White Privilege???? Really???? I am a white woman who grew up in a mixed neighbourhood with a single mom who worked two jobs, and didn't go on welfare! I grew up like many of my white, black, and hispanic friends. Our parents were good people trying to raise good people. Anything and everything we we needed or wanted came from HARD WORK!!! My success came from my own hard work, not by getting something handed to me. That still holds true today! It is unfortunate that racism still exists in the 21st century, but it is fact. And it isn't just whites who are racist! Today, I still hear it from ALL races! We are ALL guilty of racism! Not just the white population. I hear it from non white guys who work for a "white man" company, making better than minimum wage, and yet they still bitch about how hard done by they are by the Whites! REALLY??? My mother raised me to treat every one with respect....no matter their color, or religion or whatever. We are all entitled! I do wish with all of my heart that we could set aside the blinders of color and just live as we should - to come together as one people, fight the unfairness equally.....get race discrimination out of it! Its about PEOPLE not COLOR!
Scott - 11 years ago
@Gina
I can understand your point of view. Ponder this. The ones that told you that you didn't get the job and why, told you this to promote their racism. It seems to me that they were angry that they had to (by law) offer the position to someone other than white. If this had not been the case, they wouldn't have told you why you didn't get the job. Only that you didn't get the job. This person wanted to anger you about it as well. It isn't a shame that someone of color had to be offered the job. The shame lyes in the fact that there had to be a law put in place to make business owners offer jobs to people of color. For if there were no law they wouldn't even concider hiring a minority.
I was married to a caucation woman for 14 years. When we first started dating she, like most white people, couldn't see the racism as they are not use to recognizing it for what it is. After a short period of time with me as her mate her eyes became opened and she began to see it for herself. Not only directed toward me but her and our children aswell. Everybody has a right not to be chastized no matter who their parents are. Until this realization becomes recognized my the general population it will never get better for any of us in the human race.
Ashley - 11 years ago
I think that this campaign does an incredible job of shedding light on the unchecked white privilege that I experience as a white person everyday... I too like many folks that have commented face oppression... but let's remember THAT oppression is based on other identity factors... I am a woman, I have faced oppression, I grew up in poverty-working-class household, I have experienced economic instability, I am a lesbian I have faced homophobia and seen the real impact of hetero-normative behavior... I am also able bodied and I don't know what's like to be labeled as disabled and be treated as less than in our society.. Despite my working class roots I have gained access to higher education and have educational privilege which gives me job security that my friends in hourly wage jobs do not have... This is complex people, we cannot SHED our white privilege just like we cannot shed our oppressed identities... instead of fighting we must find commonalities and work together for REAL CHANGE.
Wanda - 11 years ago
Really? As an adult black woman, these students should be commended on their initiatives. It's an education of behavior and society. In some circumstances, one can assume someone of the white race may not have priviledges. They experience misfortunes and celebrations as the next race. I agree with that point. And, using the term "racist" is dangerous because entitlements are consciously or unconsciously available. However - pne must accept - unless they literally live the life and walk in the shoes of an minority, they would never understand. There isn't a need to get defensive and agrumentative of something you will NEVER experience. Just that simple.
Unfair? Not hardly. Its Natures way of saying equality does not, nor will it ever, exist. Get over your selves, idiots.
Gina - 11 years ago
Excuse Me?? That's a pretty frickin bold statement to make that ALL Caucasians were born into privileged; sounds like the Univ of Wisconsin needs to go back to class to revamp their research methods and to reexamine their data. I'm a 40 year old Caucasian single mother that was born to a family in poverty. I have worked hard to put myself through college for my Bachelors AND Masters. I have NEVER received ANY SORT of special privileges because of my skin color. I have been turned down for jobs because I don't make the mark for some employers wanting to meet their EEO requirements. What is happening now in America is reverse racism! I live in a small little town in Idaho and I can tell you for a FACT that I AM the minority in my community which is 70% Hispanic and 30 % Caucasian! Those who claim racism only look at people and their skin color themselves.... Hasn't our society, and those TEACHING OUR FUTURE LEADERS learned that there is only ONE race... The human race. Racism will never go away with bigoted information put forth by an institution of higher learning. The University of Wisconsin should be ashamed of themselves and I would never send my children there... EVER!
Jonny - 11 years ago
Re-think their (white peoples) role in todays racism....... meaning what? How we sub-consciously promulgate racism simply by being white? But they can't see the racism in that? I refuse to be labeled a racist because of my own race or other peoples hang-up's.
Sue Boyer - 11 years ago
You need to get your facts straight before making statements like this. I have lost jobs, with affirmative action because I was white. I scored 98% on the entrance test, and it was given to a black woman who only scored 75%, I was told that is why I did not get the job, because they needed to meet a quota. Forget the fact that I was more qualified. This is supposed to be a privilege ? This , like your video ,does nothing but promote racism. I am not a racist, but resent the fact you telling me how good I have it just because I am white. You are doing more harm than good. And the argument about , " this is just to start a conversation about the issue", I have an idea. How about showing BOTH SIDES, if anyone is the racist it is YOU and your cohorts trying to blanket all whites and call us the bad guys. I started working at the age of 14 , working hoeing potatoes, where is the privilege? Your commercial is BS and does nothing but make me angry. Is that the reaction you were going for? You are absolutely racists , and trying to get the whites to roll over and play dead and say OK you can have whatever you want because I'm sorry I'm white. WRONG MESSAGE, TERRIBLE ADD.
I am English and my mother immigrated here from ENGLAND, I am proud of my heritage, and you will not make me feel otherwise. SHAME ON YOU, and all that participated in this farce.
White Privilege???? Really???? I am a white woman who grew up in a mixed neighbourhood with a single mom who worked two jobs, and didn't go on welfare! I grew up like many of my white, black, and hispanic friends. Our parents were good people trying to raise good people. Anything and everything we we needed or wanted came from HARD WORK!!! My success came from my own hard work, not by getting something handed to me. That still holds true today! It is unfortunate that racism still exists in the 21st century, but it is fact. And it isn't just whites who are racist! Today, I still hear it from ALL races! We are ALL guilty of racism! Not just the white population. I hear it from non white guys who work for a "white man" company, making better than minimum wage, and yet they still bitch about how hard done by they are by the Whites! REALLY??? My mother raised me to treat every one with respect....no matter their color, or religion or whatever. We are all entitled! I do wish with all of my heart that we could set aside the blinders of color and just live as we should - to come together as one people, fight the unfairness equally.....get race discrimination out of it! Its about PEOPLE not COLOR!
@Gina
I can understand your point of view. Ponder this. The ones that told you that you didn't get the job and why, told you this to promote their racism. It seems to me that they were angry that they had to (by law) offer the position to someone other than white. If this had not been the case, they wouldn't have told you why you didn't get the job. Only that you didn't get the job. This person wanted to anger you about it as well. It isn't a shame that someone of color had to be offered the job. The shame lyes in the fact that there had to be a law put in place to make business owners offer jobs to people of color. For if there were no law they wouldn't even concider hiring a minority.
I was married to a caucation woman for 14 years. When we first started dating she, like most white people, couldn't see the racism as they are not use to recognizing it for what it is. After a short period of time with me as her mate her eyes became opened and she began to see it for herself. Not only directed toward me but her and our children aswell. Everybody has a right not to be chastized no matter who their parents are. Until this realization becomes recognized my the general population it will never get better for any of us in the human race.
I think that this campaign does an incredible job of shedding light on the unchecked white privilege that I experience as a white person everyday... I too like many folks that have commented face oppression... but let's remember THAT oppression is based on other identity factors... I am a woman, I have faced oppression, I grew up in poverty-working-class household, I have experienced economic instability, I am a lesbian I have faced homophobia and seen the real impact of hetero-normative behavior... I am also able bodied and I don't know what's like to be labeled as disabled and be treated as less than in our society.. Despite my working class roots I have gained access to higher education and have educational privilege which gives me job security that my friends in hourly wage jobs do not have... This is complex people, we cannot SHED our white privilege just like we cannot shed our oppressed identities... instead of fighting we must find commonalities and work together for REAL CHANGE.
Really? As an adult black woman, these students should be commended on their initiatives. It's an education of behavior and society. In some circumstances, one can assume someone of the white race may not have priviledges. They experience misfortunes and celebrations as the next race. I agree with that point. And, using the term "racist" is dangerous because entitlements are consciously or unconsciously available. However - pne must accept - unless they literally live the life and walk in the shoes of an minority, they would never understand. There isn't a need to get defensive and agrumentative of something you will NEVER experience. Just that simple.
Unfair? Not hardly. Its Natures way of saying equality does not, nor will it ever, exist. Get over your selves, idiots.
Excuse Me?? That's a pretty frickin bold statement to make that ALL Caucasians were born into privileged; sounds like the Univ of Wisconsin needs to go back to class to revamp their research methods and to reexamine their data. I'm a 40 year old Caucasian single mother that was born to a family in poverty. I have worked hard to put myself through college for my Bachelors AND Masters. I have NEVER received ANY SORT of special privileges because of my skin color. I have been turned down for jobs because I don't make the mark for some employers wanting to meet their EEO requirements. What is happening now in America is reverse racism! I live in a small little town in Idaho and I can tell you for a FACT that I AM the minority in my community which is 70% Hispanic and 30 % Caucasian! Those who claim racism only look at people and their skin color themselves.... Hasn't our society, and those TEACHING OUR FUTURE LEADERS learned that there is only ONE race... The human race. Racism will never go away with bigoted information put forth by an institution of higher learning. The University of Wisconsin should be ashamed of themselves and I would never send my children there... EVER!
Re-think their (white peoples) role in todays racism....... meaning what? How we sub-consciously promulgate racism simply by being white? But they can't see the racism in that? I refuse to be labeled a racist because of my own race or other peoples hang-up's.
You need to get your facts straight before making statements like this. I have lost jobs, with affirmative action because I was white. I scored 98% on the entrance test, and it was given to a black woman who only scored 75%, I was told that is why I did not get the job, because they needed to meet a quota. Forget the fact that I was more qualified. This is supposed to be a privilege ? This , like your video ,does nothing but promote racism. I am not a racist, but resent the fact you telling me how good I have it just because I am white. You are doing more harm than good. And the argument about , " this is just to start a conversation about the issue", I have an idea. How about showing BOTH SIDES, if anyone is the racist it is YOU and your cohorts trying to blanket all whites and call us the bad guys. I started working at the age of 14 , working hoeing potatoes, where is the privilege? Your commercial is BS and does nothing but make me angry. Is that the reaction you were going for? You are absolutely racists , and trying to get the whites to roll over and play dead and say OK you can have whatever you want because I'm sorry I'm white. WRONG MESSAGE, TERRIBLE ADD.
I am English and my mother immigrated here from ENGLAND, I am proud of my heritage, and you will not make me feel otherwise. SHAME ON YOU, and all that participated in this farce.