Really? That didn't come through. It seems to be presented as fact.

June, maybe July of 2007.

Jesus, that's practically like having someone kill your dog in front of you.

Madonna is that bitch you know whose online profile pic is from 10 years and 15 pounds ago.

Celebrities are the most insufferable people in the world. Who was even asking for a new Madonna album in the first place? Get over yourself. Your album will sell just fine regardless.

People need to stop comparing things to rape, there is truly nothing like it. Can Madonna honestly sit down, look a rape victim in the eye and say "I know exactly what you're going through, one time my album was leaked online."

I totally understand how Madonna feels. I dropped my pen today and was a little sore from yesterday's workout. Picking it up involved an ordeal the likes of which nobody can truly understand (especially not men, who are scientifically proven to be shitty at empathy). I now understand what it's like to be the victim of…

Madonna!

It's a valid point, but on the other hand we are all part of the system - members of a society which allows institutional racism to exist. We are all part of the problem, regardles of whether we show empathy or not.

Whatever you're trying to say, you didn't.

I think that is the point. Expressing empathy or agreement is not the same thing as accepting responsibility for privilege and doing something to actively combat injustice. As a "good white person," I am guilty of this myself. I don't know what to do about it, but the author makes a good point.

An altruistic place, eh? Yet it's been proven time and time again that altruism is rarely as "altruistic" as people like to claim.

YES. Sometimes expressing empathy means lifting the voices of the silenced. Sometimes expressing solidarity is best done by boosting the signals society seems fit to ignore. Each to their abilities and resources - and this commenter has the resource of priviliege. Being asked to use it thoughtfully is not being told…

it's not that we're telling you to shut up. It's more that you already have such a powerful voice so if you could use that voice to elevate the voice of minorities would be a much better use of your power.

Then why did you write that comment about what a good white person you are, and not once but twice "refusing to apologize"? Treating all your students equally and teaching them to respect each other is what is expected of you, not something that you need to be rewarded for, or that absolves you from needing to listen…

Either you have zero reading comprehension skills or you are 100% just reaching for something to be offended by at this point. I suspect its the latter and it's actually a little embarrassing to read.

I think you may have missed the point: "good white people" are those who believe their good intentions trump the effects of their biases on black people's experiences. You are being defensive and seem to be asking for credit for not being consciously racist.

But every single thing you've posted has done nothing except try to make this about you and your contributions to good whiteness. I mean that in the royal sense too. And, yes, I would've said the same things to all of those people, because the death of Matthew Shepard was not about straight people. It's not that hard…

In life, it's generally a good rule of thumb to remember that it's actually RARELY about you.