A Navy Veteran’s perspective on racism

[Irrelevant]

This privilege shaming nonsense is just an attempt to belittle your success’ in life. Racial politics and class warfare is what it is. Tactics of the progs. I reject it out of hand. Am I privileged? Yes I am. I worked hard for that and it didn’t come at anyone else’s expense. Because I can live better than 95% of the population doesn’t mean I took that from someone. In fact just the opposite. Everything I own provided the creators an opportunity to make a paycheck and get ahead in this world. Seems like something to celebrate and be proud of eh.

Did you read the article VG posted earlier today, it got at this issue.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Privilege in this context does not mean what it would have meant 30 years ago. Being privileged in this arena does not mean your daddy was rich and bought you an Ivy League education you didn’t earn (see the Kennedy’s and Bush’s). And this is why I wish we were using a different word. But for the moment we are stuck with it.

A better way of saying it is that there are hidden benefits to being white. Benefits none of us asked for and that none of should feel guilty for. We did not create them, we did not ask for them, there really is no way for us to avoid receiving them. We are not asked to feel ashamed or guilty, we are ask to acknowledge that they exist and that the absence of these benefits makes things harder for others who do not have them.

So, let’s say you are white, you do well in school, get a good job, work 24/7 and get a sufficient level of success that you can buy a brand new $50,000 pickup. And then someone calls you privileged during a race discussion. They are NOT saying you did not work hard enough to deserved a new pickup. They are seeking your understanding that if you had a black sounding name that you would have been 30% less likely to get a job interview after sending in your resume in the first place (this is data not conjecture). They are asking you to see that if you were black you would have had to have 50 more points on your credit score to qualifying for the loan on that pickup (data not conjecture). They are asking you to see that if you were black and did qualify for that loan you would have paid higher interest on that loan (data not conjecture) thereby raising the effective price on that truck and limiting what else you might be able to do with that money.

You did nothing wrong in this narrative. But are you able to see that a black man in similar circumstances would have extra barriers and that while it is not your fault, are you going to do anything to see this injustice, to correct this injustice? Have you ever talked to your HR department about blind resume processes to minimize the known bias against minority sounding names? Have you ever ask a bank about their lending equality statistics before you do business with them. Have you ever called out a clerk or sales person who was not giving a person of color the same level service you were enjoying?

You earned what you have, great for you. But a better question is what are you doing with what you earned?

 

[3855WIN]

You should google Lt Kroll in Minneapolis and see if he is the kind of man who is looking to reduce the threat level of his police officers. There is a reason that multiple police chiefs have failed to reduce the annual complaint numbers of this department.

Sounds like that department is done. Do you happen to live in the city limits?

 

[VikingsGuy]

Sounds like that department is done. Do you happen to live in the city limits?

Nope, but have immediate family and many close friends who do. Many of us believe that if the state would have banned police unions (something they have done in other areas of government) 5 years ago Philando, Justine and George would be alive today.

 

[homers]

I just got done watching Dave Chappelle's 8:46 special (youtube). If you're offended by language, not for you. Otherwise, his opinions are worth listening to.

 

[azelkhntr]

I don't buy into any of the shaming and privilege does seem to be sort of a loaded word. I think it's just important to acknowledge that there are a lot of people out there that aren't as fortunate no matter the circumstances.

And you have to ask the big ? "why is that?" You cant make everyone equal in outcomes in life but we have acknowledged that All men are created equal. Inequality in outcomes is basically tied to ones intellect. The average IQ in the US is only 95 and you're mentally impaired or retarded at 70. The best that people below 95 can be expected to do is service industry, low level construction work and the DMV. And that's OK. Someone has to do those jobs and it affords them independence and pride. You're economic standing in life is directly tied to your intellect. If your IQ isn't above 110-115 you shouldn't even be in higher education. Why? Because you don't possess the intellect to apply that what you may or may not have learned to achieve higher success in the economy. A good govt job, military or policing is for you in that category. Above 115 you get into the small business and middle class achievers. above 130 and beyond its the Doctors and other top professions like Architects and Aeronautical Naval engineers etc. Now your getting into serious money making and status and you deserve that recognition. At 140 and up you're at the top of the pyramid. Thats just the way it is and always will be. As J.W. said. Life is hard and its harder if you're stupid.

 

[TwistedSage]

Have you ever heard of apathy? It is a good quality to have.

 

[BuzzH]

And you have to ask the big ? "why is that?" You cant make everyone equal in outcomes in life but we have acknowledged that All men are created equal. Inequality in outcomes is basically tied to ones intellect. The average IQ in the US is only 95 and you're mentally impaired or retarded at 70. The best that people below 95 can be expected to do is service industry, low level construction work and the DMV. And that's OK. Someone has to do those jobs and it affords them independence and pride. You're economic standing in life is directly tied to your intellect. If your IQ isn't above 110-115 you shouldn't even be in higher education. Why? Because you don't possess the intellect to apply that what you may or may not have learned to achieve higher success in the economy. A good govt job, military or policing is for you in that category. Above 115 you get into the small business and middle class achievers. above 130 and beyond its the Doctors and other top professions like Architects and Aeronautical Naval engineers etc. Now your getting into serious money making and status and you deserve that recognition. At 140 and up you're at the top of the pyramid. Thats just the way it is and always will be. As J.W. said. Life is hard and its harder if you're stupid.

Good thing punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling aren't indicative of IQ...you might not make 70 and would struggle to be a waitress or work for the DMV.

Making money is not directly proportional to IQ...talk about some messed up thinking.

 

[azelkhntr]

Did you read the article VG posted earlier today, it got at this issue.

Yes I did.

 

[3855WIN]

Anonymous letter from UC Berkeley professor concerning BLM/recent events | by Soumynona | Medium

I am one of your colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley. I have met you both personally but do not know you closely, and am contacting you anonymously, with apologies. I am worried that…

medium.com

 

[azelkhntr]

Good thing punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling aren't indictive of IQ...you might not make 70 and would struggle to be a waitress or work for the DMV.

Making money is not directly proportional to IQ...talk about some messed up thinking.

Well aint we nitpicky today. I agree making money isn't always directly tied to intellect. Look at all the successful athletes who make astronomical sums and then end up dead broke after a few years of retirement. So that would suggest that intellect is directly tied to being able to keep it?

 

[3855WIN]

Have you ever heard of apathy? It is a good quality to have.

Or empathy?

 

[406dn]

Good thing punctuation, sentence structure, and spelling aren't indicative of IQ...you might not make 70 and would struggle to be a waitress or work for the DMV.

Making money is not directly proportional to IQ...talk about some messed up thinking.

You said it with more humor than I would have.

 

[TwistedSage]

Or empathy?

Yes that one my IQ is not the highest either.

 

[BuzzH]

Well aint we nitpicky today. I agree making money isn't always directly tied to intellect. Look at all the successful athletes who make astronomical sums and then end up dead broke after a few years of retirement. So that would suggest that intellect is directly tied to being able to keep it?

Not at all, but if you're going to brag about your intellect, IQ, and lot in life and how you quantify that, one would think you would be "smart" enough to know the difference between you're and your.

Maybe IQ isn't the best way to determine ones lot in life or even to measure their intelligence, you think?

 

[Pucky Freak]

I’ve worked in public safety since 2009 in 4 different settings and I’ve seen that line level employees who regularly used excessive physical force against subdued persons were being promoted well into the mid 00’s. In the late 00’s excessive force began to fall out of favor, but new employees being hired and trained in the mid-00’s were trained, brought up, and instructed in abusive, dangerous, and inappropriate methods, attitudes, and practices, and many thousands of these employees are the officers in their late 30’s on up working today. It’s easy to say it’s the unions, or the administration, or the well-off citizenry, or whatever, but the fact remains that while the practices have changed (body cameras, cellphone cameras, accountability, less tolerance for abuses, social media, etc), public safety culture is slow to change. You’re looking at another 15-20 years of abusive misuse of force, a violence-first response, and other troublesome trends unless serious changes are made to existing agencies now.

 

[VikingsGuy]

And you have to ask the big ? "why is that?" You cant make everyone equal in outcomes in life but we have acknowledged that All men are created equal. Inequality in outcomes is basically tied to ones intellect. The average IQ in the US is only 95 and you're mentally impaired or retarded at 70. The best that people below 95 can be expected to do is service industry, low level construction work and the DMV. And that's OK. Someone has to do those jobs and it affords them independence and pride. You're economic standing in life is directly tied to your intellect. If your IQ isn't above 110-115 you shouldn't even be in higher education. Why? Because you don't possess the intellect to apply that what you may or may not have learned to achieve higher success in the economy. A good govt job, military or policing is for you in that category. Above 115 you get into the small business and middle class achievers. above 130 and beyond its the Doctors and other top professions like Architects and Aeronautical Naval engineers etc. Now your getting into serious money making and status and you deserve that recognition. At 140 and up you're at the top of the pyramid. Thats just the way it is and always will be. As J.W. said. Life is hard and its harder if you're stupid.

Just to stay on theme, what IQ is required to not be called n**** while fishing? At what point is your IQ high enough that a cop won’t kneel on your neck for 8:46?

You, Henry Ford, Charles Lindbergh and the eugenics folks would have gotten along swimmingly. You are just a man born in the wrong time.

 

[2ski]

“When people are in pain and cannot make their pain heard they will eventually make you feel their pain.”

Super late to the Party. But wanted to quote this part of your post. It also can explain to some extent what's happening with the police. Internalize everything. Don't see counselors and that pain can easily make someone look to make others feel their pain.

Monthly counseling should be mandatory for cops. Too much tough guy bs. Not saying it rids the problems but it has to help some.

 

[azelkhntr]

Not at all, but if you're going to brag about your intellect, IQ, and lot in life and how you quantify that, one would think you would be "smart" enough to know the difference between you're and your.

Maybe IQ isn't the best way to determine ones lot in life or even to measure their intelligence, you think?

Look lets not get personal ok? Im not bragging about anything and hello McFly; autocorrect; or not. IQ is in fact a great determiner of ones potential success and is the only tool we have available to us. Why do you think we give kids aptitude tests early in life? So we can focus resources and effort on the gifted as we should. You cant expect a kid with a 160 IQ to flourish in a classroom with the rubes now. Intelligence is acquired knowledge; intellect is the capability to understand it. Yes I think, therefore I am.

 

[VikingsGuy]

Anonymous letter from UC Berkeley professor concerning BLM/recent events | by Soumynona | Medium

I am one of your colleagues at the University of California, Berkeley. I have met you both personally but do not know you closely, and am contacting you anonymously, with apologies. I am worried that…

medium.com

Things can be AND. I believe that racial indifference, and in some instances malice, caused the deaths of Philando, George and others like them, AND I believe that a nearly total lack of intellectual diversity in our higher ed system is a major problem. I would like to see them both fixed.