Andrew S.
Philadelphia, PA.
To say minorities had it easy in this country would be like saying the sky is green, both insanely false statements. Minorities suffered the most in this country unless you differentiate the Native Americans who never became citizens and were killed by the millions. Were the majority of those in power White men? Absolutely. However you can not paint all white people with the same brush. All four sides of my family came over as immigrants from Ireland, being Roman Catholic, they were persecuted by the English in their own homeland and not much changed when they arrived here either. I’ll focus on my late Grandfather, the most successful and greatest person I ever knew. He was born just prior to World War II to immigrants. His Dad died when he was about 4 and his mother who had an education of just about the equivalent of a 4th Grader then so probably about a second grader today. She remarried to an abusive and angry alcoholic who despised my Pop Pop and his sister, Mary.
Eventually after a few tragedies his mother had to be institutionalize dabs while she was gone his step-father decided to put the children in an orphanage. Truly something of a plot out of Hollywood film. He learned from this man and saw that he should become nothing like him. It wasn’t an easy road, one summer at the age of 12 he took a bus to New Jersey and worked in a shop for money, sleeping in the back room. He rarely spoke of his childhood it was that bad. He eventually graduated from High School, served his country in the Air Force Reserves during the Cold War and earned several Degrees from Montgomery County Community College and LaSalle University and met the love of his life, my Mom Mom. He was an engineer at first and had a modest home where he raised his 4 daughters and 2 sons. Eventually he got into politics and was Abington Townships first Democratic Head of the Board of Commissioners in over 100 years. He eventually became involved in Real Estate and became extremely successful owning a big house in Horsham and a house in the Poconos as well. My question here is: Where was his White privilege during that entire feat? Why is it that my Dad worked 3 jobs and my mom 1? That phrase is tossed around way too much in the political spectrum and it is absolutely false. Just like any successful Black, Hispanic, Asian or any other member of a minority, my ancestors worked and worked until they accomplished their goals of having a better life and a decent career, never relenting and remaining hungry for more. There are so many successful people in America of every type of race or ethnicity and that is the most beautiful part about America. Again, I understand that minorities have had it rough in this country but in my opinion White Privilege does not exist. My Grandfather, Dad and Mom are clear examples of it.
