White privilege is an interesting political phenomena because those who benefit from it are largely oblivious to the considerable advantages that it bestows upon them. The obliviousness of white privilege once again became clear this week when Labour front bench MP Diane Abbott tweeted a response to one of her constituents--Bim Adewunmi--who had some important issues to raise about the media coverage of the reaction to the verdict in the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence . While the full context around the exchange can be found here, Abbott eventually tweeted the following remark:
White people love playing 'divide & rule' We should not play their game #tacticasoldascolonialism.
In retrospect, this was not the wisest thing that she has ever said. While the historical analogy regarding 'divide & rule' is potentially apt--keeping in mind that the British ruling elite were equal opportunity employers of d&r around the world-- the signifier 'white people' lacks the necessary precision for a convincing analysis. But politicians say imprecise things all the time, so one would think that everyone could move on. Wrong.
Those who enjoy the benefits of white privilege are very quick to portray themselves as victims when the privilege of being racially 'uncoded' is jeopardised. Right-wing reactionaries across the country, including the vile Harry Coles above, flooded airways and column spaces, branding Abbott's comment racist and calling for her resignation.
Racism though requires that overt forms of discrimination be underpinned by structural inequalities that are also covertly productive of overt forms of discrimination. So my question would then be what structural inequalities do whites like Harry Coles--on average-- face in relation to other races in the UK? And for anyone who might be inclined towards his public-school boy persecution complex--after all, rich, white, male, Tories must surely be the most oppressed people on the planet--I would suggest that they read this insightful piece by Peggy McIntosh on White Privilege . How many of these questions can those who are shamelessly identifying themselves as 'victims' of Abbott's 'anti-white racism' answer in the negative?
But it is not just the audacity of the personal attacks on Diane Abbott that reflect white privilege. More damningly, it is how certain members of the political establishment and the media in manufacturing a 'race row' have been able to divert any meaningful consideration of the very pressing questions regarding systemic racism raised by the Stephen Lawrence murder investigation itself.
Thus, the ability of members of the politico-economic elite to have that kind of jedi mind f**kery taken seriously is the ultimate indication of white privilege--and structural inequalities based on race.
