What do you think of Seattle encouraging municipal white employees to "undo their whiteness" at segregated training sessions?

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 9, 2020

I opened & read the article, including Rufo’s Twitter feed with more details. The more I read the more surreal it seemed. All I could think of was China’s re-education camps during the cultural revolution as well as thoughtcrime & newspeak from Orwell’s 1984.

While systemic racism needs to be addressed, I don’t think this is the right approach. Looking at the flowchart depicted, a white person is racist no matter what they do. I think the approach should be to raise everyone to the same level & this doesn’t do that, it seeks to low self esteem across the board for anyone who identifies as white. Am I racist for pointing this out? Dunno, my ethnic group has a 5,000 year history of being oppressed & slaughtered.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Jul 11, 2020

I this article made up of out of context quotes, and inflammatory inferences written by someone who quotes another person who wasn't present. So it is just a bunch of whipped up indignation about something that may or may not have happened. Pretty junior high, in my opinion.

I have taken several classes about diversity and racism and am learning about how I have benefited from white privilege and the inherent racism in our society. I feel this has made me grow as a person. It is uncomfortable at times to imagine that I am racist, but it is reality.

NurseBlaq · Jul 11, 2020

Say what now? There is no way to undo whiteness or any other race. Why can't people just be them and utilize the principles of right and wrong? Every culture has their "thing" going for them. I'm offended and I'm not even white!

nursej22, MSN, RN · Jul 12, 2020

17 hours ago, NurseBlaq said:
Say what now? There is no way to undo whiteness or any other race. Why can't people just be them and utilize the principles of right and wrong? Every culture has their "thing" going for them. I'm offended and I'm not even white!

I am not sure that utilizing the principles of right and wrong is enough to overcome the mass incarceration, health disparities and other social inequities endured by persons of color. I do however, believe that white people examining these issues and trying to understand institutionalized racism is a step in the right direction.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jul 14, 2020

The Daily Mail UK is viewed in UK as rag magazine website equivalent to NY Post and National Enquirer with misleading articles, especiailly of shock value.

NurseBlaq · Jul 14, 2020

On 7/12/2020 at 8:29 AM, nursej22 said:
I am not sure that utilizing the principles of right and wrong is enough to overcome the mass incarceration, health disparities and other social inequities endured by persons of color. I do however, believe that white people examining these issues and trying to understand institutionalized racism is a step in the right direction.

Agreed but how effective is it if you're trying to force people to not be themselves and shaming them because of their skin color. That's no different than racists targeting nonwhite people for the same thing. It's all steeped in ignorance. People are different, that's just the way it is. Folks need to treat people based on their personalities and actions, that's how I treat people anyway.

NurseBlaq · Jul 14, 2020

5 hours ago, NRSKarenRN said:
The Daily Mail UK is viewed in UK as rag magazine website equivalent to NY Post and National Enquirer with misleading articles, especiailly of shock value.

The Daily Fail is what we call it.

A Hit With The Ladies, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2020

1 hour ago, NurseBlaq said:
Folks need to treat people based on their personalities and actions, that's how I treat people anyway.

But that's the part where the "woke" leftist professional protesters call you a sell-out, a bigot, a racist, a MAGA supporter, and dismissive of The Black Experience. To the cultural Marxists, nothing short of replacing history lessons of Benjamin Franklin with Assata Shakur will suffice in proving that you're "anti-racist".

NurseBlaq · Jul 14, 2020

2 hours ago, A Hit With The Ladies said:
But that's the part where the "woke" leftist professional protesters call you a sell-out, a bigot, a racist, a MAGA supporter, and dismissive of The Black Experience. To the cultural Marxists, nothing short of replacing history lessons of Benjamin Franklin with Assata Shakur will suffice in proving that you're "anti-racist".

Not what I meant at all. History is what it is, but ALL history needs to be taught, not the history of a few, and that includes bigoted history. We know all about certain parts of slavery and the holocaust but nothing about post slavery, such as black wall street, rosewood, etc. And even then, history is told based on the people writing the books, not all of it is accurate.

All that aside, treat people how they treat you. If you get hatefulness from several people, then you need to look in the mirror. Some people you won't/can't get along with and that's fine, just stay away from them. But you can't force people to think/behave/feel a certain way either. If everyone thought the same then we'd be robots, not individual people.

allnurses Guide · Jul 14, 2020

It was a voluntary (non mandatory) class advertised on-line for city employees who "Identify as White". https://www.seattlepi.com/local/komo/article/Segregated-diversity-training-session-at-Seattle-15399209.php

I wouldn't go no matter how I identify. But I'm fortunate to have grown up in a multi racial family. We were taught to follow the Golden Rule.

But Grandma would put a bar of soap in your mouth if you cursed or used a racial slur.

If someone called her "Granny" she would say in a low shaking voice, "DON'T CALL ME GRANNY! "

No one called her that again.