Americans are the fattest, dumbest people on earth . . . and because being fat and dumb are remediable given the proper motivation, it’s fair to say that Americans are also the most unmotivated people on earth.
This is not to say that all Americans are fat, dumb and unmotivated. There’s a subset of Americans who get up every morning, brush their teeth, go to work, excel at what they do, come home, set the alarm and get up and do it again tomorrow. And take care of their families. These people are carrying the rest of the country on their backs.
But for the average American, the best explanation for his or her life being the way it is is likely to be “I’m fat, dumb and unmotivated.” That’s a pretty tough admission to spit out though so most of us look around for something more palatable to sell to ourselves and others, like (if you’re a non-white person) “white privilege.”
There’s no way to have a polite conversation around phrases like “white privilege” because no one likes being categorized into a group and then insulted as an undifferentiated mass. If you’re tempted to use “white privilege” in a conversation as something other than a provocation or an alibi, help out your listeners by saying what it means to you and provide some recent examples from your own life.
I have to admit that the concept of white privilege doesn’t resonate with me given the benefits that have accrued to me personally as a white person (none that I know of) and the frequency with which I personally observe behavior that strikes me as racially motivated (never).
Barack Obama was elected in 2012 with 51 percent of the popular vote — 66 million people willing to hire a black man to the most powerful job in the country. And that’s an artificially low number because not everyone of voting age actually votes. In 2012, more than 100 million eligible voters did not vote.
Projecting 51 percent Obama support over the entire voting-age population gives us a number well over 100 million. (If you don’t like the 51 percent assumption, note that Obama would really only need the support of 34 percent of the 100 million non-voters to reach 100 million total supporters, and I don’t think a case can be made that his support among non-voters was below 34 percent.)
All the white privilege in the world doesn’t erase the fact that if you’re a black American, there are at least 100 million people willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. And you don’t need 100 million people, you probably only need one.
Given his reported parentage, Barack Obama is approximately half white.
Furthermore, because is black genes come straight out of Africa, rather than from former slave stock stateside, some black activists have accused Obama of not being black enough. Essentially, much like white conservatives labeling Obama as either Muslim or socialist, these black leaders are saying, “He’s not one of us.”
Since at least his days at Harvard Law, Obama reportedly easily moves among people of different races, political perspectives, and social classes. Politically speaking, he has proved to be a man of all seasons.
While there are exceptions, politicians elected on the national level typically cannot arrive in Washington to be paid by taxpayers without considerable financial assistance from those with very deep pockets and a self-serving political agenda. In reality, it is this relatively small clique of donors that decides whose names appear on ballots in presidential and midterm election years.
Needless, to say, deep pocket donors expect some consideration, usually in the form of access to the politician, in return. Put another way, much like stocks and bonds, politicians are an investment from which they expect a return. Otherwise, they are inclined to put their money on another horse in the race. (And you wonder why corporate news media cover elections like horse races!)
This is also why the political contributor class is currently so terrified of Donald Trump’s campaign. Trump is, as far as they are concerned, a very dangerous loose cannon able to wreck their carefully crafted ship of state.
Barack Obama was, on the other hand, a very safe investment. After all, just like his predecessor to the Oval Office, he bailed out the bankers!
Likewise, as opposed to either Bernie Sanders or Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton will prove to be a predictable and reliable ally in the White House.