Joe Doakes from Como Park emails:

“Check my privilege?” Okay, let’s. Let’s check the privileges that I enjoyed, which may have contributed to my success.

A “privilege” is only meaningful when it gives advantage between competitors. The Queen of England enjoys greater privileges than I but they don’t affect my opportunity for success in Minnesota because she and I are not competing to succeed in the same arena. The privileges that contributed to my success were the ones I enjoyed but my competitors did not. What were they?

I was born White, as were 98% of the people in Minnesota at the time. Skin color could not have been the deciding factor that set me apart from other, less successful people of my generation. If being White was a privilege, everybody had it so nobody gained anything by it.

My parents were married when I was born, as were 95% of other kids born in Minnesota at the time, and stayed married throughout my childhood, as did more than 90% of the families in my time. Legitimacy and intact family status could not have been the deciding factor, we all shared those privileges.

My Dad had a full time job, as did 80% of men at the time, while Mom stayed home with us kids, as did 60% of other Moms . A possible factor.

My Mom read stories to us kids, which instilled a life-long love of reading, which is the foundation of learning. That definitely was a factor.

I graduated from high school, as did 75% of the kids in my rural, non-farm school; and also graduated from college, as did 13% of Minnesotans at that time. Definitely a factor.

I avoided a felony conviction, as did all but 64,000 of 4,000,000 fellow Minnesotans. When 99% of the population shares a characteristic, it’s gives no privilege to any one of them.

I worked full time days and studied law nights for four years, eventually making me one of 25,000 lawyers in the state.

So – when I “Check My Privilege,” which of these factors should I be ashamed of?

Yes, I was gifted with better-than-average intelligence. I freely acknowledge it and regret only that I haven’t put my God-given abilities to better use. Brain power is not something anybody can do anything about so it’s nothing I need to feel guilty about having.

If society wants to identify the factors to success, it’s worse than senseless to harp on factors people can’t do anything about, such as intelligence or skin color, it’s wicked. Being born poor and Black does not absolutely condemn you to a life of poverty and crime – see the many Black people who succeeded. Making people think their lives are predetermined, that no amount of effort can make a difference, is soul-destroying evil.

If society wants to identify the factors to success, we should emphasize the choices that everyone has control over. Wait to have kids until you’re married. Stay married, for the kids’ sake. Be involved in your children’s education – read to them, make them do homework. Kids: stay in school until you graduate, then get a job and work at least 40 hours per week, and stay out of trouble with the law. Make the most of your God-given talents, whatever they may be.

After you’ve done all that to the best of your ability, if someone is still holding you back, then we can talk about race. Somehow, I don’t think that’s a conversation the “Check Your Privilege” crowd wants to have.
Joe Doakes.

“Privilege” is one of those charges that’s intended to shut down all “debate”.

It needs to be answered, mocked, and shut down itself.