From my Facebook conversations.
SPEAKING as a relative foreigner in America, from a country which was a colony or commonwealth of the U.S.? As most of my people and all my kin here, entry wasn't so easy. (I won't go into how hard it is to get a visa for a mere 1 month visit.) But we came here already (college-) educated back home yet we still have to upgrade our education so we work/ed three jobs to gain those higher ed to earn better pay.
These days, Asians are the most educated and highest earning household in America (better than white Americans) with lesser debts.
What is "privilege/d," I ask. Privilege is earned wherever we go. "Privilege" in America? Adherence to the law, acceptance of diversity, respect of individual choices (including who to vote and right to concur or reject or ignore). Yet Privilege is mostly seen with the relative comfort that many enjoy: government safety nets, many consumer products to enjoy, freedom to be individual weirdnesses or coolnesses.
In fact, we tend to be so comfortable or pampered in America that we seem to overread, exaggerate or misdefined words of misery that we never really experienced (or life that others have lived through and survived from). Such as Nazi Germany, dictatorship, extreme poverty, misery in war, fascism, genocide, real homelessness etcetera. Privileges drive many to "easy depression" or worse, self-inflicted pain or mass shootings. And 24/7 of unmitigated mental agony and emotional horror because this side of the divide is displeased with how an election went.
That grief, by the way, isn't borne out of problematic personal economics in the last 4 years, or deepening funk among the young, or two ongoing wars elsewhere where U.S. taxpayer money "aids" to mow people down and destroy environments.
The grief. That grief, I don't understand at all.
Many years ago, I rode Greyhounds for three consecutive years, big cities and small towns, to try to understand America via its people, not its politics (only 60 or below percent vote). I felt I knew somehow. I edited Asian newspapers in New York City and Los Angeles, wrote for mainstream papers, and published one in Asheville. I organized events coast to coast. I live with white Americans, and have relationships with American women. But America's loneliness and self-hate still baffle me.
Yet when I wake up in the morning, despite the grimness of Facebook drama, all I see are the blessings of America far away from home and family. And a dog and two cats in bed, with me. 🪇🎼🎺
Facebook Friend: “Privilege is easier access to resources that others may not have from birth. In a true free market system everyone has equal access to the resources needed to compete.”
Indeed. So why are we complaining? Because a new POTUS is up? Yet whoever is in White House, America still controls global trade via several global/regional trade organizations and agreements? Regardless of China or BRICS. I don't think America will ever lose all these privileges just because leadership sits in 4 or 8 years.
This is America Incorporated (to quote Bruce Springsteen from his old song). Dem prez sits, their own corporate powers rule; GOP prez sits, their own corporate powers rule. All the same. 🪇🎼🎺
