White Privilage

WHITE PRIVILEGE.

Lately there is a talk about "white privilege" being taught at college. What exactly is this? "White prvilege" is that whites get preferences and special treatment based upon the color of their skin and people treat them nice becouse of their skin color. I don't think anyone should be treated good or bad based upon their race or other irrelevant chracteristics. The study that white privilege in school today, is that whites only get by because they are white. I don?t particularly see what benefit my grandfathers had. Both had to work three jobs just to get by. It is not about the skin color. Look at Oprah Winfrey. This woman takes in $80 million a year as a salary! She sure has it better than the majority of white people who have to work 40 hours just to make ends meet. It's kind of ironic today when people say 'white privilege' when blacks and Lations can have their own organizations, without fear of being called a racist. It's kind of ironic to accuse whites as a whole of having white privilege when black entertainers can get away with making racist jokes about whites and other ethnic groups, without losing their career. It's really ironic, considering the growing number of blacks that are successful in business, politics and sports. Hard work, saving your money, putting some money into a retirement account every month, is a ticket out of poverty, whatever color you are. Besides, if I as a white female do have privilege, doesn't that mean that someone gave it to me? Generally you get your priviliges and benefits from someone else. White privilege is another anti-white agenda being pushed in academia today. There are many other privileges that are more common. In this essay, I don?t want to just point out the delusion of the ?white privilege?. I?ll mostly give my refutations to this new observation, and show the other kinds of privileges:

1.GOOD LOOKING PRIVILEGE: There are privileges granted to people who are attractive looking. As kids, they are less likely to get made fun of for their looks. Good looking people get better dates, better jobs, are promoted in the company over a more experienced worker who is not so good looking, and basically, they?ll receive better social status simplybecause they are attractive looking. Good looking waitresses who are doing an average job will get a bigger tip than a not so good looking waitress that is busting her rear off. A goregeus looking girl is more likely to get a warning from a cop that pulls her over for speeding, than a girl who is average looking. Good looking people are more likely to presuadepeople, even if they have little experience for the job. Is that fair?

2. TALL PRIVILEGE: Tall guys have an easier time getting the best looking dates, good jobs and more. Tall guys are less likely to have people pick fights with them, than short guys. Tall guys make good cops or authority figures, because their large stature commands respect. Short guys have a harder time getting girlfriends than do tall guys. Some shorter guys I have known seemed to compensate for their short stature by acting macho. I mean, a lot od people have no idea what it is liked to be called ?shorty?! They have no idea what it is like to have people think they are younger than they are, simply because of their height. Tall people, like Shaqueel O' Neal, or Michael Jordan might not have been so wealthy if they were not so tall, considering the fact I don't see a lot of short guys playing in the NBA.

3. CLASS PRIVILEGE: There are also people that are treated better then others simply because of their wealth or class status, Some people look down upon you because of your career or profession or economic status. ?Oh he?s a construction worker? or ?Oh, honey, marry a doctor or a lawyer? Isn?t that another form of prejudice/privilege? I have been to parties where poor white people were not talked to as much, or talked to as nicely, as were the wealthier people at the party. Maybe there was a bit of ?Class Privilege? involved. I mean rich people have the privilege to good lawyers, good accountants, fancy hotels, fancy restaurants and even get hot tips on a stock before it goes public. They are more likely to get dates than a guy who is not so wealthy.

4. HETEROSEXUAL PRIVILEGE: Gay people have been excluded from certain employment opportunities than have straights. They can?t get married or openly express their sexuality in certain areas without fear of losing their jobs or getting harassed, as can heterosexuals. Gay couple can not get tax breaks, as can straight couples. As teenagers they are taunted and made fun off. Religious people preach against them, as well. They are not allowed to adopt children in certain areas, and those opposed to gay people view them as pedophiles. A straight guy, ia less likely to be called a "Fag" and less likely to get beat up for being straight. If a straigh guy is in the military, as a heterosexual do not have to fear that he will get discharged for sexual orientation.

Some would tell me, "You are white. You don't have to worry if you got rejected from getting a job, housing because of your race. You don?t have to worry about someone automatically assuming you are not competent or not hard working, simply because you are white.? How do you automatically know someone is thinking about your race? Maybe it's your hair. Maybe it's the fact they see another human being walk in the room. Maybe it's because you look like someone they know. Maybe it's because of your size. Who knows? Many times I have gotten the wrong impression from people. For example, there have been times where I thought someone was thinking something negative about me or my appearance, when it turned out they weren't. Most of the times, they were having a bad day, or they were just upset with themselves and wanted to take their anger out on someone else.

I know some people get treated bad or better because of their race, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or what have you. I honestly wish things were not that way, but they are. I have certain privileges that you don?t have, and you have certain privileges that I don?t have, whether we admit it or not. Why complain about it? It's not fair, but who said life was supposed to be fair? Everyone has problems. It is not my problem what someone thinks about me or treats me. It is not your problem how what someone thinks about you, or treats you, either. If someone calls you a racial slur/anti-gay slur, then is that your problem...or is it theirs? I can sit here and whine about priviliges people have and use it as an excuse to not better spend my time, or I can simply convince myself that we are all responsible for where we are and where we are headed. I will end this essay with a quote from the movie Lean On Me by Morgan Freeman: "If you do not succeed in life, I don't want you to blame the white man. I don't want you to blame your parents. I want you to blame yourselves. The responsibility is yours."