The phrases ‘White Privilege‘ and ‘Black Lives Matter‘ are often misunderstood; sometimes wilfully, sometimes for political advantage, and sometimes in ignorance. But, when you’ve read a book like this you realise there’s no equivalence between the overall experience of black people and white people, either historically or in the present day.
This book, which I’ve read during Black History Month (October 2020), demonstrates clearly the disadvantages faced by black people, compared with the ‘privileged’ position of white people. That’s not to say there aren’t individual or specific examples where this isn’t the case, but simply that the broad sweep of history (right up to the present) shows the widespread discrimination against black people.
There was much I already knew, but it was presented in a new way. Equally, there was also much I learned; often in surprising ways, with a few epiphany moments.
Reading this book, with a genuine desire to understand the experience of black people, highlights the shallowness of saying that ‘All Lives Matter’ or ‘White Lives Matter’ in response to black calls for equality and recognition of the challenges they face in society.
Of course, all lives matter, but there’s a difference between equality and equivalence. The difference is that white people are not disadvantaged by their colour, black people are. Equality is not achieved by imposing equivalence of experience when it doesn’t exist, it merely compounds and perpetuates the problem. Realism is required in the cause of equality, rather than imagining it already exists.
I don’t expect everyone will agree with me, but this (as a white man) is the result of much soul-searching on my part into understanding the black experience and situation. Grace and peace to all, John.
