[ExI] History of Slavery

[Samantha Atkins]

On May 27, 2007, at 10:06 AM, Olga Bourlin wrote:

> From: "Samantha Atkins" <sjatkins at mac.com>
> To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 12:47 AM
>
>> I fail to see what the above paragraph from Lee has substantially to
>> do with white privilege.
>
> It doesn't.  And that's exactly the problem (white people tend to  
> see things
> from the perspective of their own lives and experiences).
>
> However, there is an entire system of resources and people often  
> aligned
> against anyone who is not white in this country. To simply pretend  
> it's not
> there or that it has no effect on people who are not white people is
> delusional.
>
> Black people like Sowell really get me because they do not address
> systematic inequalities.  They must realize that complete independence
> inside white society is impossible and counterproductive for any  
> progressive
> agenda for black people, so they maintain the status quo - therefore
> guaranteeing that no real progress will ever be made.  Perhaps  
> they've even
> been convinced (or have convinced themselves) that that is really  
> the way to
> do.

I am a tad confused.  Why would "complete independence inside white  
society" or outside it fro that matter, be the goal?  I though the  
end of racism, the fully integrated society that has no need to even  
think of white, black, brown or other races per se at all was the goal.

>
>> What Lee wrote was not particularly meant to be a perspective
>> (subjective) view but a more less objective rendition of the
>> prevalence of slavery, numerical comparisons of where it was
>> widespread and a bit of history regarding whether the ending of
>> slavery began and was partially carried out in much of the world.
>
> I am familiar with the history of slavery on the scale of world  
> history (I'm
> even a "Slav" - but because I'm white - in contrast to blacks and  
> other
> American people of color in the US - I could assimilate the minute  
> I set
> foot in the US ).
>
> I am saying that in the overview history of slavery, there is a  
> mentality
> difference between different groups of oppressed people and that it  
> needs to
> be explored ... and not ignored.
>
>> The perspective he offered  is not particularly color bound.
>
> Exactly.  The perspective Lee offered is only skin deep (that is to  
> say, I'm
> saying there is no such thing as "not particularly color bound").   
> Besides,
> who but white people have the audacity and the privilege to  speak in
> "objective" and not "color bound" ways?  Sheesh.

I find this highly racist.

- s