Got Privilege?

I first read "This is Your Nation on White Privilege" by Tim Wise a few days ago. It's really an excellent piece for "those who still can't grasp the concept of white privilege."

White privilege is when you can get pregnant at seventeen like Bristol Palin and everyone is quick to insist that your life and that of your family is a personal matter, and that no one has a right to judge you or your parents, because “every family has challenges,” even as black and Latino families with similar “challenges” are regularly typified as irresponsible, pathological and arbiters of social decay.

White privilege is when you can call yourself a “fuckin’ redneck,” like Bristol Palin’s boyfriend does, and talk about how if anyone messes with you, you'll “kick their fuckin' ass,” and talk about how you like to “shoot shit” for fun, and still be viewed as a responsible, all-American boy (and a great son-in-law to be) rather than a thug.

White privilege is when you can attend four different colleges in six years like Sarah Palin did (one of which you basically failed out of, then returned to after making up some coursework at a community college), and no one questions your intelligence or commitment to achievement, whereas a person of color who did this would be viewed as unfit for college, and probably someone who only got in in the first place because of affirmative action.

White privilege is something that a lot of people have, but far too many don't realize they benefit from. It's also something that sadly, a whole lot of people don't want to give up.

In the words of Frederick Douglass: "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will."

It is past time to demand that Republicans like Bush/Cheney and McCain/Palin concede their white power privilege.

On a related note, when I followed the links to the original piece -- sent to me by Fran (thank you!!) -- I found it was published on a web site called Red Room.

Red Room, an organization that supports writers, was founded by a good friend of mine -- Ivory Madison. I would encourage everyone to visit Red Room, and support a group that supports writers.

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