NBAPA Lawyer: Double standard exists regarding age limit for black basketball players and white athletes in other sports

[MotownMadness]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Wow, I can't believe that you think it's okay to type some of the things that you do.

More personal attacks from you towards someone who is simply stating his views of some of the problems of our society. Nowhere did he even talk about his personal situation. Your posts are truly sad.

Shut up, you have called just about anyone who doesn't agree with your racism conspiracies a racist in this thread you idiot.

[Yoshun]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Wow, I can't believe that you think it's okay to type some of the things that you do.

More personal attacks from you towards someone who is simply stating his views of some of the problems of our society. Nowhere did he even talk about his personal situation. Your posts are truly sad.

That guy is not worth anyone's time. He can't have a discussion without insulting someone. He has his point of view about black individuals and it's not going to change. He's ok if they just keep their mouths shut, otherwise they're just "waiting for handouts" and "blaming the white man for his problems."

[MotownMadness]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Wow, I can't believe that you think it's okay to type some of the things that you do.

More personal attacks from you towards someone who is simply stating his views of some of the problems of our society. Nowhere did he even talk about his personal situation. Your posts are truly sad.

That guy is not worth anyone's time. He can't have a discussion without insulting someone. He has his point of view about black individuals and it's not going to change. He's ok if they just keep their mouths shut, otherwise they're just "waiting for handouts" and "blaming the white man for his problems."

No, it's clear you can only be a racist if you start throwing out accusations at black people but it's perfectly acceptable to do so against whites. There has been so many racist remarks from a couple of these guys towards the white race but it's no big deal because you guys are only worried about you're own and that's it.

[Bill Bradley]

You may be right about his intent, but if you just look at the words, he has a point.

Even with the reality of an unfair playing field, Black people, as a whole, do a lot to hurt ourselves.

His post, whatever his real intent may be, speaks to personal responsibility and accountabllity, and I for one would love for Black folks to march for that for a change.

As a result of 500 years of oppression, Black people suffer from a genuine post traumatic stress disease, but even though this may be true, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the many consistently ignorant acts that we do to hurt ourselves, and this is undeniable if you are truly looking at the situation objectively and without bias.

And I really don't care if a member of the Klan says it directly from his own mouth, to me, truth is truth.

If you could argue that, generally speaking, white people are "sick", you have to concede that Black people are equally as "sick", if not more.

Let's call a spade a spade.

Change to what? The problem is society is sick, and blacks will be more negatively affected by these same sicknesses. This is a violent, sexist, materialistic society, so it is no surprise we see some of the things we do. Whites did not pull themselves up by the bootstraps. The wealth of the white middle class was created through a massive, historic, welfare program. As long as this remains a blacks just need to be better people narrative, nothing will change. It is the very excuse being used to deny any real change.

Sorry an abuser will always be sicker than the abused, and while they both need help, the narrative is a dishonest one that shouldn't be embraced and conceded.

WHHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!?????? You're insane... My father's real father was an abusive alcoholic who beat the **** of his mother, him, and his sisters. They packed up and ran away when he was 8. He started working when in construction he was 14, he worked after school every day and on the weekends. He started out hammering nails into scaffolding, and for 30 years he slowly worked his way up in the field. He's now the COO of a small construction company making really good money, he's worked over 50 hours a week and through weekends the vast majority of his life.

Racial profiling does exist, and it is wrong and needs to be fixed, but quite frankly, I find the implied notion that white people, and non-blacks in general don't pull themselves up by the bootstraps everyday in this country insulting. You aren't handed a ruby talisman and a golden ticket for success when you're born as a white infant.

You wanna make a change? Then go out there protest the damn budget cuts to education around the country. Everything starts at school, poor neighborhoods in general are far more of an issue than actual racism. Awful education, horrible crime-rates, and a lack of upwards mobility in these regions are far more damaging than racial profiling from your local police force.

The problem is that all white people benefit from white privilege, myself included. Poor white people benefit from privilege too. We have it by virtue of simply being white. If you think I'm wrong imagine if your father was black. Are you sure he'd get those same construction opportunities? Are you sure he wouldn't end up in jail or killed for his violent behavior? We really don't know. Now I'm not saying that all white people have it easy, mind you, just that we have certain benefits from being white (we also benefit from being men by the way).

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

For people to make throwaway comments that don't take into consideration that we have it easier is disingenuous and ignorant of certain realities.

[Cliff Levingston]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Wow, I can't believe that you think it's okay to type some of the things that you do.

More personal attacks from you towards someone who is simply stating his views of some of the problems of our society. Nowhere did he even talk about his personal situation. Your posts are truly sad.

There's a difference between stating personal opinion and blaming every single white person in America for actively propagating racial injustice. His argument is that if you're white, you're a racist, plain and simple. If that's not what his argument is then he's done a poor, poor job of articulating what it actually is because that's how it comes across.

[Neutral 123]

When you say "you"...?

Yes, I mean him personally, but all those who share his sentiment as well. Anyone who thinks they are justified to feel various levels of hate, discrimination, and entitled to the spoils of theft from black people, are justifying abuse of black people.

Rip It feels blacks deserve to be abused? Feels a level of hate, toward black people? What level have you measured him at? Feels entitled to the spoils of theft how?

You really believe all that? Please explain more. Or is it just weaponized rhetoric in a contest for Sapir-Whorf supremacy?

Do you wind up in the end finding yourself applying "all those who share his sentiment" to most white people and almost without fail any white people who disagree with your strong take?

He has justified his negative feelings towards blacks because of black misbehaviour. These stereotypes, are justification for unequal, unfair treatment. It is what it is.. His rhetoric is and has a history of being a far more lethal weapon than mine. I'm throwing stones, he's dropping daisy cutters.

[MotownMadness]

Change to what? The problem is society is sick, and blacks will be more negatively affected by these same sicknesses. This is a violent, sexist, materialistic society, so it is no surprise we see some of the things we do. Whites did not pull themselves up by the bootstraps. The wealth of the white middle class was created through a massive, historic, welfare program. As long as this remains a blacks just need to be better people narrative, nothing will change. It is the very excuse being used to deny any real change.

Sorry an abuser will always be sicker than the abused, and while they both need help, the narrative is a dishonest one that shouldn't be embraced and conceded.

WHHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!?????? You're insane... My father's real father was an abusive alcoholic who beat the **** of his mother, him, and his sisters. They packed up and ran away when he was 8. He started working when in construction he was 14, he worked after school every day and on the weekends. He started out hammering nails into scaffolding, and for 30 years he slowly worked his way up in the field. He's now the COO of a small construction company making really good money, he's worked over 50 hours a week and through weekends the vast majority of his life.

Racial profiling does exist, and it is wrong and needs to be fixed, but quite frankly, I find the implied notion that white people, and non-blacks in general don't pull themselves up by the bootstraps everyday in this country insulting. You aren't handed a ruby talisman and a golden ticket for success when you're born as a white infant.

You wanna make a change? Then go out there protest the damn budget cuts to education around the country. Everything starts at school, poor neighborhoods in general are far more of an issue than actual racism. Awful education, horrible crime-rates, and a lack of upwards mobility in these regions are far more damaging than racial profiling from your local police force.

The problem is that all white people benefit from white privilege, myself included. Poor white people benefit from privilege too. We have it by virtue of simply being white. If you think I'm wrong imagine if your father was black. Are you sure he'd get those same construction opportunities? Are you sure he wouldn't end up in jail or killed for his violent behavior? We really don't know. Now I'm not saying that all white people have it easy, mind you, just that we have certain benefits from being white (we also benefit from being men by the way).

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

For people to make throwaway comments that don't take into consideration that we have it easier is disingenuous and ignorant of certain realities.

This is the kind of crap I'm talking about right here, just pure gold. I'm out of here though because this is a never ending discussion. But out of curiosity what privleges have have you been handed? Was you born into a rich family or something?

[Bill Bradley]

MotownMadness this is the simplest illustration of privilege I've seen. Maybe you will understand.


I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.

Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.”

“To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.”

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, “This is unfair!” They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, “The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?”

“By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”

“Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.”

[Neutral 123]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Wow, I can't believe that you think it's okay to type some of the things that you do.

More personal attacks from you towards someone who is simply stating his views of some of the problems of our society. Nowhere did he even talk about his personal situation. Your posts are truly sad.

There's a difference between stating personal opinion and blaming every single white person in America for actively propagating racial injustice. His argument is that if you're white, you're a racist, plain and simple. If that's not what his argument is then he's done a poor, poor job of articulating what it actually is because that's how it comes across.

That's because most of the responses to my posts are irrational and emotional. A boatload of personal attacks, attempts to distract and deflect. I get it, people can be very sensitive when they feel they are being criticized. I'm not going to apologize for describing racism in a way that omits race. Omits what has happened and is still happening. Yeah, its not comfortable, because the history is gruesome and disgusting.

[MotownMadness]

MotownMadness this is the simplest illustration of privilege I've seen. Maybe you will understand.


I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.

Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.”

“To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.”

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, “This is unfair!” They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, “The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?”

“By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”

“Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.”

yep that pretty much sums up how whites have more privilege, WTF was that? Did he make all the black people throw their paper from the back of the room and your still stuck with that vision

[Roy The Natural]

Change to what? The problem is society is sick, and blacks will be more negatively affected by these same sicknesses. This is a violent, sexist, materialistic society, so it is no surprise we see some of the things we do. Whites did not pull themselves up by the bootstraps. The wealth of the white middle class was created through a massive, historic, welfare program. As long as this remains a blacks just need to be better people narrative, nothing will change. It is the very excuse being used to deny any real change.

Sorry an abuser will always be sicker than the abused, and while they both need help, the narrative is a dishonest one that shouldn't be embraced and conceded.

WHHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!?????? You're insane... My father's real father was an abusive alcoholic who beat the **** of his mother, him, and his sisters. They packed up and ran away when he was 8. He started working when in construction he was 14, he worked after school every day and on the weekends. He started out hammering nails into scaffolding, and for 30 years he slowly worked his way up in the field. He's now the COO of a small construction company making really good money, he's worked over 50 hours a week and through weekends the vast majority of his life.

Racial profiling does exist, and it is wrong and needs to be fixed, but quite frankly, I find the implied notion that white people, and non-blacks in general don't pull themselves up by the bootstraps everyday in this country insulting. You aren't handed a ruby talisman and a golden ticket for success when you're born as a white infant.

You wanna make a change? Then go out there protest the damn budget cuts to education around the country. Everything starts at school, poor neighborhoods in general are far more of an issue than actual racism. Awful education, horrible crime-rates, and a lack of upwards mobility in these regions are far more damaging than racial profiling from your local police force.

The problem is that all white people benefit from white privilege, myself included. Poor white people benefit from privilege too. We have it by virtue of simply being white. If you think I'm wrong imagine if your father was black. Are you sure he'd get those same construction opportunities? Are you sure he wouldn't end up in jail or killed for his violent behavior? We really don't know. Now I'm not saying that all white people have it easy, mind you, just that we have certain benefits from being white (we also benefit from being men by the way).

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

For people to make throwaway comments that don't take into consideration that we have it easier is disingenuous and ignorant of certain realities.

You're right... we'll never now. Why don't we just say that god gave him his success? . . . I mean if were going to throw out untestable hypothesis everywhere, let' just consider it all supernatural. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that white privileged isn't a thing, but don't sit and piss on every white person who made it out of the ghetto by telling them it's only because their white.

Most people don't make it out of the ghetto, it doesn't matter if you're black, white, hispanic, or whatever... most people don't make it out of the ghetto, period.

[Cliff Levingston]

That's because most of the responses to my posts are irrational and emotional. A boatload of personal attacks, attempts to distract and deflect. I get it, people can be very sensitive when they feel they are being criticized. I'm not going to apologize for describing racism in a way that omits race. Omits what has happened and is still happening. Yeah, its not comfortable, because the history is gruesome and disgusting.

That's fine, but you should be careful about generalizing everyone. From what Cliff Levingston has seen, in your mind, white people are evil and every single one of them is responsible for racial injustice regardless of what they've done in their lives. If that's indeed the case then you're guilty of racism, pure and simple.

[Bill Bradley]

WHHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!?????? You're insane... My father's real father was an abusive alcoholic who beat the **** of his mother, him, and his sisters. They packed up and ran away when he was 8. He started working when in construction he was 14, he worked after school every day and on the weekends. He started out hammering nails into scaffolding, and for 30 years he slowly worked his way up in the field. He's now the COO of a small construction company making really good money, he's worked over 50 hours a week and through weekends the vast majority of his life.

Racial profiling does exist, and it is wrong and needs to be fixed, but quite frankly, I find the implied notion that white people, and non-blacks in general don't pull themselves up by the bootstraps everyday in this country insulting. You aren't handed a ruby talisman and a golden ticket for success when you're born as a white infant.

You wanna make a change? Then go out there protest the damn budget cuts to education around the country. Everything starts at school, poor neighborhoods in general are far more of an issue than actual racism. Awful education, horrible crime-rates, and a lack of upwards mobility in these regions are far more damaging than racial profiling from your local police force.

The problem is that all white people benefit from white privilege, myself included. Poor white people benefit from privilege too. We have it by virtue of simply being white. If you think I'm wrong imagine if your father was black. Are you sure he'd get those same construction opportunities? Are you sure he wouldn't end up in jail or killed for his violent behavior? We really don't know. Now I'm not saying that all white people have it easy, mind you, just that we have certain benefits from being white (we also benefit from being men by the way).

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

For people to make throwaway comments that don't take into consideration that we have it easier is disingenuous and ignorant of certain realities.

You're right... we'll never now. Why don't we just say that god gave him his success? . . . I mean if were going to throw out untestable hypothesis everywhere, let' just consider it all supernatural. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that white privileged isn't a thing, but don't sit and piss on every white person who made it out of the ghetto by telling them it's only because their white.

Most people don't make it out of the ghetto, it doesn't matter if you're black, white, hispanic, or whatever... most people don't make it out of the ghetto, period.

White people have it easier. That's all I'm saying and it sounds like you agree. White privilege is obviously real and it makes it easier for us to succeed. We have fewer barriers. Less likely to get locked up or even shot and killed for a crime we didn't commit. Less likely to be discriminated against when looking for work or housing. Less likely to be looked down upon by the majority group in society. I could go on but so many posts in this thread simply pretend that these things don't exist and that black people don't have it harder. Saying that we have white privilege is not "excuse making" or anything of the sort. It's just part of our process in understanding that racial injustice and inequity exists, and we should all be directing our energies to fixing that instead of pretending that it's not real.

[Neutral 123]

You may be right about his intent, but if you just look at the words, he has a point.

Even with the reality of an unfair playing field, Black people, as a whole, do a lot to hurt ourselves.

His post, whatever his real intent may be, speaks to personal responsibility and accountabllity, and I for one would love for Black folks to march for that for a change.

As a result of 500 years of oppression, Black people suffer from a genuine post traumatic stress disease, but even though this may be true, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the many consistently ignorant acts that we do to hurt ourselves, and this is undeniable if you are truly looking at the situation objectively and without bias.

And I really don't care if a member of the Klan says it directly from his own mouth, to me, truth is truth.

If you could argue that, generally speaking, white people are "sick", you have to concede that Black people are equally as "sick", if not more.

Let's call a spade a spade.

Change to what? The problem is society is sick, and blacks will be more negatively affected by these same sicknesses. This is a violent, sexist, materialistic society, so it is no surprise we see some of the things we do. Whites did not pull themselves up by the bootstraps. The wealth of the white middle class was created through a massive, historic, welfare program. As long as this remains a blacks just need to be better people narrative, nothing will change. It is the very excuse being used to deny any real change.

Sorry an abuser will always be sicker than the abused, and while they both need help, the narrative is a dishonest one that shouldn't be embraced and conceded.

WHHAAAAAATTTT!!!!!!!?????? You're insane... My father's real father was an abusive alcoholic who beat the **** of his mother, him, and his sisters. They packed up and ran away when he was 8. He started working when in construction he was 14, he worked after school every day and on the weekends. He started out hammering nails into scaffolding, and for 30 years he slowly worked his way up in the field. He's now the COO of a small construction company making really good money, he's worked over 50 hours a week and through weekends the vast majority of his life.

Racial profiling does exist, and it is wrong and needs to be fixed, but quite frankly, I find the implied notion that white people, and non-blacks in general don't pull themselves up by the bootstraps everyday in this country insulting. You aren't handed a ruby talisman and a golden ticket for success when you're born as a white infant.

You wanna make a change? Then go out there protest the damn budget cuts to education around the country. Everything starts at school, poor neighborhoods in general are far more of an issue than actual racism. Awful education, horrible crime-rates, and a lack of upwards mobility in these regions are far more damaging than racial profiling from your local police force.

I find these discussions to go more smoothly when we try to avoid personal stories as much as possible. One, your personal stories are pretty much irrelevant as nothing I've said suggests that exceptions to anything can't exist, and two, my questioning of your stories could be interpreted as a personal attack.

My question for you is, do you not believe that people worked hard before the government welfare that created the white middle class? The issue is whether or not they were receiving a fair share of their labor. Were the many waves of immigrants who came to America lazy and didn't work hard in their old countries? Or was it they saw better opportunity for their hard work to benefit them in America? Did black slaves not work hard? Where were their gains? When the purse strings opened and an earnest attempt was made to more fairly distribute wealth, it meant a lot more white people enjoyed more from their labor . Its time for the same for blacks. Its time to stop the theft.

[Roy The Natural]

MotownMadness this is the simplest illustration of privilege I've seen. Maybe you will understand.


I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.

Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.”

“To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.”

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, “This is unfair!” They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, “The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?”

“By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”

“Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.”

This right here is a great example... yet it doesn't support the idea of white privilege whatsoever... it wholeheartedly supports the idea of CLASS privilege. Now you can argue that African-Americans comprise disproportionate amounts or the lower class, though I would retort that minorities in general comprise a very high number of the lower class. I would also say that the government does put programs in place to move those back seats forward a bit; affirmative action, and SAT bonuses to give black and hispanic students higher shots at university level education come to mind. We could be doing more to help minorities for sure, but this doesn't absolve African-American culture from its own misgivings, which are at least partially responsible for the state of the African-American's place in the lower economic classes.

[MotownMadness]

The problem is that all white people benefit from white privilege, myself included. Poor white people benefit from privilege too. We have it by virtue of simply being white. If you think I'm wrong imagine if your father was black. Are you sure he'd get those same construction opportunities? Are you sure he wouldn't end up in jail or killed for his violent behavior? We really don't know. Now I'm not saying that all white people have it easy, mind you, just that we have certain benefits from being white (we also benefit from being men by the way).

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

For people to make throwaway comments that don't take into consideration that we have it easier is disingenuous and ignorant of certain realities.

You're right... we'll never now. Why don't we just say that god gave him his success? . . . I mean if were going to throw out untestable hypothesis everywhere, let' just consider it all supernatural. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that white privileged isn't a thing, but don't sit and piss on every white person who made it out of the ghetto by telling them it's only because their white.

Most people don't make it out of the ghetto, it doesn't matter if you're black, white, hispanic, or whatever... most people don't make it out of the ghetto, period.

White people have it easier. That's all I'm saying and it sounds like you agree. White privilege is obviously real and it makes it easier for us to succeed. We have fewer barriers. Less likely to get locked up or even shot and killed for a crime we didn't commit. Less likely to be discriminated against when looking for work or housing. Less likely to be looked down upon by the majority group in society. I could go on but so many posts in this thread simply pretend that these things don't exist and that black people don't have it harder. Saying that we have white privilege is not "excuse making" or anything of the sort. It's just part of our process in understanding that racial injustice and inequity exists, and we should all be directing our energies to fixing that instead of pretending that it's not real.

Damn I wish I had all this white privilege. Then I wouldn't have to worry about busting my ass all night on a HiLo while struggling to pay bills. I think you have somehow been privileged or handed something and just think the rest of us get the same. I struggle with money but that's my own fault for not bettering myself when I was younger and nobody has yet come to my door and handed me a check for being white. I'm 30 now and I'm trying to better myself by going to trade school but I don't blame anyone or race for my problems because it's my own fault for not getting off my ass when I was younger and nobody else's.

[Rip It]

I can tell you this. If I was a black man I'm pretty damn sure I wouldn't have escaped my twenties without being thrown in jail or killed. I made a lot of mistakes that I'm pretty sure I couldn't have gotten away with if I wasn't a young white man.

Would you mind giving us an example of the crimes you believe young white males can (and do) get away with, but not young black males? Also, you say you may not have escaped your twenties without being killed. Who do you believe would have killed you, and what statistic do you have to back up this claim?

Thank you.

[Neutral 123]

MotownMadness this is the simplest illustration of privilege I've seen. Maybe you will understand.


I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.

Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.”

“To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.”

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, “This is unfair!” They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, “The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?”

“By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”

“Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.”

yep that pretty much sums up how whites have more privilege, WTF was that? Did he make all the black people throw their paper from the back of the room and your still stuck with that vision

America did. Why is that lost on you?

[wigglestrue]

If no one believed me when I said black people are just as racist if not more, then just read through some of Neutrals posts, wow. This is you're type of guy who sits around waiting for handouts and blames the white man for his problems.

Look, I understand that such a thing does exist in this world, among other things. However, there is also a not-insignificant and never-not-troubling percentage of black people whose lives are in disarray, ruin -- or, worse, over -- because of a single racist assumption or an untimely series of them. Make no mistake, that is an objective reality. One racist in a position of authority can do a lot of damage. A little clique can do even more, like one batch of jurors way to the wrong side of a racist/not-racist distribution curve, or a police department seemingly infested with racists like the LAPD, or a whole establishment like Ferguson's with palpable top to bottom disregard for black lives regardless of Wilson's or Brown's culpability. Another thing to consider is that there are just about as many of the type of white person who sits around waiting for handouts blaming this or that circumstance beyond their control for a bad situation instead of owning their fate. Moreover, it's a universal type of human, has existed in cultures everywhere, throughout all of recorded time. All that being said: You should take way more caution not to sound like the type of white person whose hot takes on race happen not to differ much from a racist's.

[Neutral 123]

That's because most of the responses to my posts are irrational and emotional. A boatload of personal attacks, attempts to distract and deflect. I get it, people can be very sensitive when they feel they are being criticized. I'm not going to apologize for describing racism in a way that omits race. Omits what has happened and is still happening. Yeah, its not comfortable, because the history is gruesome and disgusting.

That's fine, but you should be careful about generalizing everyone. From what Cliff Levingston has seen, in your mind, white people are evil and every single one of them is responsible for racial injustice regardless of what they've done in their lives. If that's indeed the case then you're guilty of racism, pure and simple.

I can't prevent people from seeing what they want to see. My original point in this thread was pretty straight forward actually. It only expanded because some are so offended by the idea racism, racial biases exist that they are running around like chickens with their heads cut off to deny it.