By Edwin Cooney
A
few days ago, a friend sent me a column by Christine Emba who writes the “In
Theory” blog for the Washington Post.
The topic of the column was the prevalence of “white privilege” here in
the United States. In her commentary, Ms. Emba outlined some of the components
of white privilege as follows:
Not
being followed or harassed by suspicious store personnel when shopping.
The
option to curse or dress sloppily in public without people reflecting on the
disadvantages of your morals predicated on your race.
If
you have a quarrel with any part of the goods or services you’ve purchased, the
person in charge of that department or service will be of your own race.
The
expectation that should you move into a nice neighborhood, you can expect to be
greeted warmly by your neighbors.
You
will feel comfortable and normal in all walks of life.
Finally,
Ms. Emba defines white privilege as being
“the social advantage that comes from being seen as merely part of the
norm.”
Even
more eloquently and powerfully, she quotes from Wellesley College professor
Peggy McIntosh’s 1988 paper entitled “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible
Knapsack.” Dr. McIntosh defines white
privilege as “a set of unearned assets that white people can count on cashing
in each day even as they remain largely oblivious to their advantages.”
So,
there it is. If you’re white in America,
you’re a privileged citizen in comparison to people of color. It’s hard to argue with either Ms. Emba or
Dr. McIntosh. However, it’s even harder
to swallow the idea that those of us who have white skin are really and truly privileged. We didn’t choose to be white any more than
people of color chose their complexions!
Ms.
Emba writes that she was disappointed with the reaction of many whites when a
version of her column was published on Martin Luther King Day. Most of the
protests minimized the feelings, especially of blacks, that they are second
class citizens invariably looked upon with everything from hatred to
indifference. One common reaction was
that if only blacks would pull up their proverbial “bootstraps” and get off
welfare by getting a job, everything would be just fine, thank you!
Of
course, all of us in one way or another are privileged. Blacks and whites alike possess valuable
talents that entice the privileged class to pay them handsomely. Thus, they become privileged! Whites and blacks alike are limited by
physical disability. Thoughtful,
generous, intelligent, foolish and wise blacks and whites populate this broad
and gracious land of ours. Still, there
looms the question of privilege and why it’s a drag to be seen as privileged.
First,
few of us, the privileged included, rarely feel privileged in this uncertain
world. Second, often when one is born a
member of the privileged class, one eventually gets used to being privileged
and it’s no “big deal.” In other words,
the distinction or the exceptions granted by privilege fade with time.
Third,
to be branded “privileged” requires those thus classified to give much in
return. “If much is given, more is
expected.” Sadly, too many of us,
whether or not we’re of the privileged class, heartily resent being required to
do anything even when we’d normally be glad to give to others. We privately and sometimes not so privately
insist, “let me decide to be generous!”
Too often we even resent the scriptural call to be our brother’s keeper. The price of privilege is pretty steep and
consequently quite demanding.
Fourth,
another truth is that the privileged are seldom looked upon with much empathy
or understanding. The material, social,
and emotional burdens they carry are seldom appreciated by the common folk and
if there is anything beyond food, clothing, shelter, money, or love that all of
us crave, it’s our hunger to be understood and appreciated by others.
Most
of us “common folk” find little room in our hearts for the burdens of the
privileged. Struggling with the
challenges we face, we, whom Lincoln called “the plain people,” tend to
minimize our own blessings or privileges.
As for the privileged, we’re sure that they take pretty good care of
themselves and so they do! With that,
our concern for the privileged class comes to a screeching halt!
As
for the social status we call “privileged,” by definition it is a very narrow
designation. While we were growing up,
the kids who were “teacher’s pets” or those who had lots of money or fine
clothes were “the privileged.” In
adulthood, those who are well off largely due to an unearned income are
generally regarded as the privileged ones in society. So the question is what role,
if any, do the privileged play in society?
Historically, the most positive role they play is that of role
model. I can think of at least three
public servants, Nelson Rockefeller, Ted Kennedy and George H. W. Bush, who
sacrificed their ivory towered sanctuaries for the slings and arrows of public
service. Ask yourself, if you were any
one of those three men, would you subject yourself to the political abuse to
which they subjected themselves in political life?
In
closing, I humbly offer you a truth that should be self evident! White privilege really doesn’t exist. Privileges are not earned and they thus
cannot be unearned. After all, a privilege is something that is consciously
granted and ultimately acknowledged.
Racial bigotry is the real culprit.
Racial prejudice is as American as cherry pie. Anyone who doesn’t see that reality is blind
in more ways than one.
As
I see it, there is too much pointless prejudice and jealousy toward those
classified as privileged. If someone is
born with unearned assets, that person can hardly be charged with any kind of
misdeed! If it isn’t a crime to be one
of President Abraham Lincoln’s “plain people,” how can it be a crime to possess
privileges? Personal prejudice, not privilege,
is America’s systemic disease!
As
much as I whole-heartedly concur with Ms. Emba and Dr. McIntosh’s sentiments
and descriptions of the benefits white Americans have that black Americans
lack, white privilege is a misnomer. To be categorized as privileged in 21st Century
America is an unearned insult! Being bigoted
and being privileged are far from being the same thing.
The
late George C. Wallace was quite bigoted, but nobody ever suggested that he was
privileged. From what we’ve seen during
the 2015-16 GOP primary season, Mr. Trump might be easily described as a
privileged bigot. After all, he boasts about both his bigotry and his
privileges!
RESPECTFULLY
SUBMITTED,
EDWIN
COONEY
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