Is White Privilege Real?

[ok doser]

One involves gestation....

gestation of a human being

 

[quip]

gestation of a human being

What else would it be? :doh:

 

[annabenedetti]

Freedom - Beyoncé, ft. Kendrick Lamar

 

[Town Heretic]

An impressive amount of empirically verifiable data on the existence of white privilege has been collected by thenewprogressive.com

A few points from it. I'll start with the benefit of being white in relation to law enforcement.

• Young black boys/men, ages 15-19, are 21 times more likely to be to be shot and killed by the police than young white boys/men.^[1]
• Blacks are less than 13% of the U.S. population, and yet they are 31% of all fatal police shooting victims, and 39% of those killed by police even though they weren’t attacking.

Now before you start to think, "Well, that's probably because more of them are involved in illegal activity" or something to that effect:

To be clear, the above chart deals with people being arrested by the police. In other words, police shoot and kill black people they are arresting far more often than they shoot and kill white people they are arresting.

In New York City, whites comprise 44% of the population; blacks and Latinos, 53%.^[4]

• Between 2005 and 2008, 80% of NYPD stops were of blacks and Latinos. Only 10% of stops were of whites.

Under the NYPD’s controversial “stop-and-frisk” program, in every year since 2009, 87% of those stopped-and-frisked were black or Latino. 10% were white.

• A study in Arizona found state highway patrol 3.5 times more likely to search a stopped Native American, and 2.5 times more likely to search a stopped African American or Latino, than a white person. And yet, whites who were searched were more likely than all other groups to be transporting drugs, guns, or other contraband.

• A study in West Virginia showed black drivers 1.64 times more likely, and Latinos 1.48 times more likely, to be stopped than white drivers. After being stopped, non-whites were more likely to get arrested, even though police “obtained a significantly higher contraband hit rate for white drivers than minorities.”

A 2007 U.S. Department of Justice report on racial profiling found that blacks and Latinos were 3 times as likely to be stopped as whites, and that blacks were twice as likely to be arrested and 4 times as likely “to experience the threat or use of force during interactions with the police.”

 

[annabenedetti]

They're privileged by virtue of being born the same race as the predominate power structure.

That sums it up neatly.

 

[glassjester]

Young black boys/men, ages 15-19, are 21 times more likely to be to be shot and killed by the police than young white boys/men.[1]

How much more likely are men to be shot by the police, than women?
Or 20-year-olds compared to 70-year-olds?

Are those differences caused by discrimination?

Blacks are less than 13% of the U.S. population, and yet they are 31% of all fatal police shooting victims, and 39% of those killed by police even though they weren’t attacking.

What were they doing when they were shot by the police?

Now before you start to think, "Well, that's probably because more of them are involved in illegal activity" or something to that effect:

To be clear, the above chart deals with people being arrested by the police. In other words, police shoot and kill black people they are arresting far more often than they shoot and kill white people they are arresting.

And what were they being arrested for?
And what were they doing when they police shot them?

In New York City, whites comprise 44% of the population; blacks and Latinos, 53%.[4]
Between 2005 and 2008, 80% of NYPD stops were of blacks and Latinos. Only 10% of stops were of whites.

What should those percentages look like? A perfect pie chart of the population? Why?

Under the NYPD’s controversial “stop-and-frisk” program, in every year since 2009, 87% of those stopped-and-frisked were black or Latino. 10% were white.

And what should those percentages be, and why?

A study in Arizona found state highway patrol 3.5 times more likely to search a stopped Native American, and 2.5 times more likely to search a stopped African American or Latino, than a white person. And yet, whites who were searched were more likely than all other groups to be transporting drugs, guns, or other contraband.

Whites were more likely to be carrying contraband? So should the police stop whites more often, based on that fact? If so, should the cops in NYC stop blacks and latinos more often if they are more likely to be carrying contraband?

A study in West Virginia showed black drivers 1.64 times more likely, and Latinos 1.48 times more likely, to be stopped than white drivers. After being stopped, non-whites were more likely to get arrested, even though police “obtained a significantly higher contraband hit rate for white drivers than minorities.”

What were they arrested for?

A 2007 U.S. Department of Justice report on racial profiling found that blacks and Latinos were 3 times as likely to be stopped as whites, and that blacks were twice as likely to be arrested and 4 times as likely “to experience the threat or use of force during interactions with the police.”

What were they stopped for? What were they arrested for? Why did the police threaten force?



Without any details related to the questions above, these statistics don't necessarily indicate a bias.

Do you think all racial differences are due to racial discrimination?

 

[ok doser]

so, whites are privileged because they don't engage in violent criminal activity as often as blacks?

 

[glassjester]

Freedom - Beyoncé, ft. Kendrick Lamar

I know someone who might enjoy that...

 

[glassjester]

so, whites are privileged because they don't engage in violent criminal activity as often as blacks?

Compare the violent crime rates of whites and Asians in the USA. Is there Asian privilege? Still no answer...

 

[ok doser]

That sums it up neatly.

except there's no "predominate power structure" that's racially homogeneous


try again

 

[glassjester]

TH (or anybody else), do you acknowledge that cultural differences exist between racial groups?

 

[glassjester]

except there's no "predominate power structure" that's racially homogeneous


try again

Were poor whites born into a predominate power structure?

 

[ok doser]

Were poor whites born into a predominate power structure?

obviously a black one

 

[annabenedetti]

I know someone who might enjoy that...

Eh. Arthur and I rarely agree in matters of music (and he has no problem telling me so :chuckle: ), but we do agree on many social issues and I think he'd have no problem agreeing with the underlying message of the song itself.

 

[annabenedetti]

Were poor whites born into a predominate power structure?

Do you agree that the predominant power structure is, and has always been, white?

 

[glassjester]

Do you agree that the predominant power structure is, and has always been, white?

I'm not sure that a "power structure" can be said to have race.

 

[ok doser]

Do you agree that the predominant power structure is, and has always been, white?

was, yes

is?

nope

not any more

 

[glassjester]

Eh. Arthur and I rarely agree in matters of music (and he has no problem telling me so :chuckle: ), but we do agree on many social issues and I think he'd have no problem agreeing with the underlying message of the song itself.

He may even appreciate, or... enjoy the song.

...for its message.

 

[annabenedetti]

was, yes

So far, so good.

is?

nope

not any more

How do you support that?

 

[annabenedetti]

He may even appreciate, or... enjoy the song.

...for its message.

He's expressed himself clearly on that issue.