I was racially profiled at Disney Springs. What to do if it happens to you.

[nuclearturtle]

What you were given was the opportunity to earn what you earned unimpeded.

You have ZERO facts to back that up... Nice try !!

 

[tex1989]

This is such a hot topic these days I won't get to long winded but I will offer this, does is happen? Yes, all the time. Does Disney or any other major company or agency authorize it? No. Why does it happen? Because companies and agencies employ thousands of people provide them with minimal training and then set them free on the public. Those employees then bring their own opinions, prejudices, beliefs, and understanding of what they are suppose to be doing. Unfortunately that's the way it is. So advice on how to deal with it as opposed to claiming it is happening or not happening is a reasonable reaction.

I am a white male 60 years old and my son is a white mail 34 years old, but he has a full beard is darker complexion, with dark hair and a dark beard, stands 6'4" and is not small (250). When we travel with him and his wife to Disney or anywhere else we always have to account time wise for the fact that in every airport we travel through he will be pulled out and searched, he will have his carry on opened and searched, and he will get looks and side eyes from every TSA agent and law enforcement officer in the airport. It happens there is no doubt in my mind.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

You have ZERO facts to back that up... Nice try !!

This is one of the original articles, if not THE original article, about the concept of white privledge. Written in 1989 by Peggy McIntosh, Senior Research Scientist of the Wellesley Centers for Women.

https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

 

[nuclearturtle]

This is one of the original articles, if not THE original article, about the concept of white privledge. Written in 1989 by Peggy McIntosh, Senior Research Scientist of the Wellesley Centers for Women.

https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

And????? Not relevant... Good try for you as well !! You get 3 for your efforts !!
1989 ?!?!?!? HAHAHAHAHAHA
Hope you didn't spend a lot of time looking that one up !!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

And????? Not relevant... Good try for you as well !! You get 3 for your efforts !!

3 what? Cookies? Internet points? Can I turn those internet points into money off gas?

Also, how is this not relevant? This all goes back to your quote: "Privilege implies someone received something that wasn’t earned."

 

[nuclearturtle]

3 what? Cookies? Internet points? Can I turn those internet points into money off gas?

Also, how is this not relevant? This all goes back to your quote: "Privilege implies someone received something that wasn’t earned."

You actually need to read the posts before you respond... That wasn't my quote you quoted.. I quoted someone else's post.. and previously posted.. NOT RELEVANT !
As far as the 3 goes... Its' 3 thumbs up !!!
Just gave you 3 more... if you're able to get a gas discount using them please share your experience so we can enjoy the $$ as well !!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

You actually need to read the posts before you respond... That wasn't my quote you quoted..

So it wasn't. Oops.

 

[nuclearturtle]

So it wasn't. Oops.

Thanks for the apology !!!
You're forgiven...
But.. please keep the 6 thumbs up and let us know about the gas thing !!!

 

[pahoben]

This is one of the original articles, if not THE original article, about the concept of white privledge. Written in 1989 by Peggy McIntosh, Senior Research Scientist of the Wellesley Centers for Women.

https://nationalseedproject.org/Key-SEED-Texts/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsack

I read through this document and following are comments. A lot of this is facts that are cast as something sinister. It is historical fact that the US was settled by Europeans and that Caucasians are in the majority. I see nothing sinister in this unless you have a racist outlook and believe I guess that the US shouldn’t have been settled by Europeans or that caucasians shouldn’t be in the majority. Just like Poin1-
1) I believe you can in the US be surrounded by your race most of the time if you choose. Since Caucasians are as a fact the majority it may not always be possible but I see nothing sinister in this unless you are racist and desire total separation of the races.

Otherwise again I lived in Equatorial Africa for some years and was in the extreme minority as a Caucasian. II had no problems with it and had nothing to complain about. I was not often around other caucasians. I had friends and people I trusted there and also people I distrusted like anywhere else. I was at greater probability of being stopped by the police in a car. I was a likely target for kidnapping and armed robbery so I always had to be alert but I am also alert when in the US (honestly until I read this thread I didn’t know that some people think situational awareness and being alert in public is a negative). I liked it there just fine and these things that she sets out are minor parts of life just part of the daily flow and no big deal to me.

I honestly believe that documents such as this do more to perpetuate racism then to eliminate it. As I noted above you would have to change history to eliminate some of this which is impossible.

 

[nuclearturtle]

I honestly believe that documents such as this do more to perpetuate racism then to eliminate it.

Agreed

 

[TavieP]

I'm not going to take the bait so I'm not quoting the person who replied to me. Explaining institutional racism and white privilege is like banging my head against a brick wall. The information is out there. You can educate yourselves if you want to, but you don't want to.

I'm really surprised this thread hasn't been shut down yet.

 

[DeniseJH]

I'm not going to take the bait so I'm not quoting the person who replied to me. Explaining institutional racism and white privilege is like banging my head against a brick wall. The information is out there. You can educate yourselves if you want to, but you don't want to.

I'm really surprised this thread hasn't been shut down yet.

Exactly . Willful ignorance and denial...sad, pervasive, and oh so common here on the Dis.

 

[tex1989]

I think the biggest issue with "White Priviledge" is not whether it exists or not (personally I think it does) but the fact that people are all different and have individual experiences and the idea of attributing everything a person has or does to it, offends people. What I am saying is yes whites have a leg up in many instances, but what about a white person born into poverty in the Deep South who works hard his entire life, and struggles to get an education, works hard, does the right things, makes sacrifices and eventually succeeds to a point where they are out of poverty has a good job and is one day able to offer his kids an opportunity to go to college and have a better life than they did. The "White Priviledge" theroy would say that only because he was white was he able to do this. It completely discounts that person's efforts, work, drive and success. Now was it possibly easier for this person than for a person of color to achieve this? Sure statistically based on the numbers it probably was. But are we saying that this persons own efforts had nothing to do with it?

This to me is what leads to the problem with discussing the issue. People will not acknowledge that every situation is unique and that everyone who has taken this success journey is proud of their accomplishment but many simply discount it because they are white. That is where the naritive is going and that is where both sides start disagreeing.

 

[Lilsia]

I'm not going to respond to most of your post because no good will come of it, but we have to acknowledge that facts are facts and lies are lies. The Irish were not enslaved in what is now the USA. That is a myth promulgated by white nationalists and others of ill-character and is patently and provably false. Many Irish came to this country as indentured servants, which resulted in terrible treatment but was not slavery. So, in short, we don't hear about "Irish slavery" because it is a lie. If you were unaware of that, please educate yourself. If you truly believe it to be true, then...

https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-irish-slave-trade-the-forgotten-white-slaves/31076 Maybe you are misinformed. And I hope that YOU don't truly believe that only people from African nations where slaves throughout history. My 92 yo grandmother was a slave in her teens. It happens to more people then you think. The point was that humans have had prejudices since the beginning of time. More and more people now are becoming more tolerant, but we have a long way to go. And it goes in all directions. We ALL must be more tolerant and understanding of others.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And for those who are so sure that white people are never stopped and asked anything, how do you know?

As of 2013, only about 9% of LEO's were black. https://www.newsweek.com/racial-makeup-police-departments-331130 Racial profiling seems much more likely when a minority is the subject.

If I go to the restroom, an employee is waiting nearby and then trails me around the store until I leave.

If it's any consolation, I am a late-middle-aged disabled white female, and both Walgreens and CVS employees wait for me outside the restroom - when they deign to allow me to use it, despite Massachusetts law requiring it. The use, I mean - not the "guard."

 

[Lilsia]

I liked your post but I also am not sure about the Irish. Many were likely indentured servants that were treated as slaves and others had committed some crime and were sold in the New World as slaves.

The British Isles have a long history of slavery and Britain was the biggest player in the West African slave trade and the Irish trade.

The purges from Ireland were based on their Catholicism and the condescending view of the British to the Irish. Eye witness reports at the time do document that these Irish were treated with extreme prejudice.

Many of our ancestors came to the US during religious purges (Catholics/Jesuits etc) when it was a British colony with an agrarian economy based on slavery of one form or another. James II, Charles I, and Cromwell apparently wanted to scour the Isles of Catholics. Since they were the winners at that time they wrote the history that is passed down to us.

I understand, and my point was that slavery and racism has come in many forms and has been around since the start of civilization. Of course the African slave trade is one of the biggest and fresh in people's minds so it gets most of the attention. Slavery is wrong no matter who is the slave. Look at the sex trade that is going on now with woman. Why is that still going on? Where is everyone's outrage over that?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

As of 2013, only about 9% of LEO's were black. https://www.newsweek.com/racial-makeup-police-departments-331130 Racial profiling seems much more likely when a minority is the subject.

Hmm I think you have your numbers wrong even from back then. The article you linked said in 2013 blacks were 12% up from 9% in 1987. Figures I found for 2017 reflect 13.8% are black. But in all honesty realistically due to population makeup at the moment don't know how you would get to a majority not being white. The percentages though have the opportunity to go up of course.

Irrespective of that yes I would agree, moreso in certain areas, minorities can be pulled over more frequently. The person's comment you quoted was asking how do you know whites are never pulled over. More frequently is not 100%. Still an issue, still a problem though and not intended to downplay the overall situation.

 

[pearlieq]

Now was it possibly easier for this person than for a person of color to achieve this? Sure statistically based on the numbers it probably was. But are we saying that this persons own efforts had nothing to do with it?

That's the key to it! The mistake people make is thinking that acknowledging privilege somehow cancels out the value of their efforts. No sane person believes that you achieve success solely by being white, male, able-bodied, etc. Tom Brady didn't just show up at the Combine and say, "Hi! I'm white!"

The point of acknowledging privilege is two-fold, I think:

1.) It's a matter of basic respect and decency, from a "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining" perspective. A person with a "white-sounding" name and a criminal record gets more callbacks on a job application than a person with a "black-sounding" name who doesn't. Pretending that some groups don't get more access and fewer barriers than others just compounds the insult.

2.) Once you acknowledge privilege, you can work to call it out and end it. There was a story in our local paper years back about a woman who went shopping with a friend. When they went to pay, the clerk took her check without a second glance, but then made her friend (who was a POC, obvs) produce ID. They were able to talk to a manager and say, "Hey, this isn't right."

Being privileged doesn't mean your hard work isn't admirable or valued. It doesn't mean you did anything wrong or are guilty of anything. No one's discounting your struggles for success. The goal is just to make sure everyone's hard work can be rewarded equally.

 

[TLSnell1981]

As someone who fits the profile of the assumed least threatening - older white female - I can only say how sorry I am. I believe you were profiled. I believe it was unfair. Neither of us is going to do anything more than a little shopping at Disney Springs, but my guess is that you have spent a lifetime on alert in a way I have not. We've still got a long way to go. Sigh.

My 4’10” elderly white MIL was often “selected” by TSA for additional screening. Why? No idea.

I had really hoped this thread would address the lack of security at Disney Springs. Although, being a long time DISer, I suspected it would go in a different direction.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I’m really surprised this thread hasn't been shut down yet.

Yep.