Some of you don’t understand how you have some privilege in the Arab, Balkan and South Asian sections of the Muslim community though you are not “white” according to American whiteness, so let me break it down to you.
Privilege isn’t about whether you work hard or not, or simply whether you come from a rich or poor background. Privilege resides in certain systematic and structural aspects of America that you don’t have to worry about, or you can turn your eyes away from without direct consequence to you or your family.
Unlike black people, you don’t have to worry about walking through a neighborhood, looking “suspicious” and being stopped & frisk by the police on a regular basis be it in high crime areas, to downtown and suburban areas.
You don’t have to worry that your mere presence in stores gets you followed as a potential thief.
You don’t have to worry about your calling the police with a complaint could result in you actually being arrested and/or assaulted for making the complaint.
You don’t have to worry that your sons for simply being like other young people or goofying off can get them killed.
It’s not even about whether someone being law-abiding or not. It’s about someone’s mere existence is seen by random people to law enforcement as being an eminent threat or danger.
This is the reality of blacks in America from people with little education to people like myself who have had access to more opportunities. It’s the life of Trayvon Martin to Dr. Skip Gates who is a tenured professor at Harvard University.
I hope that clarifies things for some of you.
