The Bias Of Law Enforcement Officers

“White privilege refers to the fact that in many societies, “white” people have access to greater power, authority, and privileges, than non-white people” (Robbins et al. 2013:81). It goes beyond letting white people get away with more than other races; it also discriminates against them. This is well illustrated by the history of white privilege in America and how it changed over time (Nkomo & Ariss 2013) and how white privilege is used to benefit white people (Blum n.d). Without white privilege, people would be equal and perhaps live in a more peaceful society. Therefore, if white privilege has been around for years and continues to be an issue in America and all around the world, than without educating the population and making them aware of the issue it will continue to happen.

Privilege affects everyone, regardless of if they are affected positively or negatively. Being the majority in America, the white populations bears an automatic stamp of privilege on their foreheads, although they would care very strongly not to admit it. On the surface, privilege does not seem like such a bad thing, but when you pay attention to the differentiation of struggles between white men and everyone else in America, you can see it is a very large issue. Whether it is in the classroom, in the workforce, in real estate, or even in your own home, white privilege is affecting you. White privilege in America is counterproductive to the growth of equality in society today because it affects the quality of living and level of opportunity for the rest of the country’s inhabitants. Within all facets of life, you can find extreme examples of white privilege.

White privilege is a term coined by Peggy McIntosh. White privilege is defined as, “a form of embedded racism wherein “white” people are granted greater power, prestige, and/or access to resources” (lecture march 6 and 7). McIntosh points out that white privilege, like male privilege, is denied by those who have it (source). For those who benefit from privilege, they are quick is dismiss any claims that they have it, as they do not want to believe they have been advantaged in any way over others, or they simply believe that all are equal, and are ignorant to the fact that inequalities exist. This is not the case,

When racial and ethnic minorities try to communicate on online platforms, during protests/rallies or to White people directly that White privilege exists, we are usually met with extreme hostility or the question "How can I have White privilege when I am ______ or ______ has happened to me?". One concrete example of this was when a White student in a class of mine told me that he could not have White privilege because he has been stopped by police before because he lives in a low income neighborhood in Philadelphia and was assumed to be in possession of marijuana. My response to that White student was "Do you understand that if you were an 18-year-old Black boy that you would not be alive to tell me this story? Do you understand that if you were a Black boy who reached into his pockets to show an office that you had no marijuana, that you would have been shot at least a dozen times because officers assumed you were pulling out a gun?"

To further this, part of white privilege is simply being treated better than people of color for being white. White privilege manifests itself in several ways. One way is that people do not assume the worst qualities of white people, that they are violent, criminals, thieves, etc., because of their race, or that they tend in that direction, or if they prove that they are not, they are an exception. Another manifestation of white privilege is that white people face far lower rates of incarceration and punishment for the same crimes as people of color and less severe punishments. One other manifestation of white privilege is white people do not have to worry about not getting a job, or some other marker of success, because of their race. People of color have to deal with employers hiring just as qualified, or even less qualified, white people over them. As Johnston says, “…my access to privilege doesn’t determine my outcomes, but it is definitely an asset that makes it more likely that whatever talent, ability, and aspirations I have will result in something good for me” (p.

Since the beginning of America, there has always been much racial discrimination between the whites and many other races such as the Native Americans to Chinese immigrants to African Americans. In the mid-1900’s, civil rights acts were being passed which prohibited the discrimination and separation of blacks from whites, as well as the other minority groups. Yet, today racial discrimination is still going on through the world in the form of white privilege. White privilege is essentially a term used describe how whites have a better chance to do something or go somewhere than blacks did. Although many people, especially the poorer ones, tend to overthink this a little and think that white privilege is more based on class privilege. Something

White privilege is not taught to whites as the disadvantages are taught to the minority by the white race from birth. When a white person walks into a store they are looked upon with respect and it is assumed that they are not there to steal or vandalize property, they are automatically trusted as a quality citizen. The white race is unaware of their privilege because they have never had to experience the glares, or being followed around the store, automatically assuming they are there to steal or harm someone. White=good in every aspect of society because it is the norm, it is an unconscious advantage that is used in the conscious mind of all whites. These cultural mechanisms lead white people to be seen as trustworthy, honest, overall decent

The concept of racism has always been seemingly foreign to me. As well, I can sadly remember questioning whether or not white privilege exists. In my ignorance, I questioned this in almost the exact same manner as the guy does to Professor Hunk in Ifemelu’s blog post “What Academics Mean by White Privilege. I even pondered the question the guy asks: “Why must we all talk about race…”(429). This blog offers a beautiful, understandable explanation of what white privilege is to both gift to those who have difficulty expressing the issue with their lighter skinned friends and to educate those who are ignorant to said issues.

White privilege, ignorance, and blindness are not valid reasons for minimizing racial oppression or social injustice. The reach of white privilege is extensive yet rarely recognized by white individuals. Most individuals are not aware of their white privilege or the subtle "accommodations" that are afforded white individuals not shared by African Americans. White privilege affords those of white identity all-inclusive membership privileges that insulate them from the historical, institutionalized rules long-favoring whites at the expense of black oppression. This privileged lens further perpetuates blindness of not seeing the advantages given to those unaffected regardless of status, character, or merit. Stories of “historically invisible sufferers” as they stand in solidarity must be given the platform to give their accounts. An analysis of white privilege reveals blindness to the moral responsibility of the effects of racism: authenticating the need of further exploring white privilege, opening dialogue, increasing awareness, and facilitating change.

White privilege has been identified as the unspoken and often unseen advantages that white people benefit from in various aspects of everyday life, based on nothing more than the colour of their skin (Robbins et al. 2014:98). White privilege creates a social hierarchy in American society, in which white is normative, and at the top of the hierarchy, and anything else is deviant (Gallagher 2003:25). This paper will demonstrate how white privilege serves as a visual barrier for white people, through which they are blind to the everyday struggles of people of colour. Most people who live with white privilege remain blind to the ways in which their privilege both helps them, and harms others. The experience of Jennifer Cramblett and Amanda Zinkon,

178). When looking at whites in general, most will proclaim they are not prejudice and racism does not affect them in their everyday life. Thus, whites live in a state of denial to the fact that white privilege consistently causes racial inequities. The virtual invisibility of white privilege and how it makes whites feel is what makes it so easy to deny its existence. White privilege is sustained and normalized in society because everyone thrives for promotion, thus we are “loathe to relinquish it” (Wise, 2016, p. 164). Even President Obama was vague and sincerely noncommittal when referring to the white cops who have killed unarmed black youth (Dyson, 2016, p. 190). Therefore, if whites are oblivious of its existence and white privilege is coddled to remain virtually invisible to them, how can white privilege be eradicated?

Reflection Precis 4, White Privilege (04/01/18- 04/08/18) Part I: Our country was founded as a racist society. From slavery to racial segregation people of color have faced many disadvantages and setbacks in the struggle for equality. When as a country we spent hundreds of years believing that the white race was superior, it’s not easy to let go of all the racist intolerances that have been imbedded into our culture. The remnants of our racists society have created systematic racism which is not as obvious as what racism once was and it often overlooked; especially by newer generations.

Many Caucasians do not realize that they possess white privilege, while people of color do. White privilege has been around ever since society had considered “white” as the dominant race. White privilege is unfamiliar to many people because it is the inconspicuous elements white people take for granted. For example, Caucasians are forty percent more likely to receive a private scholarship than POCs (people of color); they also have a sixty-seven percent lower incarceration rate and are ten times more likely to get a housing loan (Greenburg). These facts can be mistaken as false or as a mere coincidence. Ironically, only Caucasians deem white privilege as a myth. There is no one to blame, but it is clear that a bias exists between all races. Because of this growing problem, satirists have created comics, articles, and even videos to help expose the truth on how white benefit affects people of color negatively. These satirists use parody and mockery to reveal the unpleasant truth on white privilege.

In their article entitled White Privilege Richard and Schaefer define white privilege as a, “series of advantages that come to White Americans in their daily lives because, typically, they have been free of the labeling, stereotyping, and discrimination, past and present, that people of color experience,” (2008). One aspect of my racial privilege is that the majority of the U.S. population are Caucasian as well. Wherever I go I will most likely find systems targeted toward a white audience. Whether shopping and seeing all white manikins, hearing a song like ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ at a cookout, or standing trial, the biases towards white males ensure that I am always the one these systems were created to aid. I have successfully appealed speeding tickets that were felonious being 30+ miles per hour over the stated speed limit. Being over an hour late to my appointed court date didn’t seem to be an issue either. I can only imagine what the judge’s decision would have been if I was not white or was not wearing a nice suit gifted to me by my upper-middle class stature. At work I saw a pattern similar to those describing their experiences with community service. Danielle, one of those interviewed by Tatum in his article was, “a 21-year-old white ESL tutor,” and she, “had witnessed the unfair treatment of her clients because of their accent and nationality, as well as the significant barriers to obtaining legal citizenship,” (2000). While

To resolve this issue, parents of white children should teach their children about white privilege. Integrating the children in diverse reference groups can accomplish