[WAsummit] Using the language of privilege

[Mary Capps]

I link the terms - the history & on-going systems (beliefs,  
structures, assumptions, etc.) of white supremacy lead to white  
privilege.
I think a lot of white southerners (at least, older ones from the Jim  
Crow era) understand the term & reality of white supremacy very well  
- better than the term white privilege.
After all, what whites here didn't see the civil rights battles in  
terms of maintaining, or undermining, white supremacy?
Both terms are still necessary to analysis & organizing as anti-racists.

Mary Capps
Mississippi


On Sep 21, 2009, at 5:53 PM, Frances Kendall wrote:

> Youall are all great! Thank you. I feel similar to Carrie; if  
> you’re uncomfortable, let’s deal with THAT, not change the  
> language. And I’m just about to write Understanding White  
> Privilege, 2nd edition, so I thought it would be good to ask. Maybe  
> I’ll do a chapter on changing language as a way of fleeing the  
> conversation!   :)
>
> Francie
>
>
>
>
> On 9/21/09 2:41 PM, "Carrie Stewart" <cls2001 at swbell.net> wrote:
>
>> Forgive me if my reply sounds curmudgeonly :>)  Precise language  
>> is important, and as our understanding evolves, certainly our  
>> language must.  I’m not aware of the word ‘privilege’ falling out  
>> of fashion – but it may be just that.  There is no denying that  
>> whites (say it with me :>) enjoy unearned privileges in our  
>> society because we are white.  Any changes in terms will not  
>> change that fact.
>>
>> I have experienced whites’ discomfort with the term because, most  
>> whites don’t feel particularly ‘privileged’ in their lives. Mostly  
>> I think the feeling does come from a visceral reaction regarding  
>> class, or access to material power.  I think as leaders we have to  
>> stick with them through this and move the conversation to race.
>>
>> Objections on class issues is, frankly to me, another obfuscation  
>> to not deal directly with race.  We as whites are *so* good at  
>> changing the conversation his way. :>)
>>
>> I think the term ‘supremacy’ takes a higher level of consciousness/ 
>> analysis that is harder for white folks to get.
>>
>> I do appreciate the activity and activists on this list!
>>
>> Carrie
>>
>>
>> Carrie Stewart
>> carrie.stewart at swbell.net
>> 817-685-2542 (H)
>> 512-350-9030 (M)
>> "Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"  ~  
>> Marianne Williamson
>>
>>
>> From: wasummit-bounces at lists.wacan.org [mailto:wasummit- 
>> bounces at lists.wacan.org] On Behalf Of Louisa Davis
>> Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 4:00 PM
>> To: White Anti-racist Summit
>> Subject: Re: [WAsummit] Using the language of privilege
>>
>> I’m increasingly cutting to the chase with language of white  
>> “supremacy? “ Has a fairly concrete observable-ness to it, if you  
>> ask me—as in Congress, court system, education.
>>
>> I too wonder what they’d choose if given the choice?  I’ve also  
>> heard from more than a few activists of color that they find the  
>> word privilege unhelpful also—because it obfuscates the  
>> possibility of greater working class solidarity vs the color of  
>> wealth.
>>
>> I also like the NVC distinction between internal and external  
>> resources—as the power to meet needs.  We ALL have ialmost nfinite  
>> internal resources, but some of us have a lot more external  
>> resources, including access to services, credit, etc. Does  
>> “greater access” work—if linked with concrete numbers?
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