My husband was surfing the net and found a program called “White People.” Knowing my interest in civil rights, he recorded it for me. Tags: documentary, drama, series.
I was soon engrossed in responses to questions like, “How does it feel to be white in your world?” “What are the good things about being white?” “What are the bad things about being white?” This documentary looks at white millennials and discusses how they feel about being white in neighborhoods where they are becoming a minority. What does it mean to be white?
We often hear about how this country needs a conversation about race. But the conversation is usually about those black people. This program is my first encounter with someone, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and filmmaker, Jose Antonio Vargas, who approaches that conversation from the white side. A conversation takes two sides.
“50% of young white Americans think discrimination against whites is as big a problem as discrimination against minorities.” This, by itself, leads to a teachable minute. Obviously the lessons of the past have not been internalized. Their ignorance about the lives of minorities is clear.
Please watch this eye-opener. Once you get through the ads on MTV the “watch” is well worth it. “White People”
My message to the “white minority” is the same as it would be for any minority. Be sure to register and vote!
