Guilty of Being White Lyrics
For something that I didn't do
Lynched somebody
But I don't know who
You blame me for slavery
A hundred years before I was born
Of a racist crime
I've only served
Nineteen years of my time
Look getting beat up, or harassed due to your skin color, is screwed up no matter what your skin color might be. Racism is racism, no matter what the configuration.
The fact that some people on here are basically saying that certain forms of racism should be tolerated, because 'some people have it easier than others', is a pretty f**ked up argument when you think about it.
Look: I'm not saying over all, that its not much easier to be white rather than black, because I'm sure it is. Then again, I'm sure its much easier to be President Obama, than an impoverishment white kid from Jersey too.
My point is, is that ALL forms of racism should never be tolerated. The fact that some of you believe that the protagonist doesn't even have a right to express his emotions over being picked on, due to his race, is a form of racism in itself. Think about it.
Anyway, if we all just had each other's back, we could seriously end racism tomorrow.
Anyway, if we all just had each other's back, we could seriously end racism tomorrow.
However, as long we insist on "keeping score", we're only going to perpetrate the same cycle of hate and resentment started by our ancestors centuries ago.
However, as long we insist on "keeping score", we're only going to perpetrate the same cycle of hate and resentment started by our ancestors centuries ago.
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Racism is wrong no matter who's doing it, That's all I'm saying.
Racism is wrong no matter who's doing it, That's all I'm saying.
What do you mean by "keeping score"? I mean, if you're saying what I think you are, then I have to ask: how are we ever going to solve inequalities if we don't acknowledge them?
What do you mean by "keeping score"? I mean, if you're saying what I think you are, then I have to ask: how are we ever going to solve inequalities if we don't acknowledge them?
This is getting a little of track, but what you said reminds me of the whole "color blind" thing, wherein white people think they're being progressive/helpful by pretending they don't "see" race/skin color, when really all they're doing is making things more convenient for themselves whilst erasing a vital part of people's identity.
This is getting a little of track, but what you said reminds me of the whole "color blind" thing, wherein white people think they're being progressive/helpful by pretending they don't "see" race/skin color, when really all they're doing is making things more convenient for themselves whilst erasing a vital part of people's identity.
And not to nitpick, but for you to compare "keeping score" as you call it, to SLAVERY is well.... not something I can agree with. Like, at all.
And not to nitpick, but for you to compare "keeping score" as you call it, to SLAVERY is well.... not something I can agree with. Like, at all.
I'm sorry, but you are WAAAY off. He's talking about how racism of any kind is bad. It's about his experiences in a 70% black highschool, where he and his white friends often took abuse for things like slavery, segreegation, etc. when they clearly had nothing to do with any of those things. He's basically just trying to say that racism is racism, it doesn't matter who does it.
well, i think this song is trying to point out how although most white people of this day and age never participated in the slave trade , they still get blamed for it. my family didnt even live in this country until the early 1900's. everyone is prejudice in their own way, but this is just pointing out how there is a reverse discrimination going on. now "all white people are evil because they must be racist against black people" so they are "guilty of being white"
Okay, I lived in a predominantly black school system while growing up, and was bullied for it. That's what this song is about. Evil is evil, prejudice is prejudice, no matter who does it. All the idiots here going on about white privilege really need to shut the fuck up, the idea of white privilege is exactly what the "guilty of being white" is about. Talking about white privilege as an absolute is dumb because there is no one thing that dominates all, American society is not perfectly homogenous. There are times, places, and situations where what was the minority on the large scale becomes the majority in the small scale. White man's guilt isn't going to fix the problem, it just breeds more racism.
In Steven Blush's book American Hardcore: A Tribal History, Iam MacKaye comments on this song. He says it is about his life growing up in DC, where HE was the minority. During history class, while studying the slave trade, he would be beaten up after class for something he had no part of. Also, Slayer covered this song, but they changed the last line to "guilty of being right!" which offended Ian with it's pretty blatant racism. Well, that's all for now.
Being a skinhead does not mean you are a racist; that's just an inaccurate generalization the media has been making since the skinhead movement started. They have been around longer than punk rock. It started in the late 60's/early 70's with British football fans who wanted to be involved in something other than the Mod movement that was going on at the time.
Let's end this subject on slayer. They definitely NOT racist, tom araya is from Chile and Dave lombardo is cuban.
I agree with this song 110 percent. Double standards FTL.
Also, the Slayer rewrite was only meant to create controversy. They aren't Nazis.
Also, the Slayer rewrite was only meant to create controversy. They aren't Nazis.
Heh, I find it funny how people go around calling each other morons, when they can't even use the right word. It's YOU'RE, not YOUR, jackass.
I attended a forum in which Ian Mackaye was the keynote speaker and he said that he regretted being so specific in this song because [skinheads/racists] changed the meaning of this song to something that he didn't intend at all.