“White privilege” has existed in America since the first colonizers set foot on American soil. The perception of dominance, the expectation of possession and the feeling of moral superiority came across the Atlantic hundreds of years ago, and is still here today.
Many descendants of these initial colonizers not only refuse to acknowledge the existence of white privilege, but claim that any other race demanding clout is inherently demanding privilege.
Many agree the greatness of America is built on civil rights, civil liberties and capitalism. If this is true, the greatness of America is built on white privilege. White people have always been given civil rights. White people have always been given civil liberties. White capitalism is the reason Native Americans were herded thousands of miles to reservation camps far from their lands. White capitalism is the reason hundreds of thousands of African slaves were brought to perform grueling manual labor in the hot sun — labor that the privileged white people thought themselves too privileged to do.
Even today, there are jobs primarily done by low-skilled minority workers. But today it seems that white privilege extends not only to denying a job because of its merits, but being upset about immigrants coming to take the job people didn’t want in the first place.
White people are smart enough not to call what they have “white privilege.” For a time, white privilege was called “manifest destiny,” an arrogant populist persuasion that promoted bigotry and hatred toward anyone who opposed American colonizers.
Another encoding of privilege is “nationalism,” which is ironically one of the most illiberal things to come about in liberal America. American nationalism promotes the fundamental value of nationhood, but this “nation” apparently means people tied together by ethnic and cultural bonds. Take a look at the white nationalists that exist today. We are a nation of immigrants that refuses to acknowledge it. What bonds do these nationalists have other than a lack of pigmentation?
The visceral strength of white privilege today is being challenged by many people who believe in the power of diversity and inclusion. The institutionalization of white privilege has proven difficult to fight, but there has been progress over the years. The implementation of affirmative action helped the situation, but privilege fights that progress. Gerrymandering districts, which is done by both sides of the political spectrum, is another way privilege lingers today.
President Donald Trump claims he will be the country’s “great unifier.” Will he unify prosperity and wealth in communities that aren’t rich and white? I guess that’s what the tax bill did by awarding millions of dollars to the wealthy 1 percent of Americans. I guess a wall, built and paid for by Americans, to keep out people who want to be American is meant to unify. Trump uses the concept of white privilege to his advantage. He rallies supporters behind the slogan “Make America Great Again.” Well, if America was ever great to him and his supporters, white privilege clearly is an indicator.
Frankly speaking, to deny the existence of white privilege in the nation that basically invented the concept is beyond ignorant. There will never be any other race or minority, or even future majority, preset to succeed like white America. Check your privilege, acknowledge your privilege and consider using it to help someone who doesn’t have it.
Justin Franklin is a 19-year-old political communication freshman from Memphis,Tennessee.