Weekend Wisdom

"It is very nearly impossible... to become an educated person in a country so distrustful of the independent mind."

James A. Baldwin

What Does It Mean To Be White?

A couple of weeks ago on another blog I read the blogger asked the question "what does it mean to be white?" (You can read the post here)

I started to write an answer that night but couldn't get my thoughts clearly down on paper and then the last 2 insane weeks began and well I didn't even have dinner until 10 each night so a "thinking" post was beyond my capabilities. However, tonight I thought I would try to figure out my answer to "what does it mean to be white?"

Except, I am not really sure it what it means to be white.

Because "white" isn't a culture.

There is significant diversity between white folks too. Whether you are an Italian Catholic or a Russian Jew influences who you are. The Swiss are not the same as the Greeks and I think no one would ever say the French are just like the English- because each of these groups are diverse in language, tradition and lifestyle. To be a member of one (or more) of these groups does not mean your experiences are interchangeable with a member of any other group.

Yet at some point in time, society managed to distill away all that diversity and we just became "white". (Although, admittedly, some of groups mentioned have arrived in "white" more recently than others)

When the questions is asked "what does it mean to be white?" as opposed to "what does it mean to be English?" it neglects to address the fact that is substantial white diversity.

What it means to be white then becomes a simple question of what it means to be in the majority.

And that question brings us back to privilege.

Because as much as I didn't want to make this another post about privilege, turns out that privilege is the defining answer to what it means to be white. It means that I am the norm, the standard, the expectation- and I don't have to worry about what role my race is playing as I go through my day. It means I don't have to think about being white at all because being white is what people are- anything (or anyone) else is the exception. White is the default setting for how society views individuals and institutions.

It means that I can live where I want, drive the car I want, go to the college I want, get the job I want. I can easily find other professionals who look like me, and I can see myself reflected positively in the media and news. I know the system will likely work to my advantage and that most the assumptions made about me based on my outward appearance will be favorable.

It means I have thousands of unearned privileges each day, some more significant than others.

In short, being white means my life is easier.

Now if you want to know what it means to be Italian.... well that's a different question.

And if you want to know what it means to be white and parenting children of color.... well that's a whole different thread

Wordless Wednesday

I Thought This Lava Lamp Would Be My New Best Friend

But alas, it is not.

See we have a little problem here with some of the children (namely the girl children) getting up at inhumane hours to play (namely 5:30 am).

There are several problems with this

1. 5:30 am is not an acceptable time to do anything except maybe give birth or catch a plane to someplace nice.

2. Once one is up they insist on waking up the other one (and no it is not the same one up first each day)

3. Once they are both awake, they then insist on waking up everyone else

4. They need more sleep than they are getting (and no it doesn't really matter what time they go to bed- although if they do go to bed later, they get up later too- like 5:45)

5. Everyone else needs sleep too

So I had a great idea that would at least keep them in their beds and quiet. I bought this lava lamp and put it on a timer.

It is the play light. If the light is on- you may get up and play. If the light is off- you get your behind back in bed.

So on night one we explained it and D not only seemed excited about it but she also made sure to explain the rules to K about 10 times before them went to bed. And much to my surprise- it worked.

And the next night it worked even better.

And the next night, it didn't work and it hasn't worked since.

Now they stay in the room but one has climbed in the bed with the other and they talk till the light comes on- which wakes me up and doesn't really accomplish the more sleep goal. We have come to realize that the fact they share a room a huge part of the problem. Therefore-

Coming Soon to a blog near you.....

THE GREAT ROOM MOVE

Weekend Wisdom

"Are gays and lesbians who remain faithful to their partners committing a greater sin than married heterosexuals who commit adultery?"

-Michael Eric Dyson

For 10 Years I Have Refused to Buy Them, Until

X caught me in a weak moment.

I seriously do not like shoes that light up. Ever since I worked in a science museum eons ago running the Electrostatic Generator Show and had to always remember to ask people if their shoes had batteries (as in "Before we start I want to make sure you don't have anything with batteries like light up shoes or a hearing aid or pacemaker .....")

Plus I find them annoying and well, kind of ridiculous (but I digress)

Anyway- last week was a trip to the shoe store and they had not only light up shoes, but Star Wars light up shoes and not only Star Wars light up shoes but Star Wars: The Clone Wars light up shoes. When he told me that he would rather get the shoes than go to the Lego store (keep in mind that since he had a gift card he had already picked out what he was buying a month ago) I knew he was serious.

So we bought the light up shoes.

The morning after the purchase this is the sight we awoke to...

I think that he didn't actually wear them to bed but I wouldn't swear to it

(On the plus side it does make him easier to find in the dark)

Wordless Wednesday