Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The June 10 issue of this newspaper published a letter where I commented that all lives should matter. There was also a very enlightening letter about white privilege.

In the June 21 issue, a letter published commenting on both of those two letters and makes the comment that I should read the latter. I am not sure if my letter led the writer to believe that I do not believe in “white privilege”, which would have been a strange assumption since I have never met this person.

For their benefit, I have had the “privilege” of not having to deal with injustices that others have had to endure based on skin color alone. Should I feel guilty about this? I did not ask for this privilege, but I obtained it solely based on my birth parents color.

I like many have also been privileged in many ways that have nothing to do with skin color. I was privileged to be born into a stable two parent, faith-based family who sacrificed everything for their kids. We had little money but neither did the neighbors, so we never felt poor.

I was privileged because I grew up in a rural area and never had to confront gangs or drugs.

I was especially privileged to grow up in this United States where I was free to choose my own path in life.

I was privileged to be able to go to college – but did not expect anyone else to pay for it.

I was later privileged to be able to start my own business, hire who I wanted (including minorities) and be able to succeed or fail by my own efforts and without expecting the government to bail me out.

Would it have been different if I were born into a minority family – yes, I suspect so. Does everyone of all races deserve these same privileges and opportunities – absolutely yes. Do I believe there is still racism in this country – yes, although I truly believe and hope it is a minority of small minded people who think if they put others down they might feel more superior.

Incidentally – I also hope you understood the premise of my letter – that every life God has created should be equally valuable – none more or less so.

 

John Cooper

Tryon