The first privilege we encounter is that of our parents.  They can drink alcohol we can't, drive cars we can't, see movies we can't, and stay up much later than we can. With time and reasonably good behavior, we morph into adults who then have the same privileges.

The next privilege we notice is held by our teachers.  Remember the teacher's lounge you were never allowed in, where you had to have a darned good reason to knock on the door? Teachers had control over you in so many ways.   But again, with time and reasonably good behavior, you grew up and no longer had to sit still and be quiet when they wanted you to.

Then came your employers. To receive a reasonable paycheck, you voluntarily give them privileges over your time and actions.  If that person doesn't abuse their privilege, you might happily work there until you retire.  If they do abuse their privilege, you will likely seek employment elsewhere.

As we mature from child to student to employee, we are often reminded of the difference between rights and privileges. You are given rights, but you have to earn privileges. Without reasonable behavior, privileges can be taken away.  But rights are always there.

In a Racist society, these definitions are modified. The subordinate class watch their rights disappear—ones that everyone else takes for granted.  And the dominant class has privileges that they didn't earn and likely don't notice.

The term "White Privilege" describes the set of unearned privileges afforded white people just because they have white skin. These privileges--along with the rights missing for Black people--combine to make the experiences of the white and Black people very different.  It is a complicated path beginning with slavery that landed us 500 years later with systemic Racism. It now feels so natural that we can disavow any responsibility for causing it and claim no possible power to fix it.

Your practice today is to think about the people throughout your life who have had privilege over you.  Who used it well? Who abused it? How easy was it for you to get help from those who were benevolent with their privilege? How hard was it to escape those who misused it? What privileges do you think you have that you didn't earn? Are you benevolent with those privileges or do you ignore or enjoy them without caring where they came from? 

Then, think about any rights you feel you have had withheld inappropriately throughout your life. Why do you think that happened, and how quickly were you able to find remedies?  Are you dealing with any of those issues today?