"I've never heard a white man talk about impostor syndrome. I haven't met one."

[H2O Man]

86. Okay.

I will estimate that in 47.6% of my posts over 20+ years on this forum, I have fit the sport of boxing in, even when it doesn't fit, because I am convinced all of life imitates the sport of boxing. I note that one of my good friend's brother-in-law, Jerry Quarry, despised being called "the white hope." When Jerry fought, he was always introduced as Irish Jerry Quarry, which he and his family liked.

Now, I boxed in many, many bouts. Just as when I fought on the undercard of Jerry's brother-in-law's upset victory over a fighter who would soon win a world title, I was always introduced as "Irish." Never once as white. Now, back in that era, there was racism in most all levels of the sport, starting in the locker rooms where different groups of fighters frequently were hostile to other groups. In recent times, when my son and nephew won Golden Gloves titles, I was pleased that this nonsense no longer existed. The fighters were almost all friendly and polite with other folks. I can't say that held for some of the old trainers, but for most.

Now, in each one of his fights, my son was introduced to the crowd as "Irish." Not white, nor was my nephew noted for being black. That is because there is a certain status in the boxing community's expectations of Irish fighters.

Now, I'm very old, surely one of the oldest people in human history, and happiest when I am annoyed by something. Since I love boxers, I will instead focus on the boxing community. Within it, I have noticed that a number of them do something that others, including many of those I otherwise like a great deal, will start a story with, "There was a black guy ...." I know this because, as I self-identify as "Irish," I am able to pass quietly through white society. Not that I am ever silent, of course. But they never start with, "There was a white guy." Now, I'm not suggesting that they are "bad" people, or would consider themselves to be racist. But I notice what words people use.

Fast forward to current events in America today ...... there is a racist fuck in the White House. Lots of them in the administration. By no coincidence, most are white. More, most maga are white. Most racist hate gangs, such as the one that attacked one of my high school nephews, leaving him with life-threatening injuries, were white. The judge that said in open court that he did not think the gang members calling my nephew a "stupid ni___er" indicated race was a factor in the violent crime was white. The white christian nationalists are almost exclusively white, are they not?

So I self-identify as being different than white. One person here called it "white privilege" for me to do this. I call it an obligation as a citizen of the United States that has long been opposed to the racism of white folks. But, again, that's just me. I will add that I live in a house with photographs of my ancestors, both in Ireland and the U.S., who uses the tools my father gave me that his father gave him, who has furniture that my ancestors used, and who has a large labyrinth/garden that literally every visitor has commented "is so Irish. I prepare Irish meals, and find our society's St. Patrick's Day traditions offensive.

Although I might be dull-witted, I have long studied sociology and psychology. My employment has been in both fields. Thus, I am fascinated in various cultures' history and traditions.