RogerBy Roger the Scanner Guy
I was rereading an old interview with the author Marlon James the otter day when I saw the essay “Walking While Black” by Garnette Cadogan mentioned and I remember I meant to read it once but had more important things to do at the time so I put it off. Seeing the mention again I decided to Google it and read it. I did read it and it made me see what I was blind to before. I never understood White Privilege and I hate people who toss it in my face just because I am white. Who in the HELL are they to assume I have had it better than others just because I am a White Male? I have had a rough life not even Chris Rock would like to trade places with me. For people who grew up as I did with abuse it would be hard, damn near impossible to see where there has been any Privilege in their lives.
But then I read the essay “Walking While Black” by Garnette Cadogan and my eyes were opened. I have walked in some really rough places too in my time Gary, Indiana for almost 50 Bucks and a dare at 3 in the morning for one though I knew what I was getting myself into. I prepared myself by getting very drunk and I don’t remember much but I remember some and doing it did not prove to anyone that I have the biggest “set” in Lake County Indiana only that I was crazy, and Drunk and I never would have walked through Gary, Indiana sober. “Walking while White” in America is nothing compared to “Walking While Black” in America not even in Gary, Indiana plus I only did it once. There were many other places I walked in the middle of the night dangerous places though if I was Black instead of white for sure I would be dead of that I have no doubt and that is where my White Privilege lies. So now I must admit I have White Privilege though I don’t want it, everyone is equal in my book. I believe in Coexistence even with others who don’t believe in it which is kinda weird I guess. The essay has more to do with run-ins with the police and I haven’t had many that were that bad just because of the color of my skin. However, I have been beaten up because I am white, slashed with a knife and raped because I am white, almost drowned because of the color of my skin, almost murdered once because of the color of my skin. It’s a good thing I had a gun that day or I would not be here. I have had my unprivileged times too during those times. I had no privilege at all though they had nothing to do white “Walking or with the police.” I guess all of us are privileged in different ways.
Here are your scanner reports.
Scanner Reports, Friday:
- SBPD “Frank” Units were in the 1200 Block of State street on FRYday Morning running subjects for Wants and Warrants and pulled in a moderate size catch. I only heard one I am sure there were more the one I heard was a domestic violence violation, no bail warrant.
- Traffic Accident with injuries 400 Block of South Salinas, Vehicle vs Pedestrian.
- Drinker of alcohol at Crown Liquor 2 North Milpas.
- 415 Domestic 200 Block of West Arrellaga.
- 300 Block of Garden street on an illegal camp.
- Suspicious Circumstances did not say what 900 Block of State street.
- Trespasser walking North on the Rail Road Tracks near Mission street Police followed and discovered a Camp alongside the railroad tracks. I wonder if there is more than one?
- Santa Monica at Foothill unknown type fire Full response I never heard any more about this.
- Suspicious subjects on the corner of Tallant and Las Positas.
- Attempt package theft from a front porch in the 1500 Block of Chapala street.
- Premises check Vera Cruz Park.
- Med call back injury 100 Block of Holly in Carpinteria.
- Sexual Assault investigation City Santa Barbara.
- Medical call 1000 Block of Cliff Drive.
- 1600 Block of Laguna 20002 Non injury hit and run.
- 459 Audible Alarm at one of the offices in the building at 1919 State street.
- Burglary in a residence in the 600 Block of West Cota.
- Burglary in a residence 600 Block of Pilgram Terrace.
- OK Here we go…Medical Emergency for a man who first told the Dispatcher he ingested Bad Marijuana then said he swallowed a Pen at Arco in the 3600 Block of State street Sounds like one of my old drunk calls.
- Check the Welfare of a male under the bushes near the Smoke Shop Calle Real and Wye Road.
- Subject attempting to force a door open 100 Block of Middle Road.
- 415 Subject refusing to leave Ralphs 100 Block of West Carrillo.
Scanner Reports, Saturday:
- Barker Pass at Nicholas Lane Tree Down.
- Med call Unconscious subject in the front of 5750 Via Real in Carpinteria.
- 45 East Alamar Med Call Death rest in Peace.
- Highway 101 Southbound South of Los Positas hit and run with injuries, weird did not hear this saw it on the CHP Website.
- Med call 423 Chapala the Salvation Army.
- Hazardous Condition bathroom flooded in a Laundrymat 1911 De La Vina street possible intentionally.
- 415 Of Sorts subject hitting objects trying to get inside of a residence in the 1100 Block of San Pascual.
- 3800 Block of Sunset Med call.
- 415 Customer vs Employee Fernando’s Market 1700 Block of San Andres
- 20002 Non injury Hit and Run Suspect Truck a GMC registered in the 1300 Block of San Andres.
- Suspicious Vehicle 1300 Block of APS Scanner broke up before I could hear Why it was suspicious.
- Gas Leak at the Santa Ynez Apartments in Isla Vista.
- Traffic Accident unknown if injury Calle Real at Hope Avenue.
- Check the Welfare of a subject in the 3100 Block of State street.
- Fall Victim at the Biltmore 1260 Channel Drive med call.
- 261 Rape Investigation City of Santa Barbara.
- 602pc Trespassing.
- Refusing to leave 816 Cacique PATH
- Non injury Rollover Highway 101 Northbound North of the Gaviota Tunnel
- Head injury due to a wrestling match at Rigitti High School in Santa Maria
- Vehicle stuck on the railroad tracks at Padaro Lane trains stopped.
- Blown Transformer 800 Block of Park Place in Montecito.
- 415 Drunk at the Rose Cafe on Cliff Drive yelling at the employees throwing a dish WMA 5’7 Shaved head left with others in a white Mercedes they were all drunk left Westbound.
Scanner Reports, Sunday:
- Medical call in the 500 Block of Bath street.
- Female screaming at Canon Perdido and State street 415pc.
- Suspicious Circumstances on Hitchcock did not say what they were.
- Threats investigation 1600 Block of Overlook Lane.
- SBPD Officers on a subject 100 Block of North Milpas street
- One in custody 200 Block of West Alamar.
- East Valley Road at Moore Road Unknown issue with a subject on the road, Medical.
- Southbound Highway 101 just North of La Conchita vehicle accident.
- Water Rescue 6600 Block of Del Playa for a surfer down in the water.
- 242pc Assault victim Zodo’s 5900 Block of Calle Real in Goleta.
- Premises check Franklin School.
- 300 Block of Castillo premiss check.
- Premises check Cleveland School on APS.
- Vehicle Fire 3400 Block of Calle Real Earl Warren Showgrounds
- DUI Silver Land Rover Oregon Plates West on Mission from DLV.
- Medical Call Alta Lucero 3880 Via Lucero.
- 415pc In a dark red SUV in the 500 Block of East Canon Perdido.
- Sexual Battery Investigation City Santa Barbara.
- Premises check Stearns Wharf
- Wires cable down 200 Block of South Salinas.
- Subject drinking DLV at State street.
- Vehicle Fire highway 101 Northbound North of La Conchita.
- Illegal Campers Yanonali at Chapala.
38 Years or so ago John Lennon was shot to death, where were you when you heard about it? I was in the basement of Robinson’s Department Store working in the Shipping Department. I was confused wondering why anyone would shoot John Lennon and of course, I was bummed. Anyway just wondering what ya all were up to then. I heard from another Citizen reporter that there was a stabbing somewhere on the WestSide Saturday Evening I go to bed early so I missed hearing the call. I woke up the other morning at 3am looked up and Jason was staring at me it took me a minute but I realized that it was only my Jason mask hanging off my stadium chairs. Jason is a bit taller than 2 feet That was a relief. Will Have a great MONday-MONday….Peter, Molly, Belinda, Midnight, Merlin, Angel Baby, Pooh Bear, Lola, PoPo, Tom Cat, Tomicina, Clancy, Tiger, Shadow, FREDDIE!,Maxwell, Tiny, Andy, Fish Heads One, and Two, Poncho, Denny, Jerry, Zeke, Walter, Fred, Jonathan, C.J., Brad, Billy, Carl, Stan, Kent, ELMO, Patrick, Christy, Diana, Jim, Ross, Rambo, Sherry, Eddie, Bambi, Lafayette, Ted, Mark, Willie, Bengie, Ricky, Pat, Mavis, David Cox, Po, Marty, Cop, John, Mrs. MacArthur, Auntie Helen, Bommy, Poppy, June, Muskie, Magruder, Don, Edwin, Cory, Crazy Ed, Isabelle, Jerry, Debbie, Ken, LUCY!,STOBE THE HOBO, KFC, John Hancock, Mickey Mantle, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, John Havlick, Little Mac, Tom Petty, and Chris Willing we will see you on WEDnesday. Later, Roger
12:23 – Maybe I don’t “get it,” but I was under the impression that generalizing based on one’s skin color has gone the way of the Dodo bird. I would say that more white than non-white people are privileged to have more advantages than many non-whites, but that advantage is not exclusively “white.” For example, President Obama’s daughters…..are they not born with more advantage in life than many poor whites? Of course they are. Yeah yeah, that’s an exception, but that’s the point. You can’t say ALL white people have more advantages that ALL non-white people. Making broad stroke generalizations like this, regardless of the “statistics, research, etc,” is still just plain wrong.
I remember being accused of having “white privilege” during a time when I had my current full time graveyard shift job and had to have a work a part time job as well just to make ends meet. I was standing in a line at a concert on a much needed weekend, having a conversation with a stranger about where we were from, and when I said Santa Barbara, someone behind me mumbled I had “white privilege”. So now I had to explain to another complete stranger my situation that just because I’m from Santa Barbara, that I’m not rich and that their is a huge working class here and they just laughed at me and said I didn’t understand what it’s like to be poor, when here I am trying to barely put food on the table for me and my family, working 70 hours a week, sleeping 3 hours a day. I thought I was going to suffer a heart attack. Lol. I’m so glad I’m better off financially now and I have my “white privilege” back.
This is a heavy topic…I definitely had white privilege, growing up in the south.
Moving to L.A., best friend, dark skinned…her husband parked the car, in our neighborhood..police were called…for no reason.
However, moving to Santa Barbara, 15 years ago…I had anti white, discrimination…
Going to Ross, the old Kmart, Sears, had shopping carts, strollers, shoved in front of me…into my cart…I am tall, white, old now, people assume we all have money…
To the white people on this forum that continue to describe their personal stories of being discriminated against, that DOES NOT apply to white privilege. Everyone has their own stories and anecdotes of discrimination. White privilege discusses that at a systemic level in our nation, statistics show that non-white people are at a disadvantage compared to white people. It is the SAME as male privilege where men make more money on average than women. So if a man writes a comment and says “that’s not true, my wife makes more than me!” it is completely beyond the point that on a systemic level, women do not make as much as men. Hope this helps those who are struggling and specifically those who are getting defensive about this fact.
O.k, Mr. Systemic, maybe I was too personal, but it is relavent
I just never took advantage of my white privilege or male privilege I am a hermit and due to being hurt in my earlier life have stayed away from everyone I know now that was a good decision and will continue to do so the rest of my life. If you don’t like reading my stuff don’t I’m getting a bong right now.
Just to be clear – what you are saying is that ALL white people have white privilege, right? Therefore, logically, ALL white people are more advantaged than ALL non-white people. That is incorrect, and frankly lazy. The “systemic” argument is fine, but be careful not to incorrectly assume that it means ALL white people are more privileged than ALL non-white people.
I’m a white guy who grew up in a poor, black neighborhood in Pittsburgh. While my economic and social status created some obstacles to overcome, it was nothing compared to the discrimination my black friends have dealt with. From employment and housing discrimination, to the unfair treatment from shopkeepers and police, I saw firsthand what my friends and their family dealt with. White people are “privileged,” because they don’t have to deal with these problems to the extent non-whites do.
So what if you are mixed race with being half white/half whatever? I’m trying to understand this from other points of view.
I’m unsure if you understood the essay or not. Do you think you have white privilege or you think you don’t because of certain experiences? White Privilege isn’t about anecdotal evidence because everyone has experienced some form of harassment or prejudice is some way. White Privilege is talking about a societal level (backed up by statistics, studies, research, etc.) that white people as a whole, not individually, receive more social, political, or economic benefits than non-white people. So yes, all white people have white privilege.
I mean’t white privilege in the context of Walking while white I can walk just about anywhere without fear of being murdered, but not everywhere I have never experienced the social, economic, political benefits because I’m white maybe because I don’t feel as though I’m better than anyone else maybe I don’t belong on this planet and should just go back to drinking. I don’t believe all white people have white privilege.
So if all white people have white privilege because of the color of their skin, regardless of their personal and unique circumstances in life, then isn’t the concept of “white privilege” biased and discriminatory? I mean, attaching a value to a group of people based on the color of their skin just seems to be the exact opposite of what we as a society are working towards. Seems like a generalized idea like this is really moving us back from equality instead of toward it. Just my opinion.
To 11:45am, from one white person to another, it behooves all of us to independently learn about this to better our communities and relate to others who have different experiences than we do. It doesn’t appear that you get it and I’m not the best person to teach it as I’m still learning, but I urge you to look into it and keep an open mind.
You had a great start reading that essay. White privilege is similar to male privilege… men simply get more and earn more than women. Same goes for race. Here are a few more that can help better understand the concept ——— https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/fall-2018/what-is-white-privilege-really————– https://www.cpt.org/files/Undoing%20Racism%20-%20Understanding%20White%20Privilege%20-%20Kendall.pdf
The same is true due to gender.