General Discussion

To disregard the relevance of our own skin in whatever circumstance we happen to find ourselves in.

The epitome of white privilege, as you've so astutely pointed out, is that white people rarely have to consider what it means to be white in this country.

Basically, this is white normality, something which is practiced in such a way where whiteness becomes the standard by which all others are judged, and invariably judged as inferior. This is manifested by pervasive and systematic anti-black bias, something that each and every one of us are indoctrinated into, whether we know it or like it or not.

What it behooves for whites here is the need for themselves to be simply self-aware, and once obtaining any level of self-awareness, the imperative to share it with other white people. Unfortunately, this very act of achieving and sharing white self-awareness, all too often, becomes incredibly difficult to do. For example, when you have whites who are categorically unable to perceive that black people operate in America, and have always operated in America, under a completely different set of circumstances, expectations and perceptions. Sometimes, even the very act of discussing race matters becomes too difficult.

The key to checking ones privilege is to not apply the circumstances, expectations and perceptions of the privileged to those who do not belong to the privileged group. In most cases, no one earns the right to belong to a privileged group, affiliation which is unasked for as well. But in applying any level of self-awareness, this means...

- If you're a man, you can't apply your own maleness to women.

- If you're straight, you can't apply your own straightness to LGBT.

- If you're abled, you can't apply your own lack of disability to the disabled.

- If you're Christian, you can't apply the general acceptance and tolerance for your own religious affiliation to those who are non-Christian.

- If you're white, you can't apply your own whiteness to those who are non-white.

- If you're documented or a citizen, you can't apply your own legal status to those who are undocumented.

In each case, the non-privileged person needs to think outside of themselves.

This is a necessary act, which requires and significant effort to apply and/or obtain intelligence, knowledge and empathy, in order to succeed.