[Jerry101]

I keep hearing from others that because I am a white man ... I am a person of privilege. I always bristled at that suggestion. How can anyone who’s never walked a step in my shoes suggest that? ... and then I realized they were right after all! I had the privilege of having a loving mom and dad! They loved their four kids unconditionally! We ended every night with prayer! We said a prayer of thanks at every meal. We started every Sunday morning at Sunday school and then worshiped together in church. All four of us kids were there when we buried our parents. Today the four of us are nothing special ... but we know ... by faith... that Jesus is Lord! I’m sorry ... you are right... I am a person of privilege! Amen!

[anothersteve]

Thank you! Love your perspective.
It's not who you are....it's what you are
Steve

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Jerry101

I keep hearing from others that because I am a white man ... I am a person of privilege. I always bristled at that suggestion. How can anyone who’s never walked a step in my shoes suggest that? ... and then I realized they were right after all! I had the privilege of having a loving mom and dad! They loved their four kids unconditionally! We ended every night with prayer! We said a prayer of thanks at every meal. We started every Sunday morning at Sunday school and then worshiped together in church. All four of us kids were there when we buried our parents. Today the four of us are nothing special ... but we know ... by faith... that Jesus is Lord! I’m sorry ... you are right... I am a person of privilege! Amen!

You have never had to leave your house to go to school or work, and worry that the police car driving up the road is going to stop and officers come out with their hands on the handles of their guns, questioning why you're walking on the sidewalk in your neighborhood.

You have never had to be followed by a store clerk who is worried that you're going to steal something.

You've never been in an elevator and when it opened on another floor, the young family about to get in, chose to wait for another elevator instead.

That is privilege. You enjoy things that black people don't get to enjoy, simply by virtue of your skin color.

[anothersteve]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

That is privilege. You enjoy things that black people don't get to enjoy, simply by virtue of your skin color.

Man did you miss the boat with OP's post.

Nice broard paint brush also,
Steve

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I got his point completely. He found a way to dismiss and minimize the fact that he, and most white people (including myself) live with a privilege that we don't even realize we have, until someone points it out.

[NECHFalcon68]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I got his point completely. He found a way to dismiss and minimize the fact that he, and most white people (including myself) live with a privilege that we don't even realize we have, until someone points it out.

And why do we have such privilege?

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by NECHFalcon68

And why do we have such privilege?

Something to do with black crime so much higher than other groups?

[anothersteve]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I got his point completely.

No you didn't!
A loving Mom and Dad.. is that privilege?
Ending every night in a prayer....is that privilege?
Prayer of thanks at every meal.... is that privilege?
Sunday School and worshiping as a family...is that privilege?
"They" as a Family know that Jesus is Lord...PRIVILEGE?
That is life, don't spew more about the "oppressed" ...life believe it or not is your life...what "you" make of it, not what "someone" thinks it should be. EVERYONE is what THEY make of THEIR life.
Yes YOU missed the boat with the OP's post
Steve

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If the OP hadn't begun his thread with a reference to being privileged "as a white man" I wouldn't have responded, because it'd be a lovely sentiment of a person who is privileged to have wonderful things in his life.

However, he pointed out that the reference was to being privileged "as a white man." NONE of the things he is talking about, are things that are exclusive to being white. Unless he really thinks that black people don't have loving families with moms and dads? And he thinks black people don't pray? And so on and so forth.

Get the "as a white man" out of the thread, and you have a point, Steve. But as long as that distinction remains, it is just ignorance rearing its ugly head.

[anothersteve]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

it is just ignorance rearing its ugly head.

Obviously you didn't see he followed with " a person of privilege", People see what they want to see.
Steve

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by anothersteve

Obviously you didn't see he followed with " a person of privilege", People see what they want to see.
Steve

I saw what he posted. Here it is again:

I keep hearing from others that because I am a white man ... I am a person of privilege.

Bold/underlined for emphasis. This is plain English. But translating the grammar for ya:

He hears from people that he is privileged BECAUSE he is white. That his privilege - is a direct result of the color of his skin.

And then he goes on to explain how he's privileged.

So HE is missing the point. Or obfuscating it. Or minimizing it. Or possibly not understanding it - however, since he then says he bristles from it, I'm sensing that he totally understands it.

[anothersteve]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

I saw what he posted. Here it is again:



Bold/underlined for emphasis. This is plain English. But translating the grammar for ya:

He hears from people that he is privileged BECAUSE he is white. That his privilege - is a direct result of the color of his skin.

And then he goes on to explain how he's privileged.

So HE is missing the point. Or obfuscating it. Or minimizing it. Or possibly not understanding it - however, since he then says he bristles from it, I'm sensing that he totally understands it.

Like I said, "people" see and read what they want. You don't get the message and can't "see the forrest through the trees"
Tunnel vision is a terrible thing.
Steve

[Velvet]

Not sure I understand, what’s wrong with being born white, or born a man? Or for that matter a human?

I don’t think he really had a choice in the matter.

[ColdNoMore]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

You have never had to leave your house to go to school or work, and worry that the police car driving up the road is going to stop and officers come out with their hands on the handles of their guns, questioning why you're walking on the sidewalk in your neighborhood.

You have never had to be followed by a store clerk who is worried that you're going to steal something.

You've never been in an elevator and when it opened on another floor, the young family about to get in, chose to wait for another elevator instead.

That is privilege. You enjoy things that black people don't get to enjoy, simply by virtue of your skin color.

Nailed it!

Being born a white male in this country, is the single biggest head-start...a person could have.

One thing you don't hear, are all those white men talking about how they wished they had been born...with black skin.

That speaks for itself.

[ColdNoMore]