Defending the Offense: Being Gay and White in DC
This post, in response to Ben's recent post titled Self Defense, is submitted by frequent contributor and local blogger Meaghan.
Growing up in a DC suburb and being the daughter of a seasoned Federal employee, I have always felt comfortable calling DC my city. I didn't, however, always feel comfortable being in DC. My mother warned me of the dangers of my mini-metropolis. My grandfather warned me of the dangers of the "coloreds" there. My suburban peers and elders taught me prejudice, privilege, and how to clutch my purse. They told me that I shouldn't walk down dark alleys, shoved pepper spray into my backpack whenever I left the confines of Chantilly, and they tried to convince me that Alexandria was close enough to downtown to count. I never really knew DC until I came out to DC.
The District of Columbia, where I am presently (and newly) a resident, is a Black city. Census Bureau statistics estimate that anywhere from 50-60% of DC's native residents are Black. That's significantly more than the 8% or so GLBTQ residents counted in the 2006 census, and 20% more than the white residents counted that same year. I've always found that Washington is more of a WYSIWYG ("what you see is what you get") city, and that one's perception of the indigenous population can be skewed greatly by the area of the city in which they spend their time.
When we consider where the GLTBQ population spends most of their time, I think we can all agree that Dupont Circle continues to be the location of choice. We're also infiltrating, sometimes surreptitiously, neighborhoods like Capitol Hill, Columbia Heights, Petworth, Georgetown, and even Brookland and Trinidad in Northeast. Historically speaking, however, none of these neighborhoods were white before they were gay. All of these neighborhoods were historically, if not notoriously, Black.
To be general, indigenous Black populations in all of the neighborhoods listed above (and many more that I haven't listed) are being pushed out on the wave of gentrification that DC continues to experience. Imagine living in a city you can no longer afford and being pushed out by people who, for most intents and purposes, are white. Imagine a gay bar being built within the four walls of your childhood caregiver's home, or your mother's hairdresser, the corner store, or even your church. Imagine your most vibrant and foundational memories being pushed aside for money. Then imagine living in a city where random acts of violence occur regularly and trying to discern whether someone is out of their mind on drugs or just simply pissed off.
Ben talked about "black vengeance" in his piece about potentially violent forms of protection, and I literally grew nauseous. I don't have an endless supply of fantastic facts and links to provide you, but just a general disinterest in being exposed to and saying nothing about the intersection of race and sexual identification. I cannot presume to know why Ben was harassed by this man on the Metro, or why any gay person has been injured or threatened by a person of color in this city or any other. To shave off the inherent complexities of racism and privilege and call these hate crimes is to not acknowledge the hate crime that is gentrification. Gay white people of DC, you are still white. There is an obligation bestowed upon us and privileges extended to us by virtue of being white. Effectively negating the existence of your own racist fears and the reality of our harsh economic climate, and how it affects our neighbors, is ignorant.
All I ask is that we examine our white privilege before we brandish weapons in honor of our sexuality. I find too often that the bliss of ignorance prevents us from extending an ounce of empathy or compassion to the people we are consistently disempowering. Our obligation as gay people is to raise injustice from the maddening hush and call attention to it. And our obligation as white people is to do the same. We are responsible for acknowledging our role in this city's gentrification and we are responsible for aligning ourselves with justice and not revenge.
72 comments:
where do you live meaghan?
I won't begin to argue the complexity of race and class issues you've discussed, as that would be futile. My experiences since my recent move back into the District proper, and to a historically African-American neighborhood with a rich history, are proof enough for me. My opinion on violent crime, however, remains firm: perpetrators of violent crime deserve in return the same, if not greater, violence, so that there is a unmistakable deterrent to preying on the innocent.
At the end of the day, I don't care if you're a Filipino midget, or an entitled white woman with a pedigree extending back to the Founding Fathers: if you attempt to take advantage of me through violence, you will receive more than you bargained for in return. It is reasonable, or in my opinion, necessary, to understand the ongoing class shifts and the effect on our longtime residents. It is not permissible, however, to use this dynamic as an excuse for criminal behavior that targets innocents. I do not see evidence that these crimes are primarily provoked by race, at least at a meta level; I believe they occur due to the presence of what can be considered easy prey by opportunistic sociopaths.
Oh, and appropo of nothing, I love the phrase "notoriously black." I will be using this in the future to refer to my friends of color, since I know that they will appreciate it.
Anonymous, you want her to tell you where she lives and you won't say who you are? Interesting. And slightly weird.
Sam, it's well documented that violence isn't actually a deterrent. See also the death penalty.
I don't buy the gentrification=bad canard. When white people left DC, they called it "White Flight" and said it was bad. Now that they are returning, they call it "Gentrification" and say it is bad. What are white people supposed to do? Stay in the suburbs and and forward their paychecks to the DC government? The color of my skin does not make me guilty. And if the neighborhoods resist incoming gay businesses and the ecomonic uplift they bring, I say we should keep our money circulating in the more traditionally gay neighborhoods. Sorry, BeBar - you won't be seeing me any time soon. Nor will any other businesses in Shaw.
Meaghan,
Tony Randolph Hunter, the victim of the Bebar bashing, died yesterday at 4:14 p.m. You can read about it here:
http://www.washingtonblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=21100
Gentrification is not a hate crime. Please remember that.
I understood "notoriously black" to be a tongue in cheek reference to the way that upper middle class white people refer to the neighborhoods, not to black people as a general reference.
A discussion/class/gathering around white privilege would be useful for the TNG community. Also, check out ONE DC for their gentrification tour of Shaw, which offers a generally fair analysis of how power, money, and race play out there. Check your community based organizations to learn about tenant rights work, homeless rights work.
Finally, a reminder to treat everyone with respect in your neighborhood of choice. Say hi to everyone you see in your neighborhood, go to your local stores, even if they aren't the bourgeois bakery/cafe/gastropub you'd prefer, help people out, don't treat your neighbors with suspicion.
I'm not so naive to think doing so will make you immune to violence and hate crime, but it will establish communities, rather than neighborhoods of people who happen to live near each other.
landoftrolls, who's this "they"? Also, what white people are "supposed to do" is be conscious and conscientious of how our geographical whims are impacting the communities we are leaving and moving [back] into.
I also find it telling and sad that you won't part with your money in *any* business in Shaw now.
jp:
I wasn't making any sort of insightful commentary with the closing remark; I just find the phrase "notoriously black" unintentionally hilarious for some reason.
Angela:
You are correct, the death penalty is not an effective deterrent. I don't think the majority of these individuals are prowling the streets with murder as an intent; rather, they are hunting for what are considered easy victims.
I think it's a stretch to behave as if this behavior wouldn't be modified if it became difficult to find a helpless victim, or at least much more uncertain. I remain convinced that the majority of what we are seeing in the vein of these conversations are robberies gone awry, not targeted violence against individuals or groups.
If your primary motivation is easy money, and that money is no longer quite so easy, then it is likely that you will turn to less risky ways of satiating that need or desire, such as automobile and home break ins, or purse-snatching/pickpocketing. If our citizens are walking around like living ATMs for opportunists, I am not surprised that they are treated as such. Keep in mind that bank robberies are rare, specifically because while the potential payoff is very large, the chance of being thwarted and possibly killed in the process is too great to not be factored in.
In the absence of severe mental illness or desperation, all human beings have a survival instinct that regulates their choices. These assailants just need to have theirs threatened before they will adjust accordingly.
"...When we consider where the GLTBQ population spends most of their time, I think we can all agree that Dupont Circle continues to be the location of choice. ..."
I live in Dupont, but I would argue that the 'gayborhood' is moving slowly, but firmly, east. If I were buying today, I'd buy there.
"I cannot presume to know why Ben was harassed by this man on the Metro, or why any gay person has been injured or threatened by a person of color in this city or any other. To shave off the inherent complexities of racism and privilege and call these hate crimes is to not acknowledge the hate crime that is gentrification."
I'm certainly misunderstanding. Are you really saying that my desire to live within walking distance of my work is the moral equivalent of someone, regardless of their color, smashing my face in for being a faggot?
To say that a perpetrator of abhorrent violence should be granted a pass because they come from a disadvantaged class or race is dangerous territory indeed!
Yes, there are real structural inequalities in our society. Yes, housing should remain affordable for those who have lived here for years. Yes, community preservation is an honorable aim. However, surely you don't suggest that disadvantaged persons lack the proper moral compass to recognize brutality.
No one gets a pass when it comes to brutal violence--no one.
I realize that the intent here is noble, and I both understand and agree with most of the points Meaghan makes. However, I am at a loss as to what I, as a white person, should actually do.
What are the implications for how I should react when faced with imminent violence? Should I just confine myself to the suburbs, since my presence downtown is supporting gentrification?
I don't mean to be flippant or confrontational. I am honestly asking.
Keith:
Amen.
First of all, Zack, thank you for informing everyone of the victim's tragic passing. I hope it's a reminder to everyone here and elsewhere of just how serious this problem is, and the consequences that remain if we allow this kind of violence to continue.
While thinking of all of the racial tension that exists in DC, and reading this post today, I have to wonder what it would be like if the tables were turned. What if we moved DC to some place where black males were a minority? What if there were repeated attacks on these black males, obviously hate-motivated, over a period of time? I think their community would be outraged, would be marching in the streets, etc...and rightfully so.
So it makes me curious how much longer we, as DC's gay community, are going to sit back, witness these kind of crimes, bitch about them, hope the situation improves, and allow this to continue happening? To me this kind of violence is no different than the Russian pogroms or Klan activity in the South, except on a smaller scale. Something has got to change. Let's not blame it on gentrification, or poverty, and call it what it really is - hate, plain and simple.
This less a black vs. gay problem and more of a impoverished vs. moneyed problem. Perhaps the problem isn't redevelopment (read gentrification if you want) but the lack of leadership on the part of our great city (and its planners, zoners, economic development agencies, etc.) to make sure that those moving (back) into poor neighborhoods provide some sort of benefit to those already living there. This could be accomplished through tax programs that fund boys and girls clubs, facade improvement programs for existing neighborhood businesses, establishment of community health care clinics, etc.
I feel like the city is encouraging redevelopment through lots of tax incentives and home-buyer programs, etc., but they aren't realizing the dangerous situation they're creating by mixing impoverished and moneyed in the same neighborhoods.
At least in an impoverished neighborhood, the consistent run-downed-ness provides little opportunity for anger. Add a shiny new gay bar that blares loud house music through outdoor speakers, and you're just flaunting seemingly unattainable wealth.
Perhaps if the city ensured that new businesses helped give back to the community, and worked to better integrate into the neighborhoods, there'd be less animosity towards these businesses and their patrons.
@Justin
Good point. Meaghan provides us with a different perspective on the problem but doesn't propose any solutions.
What's the answer?
I've lived in my DC neighborhood for 10 years and only now do I feel unsafe walking around the corner from by building. Aside from being prepared for an attack with a pepper spray fogger, what can I do?
Angela, "surprising and telling"? What is my choice telling you? It is telling me that it is wise to stay away from a neighborhood in which I am not safe.
Thank you, Meaghan, for bringing in an analysis of class and race privilege to this ongoing discussion.
I was just reading a slightly unrelated, but definitely connected blog post I found off of Feministing: http://www.enoughenough.org/article/47/reflections-from-a-homownersexual/ The article is titled "Reflections from a Homownersexual" and is about some queer activists in Philadelphia and their experience buying a house in a gentrifying neighborhood. I think it provides some insights and questions that would be of interest to people involved in this discussion.
Also, in a lot of these discussions that have been happening on this blog, it seems that many people (not all people -- just some!) speak in archetypes about "white/gay/middle-upper class" folks versus "people of color/straight/poor-working class" folks. I think it's very important that we not ignore the experiences of queer people in DC who do not experience economic, racial, ability, etc. privilege. What about the many young, queer black youth who live in the neighborhoods being discussed here? What are their experiences related to gentrification, violence, etc.? Rich white gay people are only one segment of queers in this city and that needs to be acknowledged as opposed to assuming that they constitute "the gay community."
Too often we mix issues of class and race and sexual orientation up. It gets harder as gay men are often the first wave of upper middle class 'gentrication'. By the way, some of the same conversations came up a few years ago as U street developed- only that time it was class-based and within the African American community.
by theway, I moved to Arlington, and they(other WASPs-) stole my civil rights- talk about a mugging--
http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=21100
Man attacked in suspected gay bashing dies
Police appeal for help, offer reward
By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade | Sep 18, 10:44 AM
A gay Maryland man who was attacked Sept. 7 as he and a friend were en route to D.C. gay club BeBar has died, changing what police had listed as an assault and robbery case into a homicide investigation.........
Fight Back:
I think most people on here agree with your point. If I recall, the two men who were attacked near BeBar were African Americans, thus this isn't necessarily just a gay white vs. black problem we're dealing with here...it's definitely still a problem of homophobia.
I take strong objection to those who rationalize this kind of brutality as caused solely by poverty and thus the answer is more social programs, etc. Let us not forget that for centuries, another group of people (Jews) were scapegoated for supposedly causing disparities between rich and poor. They weren't liked by the majority when they moved into new neighborhoods, and were often beaten, blamed and burdened by religious-based bigotry. Their success was seen as a detriment to others, though there was no evidence to back this up. While I don't compare what happened in those situations to what happens now, I do see striking similarities when people play the blame game. I'd go into more detail, but I don't think a history lesson is needed here. Hatred of any kind should never be tolerated. It should never be rationalized.
oh guuurl, it's gettin' all sociomological up in har.
I've had bands of little black boys throw rocks at me. I've had white people look at me in disdain because i'm from a poor background. I've risen past it, but all they can smell from georgetown is that poor town i grew up in.
it all sucks. it's all about class. and yes, it's easier to keep a particular group in a lower class because they are identifiable by their skin. because one is gay, if "obviously" so due to non-gender "appropriate" behavior, it makes it easier for someone from a lower socioeconomic status to lash out, because gays are seen as "weaker".
and i "guess" that all those "quotation marks" have served a point.
I'm with Parker here. My tendency is to reject – as being overly nebulous and academic (and false!) - the sorts of ideas which try to tell me that my racial and socioeconomic identities ought to preclude me from living in certain areas.
Like Justin, I'm also not sure what to make of this white privilege business, either. I recognize that I probably benefit, in ways that I am oblivious to and take for granted, from the assumptions people unconsciously make about me due to my skin color. I'm also a big believer in the idea that we have certain obligations, to ourselves and to our brethren, which arise from having privileges of any sort. Yet to say that being “white” is one of those things strikes me as being sort of racist. Like, I have special “white person” obligations? Gag me with a spoon. This is probably because I have tons of politically correct half-truths swimming around in my head regarding racial issues which I haven't fully sorted out yet.
I would argue that I have an understanding of gentrification and race.
I lived in Columbia Heights since the metro was a hole on the ground until last year, so I have seen the place change around me. For good or bad, fair or unfair, that's another debate, but an undisputed point is that the change is radical and demographic balance is shifting.
I'm a hispanic man that moved to this country 14 years ago. I didn't learn english until I was in my late teens, and I speak with a noticeable accent (that gets even worse once you get a few drinks in me). Race relations in this country are complicated (ok, kinda fucked up), and intertwined with the issue of Class, which is the elephant in the room (we are all middle class, right?).
And you know what? If somebody attacks me on the street, all of my understanding means diddly-squat, because the man, or men (or women, why not?) who is attacking me cares not a bit about my inner life, but more about using me as a punching bag for whatever reason. And in that case I will defend myself, or run if I have to, but whatever action I take will have the natural main objective of preserving my life and health. I believe the moment one decides to attack a complete stranger, one deserves exactly what happens to him.
Understanding is not paralysis, understanding must never be paralysis. Be empathetic, but the moment you lose the ability to take care of your 'self', you need to step back.
I wish I had time to write something substantial but have been way too busy at work.
Just a couple more questions to ask and points to raise.
Would you consider yourself a resident of Washington DC? Or, is DC a pit stop before grad school?
Do you feel invested in the gay community, your neighborhood community or both?
I for one, feel well-invested in the gay community almost to the point where I feel like I'm living in gay DC la-la land (Work by day and Nellie's or the exciting monthly dance party at night) because, let's face it, it's fun.
Does anyone else feel a little detached from reality? Isn't it our civic duty to give back to our neighborhoods while we're living in DC?
(As usual, I'm talking the talk but not walking the walk)
Anyone interested in a thorough examination of white privilege should follow this link. It's the list that sort of set in motion my commitment to anti-racism work:
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
Please correct me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that there is a major point of convergence with all of these posts and comments that if you find yourself in a situation where you are being violently attacked, then, yes, it is understood that you have to do what you have to do in that situation. Although, there has been debate related to the uses and effectiveness of different weapons. And there also seems to be agreement that committing hate crimes is bad (please aren't justifying hate crimes)
Stepping back from the question of how to react at the moment of being victimized in a hate crime, the other question is why do these hate crimes occur? Are they actually increasing and if so, why? What are the root causes and how can we address the root causes as a way to prevent hate crimes and to increase social and economic justice in DC? This is the point at which some people are bringing in issues of gentrification, race, class, etc. so that we can try to understand the broader context in which these incidents are occurring.
It seems to me that a few people are interpreting posts like Meaghan's as telling people they cannot protect themselves when faced with an immediate, violent situation. But we're really talking about trying to understand and address the underlying reasons it is happening. I think that clearing up what we are talking about and why will help move the discussion and debate forward more productively. But I could definitely be wrong/misinterpreting.
I would add that Tim Wise's latest, "What Privileges Do McCain and Palin Receive Because They're White?" is a good resource: http://www.alternet.org/rights/98915. And, apparently some folks around here could use a reading of "Why Whites Think Blacks Have No Problems," also by Tim Wise: http://redrising.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/why-whites-think-blacks-have-no-problems-by-tim-wise-alternet/. Don't worry, y'all, Tim's white, so it shouldn't be too scary for you.
Not believing in white privilege, even. Seriously? Are the clouds made of cotton candy on your planet?
Anonymous right above me -
Absolutely. Things I am not doing:
* identifying the be:bar incident as something other than a hate crime. It is entirely possible that it was.
* suggesting that there aren't legitimate reasons for gays, regardless of race, to be on guard or cautious
Things I am doing:
* suggesting that it might benefit our community to put down the artillery and think about why these things are happening rather than bracing ourselves for combat
* consider our part in the bigger picture, especially as seemingly affluent or at least middle class white people, and work towards creating community rather than walls.
And to all the white folks who have responded in a manner that would suggest you think racism is dead, or irrelevant, or fading into history: get a clue, seriously. Racism is a systemic institution of power and it is still going strong. Accept it and help conquer it. Denying its existence makes you look like an overprivileged tool.
i'm really encouraged to see this discussion going on, even the parts that i totally disagree with.
i've lived in d.c. eight yrs and never really felt unsafe despite witnessing two shootings, and a third happening in my alley. it's always happening to someone else, you know? i think the point is really taken about are we connecting with our queer community, or our d.c. community / neighborhoods in general.
anyway, maybe the vigil and some follow-up actions will move us closer to communities with less walls.
anyhow, if you feel like watching the movie "Flag Wars"--a pbs doc about how a historically black 'hood in colombus dealt with gay gentrification, cheggit out. love & hugs.
Gentrification goes far better when you PUT YOUR CELL PHONE AWAY when you walk down the street, and instead offer a friendly greeting to your new neighbors.
There are organizations that can match you with elderly people in your new neighborhood who desperately help getting to a doctor or a store once in a while, as well as groups that tutor underprivileged kids so that they might have a CHANCE to succeed in life.
What Ben wrote was needed. I am proud he wrote it.
There needs to be a SAFE SPACE somewhere in this so called "community" for intelligent sensitive people to write about our safety and our very lives being threatened. I mean, really, we must be able to talk about this openly and honestly SOMEWHERE. Clearly Ben is not bigoted and clearly he discussed the issue thoughtfully. Yet, a teach-in on racial sensitivity is needed?!
I am not willing to swallow PC bullshit while we are getting killed in the streets. Reaction to anti-gay violence is about the crime not the suspect.
Stop privileging others needs (as usual) before our own.
I processed my white guilt years ago, and finally got over it. I didn't ask for white skin or privilege, and yes, I know it exists. But I'm too old for idealism. This is the real world, and gay people of all colors are being killed. Do you seriously think that getting together and talking about white privilege will make the attacks stop? We could agonize and process and have a cathartic meeting, and still get our asses kicked on the way home. I think some people won't be happy until we just lay down and die. Funny, many people feel the same way about gay people of all colors, too.
There is a simple way to deal with this. Unfortunately, money talks louder than anything else in this country. We need to let the bars and clubs which chose to open in these danger zones that we will not patronize their establishments until it is safe to do so. Then to put teeth into it, we can refuse to patronize the other businesses in those areas, too. I guarantee the businesses will perk up and demand the city take action to deal with these thugs.
I think what we need to is to separate between acute and chronic problems.
The acute problem, for a combination of reasons, attacks on gay men have increased lately.
The chronic problem, one of the reasons for this happening may be gentrification and the can of race/class worms it has opened.
The acute problem needs to be dealt with immediately. One person has already died. Self-defense, pressure on the police, vigilance, community actions.
@ landoftrolls, I do think that a boycott would do more harm than good.
The chronic problem, I honestly don't know what to do about. I agree with all who have mentioned that gentrification would work much better if you at least try to be polite to your neighbors and be a part of the neighborhood. And there are a lot of organizations in the area that do good work. For real, if I had a comprehensive answer to this question I would have won both the Nobel Peace Prize and the one for Economics a long time ago.
We need to prioritize our self-defense. We cannot change the world if we are dead. We can be aware of both short-term and long-term goals.
Thank you, also, to this blog for opening this discussion.
Parker sez:
"i get to live whereever the fuck i want to live. my neighbors don't get to beat me, kill me, or call me a faggot because i live/fuck/drink in the building where their counsin used to live . . . or for any reason. end of debate."
Isn't that sweet? (You could put that in the dictionary under "white privilege.")
Meaghan never said that white people shouldn't be allowed to move into historically black neighborhoods.
But I don't think it's going to kill us to take a hard look at the fact that one of the major reasons for huge demographic shifts in urban neighborhoods is racism. I think Meaghan's point is that we as white people might acknowledge that we have some advantages in this society and work to cultivate some sensitivity to the disruption in the lives of the people whose neighborhoods we're moving into.
@Daniel - you've always been one of the most balanced people I've known in DC, and your comments prove it. We are discussing two separate, if related, problems here. However, I think if the businesses in the areas of these attacks recognize that the attacks will affect their bottom line, they will be motivated to do something. Businesses pay hefty taxes, and that fact in turn puts some pressure on the city government to take action, too.
Folks, there's a great documentary called Flag Wars -- I highly recommend it. (It's on Netflix, so I imagine you can rent it at your video store, too.)
It's about the tension between black and gay communities in a gentrifying neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio. The filmmakers have access to both communities, so you get a window into what's happening on both sides. The film really nails the complex human issues that this demographic shift creates.
Go see it!
"Flag Wars" is excellent. While I think it is great the TNG and Meaghan have opened up this discussion, I personally find that going back and forth over the comments sections on blogs is not always the most productive and meaningful way to have a dialogue. I wonder if there are any individuals or organizations in DC that could hold a screening of "Flag Wars" along with a facilitated post-film discussion. For example, maybe some local glbtq organizations could team up with ONE DC or Empower DC, possibly along with Metro Teen AIDS or SMYAL? These are really important issues and there should be a public and transparent space to talk constructively about them -- and more importantly to move toward organizing!
@steven
i think you're missing my point. i think all of this discussion is silly in this context because we're talking about people getting beaten up and killed. sociology cannot be an excuse for murder. my neighbors, whatever their race, our neighborhood, don't get to kill me because i'm different and they don't like me. that is what we should be focusing on.
All of this discussion of "white privilege" absolutely disgusts me. It distracts from the real issue, which is that sociopaths, regardless of origin, are attacking innocents with little to no visible plan to bring safety to the attacked. It also pisses me off to no end, because it is oversimplifying and disgustingly racist to say that I have been in any way "privileged" due to my skin color or ancestry.
I grew up poor in a town where there was nearly no races or ethnicity outside of Caucasian (we even considered Catholics to be exotic). If you take skin color and ethnic background out of the equation, you get to the heart of disparity in my hometown: class. We were mocked, ostracized due to our limited participation in any churches, and outright harassed on occasion. In a place where there is no variation in skin color, any sort of "privilege" based on skin color is impossible.
I worked my ass off, taking three jobs at one time in high school, while maintaining decent grades, with the goal of becoming the first person on either side of my family to get a college degree. When I got there, I paid for my education with more jobs, most often two at a time (one full time and one part time), because I didn't have a family that could or would do so.
I had hoped to go to medical school, and was surprised to find out that some of the primary competition I would face would be in the form of reserved numbers for anyone nonwhite. No accounting for class, no accounting for merit, just that I had the misfortune to look like someone who is presumed to be "privileged." Many of my friends had scholarships based on their ethnic or racial backgrounds, but at the time there weren't a lot of scholarship programs for plain old white guys who just happened to live in trailer parks during their formative years (and no, I was not eligible for Pell Grants or student loans; my well-to-do father's income disqualified me, even while he refused to provide any financial assistance).
So what do you do? My answer was to abandon any hope of medical school (no way I could afford it), and double my courseload in another program to make my way into graduate school by middle of my 19th year, so that I could qualify for some sort of federal assistance. I guess that's part of my white "privilege" as well.
Moving to DC after school, I experienced further white "privilege", being unable to find a job, despite my excellent academic record, and getting to do lots and lots of temp work, while living in an absolute shithole with two roommates, one of which was a drug-addled lunatic. I worked for and with, and continue to this day to work for and with, talented, intelligent, and compassionate African Americans, many of whom can identify with my experience, and wouldn't dare mention white "privilege" to me.
One of the overriding factors for my choice to move to DC was the racial and cultural mix; I love my hometown, but felt that DC could allow me to learn about and experience life with a broader range humanity. Imagine my disgust to have heard repeatedly during my last 8 years here about how anything I earn by the sweat of my brow is in fact a result of my white "privilege," how throwing everything I have at living in the urban apartment that I always dreamed about as a child is an example of "gentrification," and that I can never fully grasp the tribulations of African Americans because I'm not ethnic enough to do so.
It's insulting, degrading, and simple-minded to throw around terms like white "privilege." If you want to talk about disparity, look at class. In a place like DC, where I can tell you that everyone I have worked with and for (as well as myself; I have voluntarily taken many classes and engaged in dialogs to ensure that I am always as culturally sensitive and understanding as I can be) do all that we can to accommodate individuals and communities based on their race and ethnicity, this notion is absolute bullshit, and it really, really pisses off people like me that have never had a goddamn thing handed to them based on the color of their skin. It is as racist and narrow-minded as assuming that every African American in my neighborhood is hell-bent on harming me; I am not the summation of my pigmentation.
Generalizations and anecdotes are the haven of fools and doctrinaires; he who is without the intelligence or tolerance to empirically understand the world about him, while accepting nuance with empathy, is an enemy of human progress, and will find no haven in my home.
Anonymous Most Recent -
I'm going to work with the bar manager at Phase 1 to see if we can host a viewing of Flag Wars. I'd like to see if we can accept donations and give them to community organizations such as ACORN to help better disadvantaged communities from the ground up. I'll keep TNG posted.
Naturally, if we're able to host this at Phase 1, attendants would not be held to the policy of "every male must have a female escort".
Sam...your absolute intolerance for discussions of race is racist. Period.
Discussions of race and class are completely worthy of comparison and are even inextricably related, but the fact that you grew up poor and gay does not mitigate the fact that you grew up white. And while you absolutely refuse to see the privilege extended to you by virtue of being white, it does not negate that fact that you were indeed privileged and currently experience privilege IN THIS CITY because of your whiteness.
I'm baffled at all of these intensely intelligent people, especially white men, who when presented with the concept of being privileged SHRIEK with disgust at the very possibility that their life was at all made easier by having white skin...regardless of their economic status at present or in their youth, and regardless of their gayness.
Wrap your head around the fact that the facets of our lives intersect and make us dynamic rather than one-dimensional simpletons who can only categorize their life experience with the part that has left them most disadvantaged.
Grow the fuck up and deal. Racism against white people DOES NOT EXIST...racism is an institution of power and white people have, and wield, that power. Read the piece I linked to above. Read the pieces Angela linked to above, as well. And LISTEN to people who are different than you and seek to embrace that your reality is not, and will never be, the only life experience worth examining.
Provide me with a single concrete example of the following:
* How do you imagine that, growing up in an all-white, low-income town, with a high violent crime rate to match our high drug use and high school dropout rate, that I experienced white privilege while growing up?
* Give me one solid example of how I receive any kind of white privilege by virtue of choosing to live in this city.
I encourage you to think carefully about this, as I assure you that I have.
Oh, and by the by, I never said that any discussion of race is off the table. That's your knee-jerk assumption, to protect your fragile belief system. I said that it's unfair, insulting, and irrationally to assign a concept like privilege to a group en masse by virtue of the color of their skin. I don't do it with any race, because I don't believe in dehumanizing people based on their race.
One day, perhaps you'll comprehend that any generalizations like this are the very reason why we continue to experience racial discrimination and disparity in this country; it's a two-way street, my dear. Don't let your concern become your prejudice.
Please read:
Things You Need to Understand
And landoftrolls: I will scream it from the rooftop and I don't give two shits if you believe me or not: RACISM AGAINST WHITE PEOPLE DOES NOT EXIST.
And please read this (which is different from what I linked above):
Things You Need to Understand: Racism
meaghan, meaghan, meaghan. we're talking about gay men being beat to death in shaw. the recent victim was black. save the anti-racist screeds for another post, which i will happily read and discuss.
@Meaghan:
The problem with the blogosphere is that any old person can put their thoughts up there and then any other person can start citing them like they're written in stone. While "the angry black woman" may believe that "Racism = Prejudice + Power" I disagree. Racism = Prejudice(race). Period. You don't need to be in power to be racist.
Now to have a negative impact on someone else's life because of racism, well, then power helps. But power can also be a gun in your hand, a baseball bat, a brick or a large stone thrown from a balcony, a larger group of stronger people on a dark street surrounding a smaller group of weaker people. Those are also power, right?
Stop assuming that everything you read on every blog, including this one, is sacrosanct. Read, think and form your own opinions.
Parker - Actually, you're talking about the gay man being murdered. I brought up something completely different, but somewhat connected to that event. This has escaped many of you.
Michael - I would prefer that if you're going to critique my opinions, or how they are formed, you do so with less presumption. My opinions were formed outside the blogosphere, many years ago, where I attended workshops on anti-racist activism and prejudice reduction. I think your snide, dismissive critiques of my opinions and intellect are undeserved and are representative and disrespectful and cater to the spirit of this blog and all of it's rampant derision in the face of opinions and thoughts that don't fall under the category of: Gay. White. Male.
I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed in this blog. And I'm frustrated that in the midst of an opportunity to learn, share or grow you choose to dig in your heels about a subject with which you have inaccurate and biased ideas and slap me across the face in the process.
The idea of "institutional, system power" outside of our federal government in this city is laughable. African Americans are very well represented, and respected, in our political structure, as well they should be. You can play this card in Wichita, or within the confines of our painfully Caucasian federal government and contracting arms, but try to make this case to me in the District, and it will fall on deaf ears.
As for no such thing as racism against whites, get a clue. I chose to live in a predominately African American neighborhood, and make every effort to socially interact with my neighbors. I make a conscious effort to patronize establishments that are "black" establishments, and interact with those who do so as well, to support a vibrant community with a long and sometimes painful history that has been shamefully neglected. That said, I have had people quite literally turn their backs to me when I have tried to engage them, clerks eyes me suspiciously, and have heard some very lovely comments between groups, mocking the "white boy" in their midst.
I wouldn't begin to think of generalizing any single one of these individuals using the same criteria, and it pains and discourages me that it's somehow considered acceptable for others to do so with me. I didn't choose to be this color, and I didn't choose my upbringing, but I chose to be where I am because I wanted to be a part of something larger than the sum of my experiences based on those two things. Yet, this effort has been far less fruitful than it could be, and I primarily blame ideas like race-, gender-, or ethnic-privilege that categorize and dehumanize individuals.
I cannot comprehend how liberal superiority allows individuals to believe that this sense of pity and guilt is not completely insulting and degrading to all parties involved. It only serves to stay the hand of progress, rather than move us forward as a collective community with diverse backgrounds, but a shared sense of purpose, ideals, and empathy.
Take your rationalizations and oversimplifications elsewhere; I refuse to see my brethren as some sort of broken dolls that can only be healed by my academic disregard for our shared humanity.
By the by, an even remotely intelligent flame war is hard to come by, in my experience.
Breath in deep my comrades, juice up those neurons, and keep it burning a bit longer.
I'm going to go use my white privilege to get a hot dog from the vendor (they put less hog anus in mine than if the black folk order one, you know).
Meaghan, perhaps you can reread your comments and try to see if maybe others might possibly interpret them as other slaps in the face. You come off very strong, very defensive and very inflexible. Perhaps we could all use a little attitude adjustment.
I have some extra mood stabilizers; they really work wonders.
My doctor gave them to me for free because I'm white. He gives sugar pills to anyone greater than "Light-Medium" on the Revlon scale and charges them extra for it.
Michael - my inflexibility about the definition of racism is intentional. Perhaps that's too "strong" for some folks to handle, but I'm not going to subvert what I perceive to be my responsibility to avoid being called a neophyte or "fucking nuts".
You targeted me personally, suggesting I collected the majority of my [political] opinions from blogs, and that was what I reacted to. You put me through this same shit with the Phase 1 policy...throwing around accusations of reverse sexism (hello, bullshit!). Don't pretend this isn't some sort of coincidence.
alright sam, we get it, simmer down there.
I've tried, but I'm filled with a latent genetic hostility conferred on me by my race.
CURSE MY TEUTONIC BLOOD!!!!
@adam
"...but saying that gentrification is a "hate crime" is insane..."
Thank you. This is the part that really gets me. It is so tasteless to use the brutal death of one of our brothers to launch a commentary about gentrification. And then to suggest some sort of moral equivalency, no doubt!
All I ask is that we examine our white privilege before we brandish weapons in honor of our sexuality.
What? Really? If one of my friends is ever brutally attacked, don't dare ask me to examine my white privilege. At that moment, it will be the last thing on my mind.
If I'm ever attacked on the street for holding hands with a date, don't dare ask me to examine my white privilege.
What a fuckin' luxury that would be.
First of all let me reaffirm that my political and social views tend toward the progressive. I believe that racism is very real, that there is white privilege and that poverty and gross income disparities are something we have to deal with in this country.
But they must be dealt with by great wisdom and intelligence. We do ourselves no service by being intellectually slack or emotionally clouded in our judgment. In fact, when we do so, we hand the right wing the ammunition they want to use to defeat progressive change.
It is absolutely false to say that racism against white people does not exist in this country. The only two instances of violence I have personally experienced in DC occurred while I was living in Brookland-Edgewood. I didn't move there to gentrify - I moved there to share an apartment because my income had been curtailed. I was attacked twice by the same group of kids, and their motivation wasn't robbery. They did it simply because I was white. Now I do not think the small (but scary) violence I received from them compares to the daily violence of their economic and social disadvantages. But their living situation does not excuse what they did. And clearly, their motivation was racism.
What really bothers me about this post is the subconscious "blame the victim" mentality behind it. Would we even be having this discussion if the perpetrators were white, or if the victims were women?
If we want progressive social change to take place in this country we must eschew knee-jerk leftist canards, and base our opinions and actions on reality.
Meaghan's courage and willingness to stand up for her principles in the face of adversity are traits which ought to be admired.
Nevertheless, I'm not engaging in an act of double-think to recognize that while also thinking that she's standing up for some rather incorrect stuff. And I think a deep examination into the heart of our disagreement would reveal that I'm just not so much convinced of the general usefulness, correctness, and applicability of the crap which emanates from places like the Sociology and Women's Studies departments at UC Berkeley regarding this patriarchal hegemony business I'm so tired of hearing about.
Sam, I think I'm in love in with you.
@aiden:
Very sweet, but give it time, and you'll learn to despise me like the rest.
If you'll excuse me, I'm headed for a very busy afternoon of helping tear down an African American bookstore to build a yoga studio.
White is as white does, after all.
Good lord, until about 10 posts ago wee were having a very interesting and constructive discussion. Many important points were being brought to the table. What the hell happened?
Meaghan, I've enjoyed your posts, but you truly need to read more broadly regarding your definition of racism. I believe, having read your links on the subject, that you are referring to institutional racism. However, both racism and institutional racism, can be directed toward any race.
We are all entitled to our own opinions, but we are not entitled to our own facts.
Lord, try to introduce a little levity into a tense situation, and see what it nets you...
i'm all for levity sam, but this is just getting tedious.
Perhaps for you, but I've been having a helluva time.
It sure beats sitting here all afternoon trying to have an intelligent conversation with the dog (he's completely uninformed as far as politics goes, and only wants to discuss Paris Hilton's latest exploits; very, very aggravating).
i could not agree with anonymous more.
Is this the "new" gay. if so, I think I want to get off this train. Ugh. Meaghan, I would be more than happy to help u plan the screening.
I'm going to work with the bar manager at Phase 1 to see if we can host a viewing of Flag Wars.
Hmmm...will there be a policy of "every white must have a person-of-color escort".
My opinions were formed outside the blogosphere, many years ago, where I attended workshops on anti-racist activism and prejudice reduction.
--Meaghan
LOLOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"prejudice reduction"? Girl you so white.
Thanks for trying sugar.
Meaghan,
Your rigidness in positions and definitions make you seem like a college freshman (i.e. you seem like a neophyte or nuts the way you present yourself---it's not what you say). You clearly have insights and experiences that are important for others to hear. However, framing your opinions in a way that doesn't alienate will be a crucial steps as you develop.
I think (almost) everyone on here shares a common experience (i.e. their gayness) which creates an easy " in" for your message. It's too bad you can't use this bond to further advance your thoughts. Instead you seem so dismissive of the experiences of some of the bloggers (gay, white, male). This attitude makes it more difficult to digest what I believe is your true message.
You present references from blogs to support your opinions and then act like an adolescent when someone questions your references. It is completely fair to question references and is not disrespectful. Hint: If you reference a source and the source is questioned a more mature response would have been to validate your source (why are the definitions of that blog just as (or more valid) than other sources?). Instead, you chose to further alienate by attacking the blogger and dismiss his experiences as a gay white male.
No, I don't need you to validate my gay white male experiences. But, you should not dismiss them either....
"Finally, DC DMV is not a good example of ‘institutional anti-white racism’. They treat everyone like crap."
That actually made me laugh aloud.
Re: Craig.
Excellent comment, thank you for restoring sanity to the proceedings.
One point: the DMV was used, jokingly, as an example of the "institutional power" Meaghan referred to, not as "institutional anti-white racism". I agree with you, everyone (regardless of race, color or creed) is treated like crap at the DMV.
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