priv·i·lege (prĭvʹə-lĭj, prĭvʹlĭj) noun
1. a. A special advantage, immunity, permission, right, or benefit granted to or enjoyed by an individual, a class, or a caste. See synonyms at right. b. Such an advantage, an immunity, or a right held as a prerogative of status or rank, and exercised to the exclusion or detriment of others.
I will not lie to you; I read something here yesterday that just about sent me through the roof. At first I thought it was TNP (The Naked Professor) up to his old tricks again, but it was not. As I read on, however; and scanned some of the comments I went through a range of emotions, anger not being the least of them. While I did leave a comment on that post, I did not let loose with both barrels, so to speak. I decided to sleep on it, and I did. This is what I think about “Angry White Men,” I pity them.
“White Men,” as a group, are traditionally, and historically the most selfish people on the planet, Period. They have never wanted to share anything with anybody. They have taken what they wanted, and up until very recently were not very sorry, or repentant for having committed some of the atrocities that they, as a group, have visited on other peoples.
Now “White men” have fragmented in to several sub-groups one of them being “Angry White Men.” These men, as far as I can tell, are suffering from a lack of privilege. They forget that the privilege they enjoyed for so many generations was paid for at the “Inconvenience” of the people they’re now angry with. They also believe that time washes the sins of the past away into a sea of complacency, and forgiveness; it does not.
Now some “White Men” will read this, and fall back on the same tired excuses: “My parents immigrated here, they didn’t own slaves or take the land away from the Natives,” or “I’m not like that. Some of my best friends are (insert the group of your choice).” If one of these is your answer, or something similar is your answer, check yourself. Being American is no longer just about being “White.”
Having said all of this I will tell you that I could go on, and on, and on, but I want people to realize something; we, Americans, have and opportunity right here right now to do something that has only been dreamed of. We - “Angry White Men,” “Angry Black Men,” Angry Asian Men,” “ Angry Native Men,” - all of us need to come together to reconcile the past so that we can move into the future together as one people, humanity. Every single person should be angry at injustice. An injustice against one of us is an injustice against all of us, but; when one group of people claims that they are being victimized above all others, I have to ask why. Any group of people who think that something on this planet is their birthright scares me, and it should scare you too. Peace and Long Life
Love Worf
