The other day, my friend Lin (AKA my Ex), made a comment about how I really didn’t understand about all the talk about ‘Whte Male Privlage’.  How, being a white male, I really didn’t and couldn’t understand the feelings of those who resented it.  An I was both hurt and angered by the comment.

How could she say that to me, of all people, didn’t she know better?  It is enough to say we eased thru the tenseness of the moment and went on with out visit.  But I got me think about the whole issue of Privlage, of who has it, and who knows they have it.  If we could make a good study of it I think we would find that most (a very large percentage) of white males are totally unaware of having any Privlage at all.  An why is this?  Is it just white male obliviousness?  Do we just refuse to see it?  In most cases I think not.

I submit for your consideration the following hypothesis:

That ‘White Male’ Privilege is not privlaged, but rather the absence of discrimination.

Or perhaps it is best to say what we call out as “White Male” Privilege is the absence of discrimination. What I’m trying to say is that most of what is identified as being a ‘privilege’ acting in a way everyone should be treated but aren’t. To all the White Males out there I call on you to do everything in your power, in your everyday lives, to treat everyone the same way you expect to be treated. Everyone you see as not ‘white’ in you daily life take a little extra effort to see that you treat them just like you want to be treated. Apply this to every woman who crosses your path today, an everyday. An when you see another person you see as ‘one of us’ doing, saying, acting in a way you would object to if you were that person, then call it out. Ask them why they are acting that way? Tell them to please stop doing what ever they were doing in your presence.

An, please, don’t do it with anger. Ask it as a question, as a little child would. More in confusion than in anger. Don’t give them any chance to take what you say as a personal challenge or insult. For me it is all a mater of WDJD (What Did Jesus Do) for everyone else just replace the J with what ever divinity of love kindness and forgiveness you wish.

In other words…..Be A Good Man.