A White Student in the Ghetto

This is from Quora, specifically, an answer to the question:

What are some instances of white privilege that many Americans experience on a regular basis and because of that, don’t think all that much about, if at all?

Hmmm. Let me think this one through.

Now, I was in the NYC school system attending Bronx schools when they were integrated in the 1960’s via busing. It was a fascinating experience.

Let me explore the boundaries of what I was privileged to experience.

Was it being being constantly called a four-eyed Jew by my black classmates? I didn’t feel very privileged by that. (I wasn’t ethnically Jewish, and I did point that out, but I appreciated the sentiments being expressed. And I did wear glasses.)

Was it being attacked physically in classroom by a couple of black classmates who were larger than me because I refused to be intimidated by them? I don’t remember a feeling of privilege washing over me at the time. I DID enjoy the experience of learning from a street smart friend on how to turn one of those old style Bic pens into a lethal weapon by driving it into an attacker’s trachea. (Sort of like what the Joker does in that Batman movie.) I almost succeeded in this endeavor and gained the reputation of being something of a honey badger, which made my life easier. I didn’t receive any accolades or bonus points on my acquired skill, though.

How about the regular extortions for money? “Can I hold a dime, can I hold a quarter.” I refused to ever pay up, but the Jewish kids who did told me they didn’t feel privileged, just poorer.

There was the time one of my classmates was seriously, seriously injured by a much larger black classmate and the white teachers at the school were very solicitous of the assailant. (I knew him and he was a nasty bastard.) He got off with a slap on the wrist. But that’s not really “white privilege,” is it.

So, can’t really say I ever felt “privileged.” More like potential prey.

It’s all a matter of perspective, you see.

A black woman questioned the validity of his story, and he continued:

+++“White privilege” is all of the times that you don’t get singled out for your race because you are part of the majority in the US. +++

I recall being singled out continuously for a period of years in physical and intimidating fashion by people of presumably western African descent. During this period, this group was not in turn physically assaulted and robbed by people of presumably eastern European descent. I DO vividly recall how the educational establishment did its best to protect the attackers and robbers.

So I find your claims of continuously being picked on unconvincing. I’ve seen and experienced the opposite.

+++ Having a few people be mean to you who happened to be black? It didn’t take away your privilege. +++

What a cheap race hustle. The “black” kids weren’t mean. They were violent and predatory. Of course, not all of them were like this. But there were plenty who were and they weren’t met with counterforce and intimidation.

+++ It didn’t take away your privilege. +++

What “privilege?” The privilege of knowing I was a target simply because of the amount of melanin in my epidermis?

The “privileged” were the predators who were given the signal they could get away with their behavior and face no consequences. I call that “black” privilege.”

+++ I’m still who I am. +++

If you weren’t that would be confusing. So, for years you were stalked and intimidated by whites? While school authorities did nothing?

+++ he loss of that privilege by being in the minority at school. +++

I wasn’t “in the minority.” There were far more whites than blacks. They could have given the “blacks” much more grief than they received if they were so inclined. The majority of the kids in that school in that time were Jewish and they were taught not create roving packs of predators. They were taught that was a wrong way to behave.

Unfortunately for them, their black counterparts weren’t being taught the same things. A case of “black” privilege in action.

+++Not having to feel what you complain of from that temporary experience daily for your entire life is white privilege. +++

Temporary my ass. For decades after that I dealt with black intimidation and violence. Like the time I was walking home from college near DeWitt Clinton and some puny black kid pulled a fake gun on me and tried to rob me. I still remember the look on his face when I clocked him. I hope he went down a different path. The time I was walking back from my favorite used book store near campus and a three-man wolfpack chased me pack to the school and ran right into the police patrol always stationed nearby. The time when I was dating my wife and we took the subway out to Coney Island and on the train platform returning home I spotted another wolfpack stalking us. I had to explicitly give her directions on how to get away and seek safety as I prepared to march forward and engage them.

I experienced several more such incidents over the years. Yet, somehow I refrained from ever beating up, robbing, and wolfpacking anyone. I guess I was just glorying in my “white privilege.”

I find your entire argument disgraceful and an example of race hustling at its worst. You have no business trying to argue for an excuse for inexcusable behavior. And as a former cop, I’d think you’d know something about how people and groups are always trying to get over.