Invisible Privilege

I’m a married, white, middle-class Republican male. I am the stereotype people point to when they describe privilege, a concept dismissed by conservative America. Yet I am here to tell other Republicans and conservatives: Privilege is real.

When conservatives hear the term “privilege” in reference to white Americans, some lash out with disbelief and mockery. “If anyone happens to find my white privilege anywhere, let me know – I sure as hell haven’t ever seen it”, a notable conservative meme proclaimed as it was shared through social media.

Privilege isn’t necessarily undeserved superior treatment; it’s the ability to enjoy trust within the community without having to earn it. The benefit of the doubt is a powerful form of privilege that can only be noticed once it’s gone.

Privilege Exchange Rate

I recently traveled to China on business, joined by a colleague on his first visit. We are both white males, yet my travel companion stands out in the crowd. Local citizens flocked to capture a glimpse and snap pictures of his towering 6’ 5” frame, blonde hair and blue eyes. While I expected a reaction from the local crowd, I wasn’t prepared for a very new experience: the benefit of the doubt I have always enjoyed vanished.

As we traversed rural areas, suspicious eyes followed our movements. What did they think we were doing? The simple task of checking our bags at the airport became more complex than others experienced. We had to go to a manager’s station when everyone else was allowed to breeze by. The added difficulty wasn’t insurmountable, but it was noticeable. My colleague faced even more obstacles. When our flight was cancelled, we waited in a long line with all the passengers. Several people attempted to cut in front of my colleague, no one else. Each passenger received a refund except for my friend; he alone was denied.

Throughout our time in China, he was never injured, but he was mistreated.

I returned to the U.S. with a newfound empathy for people who are treated differently because of their appearance. I could recognize my privilege now that I had gone without. Before, the subtle double standard was invisible. Now, the numerous slights I didn’t have to endure were glaringly obvious. This was the moment I realized that privilege wasn’t about a specific race or class; it was about which group enjoyed prominent standing in the culture.

Privilege of Prominence

Back in the U.S., my privilege is restored, but I’m not taking it for granted. I can shop without watchful eyes following my every move. I can feel secure the police won’t pull me over for no reason. I can go about my day relatively carefree. For many Americans this would seem like normal treatment. Why would anyone be suspected of wrongdoing if they were innocent?

Being automatically suspected of wrongdoing is the very issue that members of the black community have raised. White people are typically afforded the benefit of the doubt (or at least the benefit of restraint). The black community, in large part, is not. African-American boys receive two-thirds of reported school suspensions nationwide, and black youth account for 26% of juvenile arrests, 44% of detentions, and 58% of state prison incarcerations. “Every single child 13 or 14 years old sentenced to life without parole for a non-homicide has been a person of color,” according to Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative. Do black youths strike the community with criminal activity more frequently, or does the justice system strike black youths with greater might?

#PrivilegeMatters

The black community is attempting to make their voices heard. Following the separate police-involved deaths of unarmed citizens, Michael Brown (Ferguson, MO) and Eric Garner (Staten Island, NY), matters of race and privilege have surfaced. In both incidences where the deceased was black, separate grand juries refused to indict the white police officers involved.

Immediately, the public began to take sides along ideological lines. Many conservatives backed the police officers involved, attacking the character of the dead men and blaming them for provoking the incident. Brown and Garner supporters responded with protests of their own, denouncing the deaths as an example of excessive use of force by the police. The protesters argued that shoplifting and selling untaxed cigarettes, respectively, should never escalate to a lethal response (and wouldn’t if the suspects were afforded the benefit of restraint).

Riots ensued in Ferguson, fanning the narrative voiced by conservatives that police acted accordingly in crime-ridden, out of control areas. In the community protests dating back to the 2012 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, a slogan was born: #BlackLivesMatter, which was subsequently ridiculed by the ideological right who called the movement “racist” for elevating the lives of perceived criminals above others.

Within days of the Ferguson riots, opposition to the now two year old #BlackLivesMatter movement was created when the slogan #AllLivesMatter was launched by conservative activists as a way to support police officers who put their lives on the line to protect the public. Rather than join together to listen and help raise awareness, these conservatives countered. This only escalated the grievance within the black community, which in turn added to the perception that all opposition to the #BlackLivesMatter movement was proof of white privilege or further racial ignorance.

Privilege of Visibility

All lives DO matter. The black community is trying to bring public attention to their struggle of getting by without privilege. They are not trying to advocate for more restraint than anyone else receives, they do not feel they receive the minimum reasonable amount of respect. They are seeking to have their concerns heard, not refuted by people who cannot see the privilege that prominence affords.

Political parties have privilege blindness as well. The Republican National Committee (RNC) recently released their 2015 calendar titled “Your America”, which features scenes depicting their vision of what matters to Republicans. Embarrassingly, not a single non-white person was pictured. Does the RNC envision America without people of color? Sometimes it’s a privilege just to be visible.

Having privilege is not shameful; however we cannot assume everyone else enjoys the same treatment. Some people are mistreated, mistrusted, or worse. But these issues will never be resolved when many Americans cannot see a problem exists. Equal treatment of others is only achievable when we can see what privilege looks like; then afford others the same privilege.

(Also published at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Purple Wisconsin)