Wisconsin's "White Privilege" Wristbands

[Michael Hardner]

Do all Canadians have "universal" health care, or is their Canadian 'privilege' ?? 'White Privilege' is too broad a term.

Perhaps it is - what would you suggest ? Let's make it American: home field advantage ?

[bush_cheney2004]

Perhaps it is - what would you suggest ? Let's make it American: home field advantage ?

How about having the truly privileged lease slaves instead of wearing wristbands ?

[Bonam]

"Guilt is the intended motivator"

Can we just leave emotion out of it ?

Nope. The entire concepts of "white privilege" and the symbolic effects of these "wristbands" are entirely 100% about "emotion". You can't leave out the key component and still discuss anything relevant to the topic.

[Michael Hardner]

How about having the truly privileged lease slaves instead of wearing wristbands ?

Well, I suppose you can get away with saying these things. I don't think I could pull it off.

[Michael Hardner]

Nope. The entire concepts of "white privilege" and the symbolic effects of these "wristbands" are entirely 100% about "emotion". You can't leave out the key component and still discuss anything relevant to the topic.

Funny, though, that all of those who are expressing this are those against the idea. I can't get past that, sorry.

[Guest American Woman]

Funny, though, that all of those who are expressing this are those against the idea. I can't get past that, sorry.

Perhaps that's why they're against the idea.

Quite frankly, I think it's one of the stupidest ideas out there. Should people who earn above a certain salary wear wristbands proclaiming their privilege too? This idea that privilege - or lack thereof - is all about race is ludicrous, especially in this day and age.

[Michael Hardner]

Quite frankly, I think it's one of the stupidest ideas out there.

Fair enough. But I do think that it sparks conversation, which is likely a good thing for high school. Right ?

[Bonam]

Fair enough. But I do think that it sparks conversation, which is likely a good thing for high school. Right ?

Anything sufficiently idiotic and inflammatory can "start a conversation". I'm sure a banner proclaiming blacks to be the accursed race destined to be slaves forever would start some conversation as well, doesn't mean it's a "good thing" though.

[bush_cheney2004]

Well, I suppose you can get away with saying these things. I don't think I could pull it off.

Would that be considered "non-white privilege" ? The concept is too simplistic given historical and socio-economic experiences around the world, which is more than Wisconsin.

[g_bambino]

"Guilt is the intended motivator"

Since it's a key element, no.

[g_bambino]

That is the actual message tho, not that the wearer is him/herself a racist, but that they benefit from it.

The message seems more to be that "white" people have been perpetuating the supposed racism both because they benefit from it and simultaneously are unaware either of it or their participation in it.

[ed.: c/e]

Edited March 27, 2013 by g_bambino

[Shady]

Anything sufficiently idiotic and inflammatory can "start a conversation". I'm sure a banner proclaiming blacks to be the accursed race destined to be slaves forever would start some conversation as well, doesn't mean it's a "good thing" though.

Well said. A lot of things can start a conversation. An actual conversation can be had without these ridiculous wristbands.

[GostHacked]

Nope. The entire concepts of "white privilege" and the symbolic effects of these "wristbands" are entirely 100% about "emotion". You can't leave out the key component and still discuss anything relevant to the topic.

Emotions are brought into it by default because that is how one of these campaigns is initiated. It is how the awareness is brought forth with an appeal to emotion.

[Guest American Woman]

Fair enough. But I do think that it sparks conversation, which is likely a good thing for high school. Right ?

What Bonam said; couldn't have said it better:

Anything sufficiently idiotic and inflammatory can "start a conversation". I'm sure a banner proclaiming blacks to be the accursed race destined to be slaves forever would start some conversation as well, doesn't mean it's a "good thing" though.

I fail to see what is good about this, and quite frankly, I think if I were a minority, I would find it insulting.

[bush_cheney2004]

...I fail to see what is good about this, and quite frankly, I think if I were a minority, I would find it insulting.

Absolutely.....and one of the not so subtle reasons that NBA players started to wear "nerd glasses", so as to mock entrenched stereotypes and expectations defined as "white privilege" success. It is far more complex than any guilt ridden sensitivity training by liberal folk. Members of the KKK don't wear white wristbands....they wear white robes !