Tim Wise is calling you out… again

by Eva on September 14, 2008 · 2 comments

in Eva

From the same man who told those Hillary supporters that their Whiteness was showing, Mr. Tim Wise is back at it again.  This time he’s is calling out the racist double standards (I could really do two other posts on the ageism and sexism) of the election.  Full text is here.  Snippets below:

For those who still can’t grasp the concept of white privilege, or who are constantly looking for some easy-to-understand examples of it, perhaps this list will help.

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you’ll “kick their fuckin’ ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

And finally, white privilege is the only thing that could possibly allow someone to become president when he has voted with George W. Bush 90 percent of the time, even as unemployment is skyrocketing, people are losing their homes, inflation is rising, and the U.S. is increasingly isolated from world opinion, just because white voters aren’t sure about that whole “change” thing. Ya know, it’s just too vague and ill-defined, unlike, say, four more years of the same, which is very concrete and certain.

White privilege is, in short, the problem.

White privilege is the problem. Boy I’m glad the white guy said it first.

peace,
e.

About the author

Eva

Eva C. Haldane is the editor of Sassy Women Online and a doctoral candidate at Columbia University. You can find her personal blog at evahaldane.com.


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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Jose 09.14.08 at 10:28 pm

He’s the political Eminem. And I love him for it.

2 mo 09.22.08 at 7:25 pm

yeah definitely my hero. but are those that need to be hearing him listening?

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