Author unknown...(a few things taken for granted if your privilege is being born with white pigment)

[Heartstrings]

Author Unknown:

"I need to drive my two-year-old to daycare tomorrow morning. To ensure we arrive alive, we won't take public transit (Oscar Grant). I removed all air fresheners from the vehicle and double-checked my registration status (Daunte Wright), and ensured my license plates were visible (Lt. Caron Nazario). I will be careful to follow all traffic rules (Philando Castille), signal every turn (Sandra Bland), keep the radio volume low (Jordan Davis), and won't stop at a fast food chain for a meal (Rayshard Brooks). I'm too afraid to pray (Rev. Clementa C. Pickney) so I just hope the car won't break down (Corey Jones).

When my wife picks him up at the end of the day, I'll remind her not to dance (Elijah McClain), stop to play in a park (Tamir Rice), patronize the local convenience store for snacks (Trayvon Martin), or walk around the neighborhood (Mike Brown). Once they are home, we won't stand in our backyard (Stephon Clark), eat ice cream on the couch (Botham Jean), or play any video games (Atatiana Jefferson).

After my wife and I tuck him into bed around 7:30pm, neither of us will leave the house to go to Walmart (John Crawford) or to the gym (Tshyrand Oates) or on a jog (Ahmaud Arbery). We won't even walk to see the birds (Christian Cooper). We'll just sit and try not to breathe (George Floyd) and not to sleep (Breonna Taylor)."

This needs to stop.....now!

[The Magistrate]

1. An Excellent Rant, Sir

[brush]

2. Well done. This is where we're at now in the US and the over-policing/killings of...

unarmed Black people.

[irisblue]

3. 💔

[pazzyanne]

4. ...

[benfranklin1776]

5. That heartbreakingly but incisively sums up the current state of wretched affairs.

Significant substantive changes must occur in policing beginning with the passage of the bill the House has sent to the Senate. But that’s only a start. Long term, our country needs to fully recognize and stamp out the lethal racism that is the abomination that has produced this intolerable state of affairs.

[politruk]

13. Nothing but time,

and that on a generational time-scale, is going to wipe out racism in America.

[Pacifist Patriot]

6. Wow!

[DENVERPOPS]

7. The blatant truth

brilliantly stated.........

[ismnotwasm]

8. K&R

[stage left]

9. Perfect

And perfectly heartbreaking.

[Aussie105]

10. Drives the message home clearly.

America is a police state.

With a gun happy, POC are the target, police presence.

How did it get to this?

The Land of the Free seems very constrictive for some, somehow.

I was going to make a list of the things you can do 'while black' that can get you killed, but this post saves me the trouble.

[COL Mustard]

11. Whoever Wrote That

Is a genius. No other adjective for it. Genius.

Seriously, it sums up what's happened in our country very very well.

[BobTheSubgenius]

12. I'm totally conscious of the existence of white privilege, and the examples of it I read.

I suppose it exists here, but I have never heard it spoken of. This is a quiet, somewhat upmarket medium-sized city, so that probably minimizes the friction somewhat. The average income is about 90K, but there is a very large population of well-heeled retirees.

Could those be factors? I don't know. It could be argued that a fairly expensive place like this (average single family house $1,2M and the cost of living is literally double the national average) might tend to polarize the population and leave the police to squash the lower tier(s) to the benefit of the upper.

I hope not, and it does not seem like it. So, my conclusion has to be that, while I'm aware of its existence, I have exactly zero actual experience with it, and really not even any second-hand experience. Is that good, bad, or indifferent?

[soldierant]

17. The situation you describe

sounds more like one in which residents would have exactly zero experience of anything other than white privilege.

Just sayin'.

[BobTheSubgenius]

18. I take your point, and I can see that I explained it badly.

Let me try this. There is SO much white privilege that it rarely gets pushed to the forefront, so we are pretty much never reminded of it. Business As Usual doesn't bring much notice.

[Tommymac]

19. BAU is a synonym for White Privilege.

Think about it.

[soldierant]

20. Gotcha. That sounds about right.

I've been in similar situations too - and known people in similar situaions who never, ever thought to question it, and have some odd ideas as a result. It can be overcone, or atlleast alleviated=, but it takes work.

[BobTheSubgenius]

21. Fully agree.

I suppose the worst white privilege issues we have in Canada are with the indigenous population. Some bands are doing very well indeed, and some are dirt poor.

I absolutely hate to say things that seem this self-serving, but I think it shows I'm working on it. A native friend of mine told me I was the least white person she knows, and meant it as a compliment, obviously. Offered to take me back to her res of birth during some ceremonial time and have me given a tribal name. It's 300 miles and 2 ferry rides away, but it would be worth it, I think.

[Best_man23]

14. Also this

If the car is backfiring or otherwise not running well make sure you avoid driving near police stations or groups of cops (Timothy Russell, Malissa Williams).

Otherwise, excellent and timely rant.

[chowder66]

15. This is one of the saddest things I've ever seen written but I have often wondered what this has

done to people. How many have altered their lives to any degree that fits this scenario.

It's deeply sickening.

[Harker]

16. This brings to mind my (white guy) being pulled over

by a black cop.

I was doing 40 in a 35 zone in a '71 VW Beetle. He stopped me, and approached laughing.

"You were speeding a little, but I don't care. I drew 'seat belt patrol' today, and I forgot these old ones don't have shoulder straps... I'm sorry, man... have yourself a good day, alright?"

Looking back at this in light of my awareness of racial disparity makes me cry sometimes.

"Liberty and justice for all" shouldn't be merely a catchy slogan.

[Nevilledog]

22. Not unknown

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100215337105