Invisible Advantages

Holly Woodruff
hw225306@ohio.edu

Is it true that race is a dynamic part of our everyday lives? Does race intersect our daily routine as often as some believe? My initial reaction was, “No way.” I was skeptical of the amount of content that could be generated for a race-relations beat in an Atlanta newspaper, The Journal-Constitution. It seemed like a stretch until I considered an ulterior perspective: The absenceof racial cognizance is its own entity within race-relations. Allow me to elaborate…

As children, particularly white children, we are taught to close our eyes to race. Teachers and parents encourage us to see others as our equals. The idea that “everyone is equal and unique” is preached time and time again, yet there is something elusive and ironic in their teachings. By closing our eyes to race, we are inherently perpetuating the problem of race relations. We become immune and unaware of the struggles that those around us face on a daily basis. We become susceptible to what has been called “white privilege,” a term best defined by sociologist Peggy McIntosh.

A few elements of white privilege:

• If a traffic cop pulls me over or the IRS audits my tax returns, I can be pretty sure that I was not singled out because of my race.
• Whether I use cash, checks, or credit cards, I can count on the color of skin to not discredit my financial reliability
• I can easily buy toys, dolls, and magazines that depict and represent the people of my race.

I rarely give these benefits a second thought, as I’m sure is the case for many others. The great majority of the majority is not taught to recognize these issues, despite the fact that they prevail in nearly every facet of life. More and more newspapers are encouraging the inclusion of race into all reporting, and I wholeheartedly agree. Awareness is key to understanding and understanding is key to change. While specialized reporters can utilize their expertise for cultural nuances, every reporter has a duty to bring the aforementioned issues to light.