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Losing White Privilege

2016 March 11

Last night, I was talking to some co-workers at dinner.

As usual these days, Trump and the craziness of this election cycle was a hot topic.

We were talking about growing up as minorities in the Bay Area and elsewhere, when we first experienced racism and when we first pushed back, how things were and how things are now.

Obama getting elected was such an amazing moment for us.

As minorities, Obama’s election was so inspiring. Before him, it was just a dream, that any of us could actually become President. He turned a dream into reality.

That got me thinking of the the other side though. Imagine if you were racist (for whatever reason)… Obama’s election must have been crazy as well.

And then him getting re-elected too? The world was ending.

As society pushes forward and the progressive world becomes more equal and accepting, what would it be like for a white person who lived through slavery and segregation?

It must be pretty unnerving to see a history of white privilege slowly but steadily get taken away. You look up and you’re losing your comfy advantages in employment, money, power, status, etc.

Perhaps that explains some of the pent up anger that Trump is tapping into during his successful bullying and racist campaign so far.

I’m not saying that it’s right to hold racist views, but it’s really interesting to think about from that perspective.

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2 Responses
  1. Scott permalink
    March 11, 2016

    Not everyone is happy when the rug gets pulled out from under them. The rug got pulled 7 yrs ago. It was a very old rug that was very run down but very comfortable to some. It was the only rug they knew and they didn’t want a new rug despite how good it might be. I personally like the new rug – as I think most Americans do. I think that most of us thought we were in the clear and Trump/Cruz and their followers were just a small vocal group – but now our rug is being tugged by those who want their old rug back.

    We need to starting to tugging back.

    • Stanley Quan permalink*
      March 11, 2016

      That’s a good analogy. It’ll be a tug of war that’s for sure

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