It's my white privilege.

Dear Friends,

I have tired to recognize my white privilege in all the ways that it exists, but I keep finding new ways.

I have been trying to figure out why I am so much more touched by the terrorist attacks in Paris than  those in Beirut or in Kenya or in any of the many other places around the world that are not predominately white societies.  I have lived in overwhelmingly white communities all of my life and have felt safe almost all of the time.  I do not feel threatened when I see another white person, but I do from time to time feel unsafe when I see a non-white person who fits the stereotype of someone I "should" fear; a young black male, a group of middle eastern appearing men, etc.

Part of my white privilege is that I have always had a community in which I can feel safe.  I am not constantly stopped or harassed by police, I am not in a minority surrounded by people who are "different" (non-white) from me, and I am a privileged member of the majority community.  The Paris that I see is white.  Iraq, Iran, Syria, Nigeria, Kenya, etc. are non-white.  They are all communities where I would be in the minority and in many cases subject to the same harassment and discrimination that a person of color is in Minnesota, or worse.  So I am ashamed to say that the most likely reason that I am more touched by the terrorist attacks in Paris than in Mumbai is that Paris is white, like me, and Mumbai is not.  It is another part of my white privilege that I must acknowledge.

Thanks for reading and please comment,
The Unabashed Liberal