The Fair Witness

I don’t think guilt does anyone any good. Actions solve problems, guilt doesn’t change anything. Besides, I don’t think there is much to feel guilty about.

We guard our borders not to keep people in but to keep others out. Even so, thousands risk their lives to get here, often bringing nothing but the clothes on their backs. They do so because they view America as the land of opportunity. They know they will have to work harder for less money than the people born here, yet they still come.

Therefore anyone born here automatically has an advantage over those born in other countries. You can think of it as American privilege, and we all share in it regardless of your race or gender or religion or sexual orientation or anything else.

Yet some people cannot stand that what they view as white privilege trumps their American privilege. How should we address this? The way I address it is that I treat each person I encounter as an individual, regardless of their gender or race or religion or sexual orientation or anything else. I automatically give everybody common courtesy. If through the course of our interaction they earn my respect, I treat them with respect.

If this is not good enough for those who cannot stand living in a country dominated by white Europeans, we can raise awareness of the fact that no one is forced to live here, people are free to leave. As I mentioned, the guards at the border are there to keep people out, not hold people here. If those wishing to leave do not have the resources to do so, perhaps a fund can be set up to help people relocate to a country where they would be more comfortable.

I advocate actions, not guilt.