Spring Break
White privilege shaping our society
Sara Gwin
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Forum
When it comes to justice issues, Black and Latino men are three times more likely to be pulled over and searched than white men, and they receive harsher punishments.
For first-time drug offenses, Black youth are 48 times more likely to be incarcerated than white youth, even for similar, if not identical, situations.
White privilege means we can get the benefit of the doubt in a number of situations because whites have not been stereotyped like Blacks or Latinos to suggest they are more apt to be violent and to commit criminal acts. I know when I go into a store, my race doesn't trigger the stereotype.
As a part of my white privilege, I can turn on the television or read the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented in a mostly positive light and without stereotypical representations that reflect on the character or my race.
I can be sure that my race will be present in the material I learn in class and even sometimes in a more positive light than it should be. I also know I can talk about issues of race without it being considered self-interested or self-seeking.
If we ever want to work toward eradicating racism and creating equality, whites have to be able to acknowledge how they are privileged in ways others are not.
This acceptance will enable us to have a better understanding of our society and open our eyes to the aspects that privilege has left us blind to.
Sara Gwin is a junior in psychology and women studies. The opinions expressed in her column, which appears every Tuesday, do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Barometer staff. Gwin can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
For first-time drug offenses, Black youth are 48 times more likely to be incarcerated than white youth, even for similar, if not identical, situations.
White privilege means we can get the benefit of the doubt in a number of situations because whites have not been stereotyped like Blacks or Latinos to suggest they are more apt to be violent and to commit criminal acts. I know when I go into a store, my race doesn't trigger the stereotype.
As a part of my white privilege, I can turn on the television or read the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented in a mostly positive light and without stereotypical representations that reflect on the character or my race.
I can be sure that my race will be present in the material I learn in class and even sometimes in a more positive light than it should be. I also know I can talk about issues of race without it being considered self-interested or self-seeking.
If we ever want to work toward eradicating racism and creating equality, whites have to be able to acknowledge how they are privileged in ways others are not.
This acceptance will enable us to have a better understanding of our society and open our eyes to the aspects that privilege has left us blind to.
Sara Gwin is a junior in psychology and women studies. The opinions expressed in her column, which appears every Tuesday, do not necessarily represent those of the Daily Barometer staff. Gwin can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
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