I'm Guilty

I'm Guilty(Jim Corbin) So it’s a new term, at least it is to me. White privilege. Born white. And I guess that makes me a second class citizen now. Of course the whole point is to turn the tables on white people. After all, blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities are born into poverty from which there is little or no escape. As long as I, and those like me can keep them down and take advantage of them. For so many years, they have been constantly oppressed, so it’s time for me, and people like me to pay our dues. Go figure.

You don’t know how much satisfaction I glean from watching all of those folks struggle, never able to achieve any form of success. Let’s keep them all under foot, take away all of their rights, and push them down. Inferior. That’s just the way it has to be, because I must be successful, and that can’t happen as long ‘those people’ are in the way. They are annoying and embarrassing.

So sad. And I guess there is only one word to describe the situation. BULLSHIT!
First, let me suggest that no matter what I write here, I don’t expect it to change anyone’s mind, regardless of how much I wish it would. I just need to get it off my chest.

I could go into a long explanation of where I came from, and what I went through, - you know, oldest of seven, dad a truck driver (back when truck drivers had to struggle just to keep what little they could earn to feed the family), struggling just to keep an old Ford running, and grow some meager crops so my mother could can them for winter. Still, as compared to a lot of other people, I guess you could say we were privileged. But it didn’t seem like it at the time.

And prejudice? Of course. Let’s face it, coming from a little town in New England in the 50’s and 60’s, nothing but white people, I guess you could say there was a lot of prejudice. I remember the slurs and the words to denigrate. It was all there. Still, I would be hard pressed to believe that white folks were not enduring the same degradation from the inner city.

And I remember getting the ‘hairy eyeball’ when I dared venture into the city. Of course I suspect those same feelings were shared by folks from the city who had the audacity to venture onto our turf. As I think about it now, it seems so unfortunate to me; what a bunch of crap.

As I got older, I truly don’t remember thinking that people of different ethnicity as being inferior, but I am told, because I am white, that I must have. I must have put them down, and treated them like second class citizens, because that is what white people do. Prevent them from the opportunity to learn, expand their horizons and mature into meaningful citizens, and raise loving families, because I am white. Even when I meet people who excel at what they do, and people who have so much talent it puts me in awe, but because I am white, all of that must take a back seat to my race. Go figure.

Okay, fine. You can say what you want about me, even hate me because I am white. I can’t stop you. You see, this is still a free country, so you are entitled to your opinion. It is your right, but I would like to change your opinion of me, if possible. You don’t have to believe that I feel the way that I do. But if you are wise enough to believe the white privilege exists, then it seems to me that you are also clever enough to understand that everyone one doesn’t condemn you because you are not white. You see, God gave you the same gifts and failings that he gave me. I am not going to whine about how hard I had to work to get where I am in life, and you might think that because I am white, it was easy and it was provided to me, but it wasn’t.

Just for the record, and something else you might not believe, but most of the people I know now, feel much the same as I do. It wasn’t always that way, but it was getting much better. I know because I ask them, but the point is I don’t have to. All I have to do is look at our society, and see all of the cultures, many time working together, to improve their own situation and to help their neighbors. I like that. So, to me, it begs the answer to three questions we all need to ask ourselves. What is causing us to change, what is it doing to us, and most importantly, what can we do (realistically) to stop it? And let’s face it, - do you really believe that, as a human being, I have to be told that black lives matter?