Here are two recent examples of White Privilege. Hold on Tight.  

First, recent seventh-time Super Bowl champ, Tom Brady, has been accused of white privilege. Was it for winning the Super Bowl? No. It was for NOT receiving criticism for his support of former President Trump. A columnist, Nancy Armour, from USA Today said:

“How mighty white of him. Brady’s ability to enter and exit the debate at his choosing, to shield himself from accountability, is the height of white privilege. As this country grapples with the far reaches of systemic racism, look no further than Brady, for whom the expectations, and allowances granted, will always be different.”

The author’s quote is in the context of Brady being more cautious about commenting on politics as the 2020 election drew near and as the election was contested. White privilege allegedly spared him from accountability for his views. Armour claims that Black people cannot do such a thing. She said that since Brady had previously been willing to talk about politics, he should not change his approach.

In the Daily Wire’s covering of the post, Republican strategist Chris Barron is quoted as saying, “140 million Americans over two elections voted for Trump – many of them black and brown. Your column is ridiculous.” 

Second, at the inauguration of President Biden, Bernie Sanders demonstrated “white privilege, male privilege, and class privilege,” said Ingrid Seyer-Ochi, a high school teacher. Sanders who “show[ed] up in a puffy jacket and huge mittens,” received undeserved attention mainly in the form of memes. Apparently, being memed is an immense compliment and indicative of all the privilege. Seyer-Ochi wrote that she was “beyond puzzled as to why so many are loving the images of Bernie and his gloves.” She goes on to say that “struggling-to-be-taken-seriously folk” would not have attended the inauguration like Sanders did. While Sanders is to be criticized for many things, being a cold, old man trying to sit through an inauguration is at the forefront… obviously.

It is truly a wonder that many white people don’t accept the ideas of White privilege when people across the political spectrum – from Trump-supporting Tom Brady to leftist Bernie Sanders – are criticized and berated for things like having a MAGA hat or wearing a jacket.

In all seriousness, this is racism against White people simply for being White. If any ideas of privilege are to be explored academically and seriously, they must be divorced from Critical Theory and not make sweeping generalizations about a whole group of people – the hallmark of ignorance and the pathway to prejudice.

Mitchell D. Cochran is a family life educator, a financial coach, and a biblical counselor. He is the cofounder of Hope Initiative Consulting, LLC. and is currently attending Calvary University for his M.A. in biblical counseling. Mitchell is active in local politics in Lubbock, TX, where he lives with his wife, Katherine.