My Opinion: Black Privilege

Miara Bonner

The phrase white privilege refers to " the belief that being white comes with unearned disadvantages." Now, despite the statistical evidence that supports the fact that whites do have an advantage over blacks, they have made the decision to unfairly turn the table on the black community and present the term "black privilege". The article "Its Time to Talk About Black Privilege" begins supporting the ethically and socially unjustified term by discussing Black History Month. Rather than supporting the culturally uplifting month, the white retiree claimed that because whites are not given an entire month to celebrate their history, this is considered a "black advantage". However, he did not discuss the numerous amount of events, celebrations, and holidays that support Caucasians who have "supposedly" bettered Americans or the United States. For example, Christopher Columbus Day. Students are excused from school and Columbus is celebrated for finding an ALREADY discovered piece of land. This seems extremely unnecessary to me! 

The advantage that whites have over blacks is extremely evident within many different settings including the business world. The article argued that "the fact that white people are better off is not a privilege; it's earned." This quote does not accommodate for the many educated, hard working blacks who are forced to compete with whites to receive high leveled positions. For example, if a white and black woman were competing for a job position and are the same age, went to the same college, and had the same amount of job experience and business ethic, it is statistically proven that the white woman would be more likely to receive the job due to, SPECIFICALLY, her skin color. This seems like a PRIVILEGE to me! 

According to the article, "If you try to embrace being white, you are portrayed as being racist…whites are now trying to pass as black…" Firstly, as a black living in a predominantly white America, you are AUTOMATICALLY considered a nigger, ignorant, stupid, ghetto, so on and so forth. Why? Because of your race. Therefore, this accommodates for the fact that whites feel as though they are always portrayed as racist. In addition, history has presented the white community as racist due to their OWN actions. Now, if whites are now attempting to "pass" as black or present themselves as something that they are not, this is a white problem! Blacks are not forcing whites to step out of their culture. Since segregation, whites have made it acceptable for their communities to copy our darker skin, hair styles and other cultural standouts. However, it has become a problem because "being black" is now a white trend. 

Furthermore, this article presents multiple excuses for whites to take the blame off of their past and current cultural wrongs and place the blame on blacks.