[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by molson

But there's only certain kinds of racism that seem to "count". I think that's where it gets frustrating and exhausting for people. White people putting themselves on a pedestal and recognizing "other" white people as the real problem. They're really good at pointing out and accusing certain groups of being racists - gun owners, police, prosecutors, religious people, people who live in rural areas, conservatives. But we know that racial discrimination permeates many other parts of society in America. The numbers bear that out across almost all parts of American life. And yet liberal white people with good jobs, nice houses, kids in private schools, etc, somehow don't see themselves as part of the problem but are instead in a position to be racial patriots and judge white people whom they deem to be inferior.

I think accusing people of being racists - especially when the accusations based on membership in some unfavorable group that is the "real" problem, can be a way of protecting their own white privilege. I see this in my super-liberal wealthy white friends all the time. They love to downplay their wealth and portray themselves as like angsty youthful progressives who oppose injustice in society, who love to identify what's wrong with America and whose fault it is - and then I see their houses....And a lot of them have lives where no racial prejudices would ever emerge even if they existed - they work with white people, have white neighbors, and they never have to make a decision or take an action that would reveal prejudice if it were there - like a police officer, teacher, or social worker constantly have to do. It's a nice safe white bubble.

You can be wealthy and progressive, but I'm just saying the view is different when you've been a part of one of the white sub-groups that is portrayed as broadly racist by "the good white people" who are a part of the more protected class of white people who have the luxury of being judged individually. Those who can benefit from white privilege but never actually be called out on it.

Edit: So the white liberals who never have to defend their white privilege can - 1. attacks others as the "real problem", or 2. have the correct political opinions and donate money to campaigns. #2 can at least be productive. But #1 can cross a line, IMO. Both in terms of being unfair, and being annoyingly tone-def about their own contributions to, and benefits from, racial injustice in the U.S.

I agree with this. I live around a lot of NIMBYs (which I even fall into at times). A lot of parents who speak like they're the beacon of progressive thought but refuse to send their kids to the public school.