. Try a black panther rally next time if you want to try wearing the other shoe. FALSE.
28. I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
WOAH!? You actually hold this in your head as a truism? Good god you're a racist. FALSE.
29. I can be pretty sure that if I argue for the promotion of a person of another race, or a program centering on race, this is not likely to cost me heavily within my present setting, even if my colleagues disagree with me.
This is based on a false premise that the opposite would be true for a non-white. FALSE.
30. If I declare there is a racial issue at hand, or there isn't a racial issue at hand, my race will lend me more credibility for either position than a person of color will have.
FALSE. If you are white and declare either way you are likely to be labeled a racist and completely lacking credibility as a result. As a white person we are very rarely permitted to discuss race issues honestly without being thought of negatively by others.
31. I can choose to ignore developments in minority writing and minority activist programs, or disparage them, or learn from them, but in any case, I can find ways to be more or less protected from negative consequences of any of these choices.
Most people of any race don't pay attention to the developments of minority groups they don't belong to. FALSE.
32. My culture gives me little fear about ignoring the perspectives and powers of people of other races.
This is rather vague, but could true.
33. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race.
A reflection of, or a trait of? Are you saying that different races do not possesses these various qualities? FALSE.
34. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.
FALSE. When I discuss racism I offend people. I'm sure many of you reading this are DEEPLY offended by what I have said. Regardless of the accuracy of what I've written. I am of course willing to listen to opossing view points, but don't expect me to stop using my brain.
35. I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.
TRUE. This is one of the major pitfalls of affirmative action.
36. If my day, week or year is going badly, I need not ask of each negative episode or situation whether it had racial overtones.
I'll give you day, and possibly week, but not months or years. Half True.
37. I can be pretty sure of finding people who would be willing to talk with me and advise me about my next steps, professionally.
You must work in the most vile of workplaces if the minorities have these concerns you've listed. FALSE.
38. I can think over many options, social, political, imaginative or professional, without asking whether a person of my race would be accepted or allowed to do what I want to do.
We have a black man running for President. And while there is a question of whether or not certain elements of our society would vote for him, the data from primaries isn't yet showing people won't.
39. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race.
SERIOUSLY where do you fucking work?! This is the most toxic work place I've ever heard of! FALSE.
40. I can choose public accommodation without fearing that people of my race cannot get in or will be mistreated in the places I have chosen.
TRUE. I'm going to give you this one because there are certainly places in this country where I'm sure minorities people are hassled.
41. I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
TRUE.
42. I can arrange my activities so that I will never have to experience feelings of rejection owing to my race.
Well, you obviously live in Suburbia where this sort of thing is possible. I don't.
43. If I have low credibility as a leader I can be sure that my race is not the problem.
Jesus christ your workplace is TOXIC. FALSE.
44. I can easily find academic courses and institutions which give attention only to people of my race.
African American Studies was one of the largest programs at my university. There was not however a coursework that focused solely on white American history. FALSE.
45. I can expect figurative language and imagery in all of the arts to testify to experiences of my race.
I'm going to choke this lack of knowledge about other races art to your living in suburbia.
46. I can chose blemish cover or bandages in "flesh" color and have them more or less match my skin.
They never match mine. Lucky you. FALSE.
47. I can travel alone or with my spouse without expecting embarrassment or hostility in those who deal with us.
TRUE.
48. I have no difficulty finding neighborhoods where people approve of our household.
Middle class and upper class blacks probably don't have this problem. I bet lower class blacks do though, just like lower class whites and latinos do. FALSE.
49. My children are given texts and classes which implicitly support our kind of family unit and do not turn them against my choice of domestic partnership.
You really reached for up your ass for this one. Texts in most schools represent ONLY the nuclear family. And considering 50% of American children (of any race) or living in divorced homes this one is ... FALSE.
50. I will feel welcomed and "normal" in the usual walks of public life, institutional and social.
I can't speak to an individuals level of feeling welcomed or normal. I suspect, although I may be wrong, that most middle and upper class black people who have adopted upper and middle class lifestyles, etiquette, and behaviors, rarely feel out of place. However those individuals of any race who are poor, do not have the education on etiquette and proper middle class/upper class socialization would probably feel out of place. FALSE.