Social Justice Literature

[Thyunda]

Snip.

That's not evidence of "white privilege" in any meaningful sense. Those biases are deeply ingrained into the human psyche, possibly at a neurobiological level considering they transcend all races and cultures. I think it's a bit ridiculous when we stoop to discussing "black privilege" in Africa and "white privilege" in Europe and North America. These prejudices are not white, black, brown, or any other particular color and insisting on using the term "white privilege" as part of the "social justice" movement does little but estrange everyone who hasn't already drunk the Kool-Aid. This downplays the considerable and admirable strides that racial equality movements have made in the last century, it insults the memory of heros like Martin Luther King, Jr., and it perpetuates the culture of victimization in which many people are raised. It would be better to work to address the natural biases that all humans have for anyone who doesn't look, sound, or think like they do. Laying down the semantic arms of the race wars would be a pretty good first step toward that kind of racially egalitarian society.

Oh, I get it. Your solution to solving the problems of discrimination is to ignore it. Right. So which civil rights movement do you belong to then? The Bystander Effect?

I'm sorry, you must not have read my post in its entirety before deciding to mock me for disagreeing with you. I actually suggested that by encouraging all people to work through their prejudices regardless of their race or color would be a more egalitarian, intellectually honest, and ultimately fruitful way of fighting discrimination. I put the relevant part of the quote in bold for your benefit.

Oh of course, now I see what your point is. Your point is that we should ignore discrimination because anything can be solved with positive thinking and "working through their prejudices." But, emphasis on the ignore part. Let me highlight the relevant part.

 

[shootthebandit]

snip

Now I see your issue. You're misinterpreting the term and taking offence to your own version of it. It's hard to find a decent alternative to the term, however. Don't think of it like you're being rewarded for being white, think of it more that you're not being punished for it, while living in a society where being punished for your skin colour is a decent possibility.

Let's not bring class into this. I suspect we could talk for days about that. Let's just stick with race for the time being. Obama counts, naturally. That's one. You might reach about...ten...when you're dealing with hundreds of very samey-looking dudes, while that's not saying that everybody's automatically racist, what it IS saying is that society has become structured in a way that favours people of our particular pigment. In the UK, being poor is usually enough to construct impervious social barriers, but even then - at least you don't look foreign. Don't try to assume people want you to feel guilty about being white. The concept of white privilege should really only be taken into account when discussing racism, as for you or I to say "Racism isn't prevalent," is simply insulting to people that have suffered through it, and that's not entirely our fault because how the hell are we gonna experience racism? We can't go looking for it. Racists in professional capacities don't tend to show it off, that would get them fired.

I suppose a better way of phrasing 'white privilege' is to say "Be a little more sensitive. Some people really are just dicks about skin colour."

Course, that was before the Tumblrites got a hold on it. Now white privilege is on par with 'cis-gendered' on just how invalid your opinion is.

Thanks for clearing that up. Since I heard the phrase I always assumed it was used in a condemning way (I guess these tumblers dont help that image). When I hear someone say privileged I just assume an obnoxious little "preppy teen" (I think thats what they say in america. We dont really have a word in the UK) which is why I didnt really want to be associated with the phrase

 

[Thyunda]

snip

Oh don't be mistaken - usually if somebody brings up white privilege in an argument they are trying to invalidate your opinion by implying you don't understand hardship. That's when it's pretty safe to say that person is just being a **** and they're usually not English. Something about being working-class allows white people and black people to coexist peacefully. Not Muslims though. UKIP says Muslims are the reason I'm poor, and UKIP wouldn't lie to me.

 

[Odd Owl]

Snip.

That's not evidence of "white privilege" in any meaningful sense. Those biases are deeply ingrained into the human psyche, possibly at a neurobiological level considering they transcend all races and cultures. I think it's a bit ridiculous when we stoop to discussing "black privilege" in Africa and "white privilege" in Europe and North America. These prejudices are not white, black, brown, or any other particular color and insisting on using the term "white privilege" as part of the "social justice" movement does little but estrange everyone who hasn't already drunk the Kool-Aid. This downplays the considerable and admirable strides that racial equality movements have made in the last century, it insults the memory of heros like Martin Luther King, Jr., and it perpetuates the culture of victimization in which many people are raised. It would be better to work to address the natural biases that all humans have for anyone who doesn't look, sound, or think like they do. Laying down the semantic arms of the race wars would be a pretty good first step toward that kind of racially egalitarian society.

Oh, I get it. Your solution to solving the problems of discrimination is to ignore it. Right. So which civil rights movement do you belong to then? The Bystander Effect?

I'm sorry, you must not have read my post in its entirety before deciding to mock me for disagreeing with you. I actually suggested that by encouraging all people to work through their prejudices regardless of their race or color would be a more egalitarian, intellectually honest, and ultimately fruitful way of fighting discrimination. I put the relevant part of the quote in bold for your benefit.

Oh of course, now I see what your point is. Your point is that we should ignore discrimination because anything can be solved with positive thinking and "working through their prejudices." But, emphasis on the ignore part. Let me highlight the relevant part.

You cannot be serious. Twice now I have said that I support efforts to end discrimination, but I think focusing solely on one kind of racial discrimination - such as by harping on "white privilege" - is counterproductive at this point. Better to campaign against any form of discrimination, regardless of who is doing the stereotyping and who is being discriminated against. That's not ignoring the problem, that's disagreeing with your understanding of it and your solution for it.

 

[Thyunda]

Snip

Spoiler

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

 

[Areloch]

Snip

Spoiler

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

I haven't looked into the specifics of that movement(mostly because it looks insane), but just off the bullet points in the picture, it sounds like I would be burned by those rules if I ever wanted to immigrate to the UK. And I'm a white American.

Also, your postulation that I'm privileged in that I will never be 'pushed down' by the color of my skin is an interesting notion.
So, if I went into a primarily/all black/asian neighborhood, you're positing that they won't give me the shifty eyes or disapproving stares? That I wouldn't potentially get shied over for a job there because I'm white?

If the white privilege concept is so malleable that it can change region-to-region in the same country or state, can we actually really even wield it as a concept?

 

[someperson1984]

I'd hardly call this book academia. Saying someone is born with some inherent responsibility or advantage for the simple reason they're white is the exact same racism as saying someone is born with an inherent disadvantage because they're black, or asian, or whatever.

Saying someone has a societal advantage or disadvantage because of their race or gender isn't racism or sexism, but rather an acknowledgement of the pressures and prejudices ingrained in people by a society that still hasn't fully moved on from its history of open and accepted discrimination. It's not really the fault of a child born white and male that, in general, American culture will treat them better than someone who is a woman/person of color. It's just the way the system was set up by men long dead, and we as a society need to learn to move past it.

It IS racist/sexist because that claim is hilariously generalized to the point where it has to be false, i.e (to quote some tumblr blogs...blech) "all men are racists/mysoginsts/abusers"

Privilege and racism/sexism are two different things. The former deals with how world interacts with someone, the latter deals with how someone interacts with the world.

 

[Thyunda]

Snip

Spoiler

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

I haven't looked into the specifics of that movement(mostly because it looks insane), but just off the bullet points in the picture, it sounds like I would be burned by those rules if I ever wanted to immigrate to the UK. And I'm a white American.

Also, your postulation that I'm privileged in that I will never be 'pushed down' by the color of my skin is an interesting notion.
So, if I went into a primarily/all black/asian neighborhood, you're positing that they won't give me the shifty eyes or disapproving stares? That I wouldn't potentially get shied over for a job there because I'm white?

If the white privilege concept is so malleable that it can change region-to-region in the same country or state, can we actually really even wield it as a concept?

As a concept on its own? Not at all. White privilege should only really be used in an argument if one side claims racism isn't prevalent and that ethnic minorities have all the advantages the dominant culture possesses, or if the claimant insists that because they have never witnessed racism, it can't be as bad as everyone says. That's all white privilege is - it's not an insult toward white people, it's not a way of saying whites are innately better or worse, it's merely a way of saying "Some people are racist, and that won't affect you like it'll affect others."

If you went into a primarily black or Asian neighbourhood, you might get some stares. They might also be used to white people wandering into their neighbourhood and not be too arsed. Your white privilege won't do you much good in an area dominated by a non-white culture. White privilege is a pretty Tumblr term though, I think 'majority privilege' would work better, even if inaccurate, since 'minorities' have often proved the majority.

As for UKIP - they are insane. Their borders, however, are designed against Eastern Europe and the Middle East. They've already stated they consider the Republic of Ireland British, and a white American will have to apply for a visa, but I can guarantee they won't be 'randomly searched', so to speak.

 

[Odd Owl]

Snip

Spoiler

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

I am very confused by your response, so I'm not sure how best to reply. I'm not trying to invalidate the experiences of any victim of discrimination, nor am I trying to say that discrimination no longer exists. I am saying that the term and concept of "white privilege" has outlived its usefulness. It narrows the scope of the problem to an "us" (everyone who isn't white) versus "them" (whitey) mentality that is, at this point, an inaccurate and counterproductive paradigm of racial discrimination.

Edit: grammar.

 

[Areloch]

Snip

Spoiler

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

I haven't looked into the specifics of that movement(mostly because it looks insane), but just off the bullet points in the picture, it sounds like I would be burned by those rules if I ever wanted to immigrate to the UK. And I'm a white American.

Also, your postulation that I'm privileged in that I will never be 'pushed down' by the color of my skin is an interesting notion.
So, if I went into a primarily/all black/asian neighborhood, you're positing that they won't give me the shifty eyes or disapproving stares? That I wouldn't potentially get shied over for a job there because I'm white?

If the white privilege concept is so malleable that it can change region-to-region in the same country or state, can we actually really even wield it as a concept?

As a concept on its own? Not at all. White privilege should only really be used in an argument if one side claims racism isn't prevalent and that ethnic minorities have all the advantages the dominant culture possesses, or if the claimant insists that because they have never witnessed racism, it can't be as bad as everyone says. That's all white privilege is - it's not an insult toward white people, it's not a way of saying whites are innately better or worse, it's merely a way of saying "Some people are racist, and that won't affect you like it'll affect others."

If you went into a primarily black or Asian neighbourhood, you might get some stares. They might also be used to white people wandering into their neighbourhood and not be too arsed. Your white privilege won't do you much good in an area dominated by a non-white culture. White privilege is a pretty Tumblr term though, I think 'majority privilege' would work better, even if inaccurate, since 'minorities' have often proved the majority.

As for UKIP - they are insane. Their borders, however, are designed against Eastern Europe and the Middle East. They've already stated they consider the Republic of Ireland British, and a white American will have to apply for a visa, but I can guarantee they won't be 'randomly searched', so to speak.

Fair enough.

I think a lot of the resistance to the IDEA of white privilege is pretty much how people interpret the words(and tumblr. ...yeah)
Calling someone privileged for being white is fine if they ARE privileged because they're white, but there are far too many times that's not the case. In my example about the black/asian neighborhood, yeah, I doubt anyone would be straight up racist with me, but I'd also think it'd be fair to claim that in that "space", there'd be a black privilege, not a white one.

To the best of my knowledge, I haven't ever been picked or selected over someone of a different race in terms of jobs or pay or anything. I'm in the middle class and do fairly well for myself, but to be honest, where I live, racism is pretty transparent a concept. It's really hard to see it in day to day life. I consider that a good thing.

Racism definitely exists still, and work should always be done towards purging it, but when people create impossibly generalized terms like 'white privilege' or the like, I think it does more harm than good.

'Majority Privilege' is indeed probably a far better option, as that is always bound by your personal circumstances(and doesn't imply only one race is privileged)

I am very confused by your response, so I'm not sure how best to reply. I'm not trying to invalidate the experiences of any victim of discrimination, nor am I trying to say that discrimination no longer exists. I am saying that the term and concept of "white privilege" has outlived its usefulness. It narrows the scope of the problem to an "us" (everyone who isn't white) versus "them" (whitey) mentality that is, at this point, an inaccurate and counterproductive paradigm of racial discrimination.

Edit: grammar.

In the reply above yours, directed to me, he agrees the term isn't the best, and something like 'Majority Privilege' is probably a better fit. I think I'd agree with that idea, as it doesn't label anyone by race, but implied circumstances. The name is less immediately offending, and it's more accurate to boot.

 

[Odd Owl]

I am very confused by your response, so I'm not sure how best to reply. I'm not trying to invalidate the experiences of any victim of discrimination, nor am I trying to say that discrimination no longer exists. I am saying that the term and concept of "white privilege" has outlived its usefulness. It narrows the scope of the problem to an "us" (everyone who isn't white) versus "them" (whitey) mentality that is, at this point, an inaccurate and counterproductive paradigm of racial discrimination.

Edit: grammar.

In the reply above yours, directed to me, he agrees the term isn't the best, and something like 'Majority Privilege' is probably a better fit. I think I'd agree with that idea, as it doesn't label anyone by race, but implied circumstances. The name is less immediately offending, and it's more accurate to boot.

I think I can drink to that, too. The problem we're talking about is not "[insert color here] privilege," it's the tendency for people in a position of relative power to downplay the hardships and valid concerns of those who are not in a similar position of relative power. That's an issue that includes, but also goes beyond, racism.

 

[Ten Foot Bunny]

Wow... thread officially derailed?

Privilege will always exist as long as anyone has to fear negative "special" treatment based on some trait they possess that isn't part of their cultural norm, be it racial, financial, gender, spiritual, etc. The goal of social justice is to maintain awareness of these inequities in order to promote greater understanding of the issues, in hopes that understanding leads to shifts in the system (legal and/or grassroots acceptance) resulting in a culture of fairness for all.

------------------

Somewhat more OT, if you want more than books, there's also some great music that sheds light onto social justice issues. Though a lot of them are specific to certain events in the song's time period, the concepts still ring true today.

Like this song, rallying against the systems that the wealthy, ruling class put in place to ensure that they sacrifice nothing while telling others beneath their station to give it all - right down to their giving up their lives at the end of an enemy's gun.

Spoiler: CCR - Fortunate Son

 

[Gorrila_thinktank]

So I read this book called The Heart of Whiteness

Spoiler: Said book

Overall, I think it was a good read about said privilege and whatnot

So I was wondering if there were any other books about social justice; feminism, racism, etc.

Before anyone recommends it, I'VE also read The Feminine Mystique. I dunno if it's something that needs to be said but why not?

I recommend you read "Rules for Radicals" By Saul Alinsky.

If you want a great overview of useful rhetorical techniques used by the social justice movement this is it. Its old, but seminal. It also opens up the conversation about the ethics of those techniques, which is perhaps a more useful thing then just being simple primer. I consider it primary reading for anyone entering into social justice issues, regardless of their positions for or against (insert cause here).

 

[BreakfastMan]

Well, in addition to a lot of what other people have mentioned, I really liked Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. Really smart, interesting examination of just how deep gender stereotypes go. Bit overly academic if you ask me, so you might find it a bit impenetrable, but I quite like it.

 

[BreakfastMan]

Wow... thread officially derailed?

Privilege will always exist as long as anyone has to fear negative "special" treatment based on some trait they possess that isn't part of their cultural norm, be it racial, financial, gender, spiritual, etc. The goal of social justice is to maintain awareness of these inequities in order to promote greater understanding of the issues, in hopes that understanding leads to shifts in the system (legal and/or grassroots acceptance) resulting in a culture of fairness for all.

------------------

Somewhat more OT, if you want more than books, there's also some great music that sheds light onto social justice issues. Though a lot of them are specific to certain events in the song's time period, the concepts still ring true today.

Like this song, rallying against the systems that the wealthy, ruling class put in place to ensure that they sacrifice nothing while telling others beneath their station to give it all - right down to their giving up their lives at the end of an enemy's gun.

Spoiler: CCR - Fortunate Son

If we want to talk music... Might I suggest a bit of Crass?


And can't forget hardcore punk, thrash metal, a lot of death metal, and a good chunk of black metal just kind of in general.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I'm in the middle class and do fairly well for myself, but to be honest, where I live, racism is pretty transparent a concept. It's really hard to see it in day to day life.

Well...it's often very difficult to see prejudice that affects people that aren't you. Not the same as it not being there. One of the insidious things about privilege is that it seems perfectly normal. If you've grown up in a group that gets preferential treatment, then that's just the way the world is, and often, seemingly the only way the world could be.

Now, this isn't an attack on you personally. I am pretty sure that my own privilege has prevented me from seeing various big problems faced by people who aren't me, which will seem really obvious after someone points them out to me.

In the reply above yours, directed to me, he agrees the term isn't the best, and something like 'Majority Privilege' is probably a better fit. I think I'd agree with that idea, as it doesn't label anyone by race, but implied circumstances. The name is less immediately offending, and it's more accurate to boot.

There's a few problems with that.

Firstly, white privilege works in a different way to, say, straight privilege. Similar, but different. Of course, it works very differently depending on where you live, and this is a point often overlooked. In any case, if you simply mean privilege, but without specifying which kind, well, why not just call it "privilege"?

Secondly, that's the tone argument. You're recommending that people make sure not to offend those with privilege. That's always a tempting idea, but it doesn't work, for various reasons. Not least, it's a good example of privilege itself. Also, there's no way to avoid offending people who want to get offended. You can't tell people that they have an unfair advantage, that the way they are brought up, things that seem right and natural to them is harming other people in a way they want to hear. You can sugar coat and water down the argument as much as you want, you can silence and dismiss the oppressed as much as they'll put up with, and it still will annoy people who don't want to know.

 

[Areloch]

I'm in the middle class and do fairly well for myself, but to be honest, where I live, racism is pretty transparent a concept. It's really hard to see it in day to day life.

Well...it's often very difficult to see prejudice that affects people that aren't you. Not the same as it not being there. One of the insidious things about privilege is that it seems perfectly normal. If you've grown up in a group that gets preferential treatment, then that's just the way the world is, and often, seemingly the only way the world could be.

Well, no. I never claimed 'racism doesn't exist'. I said that where I live(and I do know, meet and see people that aren't white) any racism that happens is subtle at most. And it's sort of irrelevant to say "racism exists, you just don't see it." because that was literally what I said. My point is, big, open racism doesn't happen where I live. I've never met someone talking about how black are better off as slaves or anything of the sort. I have no doubt there are some people that are still racist where I live, but they are not open about it when I've been around and I haven't seen movements about it.

And as I said before, to the best of my knowledge, I haven't gotten any direct preferential treatment because I'm white. It may have happened, but it was never in any way I could have known about or discerned. If my boss hired me over a black person because the person was black, I have no way of knowing that. It could have happened, but this is part of the problem with tossing out 'you've benefited from privilege'. Have I? I have no idea. And if I have, I have no idea what would even be done about it.

Now, this isn't an attack on you personally. I am pretty sure that my own privilege has prevented me from seeing various big problems faced by people who aren't me, which will seem really obvious after someone points them out to me.

Yeah, it's cool. But it is complicated stuff.

In the reply above yours, directed to me, he agrees the term isn't the best, and something like 'Majority Privilege' is probably a better fit. I think I'd agree with that idea, as it doesn't label anyone by race, but implied circumstances. The name is less immediately offending, and it's more accurate to boot.

There's a few problems with that.

Firstly, white privilege works in a different way to, say, straight privilege. Similar, but different. Of course, it works very differently depending on where you live, and this is a point often overlooked. In any case, if you simply mean privilege, but without specifying which kind, well, why not just call it "privilege"?

Fair point on the difference between racial privilege and sexuality privilege, though I don't imagine the distinction is large enough to matter on a whole.
That, and the "problem" with privilege seems to come up only when you align to the majority and thus can benefit from it(in theory).
A white person has privilege for being white, but only if they're in a place where that would do anything at all, such as if they lived in a primarily white area. Hence, the majority part.
Also just saying "Bob, you're privileged" doesn't...really mean anything at that point.

Secondly, that's the tone argument. You're recommending that people make sure not to offend those with privilege. That's always a tempting idea, but it doesn't work, for various reasons. Not least, it's a good example of privilege itself. Also, there's no way to avoid offending people who want to get offended. You can't tell people that they have an unfair advantage, that the way they are brought up, things that seem right and natural to them is harming other people in a way they want to hear. You can sugar coat and water down the argument as much as you want, you can silence and dismiss the oppressed as much as they'll put up with, and it still will annoy people who don't want to know.

Well, I didn't say we shouldn't offend privileged people. I'm suggesting the opposite. Don't tell a white person they've got white privilege if you don't know they do. That makes you look like a dick, and it hardens them against the notion, killing debate.
Like said above, privilege only enters into play and matters if you're in a position to benefit from any theoretical privilege you may have. If I'm a white guy living in a neighborhood that is all black, I don't get any societal benefits at all from it. In fact, I run a higher risk of being slighted for being white and other black people being picked over me. The circumstantial settings would dictate a black privilege.

So flatly telling all white people they're white privileged is counter to the real issue, which is awareness that you may subtly benefit from your circumstances based on race(or other impossible-to-change life factors). What you want to do is bring attention to the idea of privilege without inadvertently lumping people that do and do not have it together, because then everyone is worse off for it. At that point you're basically reinforcing racism. And that doesn't help at all.

edit:fixed formatting.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Well, no. I never claimed 'racism doesn't exist'. I said that where I live(and I do know, meet and see people that aren't white) any racism that happens is subtle at most. And it's sort of irrelevant to say "racism exists, you just don't see it." because that was literally what I said. My point is, big, open racism doesn't happen where I live. I've never met someone talking about how black are better off as slaves or anything of the sort. I have no doubt there are some people that are still racist where I live, but they are not open about it when I've been around and I haven't seen movements about it.

Ah, ok, misread you there.

Fair point on the difference between racial privilege and sexuality privilege, though I don't imagine the distinction is large enough to matter on a whole.

Well, the way they work tends to be different, and of different severity as well. People who are a minority both ways have had a lot to say about the subject.

If nothing else, you can tell if someone is black or white at a glance, but that's not the same with sexuality. Currently, it seems worldwide, there are a lot more laws against gay people than black people, though.

A white person has privilege for being white, but only if they're in a place where that would do anything at all, such as if they lived in a primarily white area. Hence, the majority part.

The west, as a rule, is majority white. The people in various forms of power in the west tend to be white.

Now, certainly, this doesn't make white privilege such a thing in, say, Japan, but the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and so on are most definitely places where white people have privilege.

Like said above, privilege only enters into play and matters if you're in a position to benefit from any theoretical privilege you may have. If I'm a white guy living in a neighborhood that is all black, I don't get any societal benefits at all from it. In fact, I run a higher risk of being slighted for being white and other black people being picked over me. The circumstantial settings would dictate a black privilege.

A black neighbourhood in a country primarily populated by, and dominated by, white people? You still have white privilege. It might not be worth so much in that neighbourhood, sure, but that neighbourhood doesn't exist in isolation.

 

[Genocidicles]

This is the discrimination I campaign against. This is the bullshit I will not let slide. This is what I mean when I say 'white privilege'. Just how does a non-white get through this kind of discrimination? There are three political groups aimed solely at the white-washing of Britain, and you want me to consider asking the victims to work through their prejudices?

Are you kidding? Of all the dodgy UKIP policies to attack (climate change denial), these are the ones you go after?

-End mass uncontrolled immigration

What's wrong with this exactly? We shouldn't let every untrained idiot into our country, be they black or white, Christian or Muslim. If they want to come over here then they should be able to contribute in a meaningful way.

And what's more, most Brits want less immigration:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/07/uk-britain-immigration-survey-idUKBREA0600F20140107

-Regain control of our borders

Not sure whether this refers to leaving the EU (To stop the free movement of people) or stopping illegal immigration.

If it refers to leaving the EU, then what's the big deal? The free movement of people lets anyone in, regardless of how skilled they. Criminals are freely allowed entrance as well. Even if it was just because of stopping 'durty forreners', I wouldn't call it racist. Most of the people coming into the UK from the EU are white.

If it refers to stopping illegal immigration then I so no problem there whatsoever.

-End Abuse of the Asylum system

Again, nothing wrong with this. We shouldn't be letting in a bunch of unskilled people. Whats more, refugees are supposed to stay in their first safe port of call, which probably isn't Britain.

-Introduce work permits with limited visas

What's wrong with this?

-Promote one common British culture

Is this a problem exactly? If you move to Britain then surely you should act in a British manner? Surely you should respect local customs? Multiculturalism has lead to ghettos popping up everywhere, where people just build a smaller version of their home country rather than adapting and integrating to their new one.