Acknowledging White Privilege

White privilege is a very complicated and weighted subject. Until recently I had a vague understanding of what white privilege meant. I thought that it simply meant white people had more opportunities than people of color. Throughout American history this has been true and although in the present day we're all supposed to be equal there are many obstacles still blocking the path toward true equality.

In White Privilege - Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, Peggy Mc Intosh made a list of privileges she experiences everyday due to her "whiteness" and most of them I could relate to. She refers to white privilege as unearned entitlement, which I agree is a more accurate title. Her list includes the fact that she never has to worry that her race played a role in negative situations and feels that her daily routine is much easier for her than people of color due to the fact that she is white. This article really forced me to view certain scenarios that I've witnessed in a new light.

A few years ago I was in a court room in Long Beach, California and witnessed several people being convicted of letting their dog out in public without a leash. None of them could afford to pay the fines associated with the charges and because of this they were all sentenced to three to six months in county jail. What I didn't notice then was the fact that they were all African American. I can't imagine that a fifty year old, white grandma with an unleashed miniature poodle would have been given the same poor treatment.

White privilege is not only about unearned entitlement, it's also about the things that I never have to worry about. Just as Peggy Mc Intosh states in her list, I never have to worry about my race playing a role in negative situations I may experience. Even if race is not the issue it's still something that people of color are constantly conscious of. If I'm not approved for a loan I'm pretty sure it's not because I'm white. If I'm followed by a clerk in the grocery store I'd never question if it has something to do with the color of my skin.

In Racism, Right-Wing Rage and the Politics of White Nostalgia, Tim Wise mentions that many people seem to want to forget that the history of this country is based on oppression. It's no wonder most people choose not to accept, or are at least ignorant to the fact that oppression still exists. While it is a fact that all Americans have a right to the same opportunities as their neighbor, the struggle and hardships of some might be greater than others because of their race. And the only way this can change is if White America steps out of oblivion and realises that creating equal rights was not the last step, we still need to make them obtainable.