I’ve been
thinking a lot about something that a lot of guys like me don’t like to think
about. We like to think that we’re good
guys, that we do the right things, that we support the right people and that we
are helping our communities. We’re often
right – we are all of those things. We stand up for what is right. We support those who need our help. We give to charity, or help out with our
time. We’re doing the best we can, right?
So why do we need to think about that thing that the “crazy feminists”
and #BlackLivesMatter advocates want to force us into considering, that wacky
thing they call “privilege”?
Until just
a few years ago, I hadn’t really given it much thought. I mean, intellectually I knew that I had won the
genetic/citizenship/orientation/education lottery. I’m an able bodied, cis-gendered, straight,
educated white male. If people were
choosing the characteristics that would make their lives easier, they couldn’t
have chosen a better combination. And I
got it all just by being me. I’m one lucky son of a bitch.
Then along
comes rapist Brock Turner. Convicted of
raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster in an alley. And he gets a sentence of six months in a
county jail because, in the words of the judge, prison might have “a severe
impact on him.” The media outcry in response to this has been astronomical and
heartwarming. People are coming out of
the woodwork to protest that this slap on the wrist is not appropriate, and that
it underlines the white mans’ privilege that so deeply underscores our
mindset. I was upset too, until I did
some digging today at the suggestion of my partner. And then I lost my mind. See, I was just upset because this seemed to
be yet another example of sexual assault against women not being taken
seriously enough by the judicial systems that are supposed to protect us all
equally. But it is even worse than that.
Let me
introduce you to Brian Banks. At only 16 he was accused of rape, and ultimately convicted and sentenced to five
years in prison. And he didn’t do
it. But he was black.
Then there
is Corey Batey. Unlike Mr. Banks, Batey did do it. He was accused, convicted and sentenced. Just like Turner. And just like Turner Batey was a star athlete at
a major US university and his victim was intoxicated to the point of
unconsciousness. Unlike Turner, Batey
was sentenced to 15-25 years in prison.
Same crime, same circumstances.
Turner is white. Batey is black.
Let’s not
even get into how long you can get away with being a serial rapist if you are a police officer and you chose poor black women as your targets.
Sure, when you finally get caught you go to prison for life, but how long did
it take for someone to come forward? Why
were these poor black women afraid to seek help?
The answer
is in the question.
