Yes indeed, bro. The phrase “white men built this country” is racist.
Unearned senses of superiority keep America…what’s the word…America’ing.
Reposting from my site.
Lots of angry white dudes out there these days. For many, anger might the only thing they have left.
Wages have stagnated. Jobs have been automated. On top of that, more than a few of these dudes are constipated.
And despite all of the stresses put upon them by the 1%, these fellas will reply to talk about income inequality with preachy retorts like, “No poor man ever gave me a job.” and “Cut corporate taxes even more. They’ll use that money to create jobs. You do know that they’re called ‘Job Creators’, right?”
They say words like these while sticking their chins defiantly forward and planting each foot in the ground, eyes narrowing, nostrils flaring.
Welcome to the time in history when white dudes utter servile, bootlicking phrases using their best toughguy voices.
It makes sense why this crowd gets so torqued when others state that white men did not single-handedly “build” America. Like I said, their negative emotional state and misplaced sense of indignation might possibly be the only things that they have left. They’re hanging on to that nonsense with all they’ve got.
Hey, fellas at the top: at least name some of your Cayman Islands bank accounts after the financially-disenfranchised who still believe in Trickle-Down Economics. I mean, look at them. These people even today are defending you all, breaking their minds in two coming up with rationalizations for your concerted efforts to extract more wealth. The tax cuts that benefited you and hosed them — the Fox News/Alex Jones crowd appears to be even more excited about these than you are. They’re going to die earlier to ensure that you will live longer. They’ll croak wearing “I’m a team player” smiles on their faces. As long as you show off your yachts and new wives so they can live vicariously through you a little before their early deaths, they seem to be on board with the plan.
But at least throw ’em a bone. C’mon.
Ways out. I know you all won’t be generous with the minions.
You understand that those folks have their Americana lore to keep them charged up. These days, white-centric propaganda keeps that crowd thundering foward.
Too bad the propaganda is bullshit. Not only is it bullshit, but phrases like “White men built this country” also insult and demean the contributions of so many fellow citizens’ cultural heritages. Yes, it’s racist.
Slaves from Africa built America’s agricultural foundation — America could not have started without slave labor. Chinese immigrants constructed the transcontinental railroad which connected different parts of the country. Migrants from Latin America have helped “Make America Great” in countless ways. Then there were the Native Americans who were here “building” their own societies long before white men sailed over and gave them blankets laced with smallpox. As much as we’ve tried to eradicate their legacy, Native Americans still put their own mark on this country — even helping to save it, despite the way this country treated them.
This list could easily continue and recognize so many more areas of the world who sent people here, only to see them add to this place.
And think: I haven’t even touched on how the phrase “White Men Built This Country” insults women. Women of every race and religious creed helped “build” America just as much as men did.
But it’s worth repeating: all these white males have left is the misplaced sense of pride that fills them with giddiness as they negate others’ importance.
If these types of white men want to utter a more accurate phrase, they could say: “White Men Profiteered While This Country Built Itself.”
Or: “A Few White Men Made A Killing Off of The Building of This Country.”
Or: “Aristocratic-Wannabe White Men Got Rich As This Country Got Built While Others Died Off Early.”
Or, this is my favorite: “A Small Group of White Men Used Everyone Else To Get Rich And All I Got Was This Lame T-Shirt.”
Of course, none of those phrases sound gigantic or amazing or superhero-esque, do they?
Stupid reality.
I’ll end this one with a quote from another President.
“If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”
— Lyndon Baines Johnson
Could you see Don ever saying words this profound?
I have other posts about similar subjects. Check ’em out.
• So Facebook slaps me with a 30-day ban for using the term “white trash.” Would “caucasian garbage” be an acceptable alternative?
• In cyberspace, no one can hear you scream.
• 2016: white spite found its white knight.
• America will so rock at this fascism thing. Trust me: I wrote four books in the 2010s.
• Alan Berg: hi from Earth. Part II.
• America is engaged in a cold war with itself. It held a third-rate military parade to prove the point.
I write fiction and have two dark comedies available, Fearkiller (Volume 1) and Notes from Trillionaire Island: Fearkiller (Volume 2), as well as Revolutionizer Alpha, the first book in a sci-fi series. I also wrote a story about God. It was weird, but then I decided to make the story and its sequel free. And all of the sudden, it didn’t seem as weird. Writing about God is much less weird when you write about God without charging money for it. Here’s my professional site, my trade.
