Privilege is not the only means for achieving success
I always find it funny when people ask me, “When did your parents tell you that you were adopted?” I suppose that question is more applicable to people who have adopted children of their own race.
It was never really a thought in my mind that I was different. I grew up believing that I wasn’t any different than any of the other kids on the block. I knew I looked different from my parents, but that didn’t matter. I knew my parents flew all the way to China to get me. I grew up believing that what made me different, made me special.
In light of the recent Ferguson debacle, there has been a national discussion on “white privilege,” a notion that white people possess untold opportunities and advantages strictly because they’re white.
As someone who isn’t white, I’m here to tell you that skin color has nothing to do with it. There are much more important factors that weigh into whether or not you are successful.
Everyone is born into a certain socioeconomic status. Regardless of your skin color, you could be born to a professional athlete, a successful businessman, a doctor, a drug addict, a waitress or a Wal-Mart employee.
It isn’t the color of your skin or what your parents are. It’s what you do with it. It’s how you use what you’ve been given for something greater. There are countless stories of people of every skin color who have grown up in poverty or experienced horrific tragedy and have made something of their lives.
The truth of the matter is, regardless of your skin color, it’s up to you to do something with your life.
In an interview with Don Lemon from CNN, Morgan Freeman was asked, “Do you think race plays a part in wealth distribution?”
Without hesitation, and to Lemon’s surprise, Freeman replied: “Today? No. You and I …we’re proof, why would race have anything to do with it? Put your mind to what you want to do and stick with that.”
White people aren’t to blame for the world’s problems.
Voddie Baucham, an African-American pastor, wrote an excellent piece on his view about white privilege. In his piece he writes, “I don’t care what advantages my white neighbor may or may not have. If he does have advantages, God bless him! I no more fault him than I fault my own children, who have tremendous advantages due to the fact that they were raised by two educated, Christian parents who loved, disciplined, and taught them. Why, then, would I be angry with my white neighbor for any advantage he is purported to have,” wrote Baucham. “And what good would it do? How does that advance the gospel?
Especially in light of the fact that growing up with the gospel is the ultimate privilege/advantage! It is the advantage that has granted us all ‘American privilege’! Are we guilty for being citizens of the wealthiest republic in the history of the world? I think not!”
I’m not privileged because I was adopted by white parents. I’m privileged that I was adopted. I’m privileged that God had this plan for my life. I’m privileged because I live in the United States of America. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I would have remained in China.
There are such things as privileges, but privileges aren’t exclusive based on color. As Americans, we all have privileges.
There are things that we can find that make us all privileged.
Perhaps white people have different privileges, or they may not experience racism to the same degree.
Nevertheless, we need to stop making race the focus of the issues at hand. Tragedies like Ferguson aren’t about race. When we make it about race, people are no longer just people. They become statistics; they become black people or white people. God made us different and we’re all His children.
Celebrate the differences in ethnic communities instead of using those differences to divide.
The more we talk about racial divides, racial tension and racism, the worse it gets. When we learn that people are people, that’s when we start to make real progress.