On White Privilege

Please note: the following is written in the hope of furthering dialogue and understanding, and should be read and understood in said manner...

  (You may want to skip to 1:15 on the video).

Yes, life is hard enough. It beats you down each and every day- and when least expected, just for good measure! No doubt, some have it easier than others; no doubt, no one escapes unscathed... not-a-one, anywhere.

And this is why some people (ie- Whites) have such a problem with the very concept of... White Privilege. And they'll be more than happy to tell you that they never got any privilege for being White long as they can remember. They got ridiculed, lied to, beat down and swindled same as anyone- regardless of race, creed or color. So where's the privilege in that?

And they're all good points- each and every one. The thing about White Privilege though is that it's not about all the indignities that everyone has to suffer through and experience in life- it's about the realm of degrading and often humiliating add-ons they don't know about or refuse to acknowledge, and don't have to experience.

Whites are justifiably proud when they have succeeded economically after having started with nothing- The American Dream! But they can quickly turn indignant should one mention that a person of Color who achieved the same also had to endure the additional prejudicial battles securing: housing, education, loans and other financial musts under conditions that Whites would never encounter or be subject to. Nothing enrages a White person more than suggesting that they had it easier on the ground floor than you- that you had to work twice as hard, struggle twice as hard, sweat twice as hard simply because of the color of your skin or the accent of your English. That is anathema to White ears, it undermines their paradigm of self serving beliefs; instead of just giving that person their due props, some will insist their success came about from monies and all manner of assistance from some "government program," some hand out, some entitlement- never by the sweat of their brow or... use of their intellect. And the fact that they were raised in neighborhoods that were red lined with the worst: schools, nutrition, medical care, economic opportunities, etc, etc never, ever comes into play. Many Whites unconsciously assume we all start on a level playing field- and do we really have to get into which group gets the severest penalties for the same exact crime (or gets shot for trying to show their... license)? Mention any obstacle you have to overcome solely because of prejudice, and you have more than crossed the line- you are now playing the dreaded, indefensible, and totally unforgivable... "race card!"

As one person of Color remarked, "Everyday I have to think about race." And that's because whenever we're slighted or wronged, we have the additional task of considering if that particular rebuke or mistreatment occurred not because we erred as a human being- but because of a knee jerk, egregious reaction to our color or accent. We have to experience a White world simply to work and live our lives, Whites rarely have to live in or even experience our segment of reality.

I could go on and on and on with more and more examples, but that is only likely to stir up more anger, denial and resentment, within certain factions. So the video cuts to the chase, and serves a very simple purpose... Because even the most truly hardened and prejudicial of people have to admit in their heart of hearts that had President Obama said half of what Trump has said (particularly that little ol' "pussy" thang), the (White) hordes would have descended en force, torches alight and pitch forks gleaming on that (dump of a) White House lawn, screaming with veins a popping in their necks to bring him on out so they could lynch that uppity, no good n.....

But the point is, they don't have to admit it, not to anyone, not ever- not even to themselves; and that, in a nutshell, is the very essence of... White Privilege.