It's just white people problems

I want to talk about "white people problems," as that was just thrown at me in a conversation. I think it was used as a negative. As if I care too much about "white people problems" or that caring about them is wrong. I won't apologize for caring about my neighborhood. This chart is an example of what happens when you say a certain group's problems don't matter.

White people problems shouldn't be dismissed or scorned. That's the dilemma. Honestly, I think that is how we got Trump. (I know many of my friends think that's great, so just humor the idea for a second for those who think it is horrible). We have wealthy and privileged white people who live in their elitist bubbles, beguiled into thinking that all white people are like them -- wealthy and privileged with good jobs and great opportunities. They turn around and tell white people to shut up about their problems because they view white people through their own myopic privileged lens. The white person with problems has been made to feel inferior just for having problems. Think the rural Midwest with abandoned factories. This is why the privileged white, middle age man is killing himself at a startling rate. "White males accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in 2016." That's a problem. They are told these other problems are more important. They aren't provided with help or hope. But to a person struggling with a problem, the problem they are facing is most important.

Let's care about all problems. Even problems that may have been pushed under the rug. Problems that may be deemed unacceptable to talk about. What problems are we allowed to talk about and not be socially scorned addressing? What problems are we not allowed to talk about? Why aren't we allowed to talk about certain problems? Why are some problems en vogue to be talked about? Hip to be talked about? Like you make a video and people love it because it addresses those problems? And that's a good thing. Like we celebrate talking about those problems. Bringing light to those problems. But then we turn around as a society and say that you must be silent on other problems. And that, in itself, is a problem. Let's not tell people to shut up about their problems. Instead, encourage them to bring them to light. Try to understand their problems. Listen to their voice.

What white person problem do you care about? Can I even talk about white people's problems? And is it even helpful to throw race into the problem conversation? Should we phrase these problems in racial language? Does phrasing them in racial language help solve them? Like are you more likely to address a white person problem before a black person problem? Or vice versa? Why is that?

How about we just say that we are going to care for all problems? And if black people start a movement called Black Lives Matter, we learn to hear their problems and try to address them with changes that we can bring about to the best of our ability. We listen and help. And if white people have problems, we do the same. Look at that chart again. There is a problem.

I am here to listen and help with your problem. Let's find something to have hope in.

Source for quote: https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/

Another additional quote: "In a follow-up to their groundbreaking 2015 work, they say that a lack of steady, well-paying jobs for whites without college degrees has caused pain, distress and social dysfunction to build up over time. The mortality rate for that group, ages 45 to 54, increased by a half percent each year from 1999 to 2013. But whites with college degrees haven't suffered the same lack of economic opportunity and haven't seen the same loss of life expectancy. The study was published Thursday in Brookings Papers on Economic Activity." https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/23/521083335/the-forces-driving-middle-aged-white-peoples-deaths-of-despair