I know our discussion about privilege has ended weeks ago, but I still wanted to share this video of Bill O'Reilly on the Daily Show just in case anyone would be interested in watching it and/or talking about the issues here. I know I was both intrigued and outraged by this interview. I thought this class would be a group of people to discuss the video with.
In this interview, John Stewart attempts to explain and convince O'Reilly of the white privilege that exists in our country due to historical systems that have suppressed minority races, especially black Americans. Stewart's explanations reminded me of Pulido's article on environmental justice, as both argue white privilege has caused many minorities to live a harder life with fewer benefits granted to them. However, O'Reilly refuses to accept he has any privilege and insists this no longer exists in our society. I found this shocking. The whole time I was watching the video I kept thinking of our class readings and discussions of white privilege and how those in the privileged group refuse to recognize their advantages. I thought this was a clear example of how people deny their privileges. Clearly, this is a large issue in our society. We need to recognize the concept of white privilege, especially those who benefit from it, in order to gain social and spatial equality. Seeing this really made me realize the idea of privlegde can no longer be ignored in order to achieve equality. I'm wondering what others thoughts are on this video and/or how to erase privledge from our society?
Here is the link to the video:
http://mediamatters.org/video/2014/10/16/on-the-daily-show-bill-oreilly-refuses-to-back/201181
This video goes along perfectly with what we discussed in class. Like you, as I watched it I began to get more and more annoyed with O'Reilly and his short spectrum. He connected privilege to what one can do and their outcome. Although this has a factor, he ignored how the past still hold effect on people today. People can succeed no matter their race, the difficulty and social acceptances getting there is completely different. We hit upon this idea largely when discussing Peggy McIntosh’s article and how privilege is systematic, it is not individual but gives privilege to groups. Also, within her article we also read about the “vial of ignorance”, which is clearly demonstrated by O’Reilly. I think this is what John Stewart was trying to hit upon in the video, by discussing things such as O’Reilly’s hometown.
ReplyDeleteI do believe understanding “white privilege”, and what it causes is important in studying social equality. I believe it will also inform us as a society where to go to get social justice. To be honest I am not sure if we can erase privilege until we recognize it. As seen, there are people who just don’t see it, or cannot look at privilege in the way that needs to be seen. John does a really good job of explaining it to O'Reilly in the interview; hopefully it brought it to attention of others.
It is interesting how people constantly deny their unjust gained advantages...In order to preserve it, it should not be talked about.
ReplyDeleteBut I came across this article that discusses racial slurs that have labeled people negatively. The author concentrated on the a specific white racial slur, and that is the douchebag. He mentions that the douchebag as we know it today is a rich white male individual. The article is very long, but the point that the author argues, is that this term douchebag, is pushed all over the U.S.A across media and the daily life, as people are pressured to constantly become "douchebags". Then he argues that another racial "slur" would be the hipster, which is also a white, young man or woman, who aren't color blind, who are overeducated and underemployed. And that there is a struggle between these two white people.
"A common critique of the hipsters — indeed a confusion of the hipster and douchebag — is that they, the hipsters, serve as the thin edge of the wedge of gentrification. But this is, to my mind, unfair. Broke-ass twenty-somethings crushed under the weight of student loan payments and low earning potential in a crap economy have to live somewhere cheap. And given that the hipster is totally ok with living in racially diverse neighborhoods, they often find themselves cast into the role of pioneers of whiteness in Washington Heights or West Oakland. However, it takes a douchebag to see the financial profit to be gained in pushing poor people of color out of their homes. The hipster brings art, coffee and cocktails to a neighborhood, the douchebag brings reconstruction contractors, private security and real estate agents. The hipster seeks community, the douchebag seeks urban rental profits. The hipster might start a coffee shop in a poor, black neighborhood, but the douchebag wants to call the cops on the black men on the corner right after he turns your indy coffee shop into a Starbucks". (Cohen, 2014)
Although we feel like there are only a few white racial slurs, it is important to recognize, that some slurs can be targeting rich white people, without even noticing.
Here is the link to the article: https://medium.com/human-parts/douchebag-the-white-racial-slur-weve-all-been-waiting-for-a2323002f85d
In the video, O’Reilly’s blatant denial of white privilege unfortunately reflects the attitude of most whites in our society. Many, like O’Reilly, fail to see the lasting effects that racist policies such as redlining have on modern society. Whites have always been granted more opportunities than other races. Even though today’s society is far more accepting, ignoring that white privilege is a thing of the past is simply ignorant.
ReplyDeleteThe video perfectly reflects the message Peggy McIntosh portrays in her article about white privilege and male privilege. In her article, McIntosh discusses the view many males hold regarding the issue of sexism. She states that males often acknowledge that some individuals may be sexist, but fail to see that male privilege is tied to systemic sexism. Further, McIntosh suggests that those few males who do admit male privilege, fail to recognize that being a male has opened doors for them that women are unable to receive. O’Reilly’s view of white privilege mirrors the belief held by McIntosh. Although O’Reilly acknowledges traces of white privilege that occurred in the past, he fails to recognize that racist practices are tied into the system. Even after admitting that he received white privilege while growing up, O’Reilly still denies that white privilege is prevalent in today’s society.
Another issue that irritated me about O’Reilly was his stance on the poor growing up in poverty. He believes that simply by working hard, everyone, no matter his or her background, is able to make it out of poverty. This view is simply wrong. Growing up in a poverty stricken area greatly reduces one’s life chances. Everything from the ability to receive a quality education to one’s ability to apply for a loan is greatly hindered when living in poverty. In many cases, working hard is simply not good enough. Although it is possible to make it out of poverty, it is extremely difficult and often involves much more than just hard work.
Watching this, I wonder if O’Reilly truly believes that white privilege is false or if to accept/acknowledge it would admit humility on his part. Like Stewart points out, O’Reilly profits off of this rhetoric that incites fear and disgust of people and things “unlike” themselves. So, I am inclined to prefer this more cynical point of view that this denial strengthens the support of his fan base and their hatred/fear of the “other.” It just looks like good business to me. If he swings to agree with Stewart, he would lose a lot of $$$ and probably his job.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, O’Reilly’s argument and denial even serves to demonstrate as an example of white privilege. He admits he dealt with underprivileged upbringing, but he hasn’t experienced his race as a factor working against him in his rise to success (which McIntosh explicitly calls out as being white privilege in her article). His denial might actually come from ignorance from not having experienced or witnessed racial oppression post-Jim Crow (which he claims the abolishment of this ended racial oppression). If this is the case, I feel sorry for him and hope that his resentment for others subsides. He doesn’t look healthy.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/nathanwpyle/this-teacher-taught-his-class-a-powerful-lesson-about-privil
ReplyDeleteI found this article on buzzfeed where a professor raised awareness about White Privilege by making students throw crumpled paper in a waste bin from their assigned seats, many students who were sitting in the back objected because they were a disadvantage in the distance. Later he explained to the students: "“The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room? By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal".
So I believe education has to be employed to point out the differences in the daily society to be able to raise a generation that is more aware rather than shallow, an education that is more oriented towards justice, rather then keeping people in the blind.