Cultural appropriation or cultural appreciation

"Where it gets really tricky is with traditions or symbols that have roots in several different cultures. For example, dreadlocks are found in Indian, Buddhist, Rastfari, African, and Celtic culture. Most recently, dreadlocks are known as a symbol of Black resistance to racism and Rastafaris’ commitment to Jah. When white people wear dreadlocks, we/they strip dreadlocks from their symbolism of resistance to racism and a commitment to Jah. But as a general rule of thumb, it’s not appropriation if it’s from your own culture."

https://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/09/16/cultural-appreciation-or-cultural-appropriation/

Wanting to be Indian

"Structural racism is a system of oppression in which the structures of society are operated and controlled by White people. Racism combines prejudice against people of color with political, economic, and social power over their lives. Racism is in the air we breathe. It is not so much about individual guilt or innocence, as it is an atmosphere of injustice with which we all have to reckon in some way."

https://unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/09/20/wanting-to-be-indian/

Generalization w/ labels

"We have received messages and seen comments on this page about how some of the articles we have posted up have been generalizing about "white feminists." 

It really doesn't take much to understand that when the topic of "white feminists" is discussed, that of course not all white feminists are to blame. Emphasis doesn't have to be placed on each sentence, stating that we don't intend to refer to every single white feminist as being wrong and in privilege-denial.

Why? Because it should be fairly obvious that the writer is NOT referring to every single white feminist as being a Femen-style racist. But living in a white supremacist world, critiques of racism and privileged behaviour not just from Femen but from any well-meaning person who gets it horrily wrong is something that we need. That doesn't make us divisive- those very people refusing to check themselves, and listen to what Muslim women have to say are the ones that are being divisive in the first place for provoking such criticism."-Muslim Women Against Femen

open letter to eve ensler

When I told you that your white, colonial, feminism is hurting us, you started crying. Eve, you are not the victim here. This is also part of the pattern which is a problem: Indigenous women are constantly trying to explain all of these issues, and are constantly met with “Why are you attacking me?!” This is not being a good ally.

http://chiefelk.tumblr.com/post/49527456060/an-open-letter-to-eve-ensler

Hey White Liberals

"Your constant prioritization of the lives of white people over the lives of people of color is taking a serious toll on my psyche and those of many in my community. And by that I don't mean what you might expect. Most of us already know that racism and its BFF white privilege have detrimental effects on people of color. Racial oppression leads to any number of unhealthy conditions, including high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, diabetes and even asthma. But what I’m talking about is something different. Something I’m going to call DSWP: desensitization to the suffering of white people."

http://blackgirldangerous.org/new-blog/2013/4/22/hey-white-liberals

We keep this system in place by...

"As long as we are being taught that where you end up is about your effort then the fact of inequality between groups of people is going to come to be seen as natural evidence of some people’s superiority and other people’s inferiority.

If you don’t educate underprivileged folks because you figure it’s just a waste of money, if you don’t provide equal job opportunity or equal housing opportunity, and if you don’t really care if there’s disproportionate incarceration because you think “those folks are all bad anyway,” then you create this sort of snowball effect where the uneducated and those who can’t find housing and can’t find jobs will almost invariably have to find some way to survive that will involve in some cases criminal activity which then will land them in jail.

So ultimately, we sort of keep this system in place by a combination of actual practices in the job market, the school system, etc, also, the underlying ideological glue of the society"

-Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequalty (Movie)

If you are not part of the power structure...

"The reality is if you are not part of the power structure, if you are not one of those who make the decisions, I think you are hyper-aware of what is happening. You are hyper-aware of the decisions that are being made and how they impact you. For the folks who are in positions of power, they are not… they don’t need to think about it. They don’t need to critique it, it works for them."-Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequalty (Movie)

‎"Why aren’t White men subjected to racial profiling? Why aren’t White men closely scrutinized? Does any woman clutch her purse or cross to the other side of the street when approaching a White man? It’s no secret that Fortune 500 companies like Enron and persons holding positions of power that led to the housing debacle were White men. Not to mention the current Barclays investigation. White collar crime perpetrated against hard working employees and innocent consumers should make everyone suspicious of White men. Does this make sense?

I say no. At the root of racial profiling is fear, negative stereotyping and the lack of sufficiently meaningful relationships. Consider this – White men are found in every sector of society and are considered as a group the founders, backbone, and therefore creators of this country. Forty-three presidents, doctors, lawyers, teachers, business leaders, major news casters, athletes, bus drivers, pilots, engineers,entertainers, co-workers, colleagues, friends and next door neighbors. And let’s not forget fictionalized characters: Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Superman, Spiderman, the Pillsbury Dough Boy and the list goes on. Even Jesus has been adopted and portrayed as a White man. And let us not forget the daily reinforcement via the media. Don Imus is offset by Dan Rather, Anderson Cooper, and many, many more. If the bad guy such as McVeigh is arrested, tried, convicted and executed as the perpetrator of such a horrendous crime, regardless the number of times his image is plastered in the media there are many more depictions of White men that are positive. When we have a plethora of positive images and experiences stored up, so when the perpetrator falls into the category – White Male – like an antibiotic we have enough positive history to counter any fear that may seep into our stream of consciousness. With so many positive roles models, and experiences, an isolated incident here and there does not nullify the overall picture and reputation. Conversely, in our society at large, Black and Brown adolescents and men do not have the same luxury. Nor do women of color."

http://www.canonashepherd.episcopalmaryland.org/?p=244

I need white people to stop...

http://karnythia.tumblr.com/post/25486990496/i-need-white-people-to-stop-pretending-consent-was

RACE - The Power of an Illusion

http://newsreel.org/guides/race/whiteadv.htm

Are you a white liberal/progressive/radical? Please read this. Thank you.

http://dearmostwhitepeople.tumblr.com/

White Racism, White Supremacy, White Privilege and the Social Construction of Race

http://www.peopleofcolororganize.com/analysis/white-racism-white-supremacy-white-privilege-social-construction-race-2/