I Was Born White: I Am Sorry

I was born White, and I am sorry. My birth certificate even has blocks labeled “Color” for my parents; and the block lists “W” for both. I cannot even claim to be partly Black or Brown. I am sorry for that because, for that reason, I cannot claim to be free of racism. If I do, I will be cancelled and criticized. I am doomed to be categorized as “privileged.” After all, if a White person claims he is not racist today, that is supposedly evidence of his racism. If I had been born Black or even a darker shade of brown, I probably could claim to not be racist.

To make things even worse for me, I was “privileged” to be born with other characteristics in addition to my white skin. I was born with good vision, and good hearing, and four limbs, and good health and taller than average. I was privileged to be born an American and not born in some third world country. I was born with so many privileges that I guess I must spend my life apologizing.

Of all these “privileges” why is it only skin color that we whites must atone for? Is there not prejudice against short people and against disabled people and people not born in the United States? Race is not even a characteristic that is determined by science.

Can’t we just treat everyone as individuals and recognize that we are all different in many ways. Let’s stop putting people in groups, especially not in groups that have no scientifically identifiable features. Let’s just be kind to each other. Live and Let Live.