“White privilege” is all the rage . . . on college campuses. But is there anything substantive to the notion?
As long as some folks view individuals as nothing more than their race, I suppose one can accrue a few advantages simply by being part of the largest racial group.
Moreover, as I explained at length in my Sunday column at Townhall.com, numerous government policies do indeed hit minorities harder.
The War on Drugs has ravaged the black community much more than the white community, for example. This may result more from the higher poverty rates for minorities than to race alone: Police and prosecutors are more likely to arrest and harshly prosecute the poor for no better reason than that the poor are less able to defend themselves, legally or politically.
That’s wrong. We very much need major reforms of unaccountable police power and abusive prosecutors as well as end the drug war.
But getting back to that trendy “white privilege” — it misses a big source of “unfair” advantage.
I’m white, but my privilege mostly isn’t. Of my many advantages, my skin pigmentation nowhere near tops the list.
Whatever success I’ve enjoyed derives mostly from this: I was reared by two parents who supported me, nurtured me, corrected me and cared about me every day from before I was born to now.
No government program, no amount of money, can best that gift.
The most critical element in the success of black and brown and yellow and peach and white kids is not a politician who cares, but a parent — or, better yet, two — providing a nurturing environment, including tough love.
We could all use more of the “unfair” advantage that parents provide.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
