How Blacks Should Deal With People Who Have White Privilege

By Victor J. Ward

I heard some vapid news show talking about White Privilege. I know what it is, but I went to Wikipedia so that I could get a definition that sounded intelligent:

"White Privilege is a term for societal privileges that benefit White people in western countries beyond what is commonly experienced by the non-White people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances."

Today, I had lunch with my wife. While eating, she saw a former co-worker. He is White. He is a Partner at a large law firm.

When we left the restaurant, we said goodbye to him and his guest. I noticed that he was eating the same pizza that we had ordered. (The pizza was "ok," but definitely not worthy of being put on the Libertarian List. (See http://www.targetliberty.com/2015/02/a-libertarian-guide-to-eating-out-in.html?m=0)

So, because he was White, he probably didn't have to pay for that pizza! White Privilege!!!!

Who is giving the White people these privileges? Is it Black people? Brown people? Yellow people? Beige people? Red people?

Obviously, to the extent that White Privilege exists, it exists because Privileged White Person (PWP) A wants to extend a helping hand to Privileged White Person (PWP) B. (Of course, all privileges that come by way of government intervention are bogus and evil.)

If either PWP A or PWP B did not want the privilege and all that comes with it, the privilege would stop. But, as long as both PWPs A and B want the privilege and appreciate the privilege, the practice will continue, so whining about it does no good.

But, why should a PWP give up their privilege? Shaquille O'Neal was a very tall, very strong NBA basketball player. He was genetically privileged. Should he give this up?

I once heard that Wilt Chamberlain -- another very tall, very strong, NBA Basketball player -- bemoaned the fact that he shot so many jump shots. The reason that he took so many shots rather than simply looking to dunk the ball every time is because Chamberlain felt insecure that people were critical of him for being big and strong. So, to prove them wrong, to prove to his critics that he was more than just a big, dumb jock that could only dunk, Chamberlain developed a jump shot.

After he retired, he wished that he had not listened to his critics. He could have scored more points and, probably, won more championships if he had played to his God-given privilege.

The passing of privilege from one person to another is never going to stop. One reason for this is because everyone does it; everyone uses privilege in some way.

There are certain parts of the inner city, the Land Of Urban Primitivism, where you need Black Privilege to get through unscathed. Being left unmolested in these areas is a "societal privilege that benefits Black people beyond what is commonly experienced by White people under the same social or economic circumstances."

Every community has "Their Community Privilege." The "problem" is: Whites, it is said, typically don't desire to go into Black communities, and, if the Whites had the desire, they could make it happen. Blacks, on the other hand, have the desire to live like the rich, White folks, but they cannot make it happen.

Maybe instead of talking about White Privilege, people should talk about Black Envy.

We see that every community has their own privilege. If a person wants Community X's privilege, there are only two ways to get it: 1. Become a member of Community X; 2. Become a friend of someone who is part of Community X.

The other day, I went to my friend Sam's house. He was having a house warming for the new home he just built in Atherton -- one of the wealthiest cities in California.  Sam used to be my  neighbor. I have no doubt that I was the poorest person at the house warming.

As I was mingling, I started talking to a couple who were in the same business as mine: Real Estate. I soon discovered that Sam leveraged this couple and their relationships in building his new Atherton home.

The couple told me, "We have coffee with our Real Estate friends/connections every other Thursday morning. Just ask Sam and he'll give you the details."

This couple had privilege. They extended the privilege to Sam. And now, because I was Sam's friend, they were extending that privilege to me.

This sort of stuff happens all the time. EPJ had a post a few years back about Robert being invited to the home of very wealthy Black Rap producer. The post was about profiling. Several people at the party thought that Bob owned the home because he was the only White person at the party; people were coming up to him and telling him what a beautiful home he had. (See http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/08/note-to-world-profiling-goes-two-ways.html.)

How did Bob get to that party? He was friends with the Black guy who was throwing the party and who owned the home. His friendship gave him privilege.

I am consulting with an employee of a Fortune 500 company who wants to sit on a couple of Boards. Someone told the employee to work on his resume. I told him to pick-up the phone and start calling people.

Make friends with people who have the privilege that you want.

Black people, minorities of all kinds, and yes, even you White people that are not privileged: If you have a friend who is a PWP, don't shame them. Instead, tell them to embrace their privilege. Tell them to hold on to it and not to let go. Be an encouraging person; be a loyal friend.

And, before you know it, you, too, will be a Privileged White Person.