My White Teeth: Counterpoint in F
Whiteprivilege.com is pleased to present a powerful new voice, Kelvin Monroe, who begins a multipart series, which he calls “Etudes in Whiteness”, with this essay “My White Teeth: Counterpoint in F”.
_Do you know what white racists call black PhD’s?_ . . . ‘Nigger!’ — Malcolm X
_Just exactly what in the hell is enough?_ — Gil Scott-Heron
The most significant thing about Malcolm’s quote, to me, is that no matter how far I get in life I will always be reminded of it; that I will not be allowed to forget it, as long as racism remains acceptable, permissible, and excusable by whites themselves, is the significant depth of Malcolm’s question.
Today I had a dentist appointment to get my teeth cleaned, for the second time since I have been here at a Research 1, small-town university in the Inland Pacific Northwest. I have been to this dentist before–a practice that is run by a father and son combo-and the son was cool in his own way. The thing I appreciate about some white folks with no consciousness about race and ethnicity issues, is that they are not constantly trying to relate to non-white folks on the level of race and ethnicity. I appreciated that about the son.
Today I returned to this dental practice for a cleaning that I had put off long enough, and was greeted with a sense of familiarity, as I proceeded to check in. The walls were a bone color. The floor was composed of gray tile, so as to reflect an absence of color. The officiates wore white jackets, in command of their space.
After filling out some paper work (on a clipboard the size and shape of a big white tooth) to update my personal information, I waited about 10 minutes before I was seen (the place was not busy at all).
A technician, a young white woman who is probably in school for Dentistry, called my name and led me to the plastic-covered chair (in a small, enclosed space, with a view of the outdoors: to a person sitting in that chair, this view presented a possibility) where I would receive my teeth whitening.
We exchanged small talk and had some common knowledge about the workings of the music dept at this university and we both agreed that most of the people there are self absorbed and “snooty” as she stated. I didn’t feel an impulse towards anything more than cool chit-chat. Small talk.
She proceeded to ask me what I studied and I told her that I was a Jazz musician trying to obtain an Interdisciplinary PhD in Cultural Studies, which is the short and quick answer, as opposed to the long and explanatory answer about the three areas of study I am pulling from. At this point we were chillin’, she did her job and made the prelude to the cleaning pleasant.
About as pleasant as something like that can be for a Black Man who is under the total subjection of these white people, in their white office, wearing their white coats. After the technician had finished, the dentist appeared. I didn’t recognize him and frankly, did not know him. At the moment he had his first foot in the doorway, he proceeded by asking me
“How are the kids?”
I looked at him and thought, “who does he think I am?”, but before I could finish that thought, It hit me that I look like his other regular black dental patient.
I didn’t answer him. I knew I was in for a ride, and a ride we took–in his Dental office, and right now, hours later, my mouth is still sore from this ride–and, because I paid for it, I was his chauffeur.
And remember how that view of the outdoors presented a possibility: well it was now possible that I would be trapped in that small space–looking outside, sitting in a small chair-looking outside, and listening to him talk about me, to me, and outside of me–while I looked outside at a world that keeps me on the outside.
After his first dumb-ass statement, the good doctor went on insisting that he knew me; me steadily thinking no, you don’t. He approached the chair. They stood above me. The white male doctor on one side and his white female assistant on the other. I lay there. Stretched out, as if I were lying on a gurney, awaiting their examination and penetration of my apparently invisible body. The doctor prepared himself. He arrange the tray of instruments. The technician had prepped my teeth minutes before. The good doctor adjusted the chair with a touch of the button-like a conductor in front of an orchestra–and I was being lowered back in that big, plastic-covered chair.
See, the interesting thing about this first Etude baring the title “Counterpoint in F” is that the key of F Major on the piano contains one black note. This black note is commonly called B flat (Bb). It is the fourth note in the series of notes that comprise the F Major scale. In European music, generally speaking, the fourth note of a Major scale is considered a tension tone. A non-harmonic tone. Not in harmony with the
others. A black note sowing dissonance within the white-note consonance of an F Major triad. See, the good doctor’s positioning of his body and conducting the movement of the chair, was only the first couple of bars of what would become a fugal explosion of racist themes, sending counterpoint, conducting his contrapuntal bullshit my way.
The Doctor asked what I did at the university. I told him I teach Black Studies, and am a Jazz musician as well, that I’m trying to pursue a doctorate.
He said with an approving attitude–you know, that attitude when whites give you their unsolicited blessings to make it official–”you are a well versed young man.” He continued to discourse:
“You know what they say? If you speak three languages you are trilingual, if you speak two languages you are bilingual, and if you speak one you are American.”
On the way back, I raised my head slightly and responded to his sweeping generalization
“Well sir, I’m Black in America, so I must be bilingual.”
He lowered chair back until my head was almost upside down, and responded to my statement by saying, “No, that means you don’t speak a language”
At that moment, before I could come back at him, he put his hand in my mouth. I couldn’t say anything. I mean, he is just a dentist, right, with sharp tools, that can prohibit speech, right. Can he not remove organs from my mouth that that can prevent me from talking? I am just Black in America; according to him I don’t need talk, because I cannot speak any discernable language.
Thank God for The Bell Curve for his evaluation of my ‘(en)culturedness’ and inability to speak a language. His hand remained in my mouth. The doctor proceeded to clean my teeth, excuse me, to whiten my teeth.
After a few minutes of diligent cleaning, he stopped and said, “You know, Blacks are taking over everything: music, sports, entertainment, but you all are only left out of a couple of areas.”
I immediately felt this sickness to the gut of my being, right to the very core of who I was becoming less of in that chair. Stretched out, laid back, and powerless. Why is it that we are always perceived to be “taking things over?” I cannot help but think of how that a statement, like the one above, coming from a white person reveals more about their consciousness of their own invested power than anything else. I responded with as much firmness and coolness as I could manage to maintain:
“Well that is not true. I mean, blacks, people of color are increasingly becoming visible in areas, but it is only an illusion constructed to have the appearance of racial ‘progress’ in America, while the real issue is the ownership and exploitation of these blacks by white males, who are the owners of the corporations that allow blacks in those areas.”
The Dentist contested:
“Well it’s obvious that blacks are more talented than anybody else and they are better entertainers.”
He busied his hands again, cleaning/whitening my teeth. He subsumed my firmness, applying it to my mouth. My coolness became his coldness. More pressure. I tensed up. He applied more pressure. I assume that anybody else would have thought about the sharp-ass object in their mouth and might have resigned not to argue anymore.
But I am at a point where I am sick and damn tired of goddamn white people fucking with me and the rest of us about any little goddamn thing. Will I ever be allowed to be a man? A human being? More pressure. I think I feel a rope around my neck. The dentist stopped and said, “Everybody knows it, you all are better entertainers and athletes, but you all are left out of some arenas.”
I replied: “because you perceive that we are ‘left out’ of some arenas, points to the fact that history, in this country, has been written and constructed with the aim of making powerful white people appear rational, giving, kind, and courteous; now you can say that you all have done a lot for the Black race and I don’t buy that. What about the fact that there are at least 50 CEO’s in this country that earn up to 20 times more than the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of a 100 Third World countries? What about the starving people of color in this country? This country was built on domination, exploitation, and plain ole’ racism. And this country is continuously dominating, exploiting, and pimping Jamaica, Mexico, and other Third World countries in the world.”
This went on for a few seconds, even though writing it down lengthens it. The dentist cleaned some more. He dominated me. I thought about my ancestors who were lynched, raped, murdered. Who were as physically close to the hateful people who ended their lives as I was now to this white man who obviously had hatred for me in his heart. His increased the pressure on my teeth, as if he was tightening a noose around my neck. His white hand returned from the outside of me to the inside of my mouth. Would it take his loose hand, physically, inside my mouth to silence my resistance?
Again, he stopped and tried to agree with me, stating that he did not agree with the exploitation of anybody. Okay, a rich racist trying to sound less rich and racist. Yet he gave me this example from yesterday’s Wall Street Journal article summarizing that “Etna bought out our dental company for $5 billion and the CEO took $998,000,000 from the deal. And people are complaining that we charge $700 for a crown.”
His voice went quiet on that note-but the noose got tighter-because I was complaining earlier that paying $700 to have proper teeth was too much damn money. And what about the people who can’t even afford to set foot in a Dentist office? The entire time we were having this conversation I was looking at him with a gaze of death.
At one point I wished he would drop dead and cease his “worthless muthafuckin’ existence” as Gil Scott-Heron so eloquently put it. The white woman was by now standing back, with a sense that the doctor was wrong and his “behavior” was “out of line” and this, that, and the other. This doctor finished my teeth and ceased to argue with me anymore. I guess his hand had pulled all of the resistance out of me.
The doctor got up out of his high chair, finished with my teeth, and, finished with me, he took off his gloves–which he probably took to the outside trash dumpster himself and burned on site. He shot a parting glance in my direction, and then he turned away, saying,
“Gotta keep those teeth white, you are an entertainer.”
I said, “No, I ain’t no entertainer.”
He said, “Oh yes, you are a talented black man and you are an entertainer.”
I moved the technician’s hands off me–she was removing the white towel from around my neck, metaphorically placing her noose around my neck-and I looked at him and said
“I am not an entertainer, I told you what I do and I don’t shuffle.”
He said, “Oh yes you are.”
He walked out of the room. This jive-ass dentist was smiling as he took the last word and walked out the door. I could only smile with my head down to keep from crying.
The white female technician turned to me in an effort to excuse her boss’ racism, saying “I am sorry, he doesn’t think before he speaks sometimes.” I wonder, did the white women who attended public lynchings say, to the families of the lynched, “I am sorry, they cannot control themselves; excuse the boys, they get carried away with their ropes:” or “they don’t think before they hang’em.”
Probably not.
I turned to the white woman–who might even be taking a Women Studies course right now and identifying with Second Wave Feminisms–and said, “no, he doesn’t think at all and he shouldn’t speak ever.” I left the room. But can I really go outside now? The same outside that keeps me outside the outside? I just had a double noose placed around my neck!
###
_[Can people of color] and white folks ever be subjects together if white folks remain unable to hear [our] rage, if it is the sound of that must always remain repressed, contained, trapped in the realm of the unspeakable[?] . . . White rage is acceptable, can be both expressed and condoned, but [our] rage has no place and everyone knows it._ –bell hooks
When I leave my house, _Nigger!_
When I walk on that campus, _Nigger!_
Before I open my mouth, _Nigger!_
Therefore nothing I say to or around ignant (ignorant) white people can ever be of note.
Why? Because I am, to that white gaze, a _Nigger!_
That dentist did not see a human or a student, but an entertainer; more, he saw a _Nigger_, he saw a modern day ‘coon’ placed on this earth, apparently, in order to simply appease his white ass and everyone else like him-Play Nigger, Play! The fact that he saw me as “well versed” meant nothing more to him other than that being “well versed” made me an _Uppity Nigger_.
The Dentist was to be able to say anything he wanted to me, and I was supposed to smile, be thankful that he didn’t call me a Nigger, show my pearly whites, while looking up his nasty-ass nostrils, which resemble the allegorical caves of whiteness wherein he remains trapped, unable to see anything but his whiteness. That is to say, he sees nothing.
This Dentist has no idea of the pain I am left with after that exchange; he will never have any idea of the pain that people of color are left with, subjected to, and dealing with while just simply trying to exist every day.
No matter about class privilege (and I am certainly aware of my own, however; I am certainly not suggesting that we forget about it) because the prophetic trajectory of Malcolm’s question pushes through class and cuts to the heart of the white supremacist attitudes that prevail today, prevailed yesterday, and prevail this very fuckin’ hour!
My teeth are white, as is the ideology that this first of several Etudes are concerned with. Why is it that white people have to identify with people of color by declaring familiarity with some aspect of people of color’s cultures? Why is it that whatever people of color are engaged in, it has to be reduced to fun and games by white folks with the exigency being that of them seeking external pleasure? To entertain them? How can we continue any serious discussion surrounding racism? Wherein white folks will first, listen; second, listen; and third, shut up and listen?
What is it about white guilt that leads to the white psyche constructing laudatory racism as positive attributes that are supposed to received as uplifting the Other’s race? Laudatory like the good Doctor–good in the Anglo Saxon sense–reminding me of my inherent rhythm, or reminding me that my teeth should be white, or that we “are taking over.” I am surprised that he didn’t ask me about soul food recipes, or how to grow watermelon. But of course, the doctor might tell me that eating soul food might be bad for me and my pearly whites, since black people are prone to high blood pressure and don’t take care of their teeth.
How can we exist together–as hooks asks in the quote above–with white people, if they are not ready to hear the truth? The truth as it needs to be heard would have to consist of the cries, the laughter, the hollers, the screams, the moans, all of which constitute audible pain from racism that will phonically inscribe, upon the white psyche (_phonic inscriptions on the Black psyche having already taken place on the slave ships, on the plantations, in the ghettos, in the stores where we hear footsteps of those whites who follow us, the charges of Malcolm X, the sheets of sound emanating from Coltrane’s horn_), songs of rage, chants of rebellion: hollers cutting across the white “Nods that Silence” with in yo’ face lyrics:
I am tired of being yo’ _NIGGER!_
Works Cited
hooks, bell. “Militant Resistance.” _Killing Rage: Ending Racism_. New York: Holt, 1995. 8-20.
Malcolm X. “Icarus.” _The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley_. New York: Ballantine, 1964. 306-31.
Scott-Heron, Gil. “Enough.” _Evolution and Flashback: The Very Best of Gil Scott-Heron_. RCA, 1999.
Uttal, Lynet. “Nods That Silence.” _Making Face, Making Soul: Creative and Critical Perspectives by Women of Color_. Ed. Gloria Anzalda. San Francisco: Aunt Lute, 1990. 317-20.
November 12th, 2003 at 8:03 am
What did you mean when you said “I’m Black in America, so I must be bilingual”? Seems an odd statement.
Perhaps you can find it in your heart to forgive your dentist since he, as a non-PhD. candidate, does not suss the history and complexities of race relations; Is it possible that he used the first conciliatory words that came to his mind after he sensed the chip on your shoulder. Did it ever occur to you that the guy was making his best efforts just to be nice? For this he gets branded a rich racist and wished dead? Dude, you are entitled to your misery, but know this: wishing people dead because they aren’t as glib as your PhD.’ed heroes and decided to become dentists instead of obsessing over the (possible) guilt of their ancestors or a white privilege that they did not ask for ain’t gonna make you many friends.
Btw/ medical offices (and coats) are usually white because they use a lot of bleach in the place to disinfect. Just FYI.
November 13th, 2003 at 2:51 pm
You scare me a little. You should really consider anger management or please tell me this is a pointless parody.
November 13th, 2003 at 7:10 pm
Just by the comments I have just read on this article, Kelvin you have made your point clearly. I live in pullman in the palouse and its amazing the sea of white that is abundant here and each fish in the sea of white does not acknowledge anything. The only people I hear talking about race are the people that actually see what the sea of white really does.
November 15th, 2003 at 8:15 am
bitter?
November 17th, 2003 at 10:31 am
I am deeply offended by this story. It is a Racial attack based on skin color…which is WHITE. Like WHITE bashing. Why is skin color so important to you? As soon as you walked through the door of that dental office, you were prejudice based on skin color and on the defensive. You were angry already against WHITE.
Why does it come down to skin color for you? Why not class struggle, or just the concept of CIVILITY? Being civil. Kelvin do you believe in civility regardless of skin color? Why is skin color so important? Incivility is an American disease. It seems no one cares for another just as human beings.
I also think people who have Ph.Ds are very demeaning to others who don’t. Why are they like this? I work in academia and see this on a daily basis. Just because you have a higher degree doesn’t make you better than anyone else.
This whole scenario seemed like interplay between two people trying to outdo one anther. And..”I am better than you” as I am a dentist or the person pursuing a Ph.D. Like I am smarter than you contest. Not a racial issue!
I am saddened by the deep anger in this analysis. This person seems angered by his skin color. Kelvin, are you ashamed you have dark skin?
The dentist or his assistant never called you ‘nigger’ but under your assumption you inferred they did. That is just plain terrible. It reads to me that you have these feelings about yourself and you are projecting them on others around you making it seem as if they are labeling you this way. This is so very sad. You sound ashamed of who you are and your talents. You are ashamed by the COLOR of your skin.
I am offended when I see two African American men calling each other “nigger”. Why do you do that? Why do two African Amercian women call each other “bitch”. Can someone tell me why they address each other this way? I need to be clear on the reasoning here.
I am saddened by this story. I don’t think it is very constructive in healing the wounds between people. It seems more damaging to me and just spreads more unreasonable hatred.
November 18th, 2003 at 9:36 am
Dear God. I was hoping someone would post something intelligent in response to Dr. Monroe’s article, but I guess that was just too much to ask. First of all, stop whining. You all have apparently missed what I thought was the pretty obvious point of this article (and I’m no expert at this; I’m only 20 and unfortunately not yet a PhD holder). Did you skip over the quote by Bell Hooks? Obviously. Go back and read it again (a few more times actually). Its in italics in the middle of the article. No one that has responded to this article has been ready to listen to the race issue at hand (’first, listen; second, listen; and third, shut up and listen’). To the child that responded solely with “bitter?” Yeah, read Hook’s quote again (7 or 8 more times). You prove her point exactly. Give me one good reason why Dr. Monroe’s anger is not justified, and I’ll show you a person who has no idea of what is going on. And the kid who didn’t understand Black + American = “bilingual” — read WEB DuBois’ “The Souls of Black Folk”. That’s the double consciousness he speaks of. And the “medical offices (and coats) are usually white because they use a lot of bleach in the place to disinfect. Just FYI.” was just a smart ass thing to say. Use your analytical skills and realize that the whole reference to the overbearing presence of physical whiteness is just a representation of society as a whole. Anywhere you look–TV, magazines, travel brochures, health pamphlets, etc.–there are very few places that you will not see an overrepresentation of white people. And the whole social structure of America from day one has been to Americanize (or whiten) those “less” white for social acceptance into the dominating white majority. And PLEASE don’t whine about skin color. Unfortunately it plays a very large role in society whether you see it or not. Even the poorest whites can still bank on the fact they are members of the privileged group - this is what DuBois called ‘the psychological wages of whiteness’. Lastly, I must say that I can see how people may feel that this article came out harshly. Dr. Monroe didn’t spare any expense at telling us how he really felt. But it was just a cry that ‘enough had been enough’ (in direct reference to Gil Scott-Heron’s quote at the top of the article). BUT THIS IS THE KEY: if you don’t know what ‘enough’ he is referring to exactly, don’t take that ignorant, oppressive role and say that there is nothing there, but rather take that compassionate, sociologically introspective role, and try to see what Dr. Monroe sees first. You will find a world of well-founded emotions that will make this article seem watered down.
November 18th, 2003 at 7:25 pm
I don’t understand why some of you think that Kelvin was wrong. What about the comments that were made on the behalf of the “good doctor”? I guess you want people like Kelvin and myself to continue to be “good niggers” in a society that looks at us as just entertainers or a group of people that is taking over the sports world. What would you have done if the “good doctor” would have said things that upset you in the way it did Kelvin? I guess nothing because I can see that you think the way the “good doctor” does. You guys should not feel threatened by the truth.
November 19th, 2003 at 9:01 am
I have to say I am very disappointed in this site. I came out here looking for solutions to the “white privilege” or “whiteness” problem and all I find is constant bashing, blame, pointing fingers at others. No solutions.
I have read Bell Hooks is a critical thinker. Why is only one side of this coin represented on this site? A “black” focus is all that is allowed. Why is that? I guess “whites” have no feelings we are just plain evil in your book. No redemption because of the color of my skin. We are told to listen and just shut up! Interesting.
I find because I am white, I have to walk on egg shells around you. Be careful what I say, how I look at you etc or I will be labelled a Racist. Rush’s comment is an example of this. He had no Freedom of expression, period. He thought he did but was fired for it. Is this right? I thought our Country allowed free speech? He should have been allowed to say what he felt, without loss of job etc no matter what the context. That is why we live in a free society here. Or don’t we? What a boring place the world would be if everyone thought the same way. We need devils advocate people to help us critically think and not be trapped in one way thinking.
I dream of a society that has “color-blindness”. But the way our system works now, that will never happen. Twenty years from now I will still have to fill out a form asking what race I am…like that matters as to whether I qualify for a job or not.
Where are the solutions to these white privilege issues? We need solutions to solve this issue so we can move forward in a positive way. The negativity and the hatred on this site doesn’t solve a thing. It is just a platform for venting and that is all it is.
November 19th, 2003 at 11:10 am
I have seen all the comments and replied to everyone that has responded. or at least tryed to take every comment serious. I ask again, why is not okay for white people to feel uncomfortable, when the history of racism in this country and globally has clearly made members of non-white groups feel uncomfortable–to the point of violent physical/mental abuse?
Why is it that when the anger of a person of color is allowed, some white people immediately turn off the listening and resort to accusations of anger, hate-monging, bitterness; but when white people in power rape the bill of rights, racially profile people of color limining them terrorists, there is no accusation from white people then? It is really interesting that this web site is providing all kinds of solutions, but i think that it is because those solutions are not Disney-like in their ability to make people feel good about their half-ass efforts; as opposed to the kind of painful learning and growing that i and others endure everyday, white people call that hatred, or bashing…
What is it called when white people say nothing about the racism that is allowed in hollywood and supported by all of us? What is it called when white people say “colorblind” society, when they are clearly the only ones profiting off this idea of “colorblind”, while i am stopped by cops repeatedly because i look the part, or not giving a job because i am black–but well qualified for the job….? Latah…take care and much luv to you all……peace and one…..
November 19th, 2003 at 12:37 pm
Thanks for your email responding to the above comment, Kelvin.
To Marcus: I did read the Belle Hooks quote, but I simply disagree with the sentiment. I don’t condone “white rage” (whatever that is) any more than any other type of rage. Rage and anger hurt the ragee much more than the rager, regardless of the color of his or her skin and regardless of whether the anger is justified. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Dr. Whitey had some anger issues himself judging from this exchange and a few extra details that Kelvin mentioned in his email.
I’ll check out the DuBois writings that you mentioned, thanks.
November 19th, 2003 at 12:37 pm
I seriously think it’s important for people to hear the stories, even if they can not understand them. People without PhDs can pick up a library book. In fact, it is almost their responsibilty to try to learn instead of wallowing in their own ignorance.
The reason why this site takes a ‘black’ perspective is probably to provide a counterpoint to the ‘ah, racism doesn’t exist! There’s no history- those darkies just woke up one day and decided to annoy white people” attitude you can find plenty of other places.
November 20th, 2003 at 11:10 am
Kevin and like a lot of African/American would rather not in contact with white people period.This whole aspect this society is base on false premise..false ideaology.We must seek the truth always and the truth will set you free.Man is machine and just like a computer that has been program, man is also program.In any situation you cant judge a computer base on just looks, same things goes for people. As Matin Luther King, Jr. says we must be judge by our own content, not by the color of skin, and that applies to everybody black and white.Its not all white people bad and its not all black people bad. So be careful how you assumes one, because you will disappointed. I want white people to know, the ultimate of man is to achived happiness, so if they want to hate me for what reasons,they cannot destroy my happiness.
God is a mind and I am a thought in the mind of God.
November 23rd, 2003 at 2:30 pm
There’s an anthology of well-grounded, intelligent, fact-based, and irrefutable essays that could be produced in rebuttal to anthony’s respectfully bold, yet staggeringly-ignorant-to-the-point-of-straight-fucked-up comments, but for the sake of brevity, suffice it to say that people like anthony are the reason God invented birth control. For the sake of humanity, anthony, please don’t ever procreate.
November 24th, 2003 at 8:54 am
Marcus-
There isn’t anything that can refute what I said earlier-you show me your essays, and we’ll ask about people’s experiences with African Americans. Chances are, they will side with me, citing the same stereotypes that I mentioned
Earlier.
Don’t take things wrong-I am not a racist, I am not a bigot. I respect only people that deserve respect. Many blacks do not earn my respect, and the same goes for whites/Asians et al. I have black friends-but most often, they are the
African-Americans that don’t fit the stereotypes. To put it rather bluntly, they
act like white people.
Unless radical changes occur, the black race as a whole is doomed to failure, and the only people you have to blame are your own race. Did the white race contribute? Yes, it did, certainly in this country-but look at Africa…clearly a socioeconomic failure.
Blacks in this country ARE the subjects of resentment by many of whites. The reasons: the black culture’s failure to assimilate-every culture that has EVER succeeded in this country has become one in the hypothetical ‘melting pot.’ But not the blacks.
They have their own TV shows. Their own award ceremonies (try airing The White Anglo-Saxon Protestant Music Awards), their own way of dress (Fubu, Rocawear, ‘doo-rags’,Lugz and And One come to mind.) They have their own music, which
only strengthens the positions of whites against the black culture, and even in Suburban circles, many portray themselves as ‘thuggish.’
I’ve witnessed it in my community. I live in a primarily white, upper middle/upper class community, which has witnessed the construction of section eight housing. Many of the residents are blacks from housing projects such as Cabrini Green, and the Ida B. Wells ‘developments.’
My high school consists of about 5000 students, and is highly multi-ethic. I roughly estimate there to be about 250 asians, 200 hispanics, 200 indians, and about 150 African Americans.
Sadly, the African Americans at my school have failed to thrive. They have been given a chance to break the vicious cycle that plagued their parents, and in many cases, grandparents in the housing projects….but they fail to take
advantage of it.
They are offered an education at a Presidential Blue Ribbon of Excellence school….but instead, they choose to ditch class to play BASKETBALL in the HALLWAYS. As a whole, they are disrespectful, showing complete disregard for
others. They mouth off to teachers, and when disciplined, claim that “The only reason you’re targeting me is because I’m black…”
They push past you in halls, throw food in the cafeteria, cut in the lunch line and act like they belong in the cages with the apes, chimps and gorillas.
Blacks in my school are responsible for a disproportionate number of fights, and disciplinary actions. I have witnessed a number of black females drop out of school after becoming pregnant.
Pregnancies such as these, where the child is often left fatherless, represents the single, most destructive enemy to the black race in America. The single parent child is far more susceptible to a life of crime, poverty,welfare, and academic failure. This has been proven time-and-time again. The cycle continues, and this is true for whites as much as it is for blacks. It is a general rule, that is broken rarely.
In the middle of this century, my grandparents were thrown into a Internment camp by the federal government because they were Japanese. My other grandparents suffered much discrimination for being of Austrian descent. Yet both thrived in the post-war era, because of their ability to forget and adjust to what happened to them.
My initial post was blunt, unsympathetic and insensitive, but everything that I mentioned was based upon stereotype. The stereotypes of blacks are all-too-true and could be considered a rule of thumb more often than not. My stereotypes of
African American culture is no different than Kelvin’s preaching about the so-called ‘White Privilege.’
Get over it Kelvin-your race is just as much to blame as my race….probably more-so in the past 25 years.
November 24th, 2003 at 2:15 pm
I apologize anthony. I responded to you only b/c your post was so…well, the adjectives keep flowing, but we’ll just stick with ‘fucked up’ like i said before…yeah, fucked up to the point of being pathetically humorous. And now this response only leads me to think that you’ve been picked on a little too much in high school. Be that as it may, your angst doesn’t qualify you as a respectable sociologist.
I’ll just say this: My first post was about having compassion and practicing the often-overlooked art of listening. You skipped past all that and went straight to judging. Good for you. I guess I should be impressed. As a matter of fact, I am. I would love to know how you–at your young age (I’m guessing you’re pretty young)–found the ability to irrefutably summarize the African American condition in the US based on your, well, feelings I guess. Maybe “intuition” sounds more intellectual. You say: “There isn’t anything that can refute what I said earlier-you show me your essays, and we’ll ask about people’s experiences with African Americans. Chances are, they will side with me, citing the same stereotypes that I mentioned earlier,” and to that I say that your supporters are just as ignorant as you. Nothing you say holds any water. But as long as it makes you feel like a worthwhile person, more power to you.
But you’re still a moron.
I say that you are a moron not b/c you are ignorant as hell (thats nothing new; thats america for you); I say you are a moron b/c you are attempting to truncate all discussion on the subject and declare your perception law. Don’t be a moron. Don’t be afraid to listen.
Even if you have a bunch of people that agree with whatever you say, you will still have people in opposition, and as long as those people exist, I want you to know that they represent some facet of truth that your viewpoint fails to account for - ultimately representing Answers that you don’t know or fully understand (and more likely, to questions you don’t even know exist). That might be too abstract for you, but you sound like you need a challenge.
November 25th, 2003 at 5:26 pm
Wow, I was really excited to see this page because I figured it would be a forum form folks working to dismantle white privilege. I was shocked to read the comments to this article and find that the site is actually largely visited by people who obviously have no real interest in anti-oppression work at all: if, for example, you don’t prioritize LISTENING to the experiences of people on the margins of power and accepting those experiences as real…then how are you going to engage honestly with power dynamics that it may be in your interest not to see, but are perfectly clear to those subjegated by them.
I thought the original article was intelligent, interesting and humerous. Nothing shocking. I thought it was great. I was shocked to see the reaction.
November 26th, 2003 at 8:42 am
I thought the original article was intelligent, interesting and humerous. Nothing shocking. I thought it was great. I was shocked to see the reaction.
As editor and publisher of this site, let me suggest a few things: first, I agree that Kelvin’s essay is very interesting, and I was very happy to publish it, along with whatever future etudes he sends my way; second, the white hostility to Kelvin’s essay is utterly typical, not only for this site but for white people generally.
As things stand now, the battle ground is not over “solutions to the white privilege problem”; rather, the contested territory is much, much more fundamental: a) is the mere idea ‘white privilege’ a coherent one; b) is there any pattern of social facts which may properly be called ‘white privilege’. These are fundamental and fundamentally contested issues which most white people haven’t even voiced as of yet.
In other words, there’s so much work to do, and patiently working through these issues with white people who are or who want to be Good Actors just is the work of antiracism education right now. (There are other things to do, but that’s the thing this site tries to do.)
The tricky bits are separating the Good from the Bad Actors and then figuring out what to do with the latter (I suggest ignoring them, for the most part, but that’s tricky). When their posts cross a line here on this site, I delete them, but that’s also tricky.
Also, for the record, so that people know what’s what here, white people who say “I’m not racist” and then spin out racist stereotypes (rooted, whether they know it or not, in Democratic liberalism of the ’60s, among other places) about the “malignancy” or “pathology” or “dysfunctionality” of “black culture” are acting to maintain, defend, and extend white privilege. It’s the typical, garden variety racist delusion of many white people.
Among other problems, this move obliterates history in the most racist-friendly of ways. It’s simply impossible to come to terms with the situation of African Americans without taking into account the history of their sojourn in the ‘new world’. This ‘pathological culture’ move tries to do that by starting out, ab novo, psychologizing existing material and social inequality and injustice as an essential feature of a people group, relying heavily on the totalizing move which posits, as both cause and effect, something called “black culture” — all the while whitey slips out the back door, safely out of view.
I, for one, think Kelvin went way too easy on that racist dentist!
November 27th, 2003 at 2:19 am
One solution is to simply not care and to disregard silly statements. By paying them any sort of response you find yourself in a diatribe that makes no sense and is based in ignorance.
You went to the dentist to get a your teeth cleaned. Neglect the fact that the dentist is white, neglect any inappropriate comments he/she makes and remember to switch dentists afterwards. You’ll save yourself a lot of headache, hurt and whatever else it was that you were feeling when you left.
What never ceases to amaze me is that people such as yourself somehow expect a white persons view of you to change in any major fashion. You are expendable, no matter the amount of PhD’s you have, you will still be viewed as an uppity nigger by general consensus. The stereotypical view will not change. You, debating with some white guy isn’t going to change anything.
Stop writing things like this, because it’s been written before. Many a time, in many books by many different people. You aren’t saying anything different or new. You’re simply rehashing something that has been beaten to death, over and over and over again. How does this help you? What solution are you looking for? The magic pixie fairy dust that makes basing someone on the character of their person a reality?
My attitude is one of reality and the quicker you learn to deal with people on an individualistic level and to disregard stupidity and ignorance. The easier these situations will be for you. If you’re hurt and you feel pain regarding something like the situation you were in, then you’re going about this problem in the wrong way. Think; less emotion, you’re studying for a PhD, you obviously have some sort of analytic thought process; use it.
You can either be proactive in deciding on how things will go regarding race relations, or you can debate with a dentist while trying to get your teeth cleaned. That choice is yours, but do yourself a favor and don’t go writing papers about it. I’ve read this one already, 50 different times. If you want to write a paper, write a paper on something positive and if you can’t find something positive to write about, create something positive. There are many solutions to this problem that have not been explored, complaining about it is not one.
November 27th, 2003 at 7:12 pm
If you have a problem with white people then why don’t you get the fuck out of the US. The US is one of the most tolerant countries in the world, and yet you still complain. In most eastern European countries, a black person can’t even walk down the street without getting beaten up by gangs of nationalists. You don’t know the meaning of oppression. Is anyone forcing you to stay in the US? You are free to move to Zimbabwe or some other paradise any time. So what are you waiting for? Why stay in a country which oppresses you so badly?
P.S. Kelvin, you never would have gotten your PhD if it wasn’t for Affirmative Action, which makes it unfairly easy for blacks to get into universities, at the expense of whites.
November 29th, 2003 at 6:27 am
ha, ‘american patriot’ - that’s cute. no really. I must say, I had my doubts about you’re ability to use a computer, but look here, you’ve managed to turn it on and even respond to an article. Mom and dad would be proud. But, President Bush (and I’m using the title very loosely of courese), if you’re trying to maintain any anonymity, I suggest using a different pseudonym: ‘american patriot’s just too obvious. kudos on spelling ‘Zimbabwe’ right though. oh, and tell Rumsfeld i said hey.
December 1st, 2003 at 12:58 pm
I love how unintelligent, angry people like this guy who live to be incendiary at the cost of intellectual content always quote other black writers. Think of something original.
If your story is true (and I doubt it) the dentist is basically a fool and you demean yourself to entertain him. Your self inflictaed humilation is exacerbated by your high self-regard as a jazz musician (which by the way is an entertainer) and a PhD candidate. If I bothered to think about every dumb, obnoxious black twit that I came across in the subway or the movie theater on 86th, I might be angry too. I don’t and I’m not. By the way, I am fighting the urge to include all races here as if to say that i have no racial biasis but I will not because I don’t apologize for myself like every other bleeding heart on this site.
Cheers.
December 2nd, 2003 at 1:30 pm
OK, so let me see.. Africa is a socio-economic failure. By Western standards that’s correct. And I guess European & Arab imperialism had nothing to do with that. right? Isn’t anti-American Imperialism the flavor of the month now? Please throw away the history books you were “promoted” by way of memorizing.
Don’t you wish you could celebrate as freely as those black souls. How many times have you caught yourself trying one of those dance moves, or singing those songs? Would you do it in public? Ha! but they can R2d2. You have too much shame..free yourself and move to the bassline.. You probably believe the ancient Egyptians were white. Why would black people want to assimiliate into a culture that has lied and distorted history along with de-humanizing them?
Arabs & Europeans have used the 3 religions of the world to justify oppresion & slavery; in addition to pacifing the oppressed. After Moses’ Laws every other scripture (be it Judaism, Islam or Christianity) is used to justify, rationalize and sew the seed of “acceptance” of economic based institutional slavery. You can trace the dates of the first appearance of each addition to Moses’ Laws. I urge you to study the social & political climate they were conceived in. They even try to justify it by saying it was done in acnient egypt. I’ve yet to see a tomb painting showing people in chains building pyramids. Research that smart asses. Pyramid building was a communial spiritual undertaking. But your European friends couldn’t see that because of “their cut up and divide the land for individual profit” set of principles. Ownership of the land & resources for self-interest was and is not an African value. The European & Arabs saw that as inferior. Talk to native American’s about that!! But now there is a cry from a large segment of the population for these “socialistic ideas” When the Spanish encountered Natives, they deemed that value system as inferior. Before the introduction of the firearm to the Natives and African’s, wars were fought, not with the intent on killing all of the other tribes members, but to capture the King or Queen. Once that was done, the “war” over. Now who is civilized?
Anyhow, the US had to finally admit to infecting several African American’s with syphilis (a sexually transmitted disease) and did not treat them, even though a treatment/ cure was known. AIDSs appears 15 or so years later…hhhhmmm
Why would we want to conform. You have to realize that its only been a few decades since things like the freedom of information act came into play, so allot of the things that were initally passed off as true, are being seen in the Euro-centric racist light they were conjured up in. And that’s only in America!
African civilizations were around allot longer than Japan or Europe. Please do some research because I guess the elite think that Europeans and Euro “wanna bees” can finally handle the truth about the African civilization and the real reasons for the current dilapidation. For your reading assignment, research ancient Nubia / Kush or the civilazations of Sub Sahara Africa, whose nations were consumed by the ever growing desert thousands of years before there was a anything resembling a European civilztion.
One Love
December 2nd, 2003 at 9:57 pm
Anthony. You have some interesting views on the black race but you are just going off of what you have experienced and that is not much. You say that blacks are given the same opportunities as other races. You are correct, we are given those opportunities but it is hard to overcome what society has branded you with.
You talk about your grandparents. Your grandparents made that choice to come here. They were not forced to be here and so what they were subjected to was their choice. Now my grandparents were not brought here they were born into a Jim Crow way of thinking had to go along with whatever was given to them. My grandfather was grown man and had other grown man and women and even white children calling him boy. Your grandparents may have had this happen to them but the could escape to Chinatown if the wanted to be reminded of what they left. Your grandparents could speak their native tongue and have a false since of home. Could my grandfather do this? No! When he went home he was still speaking a language to taught to him by the white man and was striving to live the life the white man said was possible in this great melting pot we live in. So you have to think about what is beneath the surface. You are probably a third generation of your family to be here in America probably close to reaching 100 years. That is nothing compared to 100s of years blacks have been here in this country.
Before you try and judge the blacks that you surrond yourself with try and look a littel deeper before you do. You mentioned the award shows that blacks are now having. How many years did it take before a black person was ever awarded something in the white arena of entertainment. There were many years when the only people gettinng awards were white people. I am glad to see that blacks are able to have something to call their own and celebrate black achievements. There many things in the Asian community that happen and only the Asian people get understand it and that is because the language barrier was not broken. Think about what you are saying. We as blacks should just shut up and roll with the punches. I don’t think so.
December 3rd, 2003 at 12:28 am
I found the story fascinating. But I feel like, as someone mentioned in comments earlier, it has been written many times before - and that’s exactly the problem. Stories like this have been written or told for hundreds of years, and still they’re ignored by far too many (and by ignored, I mean those who read and do not try to understand). And I feel like i should point out the obvious to those who are taking the details a bit too literally, with the white lab coats and white walls and such. Being white, I’m not faced every day with overwhelming faces of a different culture, but the setting Kelvin provided was a nice analogy to what that must feel like. I think Kelvin had more than every right to respond to the dentist the way he did - I can’t imagine being treated in that way and just sitting back and taking it. At least the dentist had to listen to a black man’s opinion for once, since America already confirms the dentist’s own opinion.
And it’s not “white bashing”. None of this is. It’s simply trying to make whites understand what it’s like to live in a white world with different colored skin. Too often I forget I’m living in a white world (a privlege only afford to whites) and even though I try to stay aware of race, I need to be constantly reminded of that if any progress toward an anti-racist society is going to be made.
Some other observations (and I may be a young college student, but I’m not a PhD, especially in race relations): I find one of the most disturbing comments on this list the one that reads: “I find because I am white, I have to walk on egg shells around you.” That’s what non-whites have been doing for hundreds of years - except the consequences of breaking those eggshells is far more dire than being labelled a ‘racist’, even today. And if a single white person breaks an eggshell, the entire race isn’t condemned - if a single black person breaks it, s/he ends up representing the race as a whole (just as the only time “you” is referred to in a collective sense in these comments is referring to “the black race”. whites aren’t referred to as “you”, but as “they”…).
December 9th, 2003 at 3:32 pm
For those whites that feel like they have to walk on eggshells for fear of being labeled a racist:
WE (I’m white too) have to stop being afraid of being called on our racist shit. Learn to respond to it like a grownup. Learn to see where the racism is and what is looks and sounds like. Believe me, it’s there; It’s in all of us who were raised white in a racist society. We can’t help that it’s there, but we can help how we deal with it. Do you deny it, or do you try to understand what it is, where it came from, and how to eliminate it?
Unless you actually want to be racist?
December 10th, 2003 at 12:57 am
I was researching the CLEAR Act,if you have no idea what this is please find out, it is really scary, and it affects us all wether you are an immigrant or not (but we all are so BEWARE!!).
I had not heard of this site, but i appreciated the title. It’s very important to recognize our privelege, and seeing that we have access to the internet, and all this information i can assume that we are privileged. However white privilege is another story, and obviously some people have not recognized this because of the ignorant comments. Wake up!, we do not, have never, and will never live in a “color blind” society, this country was founded on the backs of immigrants and it profits on keeping it this way. We will never assimilate, because we are better than that, and because we will never be allowed to. Recognize your white privilege or ‘token’ positions in life! But please think about what you say, especially if you are white,i must remind you, as everyday you others of their place in society.
December 11th, 2003 at 3:55 pm
Talk about white rage, I’m a white man reading some of these responses and am baffeled that on a web-site about white privilege, a place for whites to learn more about our privilege, people have the audacity to make some of the comments that they make. I have to admit, when I first read Kelvin’s story, I was a little bit hurt, and very defensive myself, pulling all the justifications in the book, calling the white coats just a way to stay clean, etc, etc. But then I thought about my thoughts and realized I was just nit-picking and being reactionary. When I thought about it more, I was able to understand how the structural racism of white coats, super-bleached, as both a reality and as a racist metaphor that white = clean = pure = good.
The structural racism was bad enough, but the comments that dokkktor make were unexcusable. That overt racism should get a lot more comments on this discussion list then anything else, like who and where he is. And the woman technician who not only didn’t say anything, but then tried to excuse and apologize for his actions, that privilege that she chose to enjoy instead of calling out her boss is what keeps Amerikkka a racist country, with institutionalized rasism running rampant, and white supremists (not just the KKK, but CEO’s, crooked cops, and just about every other white person who does not actively, consistantly, and constantly challenge their white privilege) blinds people from seeing, unless people like Kelvin tell his story (which by the way, i have to give mad props to for both the style in which it was told, and more importantly the message that it conveyed).
For us whites, let’s take this story to heart, and when we see or hear acts of racism whether they be blatant as in this case, or simply a boss at the job pass over hiring someone because they have a black sounding name, call them out, call or friends and family out, and call ourselves out. Let’s get over the guilt and get the defensiveness and start challenging the structures of power that oppress blacks, women, gays, the elderly, etc.
December 23rd, 2003 at 7:13 pm
I agree with the majority of the comments on this article that Kelvin Monroe is a hopeless cynic and is a disgrace and obstruction to any kind of racial progress. He sounds to me like a racial antagonist. He began the war of words with his “I’m black in America” comment, and then tries to play off the whole thing as institutionalized racism. This concept of “white privilege” that this web site endorses is nothing but dogma. Furthermore, Kendall Clark and Marcus, you are both submissive panderers to this dogmatic notion. It’s no longer Mississippi in 1960, when you might have actually had a good case. What bullshit about “1)Listen, 2) Listen, 3) Shut up and listen”. Don’t get me wrong…….I am willing to listen as much as anyone else, but I’ll also exercise my right to speak from my perspective. People like Marcus and Kendall Clark would just assume shut their mouths and let the cynical antagonists such as Dr. Monroe walk all over them.
December 29th, 2003 at 11:43 am
Let’s try and get a little clearer understanding. You can hear what someone is talking about, that is, the biological act of interpreting soundwaves, or you can listen to what someone has to say, that is the act of thinking, in a critical and open-minded way as to what that person is saying. The reason why i think white people should “Shut-up and listen” is because we talk too much, usually in a defensive way to try and justify that we’re not racist. In doing so, we only perpetuate the white privilege that we white people have, and the system of institutionalized racism. Let’s begin to be open minded and ask ourselves, do we, as whites have benefits strictly based on the color of our skin? All the facts agree that we do, whether it be the economic advantages that whites have in getting bank loans, jobs, etc., to not being racially profiled or followed around while shopping in a store, to buying band-aides that are the same color as our skin, to watching movies and tv in which people of our color are the stars (though you may instantly jump to some rising stars, most directors/producers/owners are white. Black actors/actresses’ pay and status may be growing, but it is still no where near the level of where it should be. Ask yourself why there’s a BET (Black Entertainment Television) and not a WET (because every other channel is WET, with a few shows with black stars on it) Why is there a Black history month and not a White history Month? Because every other month is White history Month. THAT’S WHITE PRIVILEGE. White privilege is simply the fact that we don’t have to think or deal with racism unless a black person brings it up, and then we act as if that’s all in the past. Has it gotten better? That is has racism declined? It all depends on what you look at. Lynchings have gone down and fools like Trent Lott pay the price for making stupid statements, but that has only made the racism more covert, in attacks against affirmative action, police brutality, a prison industrial complex in which 1 out of 3 black males in america is somewhere in the penal system, either in prison, on parole, or awaiting their day in court. 1 million blacks, with 70% of crimes being non-violent offenses. All so that corporations can make money off of the slave labor of the prisons, which under the 13 amendment was supposed to abolish slavery (read it again, and you’ll see that it doesn’t apply to people convicted of crimes). So has slavery ended? No, only changed it’s face. Instead of stealing blacks from Africa, we steal them from Harlem, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, and incarcerate them upstate. By doing that you remove mothers and fathers from their children. With the people who make the money behind bars, the kids often resort to do whatever it takes to survive (who can blame them, anyone would too in a situation of survival). Less money goes to schools because of lower property values, which in turns means less resources for the school, out of date books, fewer teachers in packed classes, fewer field trips. SAT’s and other standardized tests written by whites testing kids on white history with the exception of the underground railroad and King’s dream, both taught in February. Colleges accept kids based on these SAT’s and standarized tests. College degrees allow people to get higher paying jobs (not all the time, but they sure help). THAT’S INSTITUTIONAL RACISM. am i generalizing? Sure. there are exceptions to these points i’ve made. there are people who have brooken these cycles, made it big in some way, got a record contract or a sports scholarship, just as there are some whites who have had misfortune and lived a life of poverty. But if you look at the overall trend, the average white person compared to the average black person, you can almost quantify the privilege that whites have, which is exactly why affirmitive action gives black people points. it is not to “help them out,” but to make up for the injustices comitted against them, and so it levels the playing field, and only barely so on most occassions. But white privilege is not an attack on any individual white person. It is an observation of the racial interactions in this and many other countries. No one person is at fault for it’s existance (though a certain president, who shall remain nameless, along with his BUddieS Have certainly been influential in perpetuating it), nor should any white person feel bad or guilty that they were born white. Instead we should be fighting against the institutional racism, to eliminate it, Firstly by calling it out, by acknowledging its existence. Once we do that, and we can have an open critical dialogue, one in which real change may occur, then we can see where we need to go. but first we need to get to that first step.
Peace
December 29th, 2003 at 1:43 pm
Steve,
People who commit crimes deserve to go to prison. What a moronic standpoint to suggest anything otherwise, such as it’s an example of the perpetuation of slavery practiced against those who commit crimes. It is the fault of the perpetrators of the crimes that they are in prison, not the system itself. And, since African-Americans commit more crimes per capita, of course they’re going to be in the prisons. You should be more outraged by how THEY make our society less safe, rather than the rate at which our legal system incarcerates them.
December 30th, 2003 at 1:29 pm
I read half of these posts.
The circular arguments can last forever until you finally take a breath and step out of them. If you want to make a change it is as simple as this; change. Don’t tell me what to do, show me what to do. Life is not these conversations back and forth, it’s definatly not some idea, no matter how well intentioned.
…I can say this and that but can i control my own thoughts as a black man stands next to me on an elevator? That is a question that brings change. People take no responsibility for many, many things. The perpetuation of racism, of confusion, is brought about by the lack of attention. Pay attention to your thought. Why do you feel so seperate from this man next to you? To not answer this question the moment it’s placed before you is to allow this mess to continue. The common response is to ignore the question and focus instead on escape from it. Think of the news, think of your kids, look at your watch…escape. It is not that difficult to accept the state of relationships as they are when you see such a subtle, yet powerful example of how life is lived today.
So, to change what is? Change that thought in the elevator. Find out what it means, where it comes from. This is not something to read in a book or hear in a speech, it is an actual element of actual change. If you find, for example, the idea of inequality is not even your own, disown it. If it comes from years of newspapers and television shows, then know that, don’t start a campaign against it. If you live according to what you percieve as ‘right’, as everyone does, you will become bigger that the paper, the magazine or talk radio host. Not bigger in the way that more people will notice you but in the way that it always is with truth. You cut through the talk and ideas of life and live. You will speak to more people without saying a word, than any newspaper does in fifty pages. People dislike authority but ironically follow many things they see. It is always up to the individual to change but such isolation from society is uncomfortable and sadly, often avoided…
January 6th, 2004 at 7:31 am
Listen is what Hooks said, shut up and listen. I’ve been listening, but a person - any person can only listen so long when all they hear is fingers pointing in comdemnation and accusations that it’s me ruining their lives and responsible for all their misfortunes, bad decisions, bad life, and that of their ancestors. There’s no way to end this when people see race in piano keys. Or set it up so that people are bound to fail, no matter what they say or do. Kelvin, you say that white people owe it to you to listen and take the discomfort of the “truth” because of all the horror of your ancestors. Bullshit. Get your head out of the past and take responsibility for the present. Don’t expect every white person to try to make up for the crime their ancestors may or may not have commited against your ancestors. I don’t owe you or anyone anything. A little bit of common decency goes a long way in a conversation of differences, try some diplomacy. Even as I write this I can just hear the comments that people could say in retaliation and it could go on forever. We’ll all just stew in our pot of anger, injustices and egg shells forever. I lived in Australia for a while and had a couple of black roommates from Papua New Guinea, and it was really frustrating that I actually had to downshift to be able to be comfortable around them. I didn’t have to walk on eggshells around them, I didn’t have to wonder if they were expecting me to apologize for something or if I complememted their hair or clothes would they take that as a racist comment or trying to hard. There were no chips on shoulders to deal with, and in turn no defensiveness. Really ‘liberating.’ So that’s what you get when you tell white’s to shut up and listen. Anybody, black, or white will begin to put up their defenses when all they hear is it’s all your fault- for just being born into a skin color and lifestyle you didn’t choose. There’s more than just listening that needs to happen. Opening your minds, your eyes, and (cheesily) your hearts, I say this to everyone. Hate only begets hate. Speaking in anger only gets anger. Accusations only get defenses. But intelligent, courteous discusions, debates, even disagreements, might get you a little farther.
January 18th, 2004 at 3:19 am
Very thought provoking article. Some of the comments were intelligent also. Some of the posts demonstrate that people don’t understand the concept of metaphor.
I think this site is good to inform people of the rage and frustration that still exists in the minds and hearts of minorities (I have seen this rage in many other ‘model’ minorities also).
I do agree with one sentiment expressed in this thread: too much emotion is put into this episode by the author (that could be a literary device, but I doubt it). I’m from MS, so I assume racism is there. An episode like this would make me upset, true, but I wouldn’t devote too much though to it. I would simply not go back to that dentist, and let other blacks know about his thoughts.
What is the purpose of this site? If the goal is to empower blacks, then what some bigot dentist thinks won’t change things significantly. Even the aggragate of thoughts like his don’t matter. What matters is understanding the system and taking real power for ourselves.
I think focusing on some fool’s comments is unproductive. I would like to see more articles on how to empower the downtrodden in this country and in the world. I would be glad to contribute ideas here, though I am not as eloquent as some of the writers here.
January 27th, 2004 at 5:03 am
One last comment in response to keto11:
The purpose of this site is not to “empower blacks”. Kendall can correct me if I’m wrong, but since this site is called “White Privilege: An Antiracism Resource”, my thought is that it’s not for black people (or people of color) per se, but rather it’s for white people who are interested in learning and understanding more about white privilege and in working on anti-racism work. In that regard, Kelvin has done us a real service, offered us a valuable gift, by giving us a tiny glimpse into his experience (even though his words are clearly wasted on a fair number of readers here), and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you Kelvin. Although I don’t claim to entirely understand, I know it’s not easy to put yourself out there in front of white people (particularly when some are outright hostile!), and I for one really appreciate it.
January 28th, 2004 at 8:51 pm
Kendall, I’d really suggest more moderation here, because otherwise it’s hard to image how serious people could begin to have any sort of meaningful discussion.
Yeah, but it’s tricky. There’s lots of comments and the software which runs this site only sends me an email about comments on articles I poset; in this case, since Kelvin is the author, I never got emails about these comments. (And I only just realized that Kelvin has been getting them: I hope they weren’t too bothersome.)
Also, sometimes it’s not clear whether I should delete comments or leave them be, since so many white people claim so often that there aren’t any racists any more. Anyway… it’s tricky, but I always appreciate getting emails which make suggestions about comments that should be deleted.
February 6th, 2004 at 3:44 pm
Thank you Kelvin Monroe. I’m sorry for your pain, but in telling it you have made me understand a little.
Racism is cell deep in all of us in the dominant race, all over the world. It’s very hard to recognise it, let alone confront it, but I try constantly and welcome chance encounters (I came across your story completely at random this evening) which open my eyes a little.
I feel your suffering, not as you do of course, but also recognise your courage in exposing it.
I work with people (mainly children) of colour in different countries, and strive always to see things better from their perspective. I also see that I have to reliquish privilege, and this is very hard. Your story has taken me a step further.
I wish you well (and as a fellow musician too, also working on a PhD, in music and empathy…).
February 12th, 2004 at 6:54 pm
Hey! Is this site alive? Kendall?
Well, I wanted to add to this thread that anyone who doesn’t understand why Kelvin has so much anger about race issues and/or who in any way thinks that blatant racism is a thing of the past, need look no farther than this page:
Right-wing bigots hurl vicious insults at comedian Margaret Cho (who “dared” to criticize Republicans in comedy routine!)
Who are these people? How do they come to be so hateful and bigoted? It defies my comprehension…
Pages of comments on this issue by more right-wingers can be read on The Free Republic’s site. I truly do not understand how all of these people can be so utterly lacking in any sort of critical thinking skills. They see absolutely no problem in reducing the situation to “Left Attacked Right, Right Attacked Left Back”…as though details were completely irrelavent.
The fact that “Left Attacked Right” consisted of a professional commedian using a comedy routine as a platform to make political commentary and criticize a political agenda, while “Right Attacked Left” consisted of hundreds of individuals sending horrifically racist, misogynous, cruel, bigoted e-mails personally attacking the comedian and her very right to exist and to live in her own country—this profound discrepancy apparently causes them no concern. It seems to be completely beyond them that these two attacks are not fundamentally equivalent. So essentially, if someone challenges Republican/Right politics or criticizes a Republican president, it is perfectly acceptable to respond by calling that person a “fat, ugly chink whore”.
How does one even begin to communicate with such people? If it’s not simply obvious, how could one possibly get them to see that attacking a president and his administration on matters of public policy, whether by serious discourse or even outrageous comedy, is a perfectly legitimate course of action in a democratic society, whereas attacking a person on the basis of her sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and/or physical features is inhumane, unproductive, and just plain wrong?
Fortunately Margaret Cho seems to be a very together person who is able to see through these vicious attacks and advocate for respect and equality for all people (even though she may kick the shit out of some of them rhetorically in her comedy routines!).
Hey, maybe Margaret Cho could write something for this website…don’t know if it’s something she’d take time for or not…Or perhaps she’s already written something on race that would be appropriate to reprint here…
March 9th, 2004 at 1:50 pm
We notice what we’re looking for. White walls, white people, white coats. What color was the chair? The ink–blue, black, green? I could write in the same way and make the dominant motif just about any color. You’re trying to manipulate your audience. I like what you have to say, but you’re guilty of the same methods that you might criticize.
March 12th, 2004 at 9:39 am
This is another example of racist blacks AUTOMATICALLY assuming you’re a bigot just because you have light skin. Isn’t that racist? I mean, I would call someone a racist if they thought being black, automatically meant what kind of a person you are.
Why is it that whites, who have gave more rights to blacks an other minorities are rudely and visciosuly attacked, yet black countries have done more harm to blacks than America has!
I remember what black conservative, Jesse Lee Peterson said when someone asked him about the liberal claim of white privilege, to which he said, “I think it’s a cop out. If there’s white privilege than there’s black privilege. Blacks have the privilege of making very nasty and hateful statements about whites without fear that they will get lynched or fired from their jobs. Blacks have the priviliege of starting clubs and fraternities, only open to blacks.
You know why the guy in this story found racism? Because he was looking for it.
Angry blacks won’t admit it, but they know they couldn’t have the luxuries or privileges in USA (the ‘evil white oppressive nation’) that they could anywhere else.
I once recall a situation in highschool where a black kid was whining about America being a ‘racist nation’ to which an Asian kid responded, “I’m from Vietnam. You can’t complain living in America. If you think it’s bad here, then travel around the world and you’ll see real problems.”
March 13th, 2004 at 9:11 pm
I remember what black conservative, Jesse Lee Peterson said when someone asked him about the liberal claim of white privilege, to which he said, “I think it’s a cop out. If there’s white privilege than there’s black privilege. Blacks have the privilege of making very nasty and hateful statements about whites without fear that they will get lynched or fired from their jobs. Blacks have the priviliege of starting clubs and fraternities, only open to blacks.
So do whites.
Angry blacks won’t admit it, but they know they couldn’t have the luxuries or privileges in USA (the “evil white oppressive nation”) that they could anywhere else.
There are plenty of blacks living all over the world in other countries that don’t suffer from the racism and stigma of preconceived attitudes based on ones skin color. This statement shows your ignorance to other cultures. “Blacks” just don’t live in Africa and the US.
I once recall a situation in highschool where a black kid was whining about America being a “racist nation” to which an Asian kid responded, “I’m from Vietnam. You can’t complain living in America. If you think it’s bad here, then travel around the world and you’ll see real problems.”
What does a racist nation have to do with Vietnam? The Vietnamese have a social problem on such an entirely different scale. Not to mention the simple fact that even after all the shooting and killing they haven’t been able to recover. Then you don’t take into aspect all of the US american manufacturing plants working them like slaves. Not only in Vietnam but in many 3rd world countries; and not so 3rd world countries.
You can’t argue two different topics and compare them in a blanket statement. It makes for poor arguments and usually makes you look like the end of a bad joke. Either you will argue about Vietnam; or of the comment about America being a racist nation. Which I would mostly agree with, but a response such as “I’m from Vietnam, you have it good” is rather silly.
April 9th, 2004 at 8:55 am
Privlege comes with conguest. White people conquered the American Indians in this country and earned the privlege to be in charge. You were brought here as slaves, non-beings. We have been kind to you and freed you from your chains but you still think you are in bondage. You are in bondage to your prejudice and rage. If you don’t like it here; I suggest you take the advice of Marcus Garvey - MOVE! Move to where ever you think you will be happy. There is nothing keeping you here and we would all be alot better off without you.
Your rage means nothing to me and will continue to mean nothing to me because you mean nothing to me. All of your whinning and crying is getting boring.
I would advise you to take Booker T. Washington’s advice: Make friends with the white man, be polite, have manners and work. For it is in following Washington’s advice that you could ever hope to begin to mean something to me.
July 23rd, 2005 at 11:07 pm
While I read the Invisible Man adapted essay I struggled to fight emotion over analysis. Yes I am white, but that is not the issue, because anyone of any color will at first read this essay with a mixture of emotions. If the author’s intent is to elicit his reader’s emotions, then my hats off to him, however if the author’s intention was to illustrate, through life experience, the reality of latent racism then he has slightly strayed off course, as many passionate activists do. This is not to state that emotion is unnecessary, because it is. It is the catalyst that drives us to proclaim injustices through acts of protests such as essays. However, activist must be careful not to go to far with emotion so as to induce reactionist, such as people like “American Patriot, Concerned Citizen, or Anthony.” These individuals react to emotional proclamations with emotion because they lack the analysis that should have been disclosed within the proclamation. Prejudice and racism do thrive however incubated it may be, one just has to go to the bureau of labor and statistics. After I read the essay I read everybody’s comments and all elicited a first reaction emotion, whether it was guilt, empathy, or anger. All were understandable but overwrought, except for that of Darvin and Steve. Darvin and Steve both made the insightful comments that we as Americans need to come to the realization that racism does exist however unsystematic it may be. And we need to first activity reject it through all possible means, beginning with our acceptance that it exist. Majority of Americans have been clouded by the idea that we are all born with equal opportunity and this could not be further from the truth. Imagine for instance two people, person A and person B, and A is awarded a car. Person A can travel to the better jobs, better schools, and better homes then the person B. Obviously with the better job higher income and more savings follow. Person A then buys more cars for himself. Then after 20 years of use person A tells person B that they must share the car. Person B complains about having to share the broken down car, but Person A retorts, stating that he has to share the car so that they are now EQUAL, he however can drive away in his new cars leaving B with the Junker that can roll over a speed up.
August 3rd, 2005 at 12:51 am
To the Man:
Obviously we must mean something to you or you wouldn’t have responded.
So I guess it would be OK with you if I raised my own private army, conquered Europe, enslaved whites and then said I was being “kind” to your kind by freeing you “non-beings” after getting what I could out of you. After all, with conquest comes privilege, right?
Is flipping the script really that difficult for you people?
September 3rd, 2005 at 2:17 pm
since time immemorial whites have committed unspeakable atrocities on blacks and people of other races too..why dont u whites accept this fact why do u keep whining about u whites being the victim… U WERE THE ONES WHO BROUGHT THEM TO USA FROM AFRICA..whatever have the blacks done to u..
accept the fact that u whites are malicious evil monsters…this shows from the lynching photographs ….
July 17th, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Let me just say this. I am white. I also went to school with Kelvin Monroe. To the best of my knowledge he is not a racist. It seems to me that his article was written in anger. WELL JUSTIFIED. Some of his comments do sound racist to me in this article. They seem to sound as if Kelvin is lumping ALL white people together. I REally don’t believe this is the case in his mind. It IS something everyone does (or almost everyone) when reacting to a horrible situation. I am also willing to bet that everyone who has repremanded him for this article is white. The truth is, as a white person, you can’t understand what I black person has to live through in our society any more than they can what what white people do.
Kelvin is giving a very clear picture of a racist situation. It is tragic. Let me give you an other one. When Kelvin and I were going to Valdosta State University (in Valdosta GA, Both working on Bachelors in music) a black man named Willie Williams was arrested for public drunkeness. When he was put in prison a bunch of white gaurds decided it would be fun to smash his face repetedly into a bullet prrof glass door. One black gaurd refused to help and was fired. They killed Willie. The judge (who incidentally was white) said the video of the gaurds smashing his face into the door was inadmissable in court. There were protests. Lewis faracon came to Valdosta. It changed NOTHING. The gards got off scott free.
Many of you state that Kelvin is being perhaps hypersensative to the issue. Some of you say that he himself is a racist. I think the fact that this is still such a major issue after so much time shows just how sad this nation still is. Maybe we shoudl all start listening. Start loving. If you are a christian, I suggest you remember the words of Christ and treat all as your brother. We canonly change the world by changing ourselves.