People don't understand that "white, male privilege" hurts white males too
In some sense, it benefits white males, but because it's a relic of the old guard and the "good old boys club" it's really about a hierarchy of a small number of the privileged running and benefitting from the work of a very large underclass (which includes working class whites and minorities).
I caution my fellow white males to not be threatened by the concept or discussion of "white privilege", because it's not a threat to white, working class males. In fact, it's not a threat to ANY white males, here's why:
EFFORTS to broaden diversity throughout professions, sectors and all parts of society leave only one deciding factor once equality is achieved --MERIT.
Once equality is achieved or as it is neared, a diverse company, a diverse public sector, a diverse university, can only differentiate among people by judging their abilities and their merit.
And in the interim, all the efforts to help women and minorities achieve equality in pay end up helping lower paid white male workers because when you help those in poverty and in the working class move up, you are helping white males in those groups as well, in fact, the very things that keep minorities and women in the underclass keep many, many white males in that underclass too.
As an aside, back when I was in high school, I was a Reagan-loving white male living in a liberal area and in 1988, it looked like Jesse Jackson just might get nominated for the presidency. Some in my family cautioned that he was "just going to help the blacks". I don't remember if I believed them or not, but I did think he was liberal.
But I remember by the time of the convention and hearing his speech (as a Bush supporter then), hearing him speak that I realized that he was speaking to ALL people, ALL Americans and wanted to improve the lot of ALL those who struggled, minorities AND poor whites. And I remember thinking how his vision was dismissed because whites didn't realize, partly due to racism, that he was speaking to them and that they too, were victims of inequality that also harmed blacks and other minorities.
The language is hard, but I can assure you that the feminists in your lives, the advocates for minority civil rights, the advocates for the poor, want to see an America where ALL people, white, black, male, female, live well, are compensated well and have endless opportunities.
Don't be threatened by the language of privilege. It's about making a better society and you, yes, you white males, will benefit from such a society too.
Do you think JFK, FDR, RFK and folks like them were trying to make the United States worse for themselves? Of course not.
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Kudos for telling it like it is.....
I too lived in a place that was wickedly against Jesse Jackson. They were so threatened by his candidacy. I couldn't understand it. I loved him! But in the back of my mind, I knew why. I think they somehow carried the guilt of their ancestors, were ingrained with fear that they had been raised with from birth. All so prejudiced. I sort of felt sorry for them in a way...it just seemed like they were trapped in a time-warp and couldn't grow, couldn't escape it. And I'm absolutely sure that is what has happened since PO won the election in 2008. I hope by now they are beginning to see that they have nothing to fear.
Excellent post.
