I believe we’re in the midst of a crisis of understanding we don’t understand
of understanding we don’t understand
of understanding we don’t understand each other in this country very well
each other in this country very well
each other in this country very well when we talk about important subjects I
when we talk about important subjects I
when we talk about important subjects I found that we often have a tendency to
found that we often have a tendency to
found that we often have a tendency to push ourselves further away then bring
push ourselves further away then bring
push ourselves further away then bring ourselves together and it’s the hardest
ourselves together and it’s the hardest
ourselves together and it’s the hardest thing to do with it but it’s so
thing to do with it but it’s so
thing to do with it but it’s so important part of the problem is
important part of the problem is
important part of the problem is definitions when I was a kid
definitions when I was a kid
definitions when I was a kid racism meant anytime you do something
racism meant anytime you do something
racism meant anytime you do something bad to somebody else because of their
bad to somebody else because of their
bad to somebody else because of their race but that definition has changed
race but that definition has changed
race but that definition has changed today it is a new definition that says
today it is a new definition that says
today it is a new definition that says it’s impossible to be racist to a white
it’s impossible to be racist to a white
it’s impossible to be racist to a white person you can be prejudiced against
person you can be prejudiced against
person you can be prejudiced against white people you can discriminate
white people you can discriminate
white people you can discriminate against white people but you can’t be
against white people but you can’t be
against white people but you can’t be racist to a white person and language is
racist to a white person and language is
racist to a white person and language is important and our words have power but I
important and our words have power but I
important and our words have power but I think we have to ask ourselves how
think we have to ask ourselves how
think we have to ask ourselves how important this particular definitional
important this particular definitional
important this particular definitional debate is because other things are
debate is because other things are
debate is because other things are important – I’ve seen this definitional
important – I’ve seen this definitional
important – I’ve seen this definitional debate derail other conversations that
debate derail other conversations that
debate derail other conversations that would also have been important the other
would also have been important the other
would also have been important the other day somebody posted on Facebook a story
day somebody posted on Facebook a story
day somebody posted on Facebook a story about themselves they had been hurt by
about themselves they had been hurt by
about themselves they had been hurt by some prejudice and they happened to be
some prejudice and they happened to be
some prejudice and they happened to be white but they shared this story on
white but they shared this story on
white but they shared this story on Facebook and the responses zeroed in on
Facebook and the responses zeroed in on
Facebook and the responses zeroed in on the fact that they had used the word
the fact that they had used the word
the fact that they had used the word racist in the post this person shared
racist in the post this person shared
racist in the post this person shared vulnerably a story about them being hurt
vulnerably a story about them being hurt
vulnerably a story about them being hurt by something and the responses were a
by something and the responses were a
by something and the responses were a critique of their language and I feel
critique of their language and I feel
critique of their language and I feel like there’s a point at which we’ve
like there’s a point at which we’ve
like there’s a point at which we’ve stopped being empathetic in the way that
stopped being empathetic in the way that
stopped being empathetic in the way that we would reply and I’m I’m worried about
we would reply and I’m I’m worried about
we would reply and I’m I’m worried about it but it’s also important to ask
it but it’s also important to ask
it but it’s also important to ask ourselves why people like me fight for
ourselves why people like me fight for
ourselves why people like me fight for this new definition of racism and part
this new definition of racism and part
this new definition of racism and part of it is that this new definition of
of it is that this new definition of
of it is that this new definition of racism takes into account white
racism takes into account white
racism takes into account white privilege but that’s another
privilege but that’s another
privilege but that’s another definitional quandary I haven’t really
definitional quandary I haven’t really
definitional quandary I haven’t really seen a lot of good explanations of white
seen a lot of good explanations of white
seen a lot of good explanations of white privilege either some conversations of
privilege either some conversations of
privilege either some conversations of white privilege go something like this
white privilege go something like this
white privilege go something like this one person says there’s no such thing as
one person says there’s no such thing as
one person says there’s no such thing as white privilege are you kidding me
white privilege are you kidding me
white privilege are you kidding me you’re telling me that some poor white
you’re telling me that some poor white
you’re telling me that some poor white kid has more privileged than Colin
kid has more privileged than Colin
kid has more privileged than Colin Powell’s child and then the reply is
Powell’s child and then the reply is
Powell’s child and then the reply is usually a long comp
usually a long comp
usually a long comp cated summary of critical race theory it
cated summary of critical race theory it
cated summary of critical race theory it doesn’t go particularly well it’s not
doesn’t go particularly well it’s not
doesn’t go particularly well it’s not coherent and it’s also not what that
coherent and it’s also not what that
coherent and it’s also not what that conversation needs to be it shouldn’t be
conversation needs to be it shouldn’t be
conversation needs to be it shouldn’t be academic it should be personal and it
academic it should be personal and it
academic it should be personal and it should be relatable we have to decide if
should be relatable we have to decide if
should be relatable we have to decide if we would rather be right or if we would
we would rather be right or if we would
we would rather be right or if we would rather be persuasive being right is
rather be persuasive being right is
rather be persuasive being right is easier but it’s also nebulous because
easier but it’s also nebulous because
easier but it’s also nebulous because you can’t prove it it’s not scientific
you can’t prove it it’s not scientific
you can’t prove it it’s not scientific over time
over time
over time truth itself has changed drastically for
truth itself has changed drastically for
truth itself has changed drastically for human society we used to think the world
human society we used to think the world
human society we used to think the world was flat at any point in time we could
was flat at any point in time we could
was flat at any point in time we could be wrong and we won’t even know about
be wrong and we won’t even know about
be wrong and we won’t even know about that until hundreds of years after were
that until hundreds of years after were
that until hundreds of years after were dead being persuasive is testable its
dead being persuasive is testable its
dead being persuasive is testable its scientific if you want to know whether
scientific if you want to know whether
scientific if you want to know whether or not you were persuasive just ask the
or not you were persuasive just ask the
or not you were persuasive just ask the person you were speaking to
person you were speaking to
person you were speaking to hey did I persuade you and then you know
but it’s harder being persuasive
but it’s harder being persuasive requires us to understand the person
requires us to understand the person
requires us to understand the person that we’re talking to an understanding
that we’re talking to an understanding
that we’re talking to an understanding requires compassion and patience and
requires compassion and patience and
requires compassion and patience and listening to them even when listening to
listening to them even when listening to
listening to them even when listening to them makes our blood boil some of the
them makes our blood boil some of the
them makes our blood boil some of the ways that we talk about white people
ways that we talk about white people
ways that we talk about white people today it’s like we think they’re
today it’s like we think they’re
today it’s like we think they’re invulnerable like nothing we say could
invulnerable like nothing we say could
invulnerable like nothing we say could harm them so we can say anything and if
harm them so we can say anything and if
harm them so we can say anything and if it does run them good they deserved it
it does run them good they deserved it
it does run them good they deserved it but white people are not invulnerable to
but white people are not invulnerable to
but white people are not invulnerable to the poor white parent who can’t afford
the poor white parent who can’t afford
the poor white parent who can’t afford to take their sick kid to the hospital
to take their sick kid to the hospital
to take their sick kid to the hospital the idea of white privilege is insulting
the idea of white privilege is insulting
the idea of white privilege is insulting and confusing unless it’s explained well
and confusing unless it’s explained well
and confusing unless it’s explained well they don’t have the time or the will to
they don’t have the time or the will to
they don’t have the time or the will to extricate privilege of class from
extricate privilege of class from
extricate privilege of class from privilege of race all they hear is
privilege of race all they hear is
privilege of race all they hear is you’ve had it easy this whole time and
you’ve had it easy this whole time and
you’ve had it easy this whole time and you still can’t afford to take your sick
you still can’t afford to take your sick
you still can’t afford to take your sick kid to the doctor white people are not
kid to the doctor white people are not
kid to the doctor white people are not invulnerable and they are growing
invulnerable and they are growing
invulnerable and they are growing accustomed to only hearing bad things
accustomed to only hearing bad things
accustomed to only hearing bad things about themselves from us that’s big we
about themselves from us that’s big we
about themselves from us that’s big we all need to hear good things about
all need to hear good things about
all need to hear good things about ourselves if we don’t find affirmation
ourselves if we don’t find affirmation
ourselves if we don’t find affirmation from over here we’ll find affirmation
from over here we’ll find affirmation
from over here we’ll find affirmation over there and we will ally ourselves
over there and we will ally ourselves
over there and we will ally ourselves with the people that have affirmed us
with the people that have affirmed us
with the people that have affirmed us and understand us this is why it should
and understand us this is why it should
and understand us this is why it should be particularly disturbing to all of us
be particularly disturbing to all of us
be particularly disturbing to all of us that the only people who are saying good
that the only people who are saying good
that the only people who are saying good things about white people are militants
things about white people are militants
things about white people are militants and supremacists we really need to
and supremacists we really need to
and supremacists we really need to prioritize persuasion we also need to
prioritize persuasion we also need to
prioritize persuasion we also need to address the American Eagle Americans
address the American Eagle Americans
address the American Eagle Americans don’t like having it easy our heroes
don’t like having it easy our heroes
don’t like having it easy our heroes were born and raised in a log cabin that
were born and raised in a log cabin that
were born and raised in a log cabin that they built themselves when they were six
they built themselves when they were six
they built themselves when they were six years old and they walked uphill both
years old and they walked uphill both
years old and they walked uphill both ways to school in the snow and they read
ways to school in the snow and they read
ways to school in the snow and they read their books by candlelight and then they
their books by candlelight and then they
their books by candlelight and then they became president
this is the material with which we build
this is the material with which we build our icons so it makes sense that we’re
our icons so it makes sense that we’re
our icons so it makes sense that we’re so resistant to the idea of privilege
so resistant to the idea of privilege
so resistant to the idea of privilege but we have to try to address the
but we have to try to address the
but we have to try to address the American aversion to privilege part of
American aversion to privilege part of
American aversion to privilege part of it starts with admitting our own
it starts with admitting our own
it starts with admitting our own privileges freely and with more humility
privileges freely and with more humility
privileges freely and with more humility I’m exceptionally privileged I also
I’m exceptionally privileged I also
I’m exceptionally privileged I also worked very hard to make a career for
worked very hard to make a career for
worked very hard to make a career for myself and I was lucky and supported by
myself and I was lucky and supported by
myself and I was lucky and supported by other people as well all of that
other people as well all of that
other people as well all of that combined means that my kids will be born
combined means that my kids will be born
combined means that my kids will be born into a financially secure household they
into a financially secure household they
into a financially secure household they will not have to worry about health or
will not have to worry about health or
will not have to worry about health or eating well they’ll have fun they’ll
eating well they’ll have fun they’ll
eating well they’ll have fun they’ll work hard and play hard they’ll travel
work hard and play hard they’ll travel
work hard and play hard they’ll travel and make memories that they later write
and make memories that they later write
and make memories that they later write about in essays for internship
about in essays for internship
about in essays for internship applications
they’ll have a good start they might
they’ll have a good start they might screw it up but they will have a good
screw it up but they will have a good
screw it up but they will have a good start
start
start they won’t have worked for that at all
they won’t have worked for that at all
they won’t have worked for that at all we’re giving it to them isn’t that what
we’re giving it to them isn’t that what
we’re giving it to them isn’t that what every parent wants to do don’t parents
every parent wants to do don’t parents
every parent wants to do don’t parents want to give their kids the best
want to give their kids the best
want to give their kids the best sure-footed start that they can
sure-footed start that they can
sure-footed start that they can privilege is not something evil to run
privilege is not something evil to run
privilege is not something evil to run away from accepting it can help us to
away from accepting it can help us to
away from accepting it can help us to build some bridges white privilege is
build some bridges white privilege is
build some bridges white privilege is not an attack on any one person it’s not
not an attack on any one person it’s not
not an attack on any one person it’s not about comparing one person to another
about comparing one person to another
about comparing one person to another person or just cherry-picking a poor
person or just cherry-picking a poor
person or just cherry-picking a poor white kid and then a rich black kid it
white kid and then a rich black kid it
white kid and then a rich black kid it confuses the subject instead I like to
confuses the subject instead I like to
confuses the subject instead I like to think of white privilege as part of how
think of white privilege as part of how
think of white privilege as part of how we might answer a very complicated
we might answer a very complicated
we might answer a very complicated question
question
question and a question is how long does it take
and a question is how long does it take
and a question is how long does it take to remedy centuries of oppression white
to remedy centuries of oppression white
to remedy centuries of oppression white privilege suggests that it takes longer
privilege suggests that it takes longer
privilege suggests that it takes longer than we think in the 1950s the GI Bill
than we think in the 1950s the GI Bill
than we think in the 1950s the GI Bill helped people helped veterans coming
helped people helped veterans coming
helped people helped veterans coming back from World War two buy houses and
back from World War two buy houses and
back from World War two buy houses and go to college it’s a tremendous benefit
go to college it’s a tremendous benefit
go to college it’s a tremendous benefit you can really start to build wealth
you can really start to build wealth
you can really start to build wealth with something like that of the first
with something like that of the first
with something like that of the first 67,000 mortgages that the GI Bill first
67,000 mortgages that the GI Bill first
67,000 mortgages that the GI Bill first insured less than a hundred were given
insured less than a hundred were given
insured less than a hundred were given to people of color this is also a time
to people of color this is also a time
to people of color this is also a time when it was legal for many of the best
when it was legal for many of the best
when it was legal for many of the best universities in the country to deny
universities in the country to deny
universities in the country to deny admissions to people based on the color
admissions to people based on the color
admissions to people based on the color of their skin you can build wealth with
of their skin you can build wealth with
of their skin you can build wealth with those benefits but they were unequally
those benefits but they were unequally
those benefits but they were unequally distributed some of you should also
distributed some of you should also
distributed some of you should also realize that this wasn’t that long ago
realize that this wasn’t that long ago
realize that this wasn’t that long ago it’s possible that you have a relative
it’s possible that you have a relative
it’s possible that you have a relative living today who was denied a mortgage
living today who was denied a mortgage
living today who was denied a mortgage or university admittance because they
or university admittance because they
or university admittance because they were black how long does it take to
were black how long does it take to
were black how long does it take to reverse remedy to reverse centuries of
reverse remedy to reverse centuries of
reverse remedy to reverse centuries of oppression I’m asking you to be open to
oppression I’m asking you to be open to
oppression I’m asking you to be open to the idea that it might take longer than
the idea that it might take longer than
the idea that it might take longer than we thought next month and we’re sitting
we thought next month and we’re sitting
we thought next month and we’re sitting around the table at Thanksgiving sharing
around the table at Thanksgiving sharing
around the table at Thanksgiving sharing blessings as we sometimes do I’d like
blessings as we sometimes do I’d like
blessings as we sometimes do I’d like you to also consider not just how light
you to also consider not just how light
you to also consider not just how light would be if you hadn’t had a particular
would be if you hadn’t had a particular
would be if you hadn’t had a particular blessing but how would things be if your
blessing but how would things be if your
blessing but how would things be if your lineage for hundreds of years had been
lineage for hundreds of years had been
lineage for hundreds of years had been denied many of those blessings what is
denied many of those blessings what is
denied many of those blessings what is the impact of a family whose lineage was
the impact of a family whose lineage was
the impact of a family whose lineage was affected by that what does it feel like
affected by that what does it feel like
affected by that what does it feel like to them when they sight that inequity
to them when they sight that inequity
to them when they sight that inequity are they heard properly is it hard to
are they heard properly is it hard to
are they heard properly is it hard to make that kind of a claim and still have
make that kind of a claim and still have
make that kind of a claim and still have your integrity I might not have
your integrity I might not have
your integrity I might not have convinced anybody today that white
convinced anybody today that white
convinced anybody today that white privilege exists I hope I’ve made at
privilege exists I hope I’ve made at
privilege exists I hope I’ve made at least a dent in the idea that white
least a dent in the idea that white
least a dent in the idea that white privilege exists did because if we’re
privilege exists did because if we’re
privilege exists did because if we’re gonna argue and we should argue if we’re
gonna argue and we should argue if we’re
gonna argue and we should argue if we’re gonna argue let’s argue about how long
gonna argue let’s argue about how long
gonna argue let’s argue about how long it takes to reverse the effects of a
it takes to reverse the effects of a
it takes to reverse the effects of a system where white privilege at least
system where white privilege at least
system where white privilege at least did exist let’s argue about how long it
did exist let’s argue about how long it
did exist let’s argue about how long it takes to address the inequality of
takes to address the inequality of
takes to address the inequality of unequal rights and benefits unequal
unequal rights and benefits unequal
unequal rights and benefits unequal universities unequal suburbs unequal
universities unequal suburbs unequal
universities unequal suburbs unequal prison sentences and when we’re arguing
prison sentences and when we’re arguing
prison sentences and when we’re arguing about those things we need to do it
about those things we need to do it
about those things we need to do it better than we have some of you might be
better than we have some of you might be
better than we have some of you might be hearing me and thinking’s to meet how
hearing me and thinking’s to meet how
hearing me and thinking’s to meet how dare you police my tone how dare you
dare you police my tone how dare you
dare you police my tone how dare you tell me how to speak about my oppression
tell me how to speak about my oppression
tell me how to speak about my oppression and you’re right I can’t do that and I
and you’re right I can’t do that and I
and you’re right I can’t do that and I shouldn’t deny it and I’m not many of
shouldn’t deny it and I’m not many of
shouldn’t deny it and I’m not many of you have taken on this tremendous
you have taken on this tremendous
you have taken on this tremendous emotional burden of speaking about this
emotional burden of speaking about this
emotional burden of speaking about this at all and I can ask for nothing more
at all and I can ask for nothing more
at all and I can ask for nothing more than your courage that you’ve already
than your courage that you’ve already
than your courage that you’ve already provided but some of you are like me you
provided but some of you are like me you
provided but some of you are like me you know racism firsthand but you are also
know racism firsthand but you are also
know racism firsthand but you are also privileged to have had it easier than
privileged to have had it easier than
privileged to have had it easier than some of you and of myself I do ask more
some of you and of myself I do ask more
some of you and of myself I do ask more I ask you to have the hardest
I ask you to have the hardest
I ask you to have the hardest conversations the ones that require you
conversations the ones that require you
conversations the ones that require you to listen patiently to another person
to listen patiently to another person
to listen patiently to another person and see if you can build a bridge to
and see if you can build a bridge to
and see if you can build a bridge to understanding instead of just being
understanding instead of just being
understanding instead of just being right there is this vision of the US as
right there is this vision of the US as
right there is this vision of the US as a country where different ideas and
a country where different ideas and
a country where different ideas and different kinds of people all mix and
different kinds of people all mix and
different kinds of people all mix and everybody has the same power to choose
everybody has the same power to choose
everybody has the same power to choose their path in life I don’t feel like
their path in life I don’t feel like
their path in life I don’t feel like we’re getting closer to it it feels it
we’re getting closer to it it feels it
we’re getting closer to it it feels it feels drifting to me but I love this
feels drifting to me but I love this
feels drifting to me but I love this country
country
country I’m an American and I’m worried about my
I’m an American and I’m worried about my
I’m an American and I’m worried about my country and I think that part of the
country and I think that part of the
country and I think that part of the solution is to improve the way that we
solution is to improve the way that we
solution is to improve the way that we talk about the most important subjects
talk about the most important subjects
talk about the most important subjects and a lot of it has to do with
and a lot of it has to do with
and a lot of it has to do with understanding that righteousness has a
understanding that righteousness has a
understanding that righteousness has a place and it’s important but what I
place and it’s important but what I
place and it’s important but what I would like you all to do is aspire to be
would like you all to do is aspire to be
would like you all to do is aspire to be persuasive thank you
persuasive thank you
persuasive thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
”
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