Global Security, Privacy, & Risk Management

White privilege…and me. July 20, 2016

I was talking today about white privilege and how I did not agree with the premise…I was then challenged…here are some questions I was asked…

• “Have ou ever been in a state home because your parents were in jail?”
• “Have you ever watched your mom taken to jail?”
• “Have you ever visited your parents in jail”
• “Have you ever lived in a battered women’s shelter?”
• “Have you ever been a minority in your school?”
• “Have you ever been raised in foster homes?”
• “Have you ever had to steal food as a kid to eat?”
• “Have you ever been beaten up for being a minority?”
• “Have you ever work the same pair of shoes for a full year?”
• “Have you ever been homeless?”

Many reading this probably think this is referring to someone challenging me.  This is actually my life.  The answer I give to all of these questions is YES!  This is how I grew up as a boy.

I have been ALL of these..I have been all of these and experienced all of this.  I grew up VERY poor and a minority in many neighborhoods.  I learned to fight early and often. I have indeed watched my mom taken to jail and visited her speaking over a phone between a glass wall.  I have been in a state home, lived in a battered women’s shelter and was raised in foster homes.  I have watched my step-father taken to prison..I never saw him again….Why do I disclose this?  Simple.  These people who cry about “White privilege” need to get off their proverbial asses and actually do something positive in life.  Don’t cry and complain that life is unfair and that those who get ahead only do so due to some ‘privilege’.  We have all felt struggles.  There are numerous people who are ‘disadvantaged’ in life and go forth and make a positive life.

Recently, I read about a  Black advocate for ‘free tuition’ whose father made $1 million per year.  I laughed. This guy was raised in a much, much more affluent home than I was yet he was playing the ‘race card’ to get attention.

Look…life aint’ easy for anyone.  Some people have advantages and others don’t.  that is life.  Some people are born with  a silver spoon in their mouths while others have to steal to eat.  The point is that people should quite crying about ‘privilege’ and get off their asses to do something positive. Michelle Obama was raised in the South Side of Chicago!  She certainly did not have “white privilege” yet she went to Princeton then Harvard!

My point is not that some people are disadvantaged in life.  I was.  My point is that blindly labeling all success as ‘privilege’ of any sort ignores what people strive to attain.  Are there advantaged white people? Sure..are there advantaged black people?  yes…ultimately, we all need to work hard and take ownership of our lives.

Thanks for reading…

Chris