# Who are good white-male historical figures? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 1, 2017, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234 "2017-09-01T10:11:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/81 "2017-09-02T00:19:18Z")
> [@neofishboy](#): > > **Reddy** , I’m like … 99% sure you’re a troll, but on the slim chance that you’re absolutely sincere: You’re a pathetic, delusional weakling and when your life turns out to be nothing but a string of crippling failures (and make no mistake … that is exactly what your life is going to be) it’ll be, not _because_ you were born a white male, but _in spite_ of it. > > Also, I don’t believe that bullshit about your “Mom” for one second. Toodles! Believe what you want, but it is true. Ultimately, you are right. I am ugly, balding, and I have no prospects because I was raised by a horrible family which broke my confidence and crippled me emotionally. It is much easier to be angry at SJWs, though, since they’re the ones who are working to make the future worse for me. My family already did their work to make the past bad for me. Sorry if I’m too busy trying to get out of my own head and my own trauma to answer for my so-called sins and feel bad for the plight of the world. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/82 "2017-09-02T00:23:17Z")
Only frightened spineless pussies are afraid of anyone thinking they may be spineless pussies. Disengaged from whiney loser. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/83 "2017-09-02T00:26:41Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Believe what you want, but it is true. > > Ultimately, you are right. I am ugly, balding, and I have no prospects because I was raised by a horrible family which broke my confidence and crippled me emotionally. It is much easier to be angry at SJWs, though, since they’re the ones who are working to make the future worse for me. My family already did their work to make the past bad for me. Sorry if I’m too busy trying to get out of my own head and my own trauma to answer for my so-called sins and feel bad for the plight of the world. Stop blaming other people for your failures. You are the author of your own life. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/84 "2017-09-02T00:27:23Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Do you have any pride in any aspects of the past? Do you have any pride in your specific ethnicity’s accomplishments? Do you look at the white race and see only evil? I’m honestly neither proud of or ashamed of the past. I don’t think about the past much, and both good and bad accomplishments by old dead people are somebody else’s problem. I will note that taking pride in past white accomplishments while not feeling ashamed of past white evils is somewhat hypocritical. But, again, why feel pride or shame in any of it? It’s not something _you_ did. > [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > I don’t believe in apology. The past is dead. Everyone deserves an apology from someone else. It’s a waste of time. I have no sympathy for any of this shit. Me either. But I also don’t get angry about it. Declarations that I should apologize for things I didn’t do merely fall on deaf ears - or would, if I ever heard any. Which I haven’t. > [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Do I want to return to slavery or Jim Crow? Obviously not. But it’s not on me to say sorry for it. It happened. It sucked. What can you do? Terrible things happen all over the world everyday. The world is an ugly, sucky, shitty place. Right now as I’m typing this, a woman is being raped. A child is being murdered somewhere. A man is being beaten because he’s gay, or black, or simply because he’s different and strange. It’s horrible, but that’s the world. Living is a war against the lottery of life, and all of us are in it generally alone. Right. Be not-racist now, and don’t defend the actions of racists or generally impersonate one online, and you’ll find things are remarkably cool. > [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > The past only exists as a lesson, and as nice tales to read; once you go back far enough, it might as well be mythology; it doesn’t matter. Weellllll, it does matter in the sense that it’s had an effect on the world today. In the world, today, glass ceilings exist. Not as many as there used to be - but since we don’t care about the past we can’t care that things have improved since then either! 🙂 Sociological inequality exists currently. These are issues that matter. But no, I’m not going to apologize for slavery, any more than you are. (Fortunately, nobody has ever asked me to.) > [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > As politics has evolved, though, I’ve found myself more interested in fiction, because I have no power to change anything, so it’s easier to simply not play than to play and lose. Amen, brother. I can barely get up the energy to vote, politics have gotten so messed up. (Plus I live in Idaho so my vote doesn’t matter.) (And before anybody jumps on me (people \*have \*got on my case for not voting) I do in fact vote now and then. It has yet to make a lick of difference.) ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/85 "2017-09-02T00:28:56Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Believe what you want, but it is true. > > Ultimately, you are right. I am ugly, balding, and I have no prospects because I was raised by a horrible family which broke my confidence and crippled me emotionally. It is much easier to be angry at SJWs, though, since they’re the ones who are working to make the future worse for me. My family already did their work to make the past bad for me. Sorry if I’m too busy trying to get out of my own head and my own trauma to answer for my so-called sins and feel bad for the plight of the world. I’m not trying to make the future worse for you. I promise. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/86 "2017-09-02T00:30:23Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Do you have any pride in any aspects of the past? Not as it relates to me, unless it was something I personally accomplished. Why should I? I didn’t paint the Sistine Chapel. > [@](#): > > Do you have any pride in your specific ethnicity’s accomplishments? Nope. See above. > [@](#): > > Do you look at the white race and see only evil? I generally don’t consider the white race to have any more discrete validity than “all people who have green eyes.” It has no particular meaning to me at all. I’m white as currently defined in the United States, which has certain sociological implications in the United States. But I feel no particular attraction or repulsion to that fact. It’s just something that is and doesn’t have much bearing with my self-identification, other than it is nice to be lucky enough to score the balcony seats in life. A POV that arguably is a luxury made easier for me by my white priviledge ;). I don’t see evil( or anymore evil than is normal in humans )in any race, however defined. Do you? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/87 "2017-09-02T00:30:43Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Believe what you want, but it is true. > > Ultimately, you are right. I am ugly, balding, and I have no prospects because I was raised by a horrible family which broke my confidence and crippled me emotionally. It is much easier to be angry at SJWs, though, since they’re the ones who are working to make the future worse for me. My family already did their work to make the past bad for me. Sorry if I’m too busy trying to get out of my own head and my own trauma to answer for my so-called sins and feel bad for the plight of the world. In right-wing radio fantasy land, hordes of SJWs are working night and day to ruin the lives of straight white men. In the real world, this isn’t happening. The vast majority of liberals are advocating for liberal policies, which would not harm white men in any way, except for those white men who feel harmed by equal and decent treatment of other groups. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/88 "2017-09-02T00:32:05Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are you aware of any serious objection to any existing or proposed statue to Jimmy Carter? He’s history’'s greatest monster! ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/89 "2017-09-02T00:37:32Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > I’m honestly neither proud of or ashamed of the past. I don’t think about the past much, and both good and bad accomplishments by old dead people are somebody else’s problem. > > I will note that taking pride in past white accomplishments while not feeling ashamed of past white evils is somewhat hypocritical. But, again, why feel pride or shame in any of it? It’s not something _you_ did. > > Me either. But I also don’t get angry about it. Declarations that I should apologize for things I didn’t do merely fall on deaf ears - or would, if I ever heard any. Which I haven’t. > > Right. Be not-racist now, and don’t defend the actions of racists or generally impersonate one online, and you’ll find things are remarkably cool. > > Weellllll, it does matter in the sense that it’s had an effect on the world today. In the world, today, glass ceilings exist. Not as many as there used to be - but since we don’t care about the past we can’t care that things have improved since then either! 🙂 Sociological inequality exists currently. These are issues that matter. > > But no, I’m not going to apologize for slavery, any more than you are. (Fortunately, nobody has ever asked me to.) > > Amen, brother. I can barely get up the energy to vote, politics have gotten so messed up. (Plus I live in Idaho so my vote doesn’t matter.) > > (And before anybody jumps on me (people \*have \*got on my case for not voting) I do in fact vote now and then. It has yet to make a lick of difference.) If it was as easy as all that, I wouldn’t be as angry as I am. The only thing I can do and have done is vote for people who I think will make this country a better place. Given that I am on welfare currently, and have not much in the way of money, that’s pretty much ALL I can do. I’ve never been racist or bigoted toward another human being in my life. I have no intention to be. I try to treat people in real life as individuals, not colors or identitities. My friend is Calvin, who happens to be black. My friend Dani is a cool cat who happens to be transgender. My friend Dominic is a cool guy who happens to be Irish. My friend Lenny is a good funny fat guy who happens to be Italian and have a goatee. I don’t really give a shit in real life if you’re black, gay, straight, or whatever as long as there is mutual respect. In real life, that seems good enough, though. Online it seems like if you don’t virtue signal, or if you don’t go on and on about how “white privilege” needs to be dismantled, you must hate everyone who isn’t white. That’s what leads to resentment and anger for me. The assumption that because I don’t believe in political correctness or virtue signalling it means I must be a secret Klansmen. I tried to hold the opinion that there were different kinds of white people. I am Italian and Irish and Catholic. At one time, not too long ago in this country, within my family’s own living memory, that meant we weren’t white. I don’t view myself the same as the WASPs who mistreated my grandfather for being a darker shade when he was in the Army. When I tried expressing that, I was laughed at. So yeah. It leads to a resentful feeling of “I can’t win either way.” ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/90 "2017-09-02T00:42:26Z")
News flash! Assholes are now on the internet! Professor, do you think we should crack each other’s heads open and feast upon the goo inside? Yes I would, Kent. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/91 "2017-09-02T00:42:50Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Lol Germany is the biggest example of a nation so shamed by its past, that it is embracing cultural extinction with open arms. meh In Germany, the _Reinheitsgebot_ law (over 500 years old) controls the brewing of beer. They are sticking to their culture better than you are sticking to yours. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/92 "2017-09-02T00:42:51Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > There’s one in Pittsburgh. > > [https://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/mr-rogers-statue-in-pittsburgh-crocheted-red-cardigan-sweater-alicia-kachmar-1.jpg?w=800&h=1067](https://twistedsifter.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/mr-rogers-statue-in-pittsburgh-crocheted-red-cardigan-sweater-alicia-kachmar-1.jpg?w=800&h=1067) > > It’s ugly as sin, but there you have it. > > ETA: Ninja’d, but at least I spelled Pittsburgh right. 😛 This is horrifying. He looks like a ghoul from Fallout. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/93 "2017-09-02T00:46:56Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > Lol Germany is the biggest example of a nation so shamed by its past, that it is embracing cultural extinction with open arms. Spoken like a true neo-nazi. Why don’t you stop pretending to be something your not, troll. Do you really think you’re fooling anyone? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/94 "2017-09-02T00:47:44Z")
Welcome to the Pit. > [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > It’s the only thing SJWs want to talk about. The end-game is to make whites hate themselves. … You are one fucked up, misled, delusional person. Let it go. ---
**Author:** ![neofishboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/neofishboy/32/444_2.png) [@neofishboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neofishboy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/95 "2017-09-02T00:53:19Z")
_pinches bridge of nose to ward off stress headache_ Jesus Christ, you people sometimes … Anyway, Jerked Chicken. I once worked with a Jamaican dude who started marketing his own brand of jarred marinades under the label “Island Boy”. His jerk marinade was my introduction to that style and it was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, he only managed to keep that going for a few years before it went under and vanished forever. This recipe is the closest I’ve ever been able to find. Chicken thighs. However many you want. Whole recipe probably good for 4-5 lbs. 1 cup orange juice 1 cup white vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup soy sauce Juice from 1 lime 1 large yellow onion, diced 8 cloves of garlic, diced 6 Scotch Bonnet peppers (or habaneros), diced 2T allspice 2T sugar 2T salt 2T dried thyme 2t black pepper 2t ground cinnamon 2t ground nutmeg 2t ground ginger Throw all that shit into a blender and turn it into a glop. It makes quite a bit, so just use however much it takes to generously coat however many chicken thighs you’re making and freeze the rest. Marinate at least overnight and then grill until it’s done and has nice blackened bits. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/96 "2017-09-02T00:54:54Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Spoken like a true neo-nazi. Why don’t you stop pretending to be something your not, troll. Do you really think you’re fooling anyone? The aim isn’t to fool anyone. If I was a Neo-Nazi I’d come right out and say it. Hitler was a nut who had the potential to be a great man, and instead thought he should mass murder Jews, Gays, and Eastern-Europeans because he was a meth head. Hitler is also the reason my grandfather died young, and the reason he had a big chunk of his leg blown off by a sniper bullet. But at the same time, I don’t think modern Islam is a good thing. I would prefer a secular Europe over a Christian Europe or Islamic Europe; Secular in both religion and culture. But I do not see that happening. I do not like organized religion, and I find modern day Islam generally, and Evangelical Christiandom, to be the worst examples of organized religion. Personal religion is fine as long as you’re not killing anyone in the name of it. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/97 "2017-09-02T01:06:33Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > If it was as easy as all that, I wouldn’t be as angry as I am. > > The only thing I can do and have done is vote for people who I think will make this country a better place. Given that I am on welfare currently, and have not much in the way of money, that’s pretty much ALL I can do. > > I’ve never been racist or bigoted toward another human being in my life. I have no intention to be. I try to treat people in real life as individuals, not colors or identitities. My friend is Calvin, who happens to be black. My friend Dani is a cool cat who happens to be transgender. My friend Dominic is a cool guy who happens to be Irish. My friend Lenny is a good funny fat guy who happens to be Italian and have a goatee. I don’t really give a shit in real life if you’re black, gay, straight, or whatever as long as there is mutual respect. > > In real life, that seems good enough, though. Online it seems like if you don’t virtue signal, or if you don’t go on and on about how “white privilege” needs to be dismantled, you must hate everyone who isn’t white. That’s what leads to resentment and anger for me. The assumption that because I don’t believe in political correctness or virtue signalling it means I must be a secret Klansmen. > > I tried to hold the opinion that there were different kinds of white people. I am Italian and Irish and Catholic. At one time, not too long ago in this country, within my family’s own living memory, that meant we weren’t white. I don’t view myself the same as the WASPs who mistreated my grandfather for being a darker shade when he was in the Army. When I tried expressing that, I was laughed at. So yeah. It leads to a resentful feeling of “I can’t win either way.” Well, the first thing you have to remember is that the internet, in general, is shit. It’s a place where rude and awful people can speak freely without fear of reprisal, and where even good people have a hard time expressing themselves clearly due to lack of vocal tone and other nontextual signals. And it’s also a place where those awful people can reach out and connect with everyone and make everything awful for everyone. And yes, this goes double for twitter and facebook and other forms of social media. (And triple for youtube comment sections, apparently.) My honest advice would be to reduce your exposure. This is a biased opinion, because my internet presence is…here. This message board is at least 95% of my internet presence. (I also have two webcomics I sometimes comment on; that’s the other 5%.) I find that this is plenty enough internet for me and insulates me from a lot of abuse. My other bit of advice would be to never, ever virtue signal. The opinions of internet people don’t matter; there’s no need to impress them. And if you _do_ find yourself needing to impress them…log off for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/98 "2017-09-02T01:18:23Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Well, the first thing you have to remember is that the internet, in general, is shit. It’s a place where rude and awful people can speak freely without fear of reprisal, and where even good people have a hard time expressing themselves clearly due to lack of vocal tone and other nontextual signals. And it’s also a place where those awful people can reach out and connect with everyone and make everything awful for everyone. And yes, this goes double for twitter and facebook and other forms of social media. (And triple for youtube comment sections, apparently.) > > My honest advice would be to reduce your exposure. This is a biased opinion, because my internet presence is…here. This message board is at least 95% of my internet presence. (I also have two webcomics I sometimes comment on; that’s the other 5%.) I find that this is plenty enough internet for me and insulates me from a lot of abuse. > > My other bit of advice would be to never, ever virtue signal. The opinions of internet people don’t matter; there’s no need to impress them. And if you _do_ find yourself needing to impress them…log off for a while. I agree with the first half. The second part…The Internet is like an escape from reality for me. If I didn’t have the Internet, I would honestly probably be a drinker or a gambler. Me being on the Internet is how I get my “fix.” I come from a family with addiction issues; I guess mine is the Internet. People like one of the above guys assume I’m a Neo-Nazi or that I’m an asshole or bigoted. No, I’m a disaffected “young white male” with lots of baggage (beyond the racial shit). Which would make me an ideal candidate for being recruited by Neo-Nazi or hate groups, I will admit. But I’ve never been one to join clubs, and I don’t actually hate anyone. But I don’t want to be thought of as something I’m not. The problem is there are lots of disaffected young white men who decide they need to join a Nazi organization to feel special or part of something. My biggest issues are that I’m very resistant to change, that I get angry too easily, and that I feel like big sides of politics offer nothing. I am pro-gay marriage, anti-marijuana, pro-choice, a big believer in science and climate change, anti-organized religion (including Islam), pro-West, with Monarchist/Feudalist leanings. There is no party out there for me. My biggest social sympathies lie with Mexican-Americans and Native-Americans, especially the latter. I had a half-Mexican fiancee (her father was an illegal immigrant who came here from Jalisco who ended up owning his own business) and she exposed me to some elements of Mexican culture which I fell in love with. I admire them greatly as a people. I also admire the Jews in their sense of solidarity. I wish someone would speak up for the Native American. My biggest problem is that I react without thinking and hate change, which gets me perceived as being something I’m not. I get angry and tend to HATE a person I’m disagreeing with and want to say whatever I can to piss them off in the moment. It’s an issue. ---
**Author:** ![splatterpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@splatterpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/splatterpunk)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/99 "2017-09-02T01:20:00Z")
> [@Reddy\_Mercury](#): > > If it was as easy as all that, I wouldn’t be as angry as I am. It is as easy as that. No one is asking you to apologize for anything. > [@](#): > > The only thing I can do and have done is vote for people who I think will make this country a better place. Given that I am on welfare currently, and have not much in the way of money, that’s pretty much ALL I can do. Jesus fuck, you’re a moron. Do you actually believe Trump and his ilk give a fat rat’s balls about people like you? Their goal is to Make America Great again for con men and robber barons. Welfare losers such as yourself are just easily manipulated rubes who vote. > [@](#): > > I’ve never been racist or bigoted toward another human being in my life. I have no intention to be. I try to treat people in real life as individuals, not colors or identitities. My friend is Calvin, who happens to be black. My friend Dani is a cool cat who happens to be transgender. My friend Dominic is a cool guy who happens to be Irish. My friend Lenny is a good funny fat guy who happens to be Italian and have a goatee. I don’t really give a shit in real life if you’re black, gay, straight, or whatever as long as there is mutual respect. Yeah, you don’t know any of these people. > [@](#): > > In real life, that seems good enough, though. Online it seems like if you don’t virtue signal, or if you don’t go on and on about how “white privilege” needs to be dismantled, you must hate everyone who isn’t white. That’s what leads to resentment and anger for me. The assumption that because I don’t believe in political correctness or virtue signalling it means I must be a secret Klansmen. I’m white and online all the time. I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about. But then again, I don’t hang out at alt-right Neo-Nazi sites. > [@](#): > > I tried to hold the opinion that there were different kinds of white people. I am Italian and Irish and Catholic. At one time, not too long ago in this country, within my family’s own living memory, that meant we weren’t white. I don’t view myself the same as the WASPs who mistreated my grandfather for being a darker shade when he was in the Army. When I tried expressing that, I was laughed at. So yeah. It leads to a resentful feeling of “I can’t win either way.” This makes no fucking sense whatsoever. You don’t consider yourself the same as WASPs, yet you’re on some crusade to preserve their statues and “culture.” ---
**Author:** ![Reddy\_Mercury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@Reddy\_Mercury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reddy_Mercury)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2017, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234/100 "2017-09-02T01:36:02Z")
> [@splatterpunk](#): > > It is as easy as that. No one is asking you to apologize for anything. > Jesus fuck, you’re a moron. Do you actually believe Trump and his ilk give a fat rat’s balls about people like you? Their goal is to Make America Great again for con men and robber barons. Welfare losers such as yourself are just easily manipulated rubes who vote. > Yeah, you don’t know any of these people. > I’m white and online all the time. I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about. But then again, I don’t hang out at alt-right Neo-Nazi sites. > > This makes no fucking sense whatsoever. You don’t consider yourself the same as WASPs, yet you’re on some crusade to preserve their statues and “culture.” I voted for Hillary, actually. Trump is indeed a con-man. If that’s all he was though he wouldn’t bother me as much. The fact that he’s anti-science, as well as anti-Mexican, and anti-net neutrality are worse to me. I voted for Hillary with a closed nose. I voted for Obama in 2012 and wish he could’ve run for a third term, but alas. And yes, I do know those people. Why is that so hard to believe? I went to high school with Calvin and Lenny. I met Dani at the NYC Comic Con last year and he recently revealed to me that he is transgender. I’ve known Dom since 6th grade. I also don’t hang out at “Neo-Nazi Alt-Right sites.” Never have. The only statues I generally care about, in all honesty, are Columbus, simply out of sentimental attachment; T. Roosevelt, because he is my favorite President; George Washington for the obvious reasons; and Ben Franklin for also obvious reasons. The culture I simply think should be upheld, but modernized, is the same Western culture that has evolved and changed since the Roman Republic. It needs updating, but I do not want to see it fall to religious dogma. I also think folk heroes like Davey Crockett and such are important to a unique American identity, since we’re such a young country. To be honest, I’m torn on the issue. My family’s Italian language and traditions were lost to assimilation, and I feel a little sad about that, but at the same time, I believe the only way we can go beyond the issues of the present is if we become one “American race” rather than all these different tribes. It’s an issue I’m deeply torn on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-good-white-male-historical-figures/795234.md?page=6)