zlacker

Sure, but the history of the term matters in this context & maybe should be taught a little more. Like when we grow up these days, we sorta get the idea that White or Black are these inherent traits that people naturally have and have always had.

We rarely get the chance to see that the idea of whiteness comes from a need of protecting an in-group from exploitation, while excusing and justifying the exploitation of outsiders to that group.

The census is an interesting example because for the first 70 years or so, starting in 1790 the US census had just 3 "race/ethnicity" categories. You could be "Free white male/Free white female", "All other free person" or "Slave". Which is part of the reason for creating the category of whiteness. There's also some really gross stuff right through the 1800s where the census was tracking people with various percentages of "black blood".

https://www.pewresearch.org/interactives/what-census-calls-u...

I suppose I'm just saying that the census, as part of the machinery used to implement and maintain white supremacy, is not necessarily the best authority on race.

>>newmnh+(OP)
dang: there are several informative polite posts on this sub thread voted down to oblivion, perhaps brigaded? These are legitimate ideas, important to the conversation.

>>newmnh+(OP)
I'd love to hear from you newmnhn please email me through my profile. Specifically want to talk Scene On Radio "Seeing White".

>>aklemm+9S1
Also the whole post got flagged and it's title changed this morning. Atleast we were allowed to have discussion for the day. Similar threads on HN were flagged early on within an hour and died silently.