Being white is not an original sin. But slavery might be America’s original sin since slavery was part of the foundation when the country was formed. Slavery was also a part of Great Britain and most of the other European countries. Great wealth was derived because of the advantage it gave to the white people who benefited from the free…
Being white is not an original sin. But slavery might be America’s original sin since slavery was part of the foundation when the country was formed. Slavery was also a part of Great Britain and most of the other European countries. Great wealth was derived because of the advantage it gave to the white people who benefited from the free labour of slaves and subsequently benefited all white people.
In the US, the advantage of slavery was obviously experienced by all white people, not just slave owners and that privilege and benefit is still part of being a white person in America. That, I think, is the contention. Many white Americans, raised on the philosophy that all Americans are created equal, aren’t willing to truly examine that belief and admit that it is not true. Race is the great divide followed by wealth or the lack thereof. To acknowledge that means you must decide whether you believe that should change... or not.
It is foundational to Americanism, that the US is the land of opportunity and that anyone can work hard and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. To acknowledge that people of colour are at a disadvantage because of race is in direct conflict with the American “truism” that “all men are created equal”. That is what Ted Cruz et al are objecting to. It is so much easier to believe they have succeeded because they worked harder and not acknowledge that being white gave them an advantage. That is what those who oppose “CRT” are objecting to - that there is such a thing as white privileged and that they have benefited from it.
The fats cats have benefited from more than chattel slavery. There's feudalism, imperialism, indentured servitude, and shitty paying jobs--not all of which impacted only Black people. Let's talk about injustice and oppression, and helping the poor of any and all races, rather than obsessing about White people owing Black people.
What if we recall a time when people with names like Cruz, Rubio, and Fuentes, or any Catholics, did not merit membership in this alleged club? How do we explain the continuing degradation of Scots-Irish in America, or the successes of relatively recent immigrants from East and South Asia?
Being white is not an original sin. But slavery might be America’s original sin since slavery was part of the foundation when the country was formed. Slavery was also a part of Great Britain and most of the other European countries. Great wealth was derived because of the advantage it gave to the white people who benefited from the free labour of slaves and subsequently benefited all white people.
In the US, the advantage of slavery was obviously experienced by all white people, not just slave owners and that privilege and benefit is still part of being a white person in America. That, I think, is the contention. Many white Americans, raised on the philosophy that all Americans are created equal, aren’t willing to truly examine that belief and admit that it is not true. Race is the great divide followed by wealth or the lack thereof. To acknowledge that means you must decide whether you believe that should change... or not.
It is foundational to Americanism, that the US is the land of opportunity and that anyone can work hard and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. To acknowledge that people of colour are at a disadvantage because of race is in direct conflict with the American “truism” that “all men are created equal”. That is what Ted Cruz et al are objecting to. It is so much easier to believe they have succeeded because they worked harder and not acknowledge that being white gave them an advantage. That is what those who oppose “CRT” are objecting to - that there is such a thing as white privileged and that they have benefited from it.
The fats cats have benefited from more than chattel slavery. There's feudalism, imperialism, indentured servitude, and shitty paying jobs--not all of which impacted only Black people. Let's talk about injustice and oppression, and helping the poor of any and all races, rather than obsessing about White people owing Black people.
What if we recall a time when people with names like Cruz, Rubio, and Fuentes, or any Catholics, did not merit membership in this alleged club? How do we explain the continuing degradation of Scots-Irish in America, or the successes of relatively recent immigrants from East and South Asia?