The University of Minnesota - Duluth (UMD) is now sponsoring an ad-campaign designed to achieve "racial justice" by raising awareness of "white privilege."I've never been one to believe in "white privilege". The race pimps will say "of course you haven't, you're white!" but you should give me a little more credit than that for being a thinking person.
The project disseminates its message, that "society was setup for us [whites]" and as such is "unfair," through an aggressive campaign of online videos, billboards, and lectures. The ads feature a number of Caucasians confessing their guilt for the supposed "privilege" that comes along with their fair features.
WATCH BELOW: Group says it is "unfair" to be white
These lectures were publicly endorsed by university Chancellor Lendley Black. Black sent a message to the campus community in April describing his effort to "create an inclusive campus climate for all" through providing "support and... leadership to the Un-Fair Campaign."How is it inclusive for all if I'm supposed to feel bad for who and what I am? I can't control being white, any more than people can control being female or being gay, but I alone am supposed to feel guilty for something I cannot control.
What ever happened to judging people not by the color of their skin, but on the content of their character?
In this post from almost 7 years ago I argue the lack of logic in these race-based ideas of who's better than whom:
Seems to me that Delpit believes that a student's own "culture", for lack of a better term, is superior to the "culture of power", which would most likely be the dominant societal culture in which that child lives! In other words, the child should learn a few rules so that he or she can participate in that culture, but that doing so should be treated as a game to be played. I don't understand how Delpit can logically demand that society change to accommodate those from outside it, while at the same time saying that those outsiders should treat their surrounding society's culture as anything more than a game to be played, a hindrance. Such views seem to be the norm when people try to speak for the underrepresented, and such a belief structure belies not a desire for acceptance, but a desire for dominance--I believe that Delpit would, if she could, reverse the roles of the underrepresented and the dominant cultures, and would have no difficulty explaining why the new dominant culture should stay where it is and the new subordinate (white middle-class) culture should adapt to it. These belief structures are very self-serving and are based on emotion, not logic.In that same post I stated the following:
So now we're back to social justice. For those on the left, it always comes back to this concept of social justice. Just to review, my post from earlier this month on the topic of social justice included this quote:That the ad campaign is happening at a university is a travesty.
By the way, there's a huge difference between "justice" (government acts to ensure equal treatment before the law) and "social justice" (government acts to redistribute resources to those it feels are more deserving—and more likely to vote for said government).
While obviously not perfect, we've come a long way in this country towards the definition given above for "justice". The eulogies on the recent passing of Rosa Parks demonstrate how far we've come in only 50 years. I fear, though, those who would use the power of government to reengineer society to satisfy those it determines are "more deserving".
Shouldn't it be Duluth, University of Minnesota? (DUM)
ReplyDeleteYeah, I get all sorts of privileges as a white guy.
ReplyDeleteI get to be blamed for racism whenever I disagree with or criticize a black person.
I get to be judged based upon my qualifications for jobs and university admissions while others get "diversity points" added to give them a leg up.
I get to bid on contracts for government contracts without also being allowed to be consider for the portion that are part of the "minority set-aside program" -- while the minority bidders get to be considered for all of them.
I get to be deemed an obstacle to diversity rather than a part of it.
Yeah, I'm just so damned privileged.
RwR
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention that. I have been preparing for a promotion exam and one the the things Ive been enduring is our policy manuel. Under purchasing, if the contract is for 100 dollars to 50k, we must consult a directory of approved Women, Minority, Disadvantaged (whatever the hell that means) and Small Businesses. Only if three bids cannot be obtained fom this restrictive list can we go outside the directory.
Isn't this discrimination and inefficient?
@Mike At the very least it helps explain how government intervention restricts business growth, job creation and individual innovation. What white male wants to invent something if he can never market it unless he sells the rights to a governmentally desirable third party? This has been an issue with the communications industry for quite awhile where a minority female can get a license for a station over a white male easily. Consequently, many male run operations have a figurehead whose job it is to attract desireable contracts. This plays out in bidding to the state and Federal governments as well.
ReplyDeleteYou can’t fight racism with racism…
ReplyDeleteTell them how you feel.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/Stopunfaircampaign/
http://www.facebook.com/BoycottTheUniversityOfMinnesota