Do Whites Really Care About Being "White?"

[@LauraB-v7b]

So I can only speak for myself as a 53 y/o white woman. I grew up in a low-mid class suburban area, outside of Boston. We didn’t think of whiteness, our culture went more into our European decent, and religion. Most of us came over in the early 1900’s. Well past the civil war. Italians, Irish, Greek, Polish, Jewish, catholic, ect…but many Caribbean black, Puerto Rican , Vietnamese, and Cambodian, came in the early 80’s. But also historic black families. It was about food, customs, religion. All I’ve ever thought about , is my nuclear family, and trying to pay my bills, and bettering our lives, I’ve never thought about my whiteness, to get me to that place. I got pregnant young, married young, and kept trying to move forward for the best of my children. But I never thought about anyone else as a collective. I didn’t have time. I have had tons of heartache in my extended family and friends with drug abuse, overdoses, molesters, prisoners, domestic violence, ect… But I blame those people for their choices. All the people I know and love from all backgrounds, either did well making good choices or poorly from making bad ones. All I know is I don’t want to be held accountable for a nation. I wish people the best putting in hard work and making it, whoever you are, and pray for those who get blindsided. And those who make poor choices, I’m saddened. But I’ve seen all of those scenarios in all demographics.

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for sharing @LauraB-v7b ! During our conversations, we discussed multiple times how there are many Americans who are just focused on getting by and doing right by their families - not on the ways race might play a role in our society. You brought color to that idea by sharing what you've experienced in your life, and how you think about people, and we thank you so much for sharing. Our Healing Race show is based on the premise that open, honest, good-faith conversation can bring understanding, build connection and, hopefully, heal the way we relate to one another. It is your kind of sharing that makes our show work, and we very much appreciate you engaging.

[@LauraB-v7b]

@@healingrace3491Thank you for your authentic conversation, I’m glad that you have made a platform to open up dialogue. I’ve been thinking and praying over the last few years, that these kinds of discussions are the way to bring people to the table. The best of luck with your endeavors ❤

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you so much for your kind words@@LauraB-v7b. It brings hope and resolve to hear so many Americans also yearning for us to be able, as a country, to engage across differences openly, constructively, and with love in our hearts. All the best to you as well!

[@gejost]

WTF. I am White. I didn't specifically choose to be White but certainly love my family. My mom died of cancer. If I were Black, I would be Black. No choice either. I would make do. Cancer? Anyone who thinks that's not a big deal never saw any one suffer from it

[@healingrace3491]

Thanks for commenting, @gejost . We don't think anyone we've had on our show would ever say that cancer is not a big deal or that you shouldn't love your family and care about their suffering. Was there something from the video that gave you that impression? We are sorry that your mom and you (and the rest of your family) had to endure that. In terms of the choosing to be white, one of the questions in the video is not whether we choose our skin color, or whether we choose the racial identity people place on us... it is whether, and to what extent, White Americans actually identify with that label. What are your thoughts?

[@anthonypuccetti8779]

There is no white race. White is a deracinated pseudo identity that the government and media impose on euro americans.

[@Ali-h5s7u]

There's a reason why people hate Christianity n the reason why people hate whites in America.....I used to be brainwashed thinking my people had every right to hate English !! After all real Irish blooded indigenous were oppressed for a thousand of years by vikings n then English n enslaved by both n also enslaved by English Oliver Cromwell n English king James n sent to west Indies n America....I could make a case real Irish blooded indigenous by a million miles n it's not even close was the most oppressed ethnicity ever, not race or religion, but ethnicity!!! Irish blooded indigenous couldn't own land or businesses in their own native Ireland, or even speak gaelic without being hung...o n ,yea Guinness n Jameson are not real Irish gaelic Celtic Highlander blooded indigenous, Guinness n Jameson are not real Irish blooded indigenous owned or started n are really real English anglo Saxon lowlander Protestant blooded..... thousands of real English owned plantations across Ireland were owned by English masters n English lords, aristocrats n landlords n ....during the potato holocaust two million real Irish blooded indigenous were killed n starved to death n another 2 million real Irish blooded indigenous were forced on ⚰️ coffin ships to America n New world.....real Irish blooded indigenous were enslaved by vikings n English..... real Irish blooded indigenous were literally colonized by English n oppressed by English for almost 800 yrs....wat I'm saying is I was brainwashed during the troubles n absolutely and apartheid conditions in northern Ireland n during troubles n I can see how young people can easily be manipulated.....I would have given everything for the troubles n IRA freedom fighter campaigns.....I can see how colonizers were looked at as the most evil in the world but as I get older I see things from a different perspective .....wats funny is if it wasn't for whites we'd all be in little villages with no advancement in our society....there be no America,Canada,south America, Australia as we know it today, the world "culture" would be a joke....whites are the epitomy of the "culture" of dance,food,wines,theatre,art, Sports etc....south America n America would not be multicultural n be all native American indigenous/East Asian mongoloid raced people....the best cultures from Europe,the best empires,the beat trends ,all best sports invented by European....this is stupid....being white n believing in Jesus are both in your face the absolute truth but evil deception says otherwise..😂..even Egypt was 99% greek macedonian like Cleopatra during biblical times but people are trying to rewrite history...,whites brought the world together!!!! Thank them!!!

[@zxyatiywariii8]

I'm not White but my mom also died of cancer and she was White (I was adopted by White parents). In my experience, I've known four different kinds of American White people (from best to worst): 1. The Whites like my mom, essentially "colorblind", who grew up identifying as "judge people by their character not their color". These White people are always angry when other Whites treat us in racist ways (like the racist Whites in Minneapolis who falsely arrested me just because I was the only non-White woman in a particular place, which is not the first time I've experienced racist targeting, of course, but my White family helped me to file an official complaint and win). They genuinely don't care about color and will date based only on character, never race 2. The Whites who notice color, but in the same way they notice ethnicity, or nationality. Like, they see an American BIPOC as being different from them, but no more different than a White person from Germany or Russia -- different, but not lesser 3. The Whites who see a bigger difference between themselves and American BIPOCs, than themselves and foreign White people, and who generally wouldn't date anyone who wasn't White. They don't seem to hate people of darker colors, but they often seem uneasy around us, and I think these are the Whites who unintentionally allow the #4 Whites to continue being racist, because the 3s don't want to acknowledge their own racial biases. They think they're like 1s and 2s, but they're NOT! 4. Racist Whites who hate everyone who isn't White (and sometimes even Jews and White Hispanics don't "qualify" as White to them) and these ones are the kind who are dangerous for us. They're the Whites who wish they could kick out every American who isn't White. They tend to scare the 3s, who therefore don't stand against the 4s much. Meanwhile the 1s and 2s often live for YEARS without ever encountering any 4s, because 1s and 2s tend to have BIPOC family and friends, so the 4s avoid them like the plague, and even the 3s tend to spend as little time as possible around 1s and 2s. People like Robin DiAngelo grew up around 3s and 4s, which is why she can't fathom the existence of 1s. When my White family heard her quote: _"I'm not going to pretend I don't notice when there's a Black person in the grocery store"_ they were like -- 🤯 Where does she even shop, where it's strange for Black people to be there too? 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@BlancaMartinez-uv4ee]

Right! The problem is with every person, when I look in the mirror I don’t see Hispanic, white or anything like that, I see ME!! I don’t want to look like anybody else, any other color or something like that!! I think whoever feels that way has mental problems or a chip on the shoulder?? I wouldn’t mind being a little younger? 🤣 or skinnier 🤣 but that’s another show!!

[@healingrace3491]

Thanks for sharing, @BlancaMartinez-uv4ee ! We'd love to hear more about your perspective. You mentioned that you don't "see" yourself as Hispanic... do you feel any identification with the Hispanic community? If not, what do you think led you to not feel identified with the community in ways that others do? Based on the conversations we've had with guests, some might ask if you would feel different, if you would have a stronger identity, if you felt you or your family were treated unequally or harmed in some way for being Hispanic? People have shared that group identity is often formed and strengthened by being targeted for that identity. What are your thoughts and experiences?

[@zxyatiywariii8]

But. . . do other people? I see me as me, too, and so do my family and friends. But sometimes strangers racially profile me in ways they don't target the White members of my family and friends.

[@BlancaMartinez-uv4ee]

@healingrace3491 like I said, it has to do with the person, it’s even hard for me to understand the question. I guess what I meant is I don’t see my ethnicity when I look in the mirror, I see ME, Blanca.. everything else is secondary, I HAPPEN to be Hispanic/ Italian-Spaniard descendant, but that’s not important, I’m a woman, I’ve never been oppressed, I’m strong, I like myself, I don’t have a chip on the shoulder, or any complexes, I don’t believe anyone is better as a human than me, I don’t believe in feminism, or white privilege, for one is because I’m white hispanic and because if I believed that it would mean that I believe whites are better than me?? How absurd! Maybe a black person can dance better than me😀 or a white man can lift more weight than me, but that doesn’t mean they are better humans!! I’m sorry, I don’t live in that frame of mind.. I believe all that is taught to humans since they are children, I didn’t grow up like that.. and I hate hearing about all those “groups “, and how they separate them, when I hear it on the radio I always scream, “ don’t they get tired of that??!!” “ first black woman this, first Hispanic woman that..” I don’t want to get anything or be mentioned that I get something just because I’m the first “ Hispanic woman something! I get sick of all that crap! I hate segregation!!!😡

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for commenting@@zxyatiywariii8! You said that you (and your family and friends) see you as you... as the individual that you are. With that said, how then does people racially profiling you impact the way you see your identity... when it comes to group identities?

[@hectormanuel9793]

I'm 2nd generation latino of European descent with no ingenious blood, so I'm white! But, I have to tell you, growing up had plenty of black friends but the last 30 years not a single one, why? Got sick and tired of their toxic bullshit, always blaming everyone else for their failures! My fruends would get drunk and not show up for work and when fired, they would blame white supremacy, and then the embarrassing situations in public venues, always causing a scene in restaurants, not tipping, not respecting my personal belongings, never knowing the boundaries, period! Now, I'm singing, free at last, thank God, I'm free at last of them!! I'm only talking about African-americans, not Africans.

[@BlancaMartinez-uv4ee]

@hectormanuel9793 I feel a little bit like you, I was born in Mexico but my family are mostly Italian, I’ve been in the US for about 47 years, but I don’t have any black friends and only 2 Hispanics 🤣 most of the black people I’ve met have been very r….t and they always said and made it obvious that they hated white people, I’ve always lived in mostly white Anglo communities , I don’t know why but I find these are the people where I’m more comfortable and I’m just me, they never see me like somebody different 🤔?

[@hectormanuel9793]

@@BlancaMartinez-uv4ee There's nothing wrong with feeling more comfortable with some groups of people more than others, it's the level of education and culture. So, you're fine!

[@anthonypuccetti8779]

You aren't white. Europeans are not a white race. White is a deracinated pseudo identity.

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for commenting, @hectormanuel9793 . Have you had positive experiences with African Americans in the last 30 years? We've had a lot of positive experiences on and off our show. What do you think might explain the disconnect between our experiences and your experiences? We're interested in hearing more of your thinking. It would seem to us that the Black Americans are just as diverse and varied as other communities... What are your thoughts?

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for commenting, @anthonypuccetti8779 ! We'd love to hear more about your perspective. How would you describe the difference between white identity and black identity? What do you think explains or causes the difference (if you do believe there is a difference)? Thanks for engaging!

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

I don't know why this was recommended to me but it was interesting. I'm white English British and we recently had some race riots after 3 little white girls were murdered. As a father, after hearing about the murders I was filled with this strong emotion of wanting to protect my tribe and my children. I didn't join in with the riots but i can understand those who did. I felt a very strong identity of being a native Englishman which I don't usually think about. If we're attacked that identity is there.

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for sharing, @chesterdonnelly1212 . Your story is very interesting because it parallels what we've heard from some of the Black Americans on our show... the idea that being harmed, killed, discriminated against, etc. as a group can create a motivation to identify and act collectively as a group. We're curious.. were the girls targeted because of their skin color? Thanks again for engaging... our show is focused on having open, honest, constructive, good-faith conversations about what can often be difficult and contentious topics. Your honest sharing is very much in line with that aim. So thank you.

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

@@healingrace3491 we don't know why they were targeted. They were stabbed at a summer dance camp. The police withheld the identity of the killer. Rumours were started that he was a Muslim illegal immigrant. Some people attacked mosques. Others attacked hotels that were housing illegal immigrants. There has been a lot of terrorism and crime from Muslims and illegals recently and this just sent people over the edge. The rioters have been mostly arrested and given long prison sentences. The killer hasn't been tried yet. He is a young black guy who grew up in England so not an immigrant in the way it was rumoured. A second generation immigrant with parents from Rwanda.

[@emmasayers7576]

@@healingrace3491 @chesterdonnelly1212 I totally understand the feeling of wanting to protect your tribe (your family and, wider, the idea of a community and of course I can't ignore that race comes into this for a lot of people). This primal urge is precisely what far right agitators immediately sought to tap into before the facts were even known. Yes, they stooped that low, they used the horrific murder of little children to stir up xenophobia and islamophobia to get a cheap win. Just dreadful, any way you look at it.

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

@@healingrace3491 we don't know why they were targeted. They were white and the killer is black so possibly. It was at a Taylor Swift summer dance camp so you would expect the kids there to be white girls.

[@chesterdonnelly1212]

@@healingrace3491 possibly. We don't know. Sorry I can't write much. KZbin deleted the last two messages.

[@Soulheads-yy3zq]

There are many white people who don’t enjoy any ‘privileges’ of being white and there are many black people who don’t suffer the ‘stigma’ of being black. The subject of race and racism isn’t simply black and white.

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for your comment @Soulheads-yy3zq ! Given that the issue of race isn't black and white, how do you think we should discuss and/or deal with the role of race in our society? We'd love to hear more of your perspective!

[@Soulheads-yy3zq]

@@healingrace3491 The best thing you can do is leave it alone because you’re in no way qualified to speak on the subject. Speak about something closer to your heart. You seemed lost and the other guy was far too emotional and you both were too sensitive in that discussion. A conversation about race is something that calls for more than generalisations. It calls for facts, statistics and an understanding of history, psychology, culture and economics.

[@mattvideoeditor]

You should come to Brazil. White, black, or Asian have different meanings around here. We really live mixed, not in clusters like Americans do.

[@healingrace3491]

Thanks for commenting, @mattvideoeditor ! How do the meanings differ, and what is the impact of living mixed? Does it breed more conflict? more understanding? We'd love to hear about your experience.

[@hectormanuel9793]

Bullshit! I know white families that only marry whites in Brazil!

[@JMSsssssss]

I wonder why no one has commented....

[@healingrace3491]

We do have some comments @JMSsssssss ... and we'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic and what has shaped them.

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for commenting@@Tricia-mi1pv! Is your hope that we can teach our history in a more multi-cultural way? What would that look like to you? We'd love to hear more of your perspective!

[@zxyatiywariii8]

I think comments need to be approved (?)

[@healingrace3491]

Thanks for trying to help@@zxyatiywariii8! I checked and all the comments have been approved for this video. So you should be able to see all of them. Thanks!

[@israelitehistorychannel9833]

stop lyimg nobody is white they are albinos

[@Starsphire]

Anyone can be my brother or sister. And if they aren't my brother or sister now they might be later. That's the benefit of being a Christian. I know when people get to heaven this crap doesn't matter.

[@healingrace3491]

Thanks for commenting @Starsphire ! We'd love to hear more of your thinking on this. For those who aren't Christian (or even for some who are Christian), how do you think we get to the point where race doesn't matter in how we think or feel about one another?

[@Starsphire]

​@@healingrace3491 for Christians it's easy just show them- Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave or free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if they have a problem with it then they're denying their own scripture. For non-christians I guess I would say listen to what Morgan Freeman has to say about Black History month.... And stop trying to divide people in as many boxes as possible... I'm pretty sure Martin Luther King's dream was to judge people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin or what boxes other people shove them in ... Or boxes they put themselves in. People just need to think outside of the box and realize no one belongs in one.

[@ImaCatMaia]

I absolutely do NOT love being white. I'm ashamed of it, if I'm being 100% honest. 😧

[@healingrace3491]

Thank you for sharing @ImaCatMaia ... and for your honesty! We'd love to know more about your perspective. What leads you to feel ashamed? Thanks for engaging!

[@gejost]

Why would you be ashamed? That's as stupid as being proud of it. We are born and our racial identity isn't of our control and neither is the very complex history of race relations around the world. What we can control is how we act. I don't have anything to be ashamed of in. terms ot how i treat people. I wish racism didn't exist but it does.

[@contribution741]

Your ancestors created the modern world. Your ancestors created the only societies worth living in. That's why the rest of the world flock to our countries. You ancestors ended sl@very, which continues TO THIS DAY in Africa and the Middle East. Your ancestors invented virtually EVERYTHING that we use. Your people are the only ones that value kindness to animals. Girl, you better WAKE UP. Stop drinking the kool-aid. Europeans invented medicine, the internet, the computer, electricity, the automobile, the train, machines, telephones.... this list could go on forever. We are the true minority - only 12% of the global population. And yet we've done so much. Please don't turn your back on your identity and your heritage. The sins of our forefathers are DWARFED by the barbarism of African warlords, Asian rulers and indigenous tribes. Be proud of what you are. When Europeans were flying around in airplanes, Africans hadn't even managed to invent the wheel. It's ok to be white. In fact, it's pretty awesome!!!!

[@Sanraboth]

Ashamed? Should be proud of heritage, not matter what color you are

[@joanofarcxxi]

Ridiculous. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being who are as long as you know that you are a good person. In the USA, people seem to be obsessed with colors. What color is better, what color is worse. Insane. People need to evolve, take responsibility, and respect themselves and others regardless of color Americans are Americans and they are diverse, which is why I came to America. To me, if you were born in the USA, you are an American. Period. People have to work on themselves from the inside and stop self loathing or blaming others for their issues. Be proud of who you are. You didn't choose to be born that way. God made you who you are and God made you in his image.

[@fastgurrrl]

🤢🤮