[WAsummit] Using the language of privilege

[Carrie Stewart]

Well said, Nancy.  I would also add that we are talking about "internalized"
white supremacy or "superiority."  
 
I live in the south, too, well Texas, and we know that's a whole 'nother
country ;>) and folks hear "White supremacy" and they think 'klan'. No one
allies with the klan anymore ;>) so folks know they're on the 'right side'
of the conversation and it ends.  As I know you all know, whites are all
about not feeling 'bad' or 'guilty' or prejudiced or racist.  You have to
reduce the defensiveness around these words/accusations/feelings and if they
arise, and talk through them that we want to get at institutionalized
systems, we're not really the 'prejudice police.' (Helping folks overcome
their own prejudice is a different, albeit related, kind of conversation.)
 
I firmly believe we cannot eliminate institutional racism without getting a
critical mass of white folks on board, since we set it up and perpetuate it
and benefit from it.  And to do that, you have to meet people where they are
- we want to influence, not coerce or bully.
 
Did Peggy's new article get published on this list?  (I'm on so many I lose
track :>)  I wasn't aware that not everyone was completely happy with the
original 1988 version (although I remember being a little confused because I
had just started doing training at the time).
 
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 Nancy
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 3:53 AM
To: White Anti-racist Summit
Subject: Re: [WAsummit] Using the language of privilege
 
Hi - I've loved this conversation. I'm taking the dialogue to our Saturday
Dialogue this Saturday - if any local folx are interested - 1-4PM at the
Neibold-Proctor Marxist Library in North Oakland. Our topic this week is
white supremacy - what does it mean, how do you react when you hear it,
where do you use it and with whom...so this dialogue gives a different
perspective.
 
I think it all depends on the level of awareness the audience has. It is
very different for beginners than veterans in the field. 
 
I think the terms white supremacy or white supremacist system is far more
scary than white privilege for most white folx to hear, so I rarely use
white supremacy unless I'm preaching to the choir.It has taken me some time
to get it out of my own mouth without slurring. White privilege still works
for me, but I do have to make it clear that white skin privilege is
different from class privilege, and doesn't mean support for white
supremacy. I try to get people to see some of the for instances of where
they do have it, whether or not they want it or even if they think they
don't have it. I will often use examples from Peggy McIntosh. At least some
which are class-free. 
 
I agree that people love to hide behind arguing about words - it avoids
getting the reality of the issue, and defensiveness protects  against
becoming aware of the nastiness of privilege and white supremacy. It is
uncomfortable for people to begin to look at, so of course they are likely
to react to words that seem deprecating to their identity. I try to engage
about that.
 
Class, for working class and poor folx, is always way pertinent, and it is
useful to speak to intersections of "isms" - that validates every person who
feels marginalized in some way, without arguing about which is worse, but
that they really do compound geometrically, as Jack said - multiple "isms"
are harder. But at least today racism seems like the "glue" that is holding
all of the other "isms" together in one lump of injustice and inequity.
 
I'm interested if anyone comes up with a new and better term. Time for
language development?
 
nancy
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Frances Kendall <mailto:francie at franceskendall.com>  
To: White Anti-racist Summit <mailto:wasummit at lists.wacan.org>  
Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 1:05 PM
Subject: Re: [WAsummit] Using the language of privilege
 

Hello folks,
I need some feedback, please. For the third time in 2 weeks, I have heard
people say that "privilege" is no longer a useful word (when related to
oppression, I guess) and that they would prefer me to use another word. My
belief is that people are scared that the word puts whites off. Anybody else
heard about this?

Thanks.

Francie
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.wacan.org/pipermail/wasummit/attachments/20090922/5f3ef25e/attachment-0001.html>