Episode #64 Check Your Privilege
When Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was offered pastoral positions in two states – one in Michigan and one in Alabama – he chose the latter. He leveraged the benefits of his northern education and traded comfort for the Jim Crow South. This week, Dr. Michael Brown and Amy Seiffert honor Dr. King’s legacy by exploring our responses to unequal opportunity.
Show Notes
The goal isn't to feel shame and guilt for this. What we want is these privileges for everyone.Amy Seiffert
Three Problems
- Not every advantage we have in life is the result of our choices.
- We often take for granted the privileges we have, not realizing that others do not have the same opportunities.
- A lack of insight into white privilege often reflects a lack of genuine friendship with Black and brown people.
Three Principles
- The result of acknowledging our privilege should be grit rather than guilt.
- An awareness of our privilege cultivates a desire for others to have the same opportunities that we do.
- We gain a deeper understanding of our privilege when we have ongoing relationships with people who lack privilege.
Three Practices
- Decentralize yourself from a conversation about privilege, recognizing that you may not have too much but that others may have too little.
- Seek out resources such as books and social media accounts dedicated to exploring white privilege and racial inequality.
- Examine your response to the word “privilege,” ensuring a posture of openness rather than defensiveness.
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