Dear Violet Baudelaire: Why White Privilege Doesn't Exist

I read an article that one of my good friends shared with me recently, and it set me on edge a bit. The article was an op-ed by Violet_Baudelaire that more or less amounted to a profanity laced misrepresentation of the American reality, marred with blatant racial slurs and assumptions regarding the notion of "white privilege" -- I felt compelled to dismantle and inspect the argument in a bit more detail in an attempt to shed some light on why it just isn't moral, or realistic really, to make such all encompassing assertions about entire communities of people, based solely on race. I'll admit, the op-ed irked me a bit -- which you'll see show through at points later on in the reading. As an American who is both understanding and proud of our nations history and the triumphs we've overcome as a people, I feel that is is counterintuitive to our goals, as well as a slap in the face of our history, to attempt to segregate folks based on race for any reason -- this sentiment is one reason that I feel most sentient human beings don't adhere to the notion of white privilege. The "white privilege" assertion negates the realities of individual circumstance, and in the end, amounts to a rather vague and somehow universally applicable form of new aged segregation, regardless of ones actual background or experiences. 

I'll say too, that as I poured through the jargon of the op-ed, it scared me a bit to think that such an f-bomb filled, racism ridden article garnered so many likes and shares, despite being nothing more than an abstract nod to the plausibility of an otherwise unpopular and rather obscure opinion -- "privilege based on ones race". Reading some of the comments at the bottom of the article, I began to feel that, compared to Donald Sterling, there were around 500 individuals who read and commented on that article that would make Sterling look more like Mother Theresa, than the racist individual that he has shown himself to be. The most disheartening realization for me though, came as it began to settle in, just how many people are out there among us who are this oblivious to the reality of the individual circumstance. How radically and racially charged must an individual be that they conceptualize these nazi like utopian ideologies as factual and plausible? Let me make it clear, these weren't the kinds of normally misguided yet naively innocent comments that I hear some folks make in support of the "privilege" ideology, rather, these were blatant mentions of the death and bodily bodily harm of other human beings, coupled with the proposed downfall of our current social structure as a whole. 

Needless to say, I had to post a rebuttal in an effort to stem the hemorrhaging of disinformation and the obvious lack of understanding this individual displayed, and also to show that my generation isn't one who can only formulate progressive, racist ideologies into profanity laced pseudo-intellectual Facebook posts, described as op-ed's. So, without further adieu, here is the reality:     

Dear Violet_Baudelaire and everyone else who preach the misconception of "white privilege:" 

Let me start off by saying, the reality is that this whole ideology is so Darwinian in nature that to attempt to study evidence of it's legitimacy/existence becomes less a matter of the dissection of solid factual examples, and more a matter of simply keeping up with the evolution itself – which is exhausting. I also wouldn’t be the only one I’ve heard state that this is in fact that intended purpose, to make the ideology so abstract that it's hard to ascribe any one particular belief or reasoning to it. This opens a world of opportunity for anyone who wishes to use the ideology in a devious way, such as to mute anthers voice based on a proposed privilege which makes them incapable of understanding another's situation, and so, invalid as an opinion regarding said situation -- this is devastating for many reasons when we consider how much emphasis we place on our opinions and freedom to express them, as Americans. I hear and read so many different conceptualizations of the term "privilege" that it's hard to tell what the facts are, and where it's actually applicable. If you do happen to read the article, you will notice the mention of "reverse racism," and I wanted to make it clear, as not to confuse anyone: There is no such thing as “reverse racism,” by it's modern day definition, so the writers assertion to what is in fact, simply, racism, is a moot point, and in my opinion is indicative of the lack of understanding this individual actually possesses regarding matters of fundamental vocabulary. The term, “reverse racism,” is theoretical, and improperly formulated. A colleague of mine wrote a Yale Press published paper on the topic, for a regional call for papers -- I’ll try and see if I can find it somewhere for you and post it at a later date.

I think what we have here is a matter of misinterpretation, the existence of which I do not feel is an outcome entirely undesired by it's proponents. That aside, the long and the short of the issue is that the word itself is misleading, insofar as it motivates one to believe that the outcome of a “privileged” individuals life – should the outcome to whatever point be a positive one – is not the cause of the summation of his/her choices, or the adherence to a particular moral obligation, rather, that the individual has only reached said point because of the privileged nature of his/her upbringing, and that such a scenario of privilege is absolutely amplified significantly by ones color -- white being the best of "privileged" skin tones, and black being the worst.

Now, despite what you want to believe, absolutes are neither common nor very applicable in a situation as ever changing as life. So, when you say this to an individual who is "white", light skinned, tan, or what have you, your automatically implying that he/she is in fact less than the reality of his/her deeds, work and overall ethic coupled with the randomness that is life, and moreso a product not of their own. While some do have luxuries because of the work that their lineage pursued, or other various reasons, such situations are not an absolute in thew majority of cases and so, one cannot argue that such a privilege is universally applicable. I hate to break it to anyone who would say otherwise, but what one would call my “privilege,” I would call the aggregation of all the hard work and right choices my lineage and I have made to this point, which is merely a standard amongst normal individuals where I come from.

Allow me to put this in perspective, and really freak some people out: Let’s say that I wanted to give a term to the hierarchy of poverty – just because I have nothing better to do but push people’s buttons. Let's start the line with the most impoverished, and end it with the wealthiest category. In order to describe this disparity of economic outcome, we want to invent a term -- or better yet, use one with an already universally understood negative connotation -- to describe this obviously important phenomenon; let's use the term “desirables.” When you step back and look at this from a logical, or dare I say “rational” point of view, you should say out loud, “Wait a minute, what? As a minority, this makes me feel like less than a human being! I’m not less than desirable!” -- and I don't think anyone would argue with your angst. As we go on to explain, your "crazy assertion" that the use of this word to describe you and your place in society is "in no way intended to belittle minorities, their achievements/lack thereof, or mock their situation." (As it just so happens the majority of the lower end of the income scale is made up of minorities -- based on census data. I wrote an article about this on my blog as well. Back to the story..) No! rather, the term "desirable" merely alludes to the relationship one's FINANCIAL POSITION has to others on the scale, in order of "desirability." The fact that the majority of minorities would be described as being “less than desirable” according to this made up conceptualization/distortion of reality, is in no way indicative of their desirability as human beings, or as members of society, no -- I hope you're digesting the sarcasm.

How do you think Al Sharpton, Eric Holder, President Obama and the majority of the minority community would react? Sure, there would be sympathizers in said communities, just as there are some folks who are ok with being dehumanized based on race, but it's safe to say, it wouldn't go over very well, would it?. Then, why do we tolerate it? Didn’t slavery do something similar to the black community? -- albeit to a much greater order of magnitude, of course. That said, is dehumanizing not still dehumanizing? Do you not suppose that there would be some unfettering notion among certain communities, that the term “less than desirable” is not indicative of all or even some minorities, and should therefore be replaces with a more endearing term, one that is less, shall we say, deceptive in it's assertion? Perhaps, “Less fortunate” or “Socioeconomically Challenged”?

To that end, do you suppose the word you've chose to describe a tier system of skin tone would lead some to believe -- as it clearly has/does -- that dehumanizing the participant whose situation is “privileged” is for some reason ok? Is wrong only wrong sometimes?

One could also argue that this article gives the example of a one legged man running a race against a two legged person, and states that the two legged person is “privileged,” and that the one legged man is not, but the reality of such a scenario, from a less abstract perspective, is that the two legged man is “normal,” or “handicap free,” and the one legged man is, well, handicapped, but no less a human. So, if proponents of the word “privileged” as it related to a racial hierarchy wish to use a particular set of words to describe individuals they know nothing about, how about we relate the one legged race example in a more realistic way by saying that what you define as “privilege” is merely an example of normalcy, and that the further away from “normalcy” you deviate, the less “normal” you are, as compared to the standard? That seems to me to be more fitting, no? But you see, this would never happen, because it is offensive. The word is obscure in this abstract context, and is offensive to those who merely live up to the standard of civilized society, and that, folks, is wrong.

So, in closing: If the overall message I’m getting from proponents of this "privilege" and the ideology behind it -- as it applies to the specific context of the hierarchy of skin tones and the benefits/disadvantages of them -- is that the reason the word is ok to use is because it really means something a bit more obscure than the standard definition in it's normal context, I move that we make strides to better assimilate the ideology with a more practical term -- normalcy, for instance. Growing up in a two parent home, graduating high school, going to college, finding a good job, marrying, then having children, etc., these are all normal, holistic and morally righteous aspirations. They do not make anyone better, and there are obviously extenuating circumstances to any situation -- remember, noting is absolute -- but those extenuating circumstances should never become the "norm," and the other side punished for the repercussions of a normal reality -- from a societal perspective. We can argue what normal is, sure, but in this present time, one would reasonably assume that it is simply a more beneficial route for one to attend school, find a good job, marry -- and not only traditional marriage should be sought, but gay marriage as well -- have children and so on, and any term used to describe an event that which would duly serve to single out an entire category of people based solely on color, should never be condoned under any circumstance. 

About Me: I am a Computer Scientist, more specifically a Database Administrator, a business man (Holding a Bachelors in Business with a focus in Enterprise Administration from Fordham University, Magna Cum Laude), a writer, a blogger, as well as a philosopher, a philanthropist (as much as one with limited finances can be..) a veteran, and in general, an all around thinker and do'er. My purpose is to point out that there is a reason for everything and an opinion for every reason. I am designed to interpret what I see and dictate what I've interpreted. My hope is that my words will not be seen as harsh, rather as liberating, and at very least, thought provoking. I enjoy everything from technology, to race relations, biology, genetics and economics.. for a start.. 

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White Privilege? Or Something More: Via The College Fix

"“White privilege.” We’ve heard the phrase used often among left-leaning publications and throughout the esteemed halls of academia.

Colleges and universities in America dogmatically teach the narrative that the playing field is unfairly balanced against minorities, while leaving the impression that whites have a cake walk and should not be proud of their achievements. After all, they’ve got it relatively easy" - to a lesser or greater extent, this is the notion implied through this adaptation of an otherwise ill intended conception. 

Tal Fortgang is a freshman from New Rochelle, NY who published this remarkable article in The Princeton Tory. It comes via The College Fix." What I adore most about this article is the way in which the young man utilizes the insightful definition of who he truly is, and the actual reasons for his success, to destroy the underlying implication of the term "White Privledge," which would see his success as something ascribed to him." (Becker)

The story below is eloquently told, without malice, and with a certain "common sense" attitude that I feel, represents the mentality which has become the method behind what some interpret as "white success," but which in fact is more commonly used by those who see success in their lives, in general, despite ethnicity. I have attempted to describe what I feel is the difference in mindsets between those who do succeed, and those who do not, when race is introduced as the barrier which couldn't be overcome - this snippet, does just that:   

"There is a phrase that floats around college campuses, Princeton being no exception, that threatens to strike down opinions without regard for their merits, but rather solely on the basis of the person that voiced them. “Check your privilege,” the saying goes, and I have been reprimanded by it several times this year. The phrase, handed down by my moral superiors, descends recklessly, like an Obama-sanctioned drone, and aims laser-like at my pinkish-peach complexion, my maleness, and the nerve I displayed in offering an opinion rooted in a personal Weltanschauung. “Check your privilege,” they tell me in a command that teeters between an imposition to actually explore how I got where I am, and a reminder that I ought to feel personally apologetic because white males seem to pull most of the strings in the world.

I do not accuse those who “check” me and my perspective of overt racism, although the phrase, which assumes that simply because I belong to a certain ethnic group I should be judged collectively with it, toes that line. But I do condemn them for diminishing everything I have personally accomplished, all the hard work I have done in my life, and for ascribing all the fruit I reap not to the seeds I sow but to some invisible patron saint of white maleness who places it out for me before I even arrive. Furthermore, I condemn them for casting the equal protection clause, indeed the very idea of a meritocracy, as a myth, and for declaring that we are all governed by invisible forces (some would call them “stigmas” or “societal norms”), that our nation runs on racist and sexist conspiracies. Forget “you didn’t build that;” check your privilege and realize that nothing you have accomplished is real.

But they can’t be telling me that everything I’ve done with my life can be credited to the racist patriarchy holding my hand throughout my years of education and eventually guiding me into Princeton. Even that is too extreme. So to find out what they are saying, I decided to take their advice. I actually went and checked the origins of my privileged existence, to empathize with those whose underdog stories I can’t possibly comprehend. I have unearthed some examples of the privilege with which my family was blessed, and now I think I better understand those who assure me that skin color allowed my family and I to flourish today.

Perhaps it’s the privilege my grandfather and his brother had to flee their home as teenagers when the Nazis invaded Poland, leaving their mother and five younger siblings behind, running and running until they reached a Displaced Persons camp in Siberia, where they would do years of hard labor in the bitter cold until World War II ended. Maybe it was the privilege my grandfather had of taking on the local Rabbi’s work in that DP camp, telling him that the spiritual leader shouldn’t do hard work, but should save his energy to pass Jewish tradition along to those who might survive. Perhaps it was the privilege my great-grandmother and those five great-aunts and uncles I never knew had of being shot into an open grave outside their hometown. Maybe that’s my privilege.

Or maybe it’s the privilege my grandmother had of spending weeks upon weeks on a death march through Polish forests in subzero temperatures, one of just a handful to survive, only to be put in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where she would have died but for the Allied forces who liberated her and helped her regain her health when her weight dwindled to barely 80 pounds.

Perhaps my privilege is that those two resilient individuals came to America with no money and no English, obtained citizenship, learned the language and met each other; that my grandfather started a humble wicker basket business with nothing but long hours, an idea, and an iron will—to paraphrase the man I never met: “I escaped Hitler. Some business troubles are going to ruin me?” Maybe my privilege is that they worked hard enough to raise four children, and to send them to Jewish day school and eventually City College.

Perhaps it was my privilege that my own father worked hard enough in City College to earn a spot at a top graduate school, got a good job, and for 25 years got up well before the crack of dawn, sacrificing precious time he wanted to spend with those he valued most—his wife and kids—to earn that living. I can say with certainty there was no legacy involved in any of his accomplishments. The wicker business just isn’t that influential.Now would you say that we’ve been really privileged? That our success has been gift-wrapped?

That’s the problem with calling someone out for the “privilege” which you assume has defined their narrative. You don’t know what their struggles have been, what they may have gone through to be where they are. Assuming they’ve benefitted from “power systems” or other conspiratorial imaginary institutions denies them credit for all they’ve done, things of which you may not even conceive. You don’t know whose father died defending your freedom. You don’t know whose mother escaped oppression. You don’t know who conquered their demons, or may still conquering them now.

The truth is, though, that I have been exceptionally privileged in my life, albeit not in the way any detractors would have it.
It has been my distinct privilege that my grandparents came to America. First, that there was a place at all that would take them from the ruins of Europe. And second, that such a place was one where they could legally enter, learn the language, and acclimate to a society that ultimately allowed them to flourish.

It was their privilege to come to a country that grants equal protection under the law to its citizens, that cares not about religion or race, but the content of your character.

It was my privilege that my grandfather was blessed with resolve and an entrepreneurial spirit, and that he was lucky enough to come to the place where he could realize the dream of giving his children a better life than he had.

But far more important for me than his attributes was the legacy he sought to pass along, which forms the basis of what detractors call my “privilege,” but which actually should be praised as one of altruism and self-sacrifice. Those who came before us suffered for the sake of giving us a better life. When we similarly sacrifice for our descendents by caring for the planet, it’s called “environmentalism,” and is applauded. But when we do it by passing along property and a set of values, it’s called “privilege.” (And when we do it by raising questions about our crippling national debt, we’re called Tea Party radicals.) Such sacrifice of any form shouldn’t be scorned, but admired.

My exploration did yield some results. I recognize that it was my parents’ privilege and now my own that there is such a thing as an American dream which is attainable even for a penniless Jewish immigrant.

I am privileged that values like faith and education were passed along to me. My grandparents played an active role in my parents’ education, and some of my earliest memories included learning the Hebrew alphabet with my Dad. It’s been made clear to me that education begins in the home, and the importance of parents’ involvement with their kids’ education—from mathematics to morality—cannot be overstated. It’s not a matter of white or black, male or female or any other division which we seek, but a matter of the values we pass along, the legacy we leave, that perpetuates “privilege.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Behind every success, large or small, there is a story, and it isn’t always told by sex or skin color. My appearance certainly doesn’t tell the whole story, and to assume that it does and that I should apologize for it is insulting. While I haven’t done everything for myself up to this point in my life, someone sacrificed themselves so that I can lead a better life. But that is a legacy I am proud of.

I do not accuse those who “check” me and my perspective of overt racism, although the phrase, which assumes that simply because I belong to a certain ethnic group I should be judged collectively with it, toes that line. But I do condemn them for diminishing everything I have personally accomplished, all the hard work I have done in my life, and for ascribing all the fruit I reap not to the seeds I sow but to some invisible patron saint of white maleness who places it out for me before I even arrive. Furthermore, I condemn them for casting the equal protection clause, indeed the very idea of a meritocracy, as a myth, and for declaring that we are all governed by invisible forces (some would call them “stigmas” or “societal norms”), that our nation runs on racist and sexist conspiracies. Forget “you didn’t build that;” check your privilege and realize that nothing you have accomplished is real.

But they can’t be telling me that everything I’ve done with my life can be credited to the racist patriarchy holding my hand throughout my years of education and eventually guiding me into Princeton. Even that is too extreme. So to find out what they are saying, I decided to take their advice. I actually went and checked the origins of my privileged existence, to empathize with those whose underdog stories I can’t possibly comprehend. I have unearthed some examples of the privilege with which my family was blessed, and now I think I better understand those who assure me that skin color allowed my family and I to flourish today.

Perhaps it’s the privilege my grandfather and his brother had to flee their home as teenagers when the Nazis invaded Poland, leaving their mother and five younger siblings behind, running and running until they reached a Displaced Persons camp in Siberia, where they would do years of hard labor in the bitter cold until World War II ended. Maybe it was the privilege my grandfather had of taking on the local Rabbi’s work in that DP camp, telling him that the spiritual leader shouldn’t do hard work, but should save his energy to pass Jewish tradition along to those who might survive. Perhaps it was the privilege my great-grandmother and those five great-aunts and uncles I never knew had of being shot into an open grave outside their hometown. Maybe that’s my privilege.

Or maybe it’s the privilege my grandmother had of spending weeks upon weeks on a death march through Polish forests in subzero temperatures, one of just a handful to survive, only to be put in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp where she would have died but for the Allied forces who liberated her and helped her regain her health when her weight dwindled to barely 80 pounds.

Perhaps my privilege is that those two resilient individuals came to America with no money and no English, obtained citizenship, learned the language and met each other; that my grandfather started a humble wicker basket business with nothing but long hours, an idea, and an iron will—to paraphrase the man I never met: “I escaped Hitler. Some business troubles are going to ruin me?” Maybe my privilege is that they worked hard enough to raise four children, and to send them to Jewish day school and eventually City College.

Perhaps it was my privilege that my own father worked hard enough in City College to earn a spot at a top graduate school, got a good job, and for 25 years got up well before the crack of dawn, sacrificing precious time he wanted to spend with those he valued most—his wife and kids—to earn that living. I can say with certainty there was no legacy involved in any of his accomplishments. The wicker business just isn’t that influential.Now would you say that we’ve been really privileged? That our success has been gift-wrapped?

That’s the problem with calling someone out for the “privilege” which you assume has defined their narrative. You don’t know what their struggles have been, what they may have gone through to be where they are. Assuming they’ve benefitted from “power systems” or other conspiratorial imaginary institutions denies them credit for all they’ve done, things of which you may not even conceive. You don’t know whose father died defending your freedom. You don’t know whose mother escaped oppression. You don’t know who conquered their demons, or may still conquering them now.

The truth is, though, that I have been exceptionally privileged in my life, albeit not in the way any detractors would have it.
It has been my distinct privilege that my grandparents came to America. First, that there was a place at all that would take them from the ruins of Europe. And second, that such a place was one where they could legally enter, learn the language, and acclimate to a society that ultimately allowed them to flourish.

It was their privilege to come to a country that grants equal protection under the law to its citizens, that cares not about religion or race, but the content of your character.

It was my privilege that my grandfather was blessed with resolve and an entrepreneurial spirit, and that he was lucky enough to come to the place where he could realize the dream of giving his children a better life than he had.

But far more important for me than his attributes was the legacy he sought to pass along, which forms the basis of what detractors call my “privilege,” but which actually should be praised as one of altruism and self-sacrifice. Those who came before us suffered for the sake of giving us a better life. When we similarly sacrifice for our descendents by caring for the planet, it’s called “environmentalism,” and is applauded. But when we do it by passing along property and a set of values, it’s called “privilege.” (And when we do it by raising questions about our crippling national debt, we’re called Tea Party radicals.) Such sacrifice of any form shouldn’t be scorned, but admired.

My exploration did yield some results. I recognize that it was my parents’ privilege and now my own that there is such a thing as an American dream which is attainable even for a penniless Jewish immigrant.

I am privileged that values like faith and education were passed along to me. My grandparents played an active role in my parents’ education, and some of my earliest memories included learning the Hebrew alphabet with my Dad. It’s been made clear to me that education begins in the home, and the importance of parents’ involvement with their kids’ education—from mathematics to morality—cannot be overstated. It’s not a matter of white or black, male or female or any other division which we seek, but a matter of the values we pass along, the legacy we leave, that perpetuates “privilege.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Behind every success, large or small, there is a story, and it isn’t always told by sex or skin color. My appearance certainly doesn’t tell the whole story, and to assume that it does and that I should apologize for it is insulting. While I haven’t done everything for myself up to this point in my life, someone sacrificed themselves so that I can lead a better life. But that is a legacy I am proud of.

I have checked my privilege. And I apologize for nothing."

"Millions of Americans have similar stories: their parents or grandparents came to this country without a penny to their names and built their lives from the ground up in a land of freedom and opportunity.

Today, many would make that argument that everything was handed to white families on a silver platter, and imply that no one had to work hard for what they have. In some instances, this may have been the case." (Becker) I would ask, though, is this truly a result of a privilege ascribed to them without merit to their lineage, or the work done by those who came before them? Surely evolution and its successes aren't to be attributed to privilege, for the simple fact that some birds flew south, and others didn't? 

We should all see the fruits of our labor as something to be proud of, and realize that - while there is a general preconception in the idea that everyone in some categories of our great nation has it easier than others, not everyone in these groups - the vast majority actually - have no ties to anything which would unfairly give them a leg up - hard work on the part of the individual, those who came before him/her, and those who are to come, is the only way that success can truly be achieved (and this goes for red and yellow, black and white). As is evidenced by the successes of many unique individuals from all walks of life, whose hard work and the hard work of those before them has brought prosperity to themselves and their decedents. The notion of "White Privilege" neither adequately describes the sacrifices of a particular people, nor does it even apply to the vast majority of those which it seeks to define. This is a bigoted point-of-view that smears the real contributions that many put into building this nation, and in my opinion, is an intellectually dishonest phrase should be eliminated from colleges’ so-called “educated” discourse.

About Me: I am a Computer Scientist, more specifically a Database Administrator, a business man (Holding a Bachelors in Business with a focus in Enterprise Administration from Fordham University, Magna Cum Laude), a writer, a blogger, as well as a philosopher, a philanthropist (as much as one with limited finances can be..) a veteran, and in general, an all around thinker and do'er. My purpose is to point out that there is a reason for everything and an opinion for every reason. I am designed to interpret what I see and dictate what I've interpreted. My hope is that my words will not be seen as harsh, rather as liberating, and at very least, thought provoking. I enjoy everything from technology, to race relations, biology, genetics and economics.. for a start..  

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