Andrea, I am not using the word white as one single
category.  I actually don't like it.  Just as much as
I dislike the idea that people might use the term
brown as in "that brown woman".  When you describe the
governor in Mass. and his identification with "his
people" and the value of status (what school you went
to) I really hear you.  I have heard from some people
who live there (my husband's family), please correct
me if I am wrong, that in the Northeast, more so than
in the South, status might be more important than mere
wealth, a huge house and cars and trips.  They don't
always go together. 

For the purpose of identifying a personal feeling I
chose to state that maybe you can find  easier to tap
into privilege related to a color (granted that I know
the best term is ethnicity, thinking of the Jewish
question) when you are not "white".  Previously in my
post I had mentioned ethnicity.  And no, I don't see
things as white or black or brown.  Again, class and
other variables matter.  

Sincerely,
Nadia


--- Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> wrote:


> Hi Katherine--

> 

> I live in a very mixed city--some ultra rich who

> live in big houses on 

> the oldest city street.  I doubt that many of these

> people are "white" 

> as you describe, they are likely to be people who

> made a lot of 

> money--sometimes gigantic amounts--and bought in

> this area.  Other 

> areas are Portugeuse, Irish-Italian, Black--American

> and Haitiian.

> 

> I sat behind our state governor, Deval Patrick, at

> the Bob Moses speech 

> I talked about, and I KNOW he sees 'his people"

> first in a crowd;  I 

> could feel it.  He blended right in to an audience

> of about 85% 

> "black."

> 

> The big farms with very "white' people (as you

> describe) owning them 

> are up on our north shore.  Farms + horses = "very

> white."

> 

> There are many many different markers that help me

> "place" people in 

> our local culture.

> 

> I don't use terms like "neo-Marxist" because it

> clouds the picture I am 

> seeing--I feel it is like putting an obscuring lens

> in front of my 

> eyes.  I can tell where people come from and often

> approx. how much 

> money they have simply by observing, I don't need

> this label.

> 

> The old line Yankees in New England often live very

> modestly, actually, 

> even if they have large bank accounts.  I am used to

> asking (as are 

> others) 'What was her maiden name?"  The woman's

> birth name is a 

> gigantic marker.  Oh, and "What school did you go

> to?" is also a 

> gigantic marker--it usually means what private high

> school.  Deval 

> Patrick went to Milton Academy, which I think

> accounts for much of his 

> election victory--he was a "safe black" candidate,

> even if he came from 

>   poor in Chicago.

> 

> Andrea

> 

> ----------------------------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy mailing list

> PovertyRaceWomen at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings,

> please go to

>

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/povertyracewomen

>