I wish every white person who thinks things have changed and by now black people have all the opportunities of white people, (because don’t you know, we have a black president), could read this article and finally understand the phrase “white privilege”. It applies to all of us who are white – rich, poor, Christian, Jewish, educated, uneducated, employed, unemployed, etc.

Because even though I’m Jewish and grew up hearing occasional Jewish slurs (because, you know, I don’t look Jewish) and with the pall of the Holocaust over me because my great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were killed in the death camps, I am a white American and I can call the police without worrying about getting shot.

When my next door neighbors had a party that raged on until 4am with music so loud it vibrated my walls, I DID call the police. They didn’t come, but at least I wasn’t afraid to call them.

When I get pulled over while driving, I may not like the robotic utter lack of humanity and warmth the policeman treats me with, but at least I don’t have to worry about being arrested or losing my life.

When the white waiter or waitress is rude, I know it’s because they’re rude and not because they don’t like my skin color. I don’t have to feel obligated to leave a big tip to prove that my people DO tip well. Well, maybe if I looked more Jewish I would because I hate that stereotype about Jews.

For white people it’s rarely, if ever about race. It’s not even a consideration. For people of color, especially black people in this country, it’s always about race. Those white people who think it isn’t, are obviously not paying attention.