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Explaining White Privilege to the Underprivileged and the Privileged

Explaining White Privilege to the Underprivileged and the Privileged

Explaining White Privilege to the Underprivileged and the Privileged

 

White PrivilegeI have had several people question me on the legitimacy of the use of the term “white privilege,’ and how it is used here in America. I am going to give you the concise version of the answers that you are looking for. This is definitely not the platform to provide in-depth answers to these questions.

First of all, I will say that I spend very little time, if any at all, attempting to convince whites of “white privilege” and the current existence of “white supremacy racism.” This has less to do with whites than it does with my people. It is my belief that our elevation and empowerment will not come from convincing whites that the way that they treat us is wrong. I take this stand for a number of reasons, with the most prevalent being that white supremacy racism was designed as a system equipped to perpetuate the survival of the white race, which is, by far, one of the smallest populations on earth. It allows those who are in power to sustain their positions of power and wealth, and the only way that this can be done with certainty is through tilting the scales by means of oppression. Although very few are actually in control of this system, all white benefit from it at some level.

The truth is that a significant number of whites are aware of and complicit with white racism, and there are even blacks who serve as agents of white supremacy racism, but I will admit that there are a number whites who are unaware, or at least suffering from cognitive dissonance at a level that will not allow them to admit that they are a part of a privileged group who enjoy their privilege at the expense of another group, specifically blacks. I would advise you not to feel bad about not knowing, the vast majority of people in this country are completely oblivious to what is taking place, and that is not by accident.

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“White privilege” is a term that is used to describe the innate benefit that people of European descent have simply through their skin color, but before we can examine that, we must gain a lucid perspicacity of what racism is. The misunderstanding of racism is where a great deal of conflict and disagreement originates.

White supremacy racism is often confused with bigotry — the hatred of others because they are different. Anyone can be a bigot; however, racism is a system of power that is designed to give one group a decisive advantages over another. It is designed to protect the interest of one group, while purposely oppressing the other group. In order for racism to exist, the group that is being accused of racism must have the power to negatively impact another group collectively.

The need for a power structure is why blacks can never be accused of being racists; we have no system of power through which we can negatively impact whites, or any other group, on a collective level. We may hate white people, but we have no power to negatively impact their way of life as a race. On the other hand, there is an entire system in place that ensures the advancement of whites, while purposely oppressing blacks. This is how whites ensure the perpetuation of their race. This is also why blacks cannot appeal to whites for relief from this oppression — because for white supremacy to give blacks an equal opportunity, they would place their own race at risk. Make no mistake about it, racism is not about color, it is about power. The grouping just happens to be along the lines of ethnicity, and has, over time, become identified through ethnicity.

So that we are clear, allow me to elucidate the definition of racism. White supremacy racism is a historically based, institutionally perpetuated system of exploitation and oppression of continents, nations and peoples of color by white people and nations of Europe, for the purpose of maintaining and defending a system of wealth, power and privilege.

So, although the lynchings and burning of crosses by hate groups, such as the Klu Klux Klan, during the Jim Crow era is facilitated through the mechanisms of white racism, it, in itself, is only a symptomatic issue — much in the same way as cops shooting down unarmed black men in the street and in their homes. The system provides the opportunity for white companies, governments and organizations to effectively oppress and harm blacks without the fear of retribution.

Now, let’s take a quick look at “white privilege.” White privilege is also historically based, and it is the natural result of white supremacy racism. It, too, is an institutionally perpetuated system of preferential prejudice for and treatment of white people based solely on the color of their skin, and ancestral origin from Europe. This privilege includes the exemption from racial and national oppression based on skin color or national origin from Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Arab world.

Below you will find six facts that present white privilege in clear view.

  1. White men, and whites in general, are less likely to be arrested for drug possession and jailed than blacks, despite the fact that crime statistics reveal that they are more likely to actually have drugs on them. Not only are white less likely to be arrested, but they are virtually guaranteed a lesser sentence for the absolute same crime. According to a study conducted by the Human Rights Watch, people of color are no more likely to use or sell illegal drugs than whites, but they have much higher rates of arrests. While only 14 percent of blacks use drugs regularly, 37 percent of those arrested for drugs are black.
  2. Whites are more likely to be accepted into college. According to a report issued by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, elite educational institutions are functioning as passive agents in the perpetuation of white privilege. This report presented the fact that white students are still significantly over represented in the nation’s 468 elite institutions. This study further revealed that although many whites and black students are unprepared for college at an equal rate, white students are being accepted and admitted at a much higher rate.
  3. Whites are significantly more likely to get a call back for a job. In fact, a recent study conducted by the University of Chicago revealed that employers are using the name of applicants as a means of judging if they will be called in for an interview. In this study, applications with names that are commonly recognized as European in nature, were called at a much higher rate than those names that were associated with being of African American origin.
  4. Despite personal persona, whites are less likely to be perceived as violent thugs. Case in point: Seattle Seahawks defensive back, Richard Sherman, who graduated from an Ivy League School with a 4.0 GPA, was labeled a thug because of his boldness and brashness. During their run to their first Super Bowl win, the media took issue with the fact that Sherman declared he was the best cornerback in the league, over the next 24 hours, the term “thug” was used an astoundingly 625 times when referring to him. Sherman responded with the assertion that calling black people thugs is simply the acceptable way of calling us the “n” word.
  5. Whites are not criminalized as victims, in fact, they are not even criminalized as criminals. There was an instance about a month or so ago, where three white boys were arrested for shoplifting, and when their pictures were shown on the news, they showed their yearbook pictures; however, less than a week later, three black boys were arrested for the same crime, but their mug shots were shown. This is not an isolated incident. Look at the manner at which the shooter in the Aurora, CO theater shooting has been portrayed as troubled and misunderstood, while Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and numerous other black men were immediately characterized as thugs and criminals, despite the fact that they were the victims.
  6. Whites are far more likely to receive adequate housing, loans and promotions.

These six facts do not even come close to uncovering the depth of white privilege. It is seen in the disproportionate number of black men who are being mass incarcerated in record numbers. It is also seen in the disparity in which whites are being sentenced in comparison to blacks for the same crimes. Simply put, the system is designed for blacks, and it has a built in release valve for whites who get caught up in it, with the exception of the darkest of hearts.

There are also statistics that reveal that white people who are reported missing receive a higher level of support from law-enforcement and they also receive a significantly higher level of media attention.

This can also be seen in the manner in which social turmoil is reported. When the students at Penn State erupted into a riot over the firing of Joe Paterno, or the students at Kentucky rioted when their basketball team loss in the national semi-finals, each time it was reported in the light of students expressing themselves; however, the riots in Ferguson and Baltimore was reported as thugs and criminals destroying their city. Actually, more damage was done at either of those school riots than was done collectively in Ferguson and Baltimore. The people of Ferguson and Baltimore were rioting because they are tired of seeing young black men slaughtered in the street with no retribution, and the students at Penn State were rioting because a coach got fired because he purposely covered up the molestation of multiple little boys. Not to mention that the students at Kentucky were rioting because they lost a basketball game.

The denial of the existence of white privilege allows the white power structure to continue to demand that blacks stop being lazy and pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but an anatomization of the multitudinous mechanisms that are in place that ensure that blacks own very little have access to very little, reveals that, as Dr. Claud Anderson says, blacks are caught in the middle of a real live Monopoly game in which they have never been given an equal share to compete with.

For my black brothers and sisters that are reading this, please understand that white privilege does not condemn you to a life at the bottom of the social structure. It simply means that we cannot depend on the white power structure to supply us with what we need to elevate ourselves. We must use our own resources to develop an autonomous system through which we can be self-sustaining.

To those of you who are white and have read to this point. This issue is something that you must reconcile within yourself, individually and collectively. I felt this was an issue that needed to be addressed, but I personally place no gravity in the hopes of whites accepting, acknowledging and pushing to change this. You must determine what you are willing to live with.

I suggest that we have reached a point in our history as a nation in which it is time to be honest with ourselves. It is time for each person to determine what you stand for, and it is time to take a stand. As blacks, we must stop expecting deliverance and relief from the system that is oppressing us. There is nothing rational about that expectation. You have been empowered by the divine creator, to stand up in the power of your design and gifts and make a difference in your situation. This is how we will advance. We must take responsibility for our own fate. ~ Dr. Rick Wallace, Ph.D.

One comment

  1. Licia Morris

    Thank you so much for explaining this to me in such a well written presentation. I am working on a school assignment today, but I have read the article, and I have some questions for you. I will respond after I’ve had some time to process and think about all of this, but I will say that it makes me so sad to know that this actually exists and that I have no way (or so it seems) to make a real impact to change it. I probably don’t speak for every white person, but I can tell you that many of us have no idea this even exists and genuinely don’t want it to either. I appreciate you allowing me to ask questions in an honest and respectful discussion to gain a better understanding. Too often, this is a subject that is difficult for two different races to discuss, but I just knew when I read your post on Facebook, that you were the perfect person for me to approach. Thanks again, and I hope you have a wonderful day!!

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