This is a guest post by a friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous. The reason he wants to be anonymous is because he is afraid of being called a racist.
Originally this was going to be a stand-alone guest post, but when he saw the theme of the June Synchroblog, wanted to write for that instead.
If you would like to write a guest post for this blog, check out the guidelines here.
I am black.
And I am better than white people.
It’s true.
No, I may not be better than every white person in every way, but I am better than most white people in some ways.
And that is my black privilege.
What ways?
When I was twelve, I could dunk a basketball while my white friends could barely touch the bottom of the net. When we picked teams, I always got picked first. Through high school, I was the star of my basketball team, and as a result, got a free ride to college. Most of my white friends had to work their way through college. We all got our degrees, but I got mine debt-free.
I didn’t get straight A’s in college, but who cares? When we graduated, some of us applied for the same job at a local company, and even though my grades were worse than some of my white friends, I got hired. It might have been because I’m black, but I doubt it. I just have a better personality than most white people. I can get almost anyone to laugh and smile. That goes a long way in a job interview.
And what about rhythm and style! Have you seen the way white people dance and dress? I know it’s a racial stereotype, but it’s true: white people can’t dance! And I always look better in my suit than my white friends who have a similar suit. I wear it better. I walk in it better. I just look better.
None of this is racism. It’s just true. I don’t hate white people for what their ancestors did to my ancestors, and I’m tired of people telling me I should. I don’t hate it that some white people are better than me at swimming, politics, or office management. That’s their thing. Many Asians are good at manufacturing and inventing, and Jewish people are good at making money. So what?
Why do we always think that everybody has to be good at everything? Why can’t we all just celebrate the diversity we each have and stop coveting the strengths and abilities of others?
Having a cultural or racial strength doesn’t make one culture or race better than others. It just makes us different. And that’s a good thing. It means we need each other.
I have black privilege and I am proud of it. If you are white, or Asian, or Jewish, you should recognize your areas of privilege and celebrate them. Don’t apologize. Have a party! And when you do, invite me over; I’ll make your party better.
Here are the list of other contributor’s to the June Synchroblog:
- Rebecca Trotter at The Upside Down World – The Real Reason the Term “White Privilege” Needs to Die
- Carol Kuniholm at Words Half Heard – What Do You Have That You Didn’t Receive
- Glenn Hager at Glenn Hager – Unjust Justice
- K.W. Leslie at More Christ – Sharing From The Invisible Knapsack
- Alan Knox at The Assembling Of the Church – Knowing Who You Are and How Others Identify You
- Leah Sophia at desert spirit’s fire – Backpack cargo
- Liz Dyer at Grace Rules – Christian Privilege
Ha well you certainly did make me laugh. So that was not a lie.