Unlike Me... and That's ok!

 A black man, white man, Hispanic man and Asian man walk into a church…. Sounds like the start of an interesting joke. I didn’t say good joke but interesting. As a white male I have been struggling over the last few months. It’s hard to know exactly what to say to my black or Hispanic brothers and sisters given the climate that we now live.

It’s hard for me as a white man to understand or comprehend the otherness that other racial groups feel when approached by police. It’s easy to make comments that ‘if they have done nothing wrong then they have nothing to fear!’ Coming from my worldview I have no frame of reference to fear others in authority, i.e. police or law enforcement. I didn’t live through jim crow. I am not an undocumented person cringing when I hear the acronym I.C.E.

The idea that I have not had these life experiences and have no way of ever understanding fully the plight of the minority ways heavy at times. I care deeply for many in the minority. It hurts me when I see their pain and frustration. My white privilege does not allow me to comprehend.

Now I know many will cut me off there by using the buzz word ‘white privilege’. If that’s you then go ahead and stop reading. Just being born a white male gave me a heads up in the deep south where my whiteness does come with perks. Just for punching that ticket I don’t have to worry about being pulled over by police and harassed for nothing more than suspicion. I don’t have to be followed around a retail store to ensure I don’t steal because I fit a pigmented stereotype. I don’t have to be concerned that my appearance will keep me from an opportunity of a job or upward mobility at work. My whiteness allows me the freedom from a lot of heartache, worry, concern and fear.

There are many white individuals who would say that this is mostly made up and that the idea is an attempt at reverse discrimination. It’s a way to ostracize white people. Those arguments are so tainted with ignorance and blindness.

As I was thinking about that idea I was reminded of the biblical term ‘unmerited favor’. God grants grace for whomever. It’s not earned in any way just simply given. In my mind that’s how I think about white privilege. It’s worldly ‘unmerited favor’ in many instances. I did nothing to deserve it. I did not buy it. I can’t relinquish it. It’s there when I wake up and when I go to bed.

Minorities deal with their lack of said privilege in much the same way. They don’t deserve whatever discrimination, prejudice, or otherness they are given simply by the tone or pigment of their skin. But regardless of what is deserved they are treated differently simply based on this one aspect of their body.

I don’t wear white privilege as a badge of honor but I do view today’s actions by others through the lens of that term. When I pass a road stop on the interstate and I see a white state trooper and a black motorist I too wonder. I hear the horror that some people endure and I wonder. I keep that frame of reference in mind in my mind when I take action as well. I would like to think that I have what I have due to my own merit and hard work but I do understand that some… not all, but some of what I have is due to my whiteness. I want to work diligently to bring awareness to others. Seeing signs of ‘Black Lives Matter’ does not enrage me. It’s a call to arms that others are feeling ostracized and are raising awareness in a mostly peaceful manner. I do believe ‘All Lives Matter.’

Unfortunately historically ‘All Lives’ have not mattered. Looking back over the history of our great nation often times the minority population has been mistreated by the majority. Who writes our history books. It’s those in the majority most often because it’s the loudest voice. In any country the majority holds sway over the minority. There is nothing wrong with the minority wanting their voices to be heard as well. Let’s give them space to speak, sing and expound on their culture with pride. As a member of the majority I want to applaud those freedom fighters who are seeking for equality and representation where there has been none. I want to learn about their culture for the simple reason that it enhances my life experience to know another perspective and rich culture. God forbid the nation who chooses to view diversity, equality and inclusion as negative qualities. We grow by our diversity not our exclusivity.

 

jamie