The Dark Side of White Privilege

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke

I am afraid to write this. I am afraid to share my honest, rational opinion because it will be tagged as racist, sexist, anti semitic (this list goes on). As a straight, Christian, middle class white male, I have been branded as the enemy of anyone who doesn’t look like me or believe what I believe. I have been assigned my role by the PC Militia, allowed to exist because of the guilt or inaction of the white men who came before me. But the rage against this multicultural machine and their unfounded accusations has been building inside me, and I refuse to sit in my chair anymore, playing my role, and quietly allowing everyone around me to take advantage of the past. So now I stand, tall and strong and loud, and I will defend my right to be heard. I will defend my right to say what I want to say. I AM NOT THE ENEMY.

Hatred. Bigotry. Privilege. Ignorance to the plight of others. “You wouldn’t understand because you’re not __________.” I have heard all these things tossed around with reckless abandon. Without knowing these words’ true meanings (overuse has blanched them to the point of meaninglessness), they are being used to incorrectly describe people like myself who attempt to engage in conversations with the “sensitive diverse.” I’d like to discuss welfare reform, medicare fraud, the exploitation of disability and other forms of government support. I’d like to discuss the core problems at the heart of urban areas, and the drug, pregnancy, financial and educational epidemics that are ruining this country. I’d like to have frank, open conversations that put forth real world solutions for the problems that affect them. But to even recommend that they may be responsible for their own problems is tantamount to social blasphemy. I am afraid to point my finger at them and say that they are all capable of lifting themselves up from their own miserable lives and participating in the same benefits of lifestyle as the ones they blame. But the entitlement culture has infected all aspects of modern life.

Political correctness has overshadowed free speech and common sense. But the PC axe only swings one way. Why is it okay to say “white guy”, “straight”, or “Christian” in dismissive tones? Why is it okay to openly make passive/ aggressive jokes about the kind of person I am? While even the slightest slight about non-White, non-male, non-Christians is met with shock and awe? Modern comedy seems to be the only surviving vestige of free speech left in this country, but even that is tongue-in-cheek – and the PC pendulum allows for white Betas to make their weak, passive self-race-deprecating jokes. But if a MWM (married white male) wants to discuss to a culture/ race/ gender identity/ religion/ lifestyle different from their own, the PC Militia immediately mobilizes and examines every word/ phrase/ gesture for its meaning, intended or imagined. How can anyone help make a change while blindfolded, gagged and restrained? This sham, perpetuated by inaction on both sides, has gone on too long.

BLACK  vs. WHITE

Blacks readily accept their ghettos, lack of education, thirty year old grandparents, rampant drug use, poor health, and “thug” lifestyle, content to be supported – yet complain about it. Whites are happy to watch fellow humans destroy themselves in a tornado of drugs, crime and complacency, yet complain when the tornado touches down in their neighborhood.

Black people are quick to blame their problems on white people. The race card has been played out. Like the boy who cried wolf, the “white privilege” cry has become the “red scare” of our generation. I never got my ass kicked by a cop – it must be my white privilege. Nevermind the fact that I’ve never committed a crime. Do you want to know how I avoid suspicion from cops? I don’t do anything worth suspicion. Want to know how I avoid a life of crime? I work hard for what I have, and go without what I want – until I can afford it. I make no excuses for my inadequacies, and make a concerted effort to repair them on my own. I refuse to wait around for someone to hand things to me. I refuse to complain when I don’t receive free things. It must be my white privilege.

Are you angry? Are you googling me to find someone to complain to? Good, I’ve got you riled up and that’s my whole point. Good men say nothing for fear of that “racist” label. It gets people fired, disgraced and ignored. Yet I fear that label is too big and is silencing the voices of people with good intentions, true compassion and real solutions. I am talking about a culture of poor people, probably involved in the justice system somehow, possibly suffering from an addiction, out of work, broken families, etc. Do I mean that this applies to ALL black people? Do I mean this NEVER happens to white people? Of course not. Because I am rational, and not quick to judge. These people are the problem. Not just blacks, or hispanics or white trash; but ALL system-manipulating, bottom-feeders that siphon billions of dollars a year in federal, state, local and private money. We waste that money on food, housing, correctional facilities and healthcare on people who have no greater ambition than to be a leech on society. They have voluntarily accepted that role. It is a reality, not a racist creation, that blacks, hispanics and white trash are the bulk of those leeches. Those are facts. Look them up. And stop blaming white privilege.

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

The same fear that made me nervous at the beginning of this article permeates every aspect of life. Every public official. Every news anchor. Everybody who writes anything about the modern problems has this forcibly installed filter limiting their true opinions, and even their ability to give true facts. The liberal media puts out false facts and candy-coated numbers to provide a distraction from the reality of the ruination of our already fragile society. Think about the backlash against Donald Trump and his stance on immigration. He wants to prevent illegal aliens from coming to this country, committing crimes, and receiving Obamacare. How is that a bad thing? Has he suggested he wouldn’t accept legal immigration? No. But the liberal solution is to brand him a racist, protest his gatherings and paint fangs on his posters. The monsterization of outspoken freethinkers has handicapped three generations of white men. Our freedom of speech, our pride in our heritage and even our right to defend ourselves has been denied to the point of absurdity, and allowed to continue under the guise of fairness when it is really anything but. So where exactly is our white privilege?

The muzzling of the conservative does not only apply to white men. I have personally seen black men in positions of authority branded as “Uncle Toms” when their realistic expectations or policy execution clash with their “brothers.” It’s somehow even more disturbing to witness the complete de-evolution of common sense turn colorblind. The bright side of that is it proves that the gravity of the issue does not truly lie in race. The expectation of political correctness, both spoken and unspoken, extends to everyone. Yet politically correct seems like a misnomer  – entitlement allowance seems like a better term.

WHITE IS ALT-RIGHT

Anyone who pays attention to politics since 2008 knows the state of the Republican party. The primary reason that power hungry Clinton and socialist Sanders are promising any kind of threat in the post-Obama era is that the flag of the Republican party is tattered and hangs limply even in the whirlwind of this election. The conservatives, who should be standing united against another liberal four year catastrophe, have become a fractured group of teenagers shooting spitballs at each other, standing behind poor excuses for candidates. In a time when one man should stand before us and take control of this rudderless ship we once called America, we stand embarrassed and witness the previews of the new reality show coming to Cleveland in July of 2016.

The one group of conservatives that shows any promise of securing a worthwhile future (yes, comprised mostly of straight, white Christian males) is the so-called Alt-Right. This group of mostly younger men, fed up with the entrenched career politicians chosen to speak for us by our limp-wristed forefathers and the “cuckservatives” who have been content to kowtow to the liberal masses, are finally taking a stand and speaking their minds. Unfortunately, the media and liberal screamers have branded this group as racist, sexist, homophobic antisemites. While it is true that the Alternative Right is grounded in tradition and strong opinions, this group is far from the privileged, neo-nazi comparison that has been placed unfairly upon them. Admittedly, I do not identify with this group 100% – yet I feel that stifling their voices and denying their right to take pride in their beliefs and traditions is a far more dangerous path to walk, by far, than permitting the continuation of the path we currently walk. In a society that is open to all points of view, and with the application of the Socratic method of problem solving, I believe the Alt-Right is far closer to a viable solution than any other group with a significant number of followers.

THE MODIFIED RIGHT

In the end, for me, even the Alt-Right seems like a difficult wagon to hitch. The PC media has already branded it as a rogue underdog. (And I despise the ‘underdog’.) And, honestly, I don’t agree with them on every issue. But their core concepts and primary goals are both urgently needed and within reach today. In a form of rebranding (another hipster word I’m not particularly fond of), I’d love to launch a movement I’ve begun calling the Mod-Right. A reworked, more inclusive branch of alternative conservatism. The question remains, will I also be ostracized by my fellow conservatives? Will I become a target of the PC militia? Will I be branded as a rogue? Will my white privilege disqualify my opinions because I’m not ________(fill in the blank)? Has my white privilege turned into a Blockbuster membership? The only privilege I enjoy is freedom. All other aspects of my life are due to my work ethic, my great family, and participation in a lawful society. I’ve earned everything I have, and I’m not ashamed of any of it. I have pride in my heritage, in my achievements, and of who I am. What some call privilege, I call earned. But handouts and reparations are not earned, they are the death-rattle of America. So maybe everyone’s views need to be modified. Because the dark side of privilege ends not in a pot of gold, but in a cooperative group of hard-working, determined men, ready to do what needs to be done.

High Infidelity

Marriage is a largely broken institution. Yet, there are nearly 2.1 million new marriages every year, even the LGBT community is clamoring for the right to marry, and the wedding industry earns 40 billion dollars a year. Statistics vary on the facts of divorce, but the general consensus is 40 to 50% of marriages end in divorce. So why do people get married?

Kids, often too early conceived, are probably the most popular wrong reason for marriage. Pressure is another popular bad reason. He feels pressure from her, family, friends, society, etc. Or she feels pressure from the others, then presses him. A few marriages are based on business. It can be a beneficial decision to combine living space and incomes, the tax breaks and other benefits also look good to business-minded couples. Gay marriage may be entered into simply as a statement to society. As you can presume, none of these above reasons make for a solid groundwork for a marriage. Love is the only good reason. Marriage can be hard; it can be damn difficult in fact. But without the foundation of love and respect, it will not last. Plain and simple.

I think of marriage as a garden. Like growing up, it takes work to prepare before anything happens. Like dating, it takes work to plant the seed. Like falling in love, it takes work to water and feed the fledgling plants. Like staying in love, a garden once fully blossomed requires daily attention to keep it beautiful. But not a lot of work. Like a garden, you need to love marriage. You need to love your significant other. You need to place their needs and wants on at least the same plane as your needs and wants. Until you can do this, you are not ready; and a lasting marriage will not be possible. But merely working all day in your garden isn’t great either. What good is having a garden if you can’t sit back and enjoy it’s beauty?

The divorce statistics are not the whole story however. Relationships, including marriage, fail for many reasons. Money is always a contender for the primary reason. Adultery and cheating are the other top reasons. Cheating is something I have never understood. I was raised in a family where my parents stayed married, and never cheated on one another. I know this is not the typical American childhood. But as I got older and began dating, I never considered cheating on a girlfriend. If my thoughts or desires began to stray from who I was with, I spent time thinking about it, and either broke it off or focused on who I was with. Now that I am married, I take my vows seriously. Til death do us part. I can’t promise that she will always feel that way. But I will never seek a divorce in the future. I love my wife more than anything, and I try to let her know that everyday. Our life and our marriage is no Nicholas Sparks novel, but every Rom-Com is Hollywood bullshit. The real world is a hard son of a bitch constantly trying to tear couples apart. Being faithful to your partner is one of the few aspects you have control over.

I have been cheated on. And it hurt, at the time. Hindsight reveals that person wasn’t worth it. But cheating hurts. Obviously, it hurts the one being cheated on. But what kept running through my mind when I had thoughts of another girl, was what kind of person I would be if I cheated. I have pride in the person I am. I have broke off bad relationships, but I was always honest with them why I did it. I can proudly say I have never cheated on anybody.

With the gay community having recently “won” the ability to legally marry, marriage has become a big topic again. Churches and right-wingers are angry and very against it. Left-wingers and social media addicts are all excited about it. I don’t understand either sides thoughts. I don’t know why anyone else’s marriage should matter to anyone else. Gays getting married does not change my marriage at all. And the legal marriage has nothing to do with faith or church. The Roman Catholic will not acknowledge a Greek Orthodox marriage; I see no difference. And if gay couples want to legally tether themselves to another person, so be it. It’s a dying idea as it is. It would be similar to paying a lot of money for stock in Blockbuster Video.

I believe the idea of marriage needs to be overhauled from a government perspective. Your first marriage would be a 2-year contract. You pay your fee, and stay married for two years. At the end of two years, you can go your separate ways, no harm no foul, splitting money and possessions as defined by the required prenuptial agreement. Or you can renew for another two years. After ten years, you can opt for a lifetime license. It would be a mandatory renewing of vows. I know this seems harsh, and perhaps too cold or legal when talking about love. But ask anyone who married for the wrong reasons and went through a divorce how that went. Talk about cold and legal.

I’ll end with this thought. Do what works for you. I love being married. My wife and I seem to be pretty good at it. As a married guy, I am not scared of any two consenting adults getting married. But it would sure be nice if people who got married, stayed married. Love is the only necessary ingredient for marriage. Recipes can vary from house to house. Marriage works for me. If anyone has the chance to find happiness in love, I hope they take it, and take it seriously. The world needs more love.

I’m Prestor John, and change is good.

Who Really Runs The World?

Who Really Runs The World?

My inspiration for this post comes from Facebook, of all places. My personal Facebook feed is amass with right-wing complaints about the state of this country and anger at Obama. Fears of increased gun-control and legalizing marijuana and gay-marriage clog up my stupid feed. (Honestly, I don’t know why I still have a personal Facebook account. I can’t imagine a bigger waste of time. However, it is nice to see old friends and coworkers and see what their up to; other than that, I should just delete the damn thing.)

A quick review for those new to my blog. I have tested “moderate” on every political test I have ever taken. But I’m not down the middle like most moderates. I have some strong conservative leanings, and some strong liberal leanings. I think the two party system is stupid, outdated and fundamentally useless. We no longer talk about land expansion and the ‘native problem’ because that time in our country has passed. As it turns out, things change with the passage of time. The Republican and Democratic parties are hangers-on in a time of change. Liberals are incredibly naive about the likelihood of government assistance continuing as it is and has, and they need to realize that the corruption in their systems is rampant. Too many people taking too much advantage has created a lazy and complacent lower class; yet they somehow afford cell phones, blu-ray, and designer clothes. The lower class has become the crime class. Drugs and theft are not easier than legal, tax-paying jobs, but they make more money and the hours are better. And this isn’t really a secret. Republicans, on the other hand, seem to have hand-cuffed themselves to the support pole for the old homestead. Don’t take my guns. Don’t let gays get married. Stop giving money to the lower class. But hey, keep the billions flowing to me and my cronies up here in the one percent. There used to be all kinds of political parties in this country. The alternate parties grew out of time and necessity. They would challenge the old ways and introduce new life into a failing political eco-system. Our current two party system is old and worked into the bedrock now of this country. Water and time and carve through rock, but dynamite changes it drastically. Who’s got a match?

Sounds like I’m gonna go off on a political rant, right? No. I don’t care about politics. I can’t discuss it. But, to me, politics is more of a sport. Players on a field and we only get to see a few minutes of it. We do not get to see the work and preparation; more like back room deals and alliances formed. But, like sports, in the end it is essentially useless. Instead of trophies and parades, there are offices and titles. Media all over everyone; the one true constant. Give us dirty laundry. I don’t care about politics. I support gay marriage. I dislike increased gun control and regulations. I am for legalizing marijuana. I encourage harsher penalties for drug users, dealers and makers.

Allow me to finally get to my point. None of the above matters. Politics and Presidents, it doesn’t matter. Blaming Bush or Obama is like blaming the weather man for the weather. Obama just kinda stands there and says, “Well, here’s what happened yesterday. And here’s what we think will happen tomorrow. But we’re not really sure.” Don’t get me wrong. Obama, Bush, Clinton; they’ve all screwed up plenty of things. They are not faultless. But, ultimately, it doesn’t matter. These men and women do not control anything; not really. The truth is, the people who actually run this country, this world, will never stand in front of us. You will never know their names. They will never be listed, profiled and attributed to a list of good or bad things they have done. They pull the strings and never reveal themselves. They are the one percent of the one percent.

The idea that governments run their own countries and then the world is naive. Sorry. You cast your vote, and it means nothing. You vote, which goes into the popular vote. Then the electoral college makes their vote based on that, but does not necessarily have to go along with the popular vote. Then a president is elected. This man, maybe a woman in the future, acts as one of three branches of the US government. But to assume he (she) leads based on what is best for the people is foolish. He (she) is swayed by many factors, least of which is widespread benefit for 400 million Americans. But do not make the mistake of believing this means he (she) has any actual power. The power mazes out at what these silent, invisible one percenters allow him (her) to have. It’s not really up to him. What good is money when power is the real driving force. What good is the right to bare arms when drones can just carpet bomb us into oblivion. We are allowed to live because we still have some purpose to Them. Useless, we’d be cut off and left to fend for ourselves. If we were seen as a threat, we’d be destroyed. Simple as that. It’s a bummer of a realization, but no less true. Our only hope, is that we will continue to be of use to those few with real power. The only remaining option for real independence is to remove these people, or radically change the current social structure. Can you say ‘Apocalypse’?

I’m Prestor John, and change is good. And maybe a little scary.

America and the Lack of Cultural Identity

As a “red-blooded American male”, I will not speak much of non-American shifts in gender roles. My only real opinion of non-Americans is they basically seem to be more rooted in the traditional take on gender roles. Admitting right off the bat that I am not well-read in statistics (if such things are done) my theory on the reason for non-American adherence to gender roles is cultural purity. Most European, South American, African and Asian nations (including Western Asia, ie – Russia) are ethnically similar in numbers for the past few centuries. Immigration to these nations has not had near the numbers of the US and Canada since the start of the 1700’s. Most of these nations have much more than 250 years of history and culture behind them, and furthermore they are limited to basically one line of history. The US, on the other hand, is not even 230 years old as a free and sovereign nation. Originally occupied by native American tribes, North America was settled by Spanish and British explorers, then eventually French settlers. Before the Civil War, a large number of African slaves (once freed) added even more diversity to this developing melting pot. The late 1800’s saw a large population boom as the US expanded west and south, as Island Europeans and Eastern Europeans sailed over in droves. Around the same time, and ongoing today is ever-growing Hispanic population, coming north from neighboring Mexico and all the way down into South America.

While this country can claim to be great because of its diversity and freedoms, the other side of the coin must be acknowledged. The country has no long ago history, save for the little documented native history, but their numbers are infinitesimal due to the unfortunate eradication and relocation of this continent’s original masters. Sociologically speaking, their rich and colorful history cannot adequately describe the average American’s cultural heritage. And that is the problem. No one story can. People commonly identify themselves as (insert Country or Continent here)-Americans. They borrow the idea of heritage from a country they have probably never been to. How many people do you know who can claim only one foreign country as their heritage. Chances are, not many. At the risk of sounding insensitive, there is no more racial purity. Most Americans are mutts. Most white people are an incalculable blend of European nations. African Americans (thanks to long dead Dutch slavers) cannot trace their own lineage past the southern slave markets pre-Civil War. Then there is the fact of multi-racial breeding. I have to acknowledge this as a factor for aberrations. This iss simply a fact. Black and white, white and asian, etc. This further multiplies the possibility of changes and differences to occur in newer generations. America is the strongest example of what happens when: one, there is no ancient, stand out history to base the culture on; two, cultural purity is all but eliminated; and three, the mere mention of cultural pride or purity is instantly met with misunderstanding then guilted into suppression.

America used to be the leader of the world in politics, economics, technology and social freedoms. But, one could argue, decades of mismanagement and the long term effects of the “melting pot mentality” has boiled our rich and diverse flavor into an indigestible stew that has been turning bad for a while now. Pretty soon, no one will want to deal with our Melted Pot.

Heads Up Penny

The genesis of Loose Change was a conversation with a friend and fellow blogger regarding article length for a blog. My main blog, Prestor John Blog, is admittedly long-winded. These articles run in the neighborhood of three to four thousand words. He advised me to keep my articles short, for the ease of the reader. Unfortunately, the average internet reader has no more attention span than a housefly.

While I refuse to change my approach to Pretor John Blog, I created Loose Change to be easily digested and act, hopefully, as a bridge to my longer, deeper thoughts. So, enjoy this one. I plan on attacking smaller ideas here, while honing my skills as a writer.

I’m Prestor John, and a little change is good.