White Privilege     6-6-2020

I am a white male individual. I am not black; I never considered myself a privileged person from my childhood growing up, but perhaps I was at the time or even since then.  I was an ignorant white guy, that did NOT know of the plight of the black man. I did NOT know any black individuals as a child in Penna. I had one instance of interacting with a black person in high school, who wanted to kick my butt to the moon and that is another story; not for now.  It wasn’t until I joined the U.S. Marines that I was exposed to many black people as a norm. I did not associate myself with any then, because it was not something anybody did then per both sides of the equation.

I think it was in 1991 that I recall the Rodney King episode that brought my awareness to the light. To see that man being abused by the police was enlightening to say the least. Could that happen in America? YES it could and did!  I did not consider myself a racist then or now, or even prejudicial in any way, just did not understand their predicament of life.

How many whites do understand those of color and what they go through? Not enough I would think. Those whites,  I know closely. probably are of the same ilk as I am, Ignorant and uninformed of the life of black people in any knowledgeable way. That is sad and I can only say that is the way of life for many today.

I love to see the commercials on TV showing white and black actors portraying closeness in life, as they film a scenario of living, promoting a product they are shown in the advertisement. Another plus is when, in another commercial, a white and black are shown as man and wife. One more is when a gay couple are depicted as being married as they show another scene of life. We need more of this type of characterizations.

I know of only one person who is proud to claim being a racist in life, and he bragged or stated with pride that he was one to me, and that is sad.  Till this day I have not communicated with this person, for that fact only, I guess. Pride in being a racist is disgusting!!!!   He is also a believer of the current non-leader in the WH in Washington, so I can only think it tells us something; don’t know.

The death of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis hopefully will be an honest wake up call to all of us. My question for the aftermath of the protestors and to our leaders of government is – WHAT NOW? Will we just revert to the same old, same old, past of indifference or can we make a change in some way? Is it time to make different rules in police procedure and follow up with them? Is it time for black people to stand up and be progressive for their rights and also be responsible to each other in their actions?

If our leader or leaders cannot push for change then we must, as voters, elect new leaders. It is too long overdue to just let things go on the way they were in the past. it is time to do something, to change our ways, and to go further on to a better way of life.

I guess I am still a white privileged person in comparison to the average black person. A recent news statement said that it is an average $17l,000 to  $17,000 ratio of white verses black family wealth in the United States; I guess in assets; not saying I fit in that high end though.  That alone will make privilege a factor in life.

So, time for change, time for admission, time for a new way of life. Are we up to it?  It is overdue in the United States and in the World.