Very interesting article indeed. The irony is I wrote an article today entitled “Let’s Talk About White Privilege.” I guess great minds think alike, although our topics are naturally quite different 😉

I’ve never lived in the UK, but I have lived as a Black woman in America for my entire life. The term “privilege” here in America is being touted as a dirty word used by the “racist Black people” who pegged White people as the enemy with our “leftist/Marxist” wicked ways.

You see America believes it’s Black people who are the divisive ones in this country. The US is in shambles because of the NERVE of Black people not agreeing to the status quo of being regarded as animals. How dare we speak of the privilege that White people created THEMSELVES to ensure their dominance in society. How dare we question the fact that their skin color has no bearing on their ability to fair better than us, and the audacity of us to suggest that race, skin color, and privilege are only topics because that’s the foundation the US was built upon is completely ludicrous.

In America, poor White children are not in danger of being left behind. To the contrary, White children of any economic status have and will always fair better than BlPOC if they try because the American system was designed to support it. This goes much deeper than people being sensitive about being asked how they function in life without worrying about the things that BIPOC do on a daily basis. I get messages from people telling me about one-off situations they have had dealing with perceived oppression but respectfully, it is not the same as a daily occurrence that isn’t just felt by us but our children and likely future generations.

This country wasn’t built with the option for Black people to succeed. We were brought here to be slaves for eternity. Period. The plan wasn’t for us to successfully matriculate into society and build wealth for our families. This is why my ancestors were indeed WILLED to the children of slave owners, to continue the cycle of servitude. Our fate was eternal bondage and had it not been for those incredibly brave and fearless activists and fighters who came before us, we would still be in shackles.

Indigenous people own this land. It was stolen. They became victims of genocide and those who survived were regulated to reservations and stripped of their ability to effectively compete in this society to build the wealth that Whites have always had the opportunity to create. It isn’t that White people work harder than anyone else- it’s that they benefit from a system that has NEVER oppressed them.

I can hear the people coming for me now but it will never sway me from speaking on this. I see this conversation turning from the problem of racism to “now we must protect White children.” Yes all children should be protected but in America there is help for White children everywhere. I also do volunteer work and even the White people I SERVE have spoken down to me and regarded me with distain, as if giving of my time, money, and resources is beneath them.

I cannot speak for the UK, but in America it’s a VERY different ballgame. Once again, great thought-provoking article. Thanks for keeping this conversation going.