White People: Frightened and Fragile?

What follows is a brief summary of and a meditation on two opinion pieces in The New York Times, Monday, August 5, 2019:   “Racism is Everyone’s Problem,” by Melanye Price, a professor of political science at Prairie View A & M University, and “Understanding White Nationalism,” by Kathleen Belew, a professor of history at the University of Chicago. http://www.nytimes.com/section/opinion

         In “Racism is Everyone’s Problem,” Dr. Price argues that, in debates, Democratic candidates in should focus on racism not only in terms of its consequences, but also in terms of pervasive white privilege.  In “Understanding White Racism,” Dr. Belewshows that mass shootings are not the goal of white supremacists but are planned as part of a strategy to incite greater slaughter.

         The ideas of these writers may not be entirely new, but they prompted me to think of what they say about white people. Hence, a few questions:  

         Are white people so fragile that we need to enjoy privilege that others cannot?  

         Are white teenagers the only ones who can wear hoodies safely at night and knock on a stranger’s door if their car breaks down? Are we so cruel that we cannot provide all children the basic safety our children enjoy?  

         Are we so stingy that we cannot pay a bit more for vegetables so that the workers can earn a living wage?

        Are we so frightened that some of us still don’t want to live near people different from us?  

         Are we so dumb and untalented that we require specialadvantages in our careers?  

         In much of American history, the implied answer to these questions has been yes.  Were we really that frightened and fragile?  Maybe it’s time we white people take a look at ourselves.