I am white. In skin color. My background is more diverse as I come from Jewish, European and Middle Eastern origins. My ancestors came to this country in the late 1800s and lived poor, in the North East of the US. I have some friends who feel "white" guilt and shame about what "white" people have done throughout recent history and slavery in the US more specifically. Most of my white friends don't feel this at all and they all have a very good understanding of history and race relations. I have met some people who feel "white" people should feel guilt and shame over that..... my question is why? It seems utterly ridiculous to me to feel those emotions about this subject. I get the idea of "white" privilege also, and agree it exists across the globe in different instances, but while it might be global it is by no means universal. But for the life of me I don't know why I should feel bad, or any more bad than empathy would suggest, for something I have 0 connection to and to people who are long dead who again I have no connection to. Also, I don't see myself as "white". I don't see myself as any race as race is not a scientific construct. I see myself as genetically this or that as my DNA would dictate, but that is the extent of my historical identity. Why is this different for other communities?
