I am a white man. In 1991, I got out of the Navy and moved in my wife’s parent’s basement while I went to school. Since I didn’t have the basic academic skills needed to succeed in college, I started with remedial math and English at City College. When I had the basic skills needed for a four-year university, I transferred to SFSU.
In order to make end meet and pay for tuition and books, I went to school during the day, and worked at night. I stood security all night in some office building, or delivered pizzas for Pizza Hut, or put away tapes in BlockBuster...whatever it took to make ends meet. In the four years I went to State, I only saw my wife and son in passing, as I was either in class, in the computer lab, in the library, or at work. I learned to live with two to three hours sleep a night.
I worked my ass off in college, and graduated Magna with a Business Degree. Since then I have continued to work my ass off. Granted, today I do enjoy some of the benefits of society. I own a nice house, a couple of decent cars, and a boat. However, these things were not granted to me because I am white. I worked hard for everything I own. Furthermore, if I ever stopped working hard, everything I own would be taken for me.
I started at the bottom, without evrn basic math and English skills. ANYONE could do what I have, and achieve the same modest amount of success. That is, anyone who is willing to WORK HARD. I’m so sick and tired of some minority groups using their race to excuse away laziness and irresponsible behavior.
If minorities want the same “privilege” as whites, they will need to: (1) Stop having kids out of wedlock. 70% of Black kids are now born to unwed mothers. Illegitimacy is the highest risk factor to childhood poverty. (2) Value hard work and education. Academic achievement does not make on an “Oreo,” it makes one successful. (3) Stop using the invisible specter of racism to justify even your most personal of failures. You successes and your failures are your own. Your only “oppressor” is your choices. (4) Learn to speak proper English. It doesn’t matter what African language Ebonics is derived from. It won’t fly in giving a summation to a jury, nor does it fly in corporate America. (5) Take the vulgarity out of your language. See No. 4.
Perhaps if some minorities acted more “white,” they would enjoy the same “privilege” I do.
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