[Matthew]

I have been an avid reader of Y? Forum for a few years, and my question comes after having read of the anger, frustration and/or desolation black people feel over their situation in the United States. To those of you who perceive yourself to be a member of this group, do you believe white people in this country have it that much better than you? Do you feel they are more emotionally centered and happier, or could they suffer from the same aspects of life that you do? Do you believe white people are ever discriminated against?

User Detail :  

Name : Matthew, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, 

[Leory-J22866]

I'm black, and of course white people are discriminated against. It's called Affirmative Action.

User Detail :  

Name : Leory-J22866, Race : Black/African American, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, 

[Jane]

White people seem to own everything in this country: The upscale Fifth Avenue shops, the computer corporations and nice restaurants, etc. And they receive academic tenure more often than ethnic minorities. White people share a Euro-American culture that Asians, blacks and Latinos do not. At work, because your boss is most likely to be white, it really helps if you are white in getting him/her to feel comfortable with you, take you under their wing and offer you opportunities that you might not receive if you're not white. The 'good old boys network' is also the 'white people's network.' Though it seems to be a biological tendency for human beings to associate with people who are most like themselves, this makes it difficult for minority groups to succeed. We cannot get a foothold in the 'network,' we distrust and experience distrust from white people (and from each other too, for example Koreans vs. blacks in the Los Angeles riots). For minorities, it seems that every ethnic group (black, Asian, Latino, Native American) is alone and fighting for itself.

User Detail :  

Name : Jane, Gender : F, Race : Asian, Age : 26, City : Jersey City, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : student, 

[Mike20428]

I see white people, espcially those 30 and older, as 95 percent ignorant. They think if they see a rich black that he's a drug dealer. A black man in a suit is automatically a thief. But the young whites are just as bad. They think they invented rap, and they try to be black, when in actuality black culture is the complete opposite of white culture, so they can never be 'down.'

Overall, I have a lot of white friends, and I've dated a couple of them, but I prefer other minorities because that's who I indentify with.

User Detail :  

Name : Mike20428, Gender : M, City : New Bern, State : NC Country : United States, 

[Jerry]

It's not that white people have it better. It's that a white person will have a better chance of acquiring or getting help compared to a black person in the same situation. I know some blacks will complain about everything, but the majority just want a fair chance and treated fairly. I believe whites can be discriminated against, but most discrimination involves power, which whites have more of. I know we will never live in utopia, but as a melting pot we must learn to mingle with other cultures. Only through this can we root out some the stereotypes that groups have about each other.

User Detail :  

Name : Jerry, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 33, City : Cleveland, State : OH Country : United States, Occupation : engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Kate26613]

Then what do you call the Japanese tourists and Hong Kong immigrants who buy only the most expensive designer brands? The Asians who attend the top boarding schools and universities?

User Detail :  

Name : Kate26613, Gender : F, Race : Asian, Age : 22, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Student, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[tallie]

okay, i am white, and i know your question was directed towards black people or people of color in general, but... racism exists in this country as a system of atvantage based on race. white people systematically benefit from racism. this is called white priviledge. things like, having band-aids the color of your skin, being able to speak eloquently without being a merit to your race, seeing role models in the media that are of your race, seeing your family and communications style validated, learning the history of your people at school, going to pay for something at a store and have the salesperson respect your buying power... etc, etc. this does not invalidate any pain white people have gone through due to class, gender, sexual orientation, family history, etc. but it is a reality all white people, including myself, face. i do not belive white people can be discriminated against because of the color of their skin. affirmitive action is a way of evening this unbalanced plying field, not bringng the white man down or giving 'them' 'our' jobs. email me for questions/references

User Detail :  

Name : tallie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 17, City : g. hills, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Metaphoria]

If you are suggesting that white people do not hve it 'easy' as well, I would agree with you, but solely on the basis that as humans we have all had are share of strife. However, it has been by far proven that we, black people, have tasted a bigger piece of the strife pie. Also, I'm not just talking about slavery, although that is the root of our current conditions, despite white people and black people's argument that slavery was something that happened years ago and it is now over. First off, it is far from over, even in a physical sense. For in parts of some states slavery as it has been described and as you know it, is still in existence. I'm talking about white and black water fountains, black people wallking with their heads down talking about 'yessam' and 'noamm'. But asides from it's physical prevalence, it affects are permeating the present and have been doing so for the longest from crack babies, to 75% of the prisons being filled with black men, to impoverished communities, to us never likely to ever being the president of the U.S. Most people ask me, both black and white, if 'the effects' of slavery were so strong, then why are there successful people of color, who are maintaining positive lifestyles while the others rob, shoot, and kill. I say to them, imagine the experiment about the fly who was captured in a jar. Upon him being initially captured he tried to fly up and break through the lid. he tried and he tried, but after awhile he just stop trying. Then finally one day, some one took the lid off to set it free and it went nowhere. Why? because its mind had been conditioned into believing that the lid is there even when it is not. Now when he looks up, instead of seeing a whole in which to fly out from, he sees the darkness of the bottom of a lid that was once there. The mind is a powerful thing and once infiltrated and conditioned for something, the chances are slim to none that they will do anything other than they have been conditioned to do. This is the state of my people. Sure some of us have managed to see the light at the top of the jar, but many of us have not. And so we build are lives there, in a jar, confined, enslaved.

User Detail :  

Name : Metaphoria, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, City : Atlanta, State : GA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, 

[Given C]

Yes I agree with Jerry. Mostly white people have a better chance of getting a Job, promoted etc. I also agree that most black people aren't just sitting down whinging! We all know life is hard and things are hard to come by. We all agree that we ought to work hard and to achieve anything extra even work extra harder! I quiet frankily find this prejudice against races unnecessary, irrelevant and just about too shallow for a society that likes to think of itself as civilized and intelligent. What Blacks, Asians or any race want is the same thing that White people want. Level play ground, that's all. In this day and age, we really ought to be leaving people get on with improving themselves, getting the best out of themselves without hinderance or prejudice. A society where everyone thinks they have as much a chance to achieve anything as anyone else around can only be a better society.

User Detail :  

Name : Given C, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : London, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Angel]

I think it is easy for Caucasians to view African Americans as a whole as angry and bitter. It is amazing just how much whites don't understand about the black experience in this country. I venture to say that whites do have an easier time with things in this country. As a child, I was taught that not only did I have to do my best (as I assume many white parents tell their children), but that my 'best' had to be better than the average white person's. I feel that blacks in this country can achieve as much as any other race, but I also believe that they face many more obstacles than whites.

Although it may seem farfetched, I do believe that as a people, blacks still feel the effects of slavery. Blatant racism on the part of whites has decreased greatly, but the biggest effects of slavery have been its effects on the black psyche. It affects us in the way we raise our children, the formation of our work ethic, the way we handle our financial resources and even our health. In the Detroit area (where I am from), many blacks have expensive cars but live with parents or other relatives, or in non-ownership situations. I believe this comes from the days of slavery and immediately thereafter - blacks weren't allowed to own homes. Thus, we gave value to things that were more attainable, such as clothes, and later, cars. Not all blacks make such ignorant financial decisions, but one only has to look at black videos and music to see the emphasis placed on having material things, as opposed to having WEALTH. Today, blacks are ravaged by illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. , many of which result from poor diet, another remnant of our days as slaves. I feel that whites cannot understand the obstacles faced by blacks in this country - because many blacks don't fully understand the issues affecting them THEMSELVES. I consider myself very afrocentric and want to see my race succeed. I have no hatred for white people. Yes, I think (just from the stereotypes I regrettably know that I hold about white people) that they can be discriminated against. In my opinion, whites have the luxury of not looking at life in the guarded way that blacks do.

Blacks have been hurt by this country - and this affects everything that we do. Whites, as they hold the power and wealth -- thus the opportunity in this country, have the option of looking at life from a more positive, happy and focused perspective.

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Name : Angel, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 23, City : Detroit, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Research, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Toni]

Of course white people are discriminated agains. But at the same time, they are still at an advantage. Being born black, you are already two steps behind. You have to try extra hard and work harder than white people just so you can be equal. Plus, you have to deal with negative stereotypes that come along with it. It's really hard, Matthew.

User Detail :  

Name : Toni, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Las Vegas, State : NV Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Korey]

I really don't appreciate being called stupid just because I am white. For your information, I am ranked in the top 15 percent of my high school class. How can you make such racist generalizations? I never would think a black man a thief or drug dealer just because he was affluent, and I resent being persecuted for prejudices I don't have. It is you who is the bigot. You are also a raging hypocrite - you complain about white people making unfair generalizations about black people and then make the same boneheaded assumptions about all white people. Is it only OK for black people to discriminate against whole races of people? It is people like you - ignorant, narrowminded racists - who are the cause of racial strife in the United States today.

User Detail :  

Name : Korey, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 16, City : Newton, State : NJ Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Audrey]

I disagree with the idea that Affirmative Action discriminates against whites. A few years ago, my husband, an excellent engineer of Japanese American descent, applied to a school in the University of California system and got rejected. They had just dumped Affirmative Action, and statistics showed it was a great benefit to white students, whose enrollments increased dramatically. However, for Asian students, enrollment actually dropped. We all know that Asians are 'over-represented' in universities, but has anybody asked why white people are also over-represented in universities? White people make up about 70 percent of U.S. population, according to the 2000 Census, but we make up a larger portion than that in most U.S. universities. Getting rid of Affirmative Action gave white California residents a break when the competition against academically superior Asian students got too stiff. Let's follow the Golden Rule and treat each other nicely. African American, Latino and Native American students bring diversity and necessary viewpoints to a university. Though standarized scores and GPA requirements may be slightly lower, the presence of under-represented minorities is to benefit the other students, as well as the minority students.

User Detail :  

Name : Audrey, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Unitarian, Age : 27, City : Osaka, State : NA Country : Japan, Occupation : Finance, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[JJ30547]

Some of what you said is true to an extent,such as minorities (in general) having a hard time in the workplace, but the comment that '(young) white people think they invented rap' makes you sound, frankly, just as ignorant as the '90-95 percent' 'ignorant' white people. Most everybody knows that rap began in the New York/Bronx area, by African-American youths. Sure, there are some arrogant white teens, but there's arrogance in all young people; however, in varying degrees. I'm not trying to cause a stink, nor am I being racist. It's just that what you stated shows your ignorance in that area.

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Name : JJ30547, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 18, City : Dallas/Fort Worth area, State : TX Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Chelsea]

Actually, the largest group of people that benefit from Affirmative Action is white females!! Really though, the key to success for everyone should be hard work.

User Detail :  

Name : Chelsea, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Episcopalian, Age : 18, City : Troy, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

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