Economic Privilege Yes….Not so much the other…

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The Coach And The Vet

7 min readMar 19, 2022

Well, I haven’t had a Subway sandwich in some time. It is a very delicious sandwich. Hot, fresh bread, crisp vegetables, and great fresh-baked cookies. Wow…just the thought of it reminds me of the smell of a Subway eatery. As I sit in nostalgia with such warm and fuzzy memories, my mind flashes to Chicago. Now and only now can I finally understand the 2 am plight of Jussie Smollett as he went on his pilgrimage to the “Mecca” of Sandwich shops on that frigid, below zero early morning.

Bundled up, cold breath coming from his mouth, Jussie was determined to get that “bread”. He was on a search of a greater payday than just the “Foot-longed, meatball and marinara”. He was mad about that little ole $65,000(1) an episode on Empire. Man, he was struggling to buy food, clothing, and pay that rent on such a measly “$65,000” an episode.(Average yearly salary in the US was $51, 916.27 (2) )He probably had them stamp his “Subway Sandwich” punch-card for a free sandwich down the line. Jussie wanted it so bad, that he didn’t even eat it warm, but decided to walk back home in -19 degree weather.

As I sit here Jussie last week was sentenced to 150 days in jail and 6 years probation for faking a racially and homophobic motivated “hate crime”. He was taken into custody as soon as the punishment was handed down. He yelled, ranted, pleaded innocence and put his fist in the air, and yelled about 400 years of oppression that made him do the crime(In his words, “If I did it”). Brother….you looked like an idiot with the “I am not suicidal” rant. But this shows the level of ineptness and agenda of people that want to make things always a race issue above what is the real issue. I’ll say it and say it loud. “White privilege is a myth in 2022….Economic privilege is the real deal, Holyfield that is being peddled as white privilege. Well, until it happens to Jussie or OJ or anyone that isn’t, “shoooo…say it quietly, in your Uncle Joe whisper” white.

Economic privilege is not only real but it is been around for centuries. I work daily in the Justice System. One class that I teach is called, “Principles of Law”. We not only discuss famous United States court cases, but we discuss the cases and trials of most of my students. See they all are inmates in a Texas State Prison. The “If you can’t afford an attorney, one will be provided to you” statement has less meaning than “We want you to have an attorney for your benefit so you are treated equal to the person that can afford one”. Just because one is provided doesn’t mean you are represented the same. What’s the difference? Money is….

Think about it this way. If you are being represented by a “paid attorney” and he is charging you $300.00 an hour; or if you are being represented by an attorney the court appoints you and they are working “pro bono”, do you really think that you will be represented the same? No, and not even close.… Most of the inmates in jail are considered economically poor (Indigent by the court) and were provided an inadequate defense because of their economic status. The same crime with different economic circumstances almost always turns out worse for the poor person. The better off financially person not only gets a better defense, with hired experts and a sizable defense table, he/she will be in a better position to ensure his/her “Due Process” rights are afforded. And by doing so their charges and sentences are going to be significantly different than the poor person. This is Economic privilege.

Jussie said the two “White dudes” made remarks about “MAGA” and threw some chemicals on him as they were whooping his ass and then put a noose on his neck. But, ole Jussie said he fought back. Yea Jussie we know you swung at yourself. Oh yea, let’s not forget about the homophobic remark that the self-described “I am the gay Tupac”(3) said they shouted at him. Jussie was so upfront and honest that he refused immediately to turn over his cell phone to the police. The story was clear. The movie, music and sports stars, and even some politicians backed him without any investigation. The soon-to-be VP Kamala Harris, Gayle Byers, Naomi Campbell, T.I., Steve Harvey and even the soon-to-be President Joe Biden forgot about allowing an investigation to happen before we decide someone’s fate. Nahhh…Jussie was right, the world was wrong, and those hateful early morning stone-pimp Trump-supporting white dudes are out of control.

Not so fast Jussie and those stars, politicians, and even the media. You all wanted the story to be true so you could have a moment more of the past. You live in the past. You are obsessed with the past. Instead of acknowledging the amazing progress, our country has made that in the 21st century, people are making up hate crimes. It isn’t his white privilege that allowed this nonsense to become some people’s truth, even when the evidence that finally came in was that he faked a race-homophobic hate crime because it never occurred Jussie. “Justice for Jussie” should now be replaced with “Justice for all the people that he wanted to make look racist-homophobic”….those were white people. Isn’t that racist Jussie?

White privilege in 2020 and beyond is a myth. That myth is being propagated by the liberal mindset of “unless we as a society go to ‘infinity and beyond’ to make sure white people feel guilt, feel less than before, and make all things about race” then you are the problem. The problem I hate to tell you isn’t race inequality, it is economic inequality that separates people in most aspects of life and especially in the justice system.

The Eighth Amendment says, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” What is considered excessive bail in today’s time is really a wrong way to look at it. Most look at it this way. You and I rob a bank and we are both charged with felony bank robbery, then we should have the same bail amount set. Theoretically, this is what most think. But we also ask people if they can afford an attorney and if they can’t they get one provided. They get one because they are considered indigent. (Can’t afford one)

Let’s open your mind a little. If one of the robbers comes from a “well-to-do” family and the other comes from the projects should their bail be the same then? If you say yes, then let’s go back to the “excessive bail” language and what is considered not excessive to one might be to the other solely based on economics alone. This shouldn’t be the case.

The “well off” person in the scenario above goes back to his job, family, and house….the other sits in jail for months until a trial, or better yet in Texas a “good ole plea bargain” comes along after months of sitting in jail. What’s the difference? Not a color privilege, but an economic privilege. Ask OJ today if without the money for a “Dream Team” of super lawyers would he had been given a verdict of “not guilty”? He knows it. You know it and the lunacy police on the far left that peddles the “race privilege” knows it.

I have asked and will continue to ask and wait for a good answer to the question I posed a couple of years back. “What can I do as a white person in 2020 (year at the time) legally that a person of color can’t do legally in the United States just because of their color? Economics yes. Color no. If we were to focus on the inequities of what is real(Economic privilege) and stop with the propagandized narrative(White Privilege) then we could get these two equal when we are dealing with the 21st-century issues.

Jussie spent less than a week of his 150 days in jail stint before his highly paid, and the high-powered lawyer got him released out of prison awaiting an appeal decision. I have so many inmates that file an appeal immediately and can’t remember one of them going home after a conviction awaiting on an appeals court. Jussie is more privileged than most of America. It has nothing to do with his color that he was convicted of staging his own hate crime. It had everything to do with his crime. The reason he is out of jail today on appeal has zero to do with his or anyone’s color, but it has everything to do with his economic status.

Jussie should stroll into his local Subway today and shout out, “Give this privileged brother a Foot-long meatball sub….bitches” Drop sandwich like a mic drop and walks out with his fist in the air. Oh Jussie.

The Coach John Brent

Economic Privilege Yes….Not so much the other…

Written by John Brent Bockmon