Letters to the Editor
Valkyrie607
Published Letters: 144 Editor's Choice: 3
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White Privilege
[Read the article: The mix master]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Who's white?
The fact is most white people don't identify as white. They think of themselves as Italian, Irish, Polish, Jewish etc. And if they are purely Anglo-Saxon, they usually don't have much of an ethnic identity. People find more meaning with an identity that is not the majority. And of course there is the fact that identifying with the majority labels you as "passing" and subjects you to being "exposed".
-- larrfirr
That's the privilege of being white: you don't get reminded on a daily, hourly basis that, "Hey, you. You're white." And of course being "white" doesn't have the stigma attached to it that being "black" does.
A lot of black people don't self-identify as "black," either, but the world doesn't let forget that however much they call themselves Nigerian, Haitian, Saint Vincentian, Somali, or whatever, they are still simply "black" in the eyes of the world.
Black folks have ethnic identities, too, but they're not afforded the luxury of simply existing within the framework given by their family's history; no, they must also deal with the legacy of white supremacy and institutionalized racism. A recent African immigrant has nothing to do with this history, but he or she must find a way to negotiate the stereotypes and cultural assumptions that come along with it nevertheless. He or she is forced, simply by having brown skin, to consider where it is he locates himself in relation to this brutal history America has.
When you're white, you can hum along in happy ignorance of all of this. That's our privilege.
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Ah ha!
[Read the article: Newt Gingrich, supreme fear-monger]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Congressman Hoyer's voice mailbox is full. I cannot leave a message.
I wonder if this is the normal state of affairs...
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Y'all can call it whatever you want...
[Read the article: The new racist, anti-Obama fashion statement]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]...Once Obama is elected, I'ma graffitti that mofo up into rainbows!
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One question
[Read the article: Gas prices and offshore drilling ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]One question for all y'all who are getting so upset at the idea of NOT immediately drilling offshore for oil:
Is oil an infinite resource?
If you answered, "It's not," how in hell can you justify NOT starting immediately on a campaign of conservation and conversion of our economy to renewable energy resources?