Facing Up To White Privilege
Click here for reuse options!Whites of the working and middle classes correctly perceive that their economic fortunes have deteriorated over the past half-century, even if the average white household is still 20 times wealthier than the average black household (an especially deleterious consequence of white privilege). An entire right-wing ideological empire remains devoted to convincing white people that benefit-sucking African-Americans and job-stealing Latino immigrants are somehow to blame for their downward trajectory. White privilege is the solvent used, throughout American history, to dissolve multiracial coalitions of working people, and the drug used to brainwash whites into making common cause with the class of CEOs, financiers and landlords. Kicking that drug habit is the only way white America can ever set itself free from the past.
Copyright 2014 Liberaland
By: Stuart Shapiro
Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.
26 responses to Facing Up To White Privilege
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mea_mark August 25th, 2014 at 18:46
White middle class America doesn’t want to admit that the Oligarchy duped them. It is a matter of pride. As long as there is someone to demonize and put down and blame they won’t face up to the fact that they have been played for suckers.
Tammy Minton Haley August 27th, 2014 at 01:45
white middle-class Americans still think if they just play the game right, they, too, will be the “rich guy at the country club”…so, they must help protect the upper crust–after all, that will be themselves in just a couple more years…right…?…
mea_mark August 25th, 2014 at 18:46
White middle class America doesn’t want to admit that the Oligarchy duped them. It is a matter of pride. As long as there is someone to demonize and put down and blame they won’t face up to the fact that they have been played for suckers.
Tammy Minton Haley August 27th, 2014 at 01:45
white middle-class Americans still think if they just play the game right, they, too, will be the “rich guy at the country club”…so, they must help protect the upper crust–after all, that will be themselves in just a couple more years…right…?…
liberalMD August 25th, 2014 at 20:42
White middle-class America blames blacks for sponging benefits from the government and the Hispanics for taking all the jobs causing their economic deterioration when, in fact, it is corporate America that has stopped paying taxes and moved all the jobs to Central America and overseas.
viva_democracy August 26th, 2014 at 10:48
And now they’re moving their headquarters out of the country to avoid taxes. Burger King announced their merger with Tim Hortons today which is part of their plan to move their corporate hq and Walgreens was going to but due to backlash, backed out. I expect more companies to do the same, and I will stop spending my American money in each and every one of them.
liberalMD August 25th, 2014 at 20:42
White middle-class America blames blacks for sponging benefits from the government and the Hispanics for taking all the jobs causing their economic deterioration when, in fact, it is corporate America that has stopped paying taxes and moved all the jobs to Central America and overseas.
runner_runner August 26th, 2014 at 10:48
And now they’re moving their headquarters out of the country to avoid taxes. Burger King announced their merger with Tim Hortons today which is part of their plan to move their corporate hq and Walgreens was going to but due to backlash, backed out. I expect more companies to do the same, and I will stop spending my American money in each and every one of them.
bahlers August 26th, 2014 at 12:16
And personal responsibility is no longer a term that we use any more? So, all of the white children born in Appalachia or any other “white trash” area are so better off then a black, hispanic, asian, or any other person born in a similar situation? By calling white privilege the reason for you not being what ever it is that you want to be is simply a fallacy of your own making. Is it tough for an African American born in ghetto to rise up and have a successful job as a doctor, lawyer, etc? Of course it is, but it is also as tough for any kid that is born in poverty that doesn’t have the family support system that is needed to give that child the best chance possible of attaining their dream.
raincheck August 26th, 2014 at 16:13
“it is also as tough for any kid that is born in poverty that doesn’t
have the family support system that is needed to give that child the
best chance possible of attaining their dream.” ABSOLUTELY! I know that first hand.. The bigger picture is the war on the poor… no matter the color.
“And so in my country you’re seeing a horror show. You’re seeing a
retrenchment in terms of family income, you’re seeing the abandonment of
basic services, such as public education, functional public education.
You’re seeing the underclass hunted through an alleged war on dangerous
drugs that is in fact merely a war on the poor and has turned us into
the most incarcerative state in the history of mankind, in terms of the
sheer numbers of people we’ve put in American prisons and the percentage
of Americans we put into prisons. No other country on the face of the
Earth jails people at the number and rate that we are”…. David Simon
Tammy Minton Haley September 8th, 2014 at 17:52
i am so sorry i am just now acknowledging your response to me–i wanted to give you a “yeah!”
for the David Simon quote–i saw him on Bill Moyers, a few months back–he is amazing! i immediately found his website, and started turning people on to him…i couldn’t believe i didn’t know of him before…
Tammy Minton Haley August 27th, 2014 at 01:40
yep–it is really tough for a poor, white kid to break free of the oppression of poverty…
it’s even tougher for a poor, black kid to break free of the oppression of poverty–there are reasons why it is more difficult, most include the problems of racial profiling, even in pre-schools, little black boys are the most often disciplined…we have a systemic, institutionalized, racially unjust system and we have got to stop pretending differently…
bahlers August 26th, 2014 at 12:16
And personal responsibility is no longer a term that we use any more? So, all of the white children born in Appalachia or any other “white trash” area are so better off then a black, hispanic, asian, or any other person born in a similar situation? By calling white privilege the reason for you not being what ever it is that you want to be is simply a fallacy of your own making. Is it tough for an African American born in ghetto to rise up and have a successful job as a doctor, lawyer, etc? Of course it is, but it is also as tough for any kid that is born in poverty that doesn’t have the family support system that is needed to give that child the best chance possible of attaining their dream.
raincheck August 26th, 2014 at 16:13
“it is also as tough for any kid that is born in poverty that doesn’t
have the family support system that is needed to give that child the
best chance possible of attaining their dream.” ABSOLUTELY! I know that first hand.. The bigger picture is the war on the poor… no matter the color.
“And so in my country you’re seeing a horror show. You’re seeing a
retrenchment in terms of family income, you’re seeing the abandonment of
basic services, such as public education, functional public education.
You’re seeing the underclass hunted through an alleged war on dangerous
drugs that is in fact merely a war on the poor and has turned us into
the most incarcerative state in the history of mankind, in terms of the
sheer numbers of people we’ve put in American prisons and the percentage
of Americans we put into prisons. No other country on the face of the
Earth jails people at the number and rate that we are”…. David Simon
Tammy Minton Haley September 8th, 2014 at 17:52
i am so sorry i am just now acknowledging your response to me–i wanted to give you a “yeah!”
for the David Simon quote–i saw him on Bill Moyers, a few months back–he is amazing! i immediately found his website, and started turning people on to him…i couldn’t believe i didn’t know of him before…
Tammy Minton Haley August 27th, 2014 at 01:40
yep–it is really tough for a poor, white kid to break free of the oppression of poverty…
it’s even tougher for a poor, black kid to break free of the oppression of poverty–there are reasons why it is more difficult, most include the problems of racial profiling, even in pre-schools, little black boys are the most often disciplined…we have a systemic, institutionalized, racially unjust system and we have got to stop pretending differently…
Denise August 28th, 2014 at 12:17
Sadly, it’s working. Divide and conquer
Denise August 28th, 2014 at 12:17
Sadly, it’s working. Divide and conquer
PunkAssPro August 28th, 2014 at 20:46
What about black privilege? Ever try to be a white man buying weed in a black neighborhood? They are racist but we can both agree gold is king.
whatthe46 September 7th, 2014 at 22:43
” Ever try to be a white man buying weed in a black neighborhood?” really? do you really think that drug dealers of any race give a damn who buys their weed?
PunkedUrAss August 28th, 2014 at 20:46
What about black privilege? Ever try to be a white man buying weed in a black neighborhood? They are racist but we can both agree gold is king.
whatthe46 September 7th, 2014 at 22:43
” Ever try to be a white man buying weed in a black neighborhood?” really? do you really think that drug dealers of any race give a damn who buys their weed?
Simon Willcocks August 29th, 2014 at 13:24
“the average white household is still 20 times wealthier than the average black household”
If you look at the households that don’t include the Waltons, Bill Gates and the rest of the top 0.1%, how does the comparison look? I expect it’s still not perfect, but the quoted text could lead people to think that there’s a 20x difference between neighbours with different skin colours. I’m sure that’s not the case.
Simon Willcocks August 29th, 2014 at 13:24
“the average white household is still 20 times wealthier than the average black household”
If you look at the households that don’t include the Waltons, Bill Gates and the rest of the top 0.1%, how does the comparison look? I expect it’s still not perfect, but the quoted text could lead people to think that there’s a 20x difference between neighbours with different skin colours. I’m sure that’s not the case.
Airedelapaz September 8th, 2014 at 16:58
Immigrant and U.S.-born Workers
Immigrants overall gained 2.1 million jobs in the economic recovery from 2009 to 2013, more than making up for the loss of 0.9 million jobs in the recession from 2007 to 2009. Even so, their employment rate rose modestly, from 60.5% in 2009 to 61.7% in 2013, and is still less than its 65% level in 2007.
U.S.-born workers added 4.3 million jobs in the recovery from 2009 to 2013, but they had lost 6.9 million jobs in the recession. Their employment rate is essentially unchanged in the recovery, standing at 58.1% in 2013 compared with 57.8% in 2009, and it remains less than its 62.5% level in 2007.
The unemployment rate for immigrants was 6.5% at the end of 2013, down from 10.2% at the end of 2009. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers fell from 9.5% to 6.7%. The rate for each group was 4.6% at the start of the recession in 2007.
Whites, Blacks and Asians
Whites gained 1.7 million jobs in the recovery from 2009 to 2013 after losing 6.2 million jobs in the recession. Blacks gained 853,000 jobs in the recovery, less than the 1.1 million they lost in the recession. Jobs growth for Asians in the recovery—1.2 million—outdistanced the modest loss of 103,000 jobs in the recession.
The different experiences in jobs growth mirror differences in population growth. The Asian working-age population increased by 14.4% from 2009 to 2013, compared with only 1.6% for whites and 3.3% for blacks. In consistent fashion, the employment of Asians increased by 16.7% from 2009 to 2013, compared with 1.8% for whites and 5.9% for blacks.
With jobs growth reflecting population growth, the shares of people employed did not improve much for any group during the economic recovery. At the end of 2013, the employment rate was 59.3% for whites, 53.2% for blacks and 60.9% for Asians. At the end of 2009, when the recovery started, the employment rates had been 59.2% for whites, 51.9% for blacks and 59.7% for Asians. The employment rates for all groups are still less than their 2007 levels.
Unemployment rates for all racial groups fell during the economic recovery, down from 8% in 2009 to 5.2% in 2013 for whites, from 15.6% to 12.1% for blacks, and from 7.8% to 5.2% for Asians. When the recession started in 2007, the rates had been 3.7% for whites and Asians, and 8.6% for blacks.
Jobs Growth by Industry
The top three industries that led in jobs growth in the recovery from 2009 to 2013 are professional and other business services (1.7 million new jobs), hospitals and other health services (991,000 new jobs) and durable goods manufacturing (974,000 new jobs).
Hispanics found the greatest number of new jobs in the recovery in eating, drinking and lodging services (497,000 new jobs), wholesale and retail trade (401,000), and professional other business services (357,000).
For non-Hispanics, the leading sources of new jobs in the recovery were professional and other business services (1.3 million new jobs), hospitals and other health services (825,000) and durable goods manufacturing (725,000).
Total employment in the construction sector fell from 11.8 million in late 2007 to 9.4 million in late 2009. It was still at 9.4 million at the end of 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2014/06/19/latino-jobs-growth-driven-by-u-s-born/
Airedelapaz September 8th, 2014 at 16:58
Immigrant and U.S.-born Workers
Immigrants overall gained 2.1 million jobs in the economic recovery from 2009 to 2013, more than making up for the loss of 0.9 million jobs in the recession from 2007 to 2009. Even so, their employment rate rose modestly, from 60.5% in 2009 to 61.7% in 2013, and is still less than its 65% level in 2007.
U.S.-born workers added 4.3 million jobs in the recovery from 2009 to 2013, but they had lost 6.9 million jobs in the recession. Their employment rate is essentially unchanged in the recovery, standing at 58.1% in 2013 compared with 57.8% in 2009, and it remains less than its 62.5% level in 2007.
The unemployment rate for immigrants was 6.5% at the end of 2013, down from 10.2% at the end of 2009. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for U.S.-born workers fell from 9.5% to 6.7%. The rate for each group was 4.6% at the start of the recession in 2007.
Whites, Blacks and Asians
Whites gained 1.7 million jobs in the recovery from 2009 to 2013 after losing 6.2 million jobs in the recession. Blacks gained 853,000 jobs in the recovery, less than the 1.1 million they lost in the recession. Jobs growth for Asians in the recovery—1.2 million—outdistanced the modest loss of 103,000 jobs in the recession.
The different experiences in jobs growth mirror differences in population growth. The Asian working-age population increased by 14.4% from 2009 to 2013, compared with only 1.6% for whites and 3.3% for blacks. In consistent fashion, the employment of Asians increased by 16.7% from 2009 to 2013, compared with 1.8% for whites and 5.9% for blacks.
With jobs growth reflecting population growth, the shares of people employed did not improve much for any group during the economic recovery. At the end of 2013, the employment rate was 59.3% for whites, 53.2% for blacks and 60.9% for Asians. At the end of 2009, when the recovery started, the employment rates had been 59.2% for whites, 51.9% for blacks and 59.7% for Asians. The employment rates for all groups are still less than their 2007 levels.
Unemployment rates for all racial groups fell during the economic recovery, down from 8% in 2009 to 5.2% in 2013 for whites, from 15.6% to 12.1% for blacks, and from 7.8% to 5.2% for Asians. When the recession started in 2007, the rates had been 3.7% for whites and Asians, and 8.6% for blacks.
Jobs Growth by Industry
The top three industries that led in jobs growth in the recovery from 2009 to 2013 are professional and other business services (1.7 million new jobs), hospitals and other health services (991,000 new jobs) and durable goods manufacturing (974,000 new jobs).
Hispanics found the greatest number of new jobs in the recovery in eating, drinking and lodging services (497,000 new jobs), wholesale and retail trade (401,000), and professional other business services (357,000).
For non-Hispanics, the leading sources of new jobs in the recovery were professional and other business services (1.3 million new jobs), hospitals and other health services (825,000) and durable goods manufacturing (725,000).
Total employment in the construction sector fell from 11.8 million in late 2007 to 9.4 million in late 2009. It was still at 9.4 million at the end of 2013.
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2014/06/19/latino-jobs-growth-driven-by-u-s-born/