another aspect of white privilege

you know, I can resign. any time, any place, any where. I can just throw my arms up and resign to the fact that I can’t accomplish it all, or this negative aspect of what is going down, or any other possible reason. In fact, the sad fact is there doesn’t need to be a reason. we have the privilege of resigning for the sake that we have the privilege.

It’s been one of the more difficult aspects of whiteness to understand. but it’s simple: it’s because we can claim awareness that we can claim that we don’t have the resolve to carry through what clarity and hope awareness should bring us. After all, we’re the majority, we understand the plight of those who aren’t us, and we can end it all because no one would expect more from us. It’s not like they would do any better, anyway. They are just trying to save their own skin. We’re the ones sticking our necks out for them, anyway.

So what does this privilege afford me, personally? The ability to write this freely on the internet, for eternity to record (or not), for judgments to be passed favourably on me for the simple acknowledgement of my inherent power in this faulty structured society we call ours, the ability to think I am contributing greatness when really I’m simply noticing what shortcomings I have been borne into. And it affords me the ability to shut it all down with a moment’s notice, to step back and pretend like I have finished my work, the righteousness to think I’ve actually accomplished anything for greater equality, the freedom to cry it all out and think, “but why do I need to do more? I’ve already emptied my soul onto this screen a million times over… why is it my turn for yet another lashing?” It’s been quite a trip, this privilege.

And sadly, there will be times where I wish it all away. but sadly, again, this white privilege will educate me to think: they try to wish their circumstances away daily and they don’t have that ability. What a sad state of affairs.

So the answer is not to sit and doubt my place in the world. no, place has been predetermined. the answer is not to sit and pontificate greatness. it’s already assumed I will have completed that by the right of passage of my birth. the answer is to keep going, to keep moving, to churn along as those who have trespassed before me did, under much more dire cirumstances, with much greater odds, with much less hope and much great despair. to do anything but would be an insult to whole generations.

Peace, oh world, oh universe, and may tomorrow be ever as interesting and rewarding in so many countless ways as today was.