But privileges can be granted, and can be revoked. And history is NOT a smooth march toward equality.
Humans tend to behave as if things will always be as they are now, as if there's no such thing as blowback or what-goes-around-comes-around or getting bitten on the ass by what you thought was a friendly dog. The Republicans certainly acted during the past 8 years as if they thought that they would always be in power, and none of what they implemented could ever be used against them. But they aren't the only example. (This is the basis for my frequent quoting of the words Robert Bolt gives Thomas More: "Yes, I'd give the Devil the benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.")
I think the concept of "privilege" is a valuable one, but I dislike seeing it applied to things that should be considered either rights or matters of common decency, such as not being refused housing (right) or not being followed around by security in a store (matter of common decency) just because of one's skin color. Privileges are changeable and negotiable in a way that rights and common decency aren't.
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Humans tend to behave as if things will always be as they are now, as if there's no such thing as blowback or what-goes-around-comes-around or getting bitten on the ass by what you thought was a friendly dog. The Republicans certainly acted during the past 8 years as if they thought that they would always be in power, and none of what they implemented could ever be used against them. But they aren't the only example. (This is the basis for my frequent quoting of the words Robert Bolt gives Thomas More: "Yes, I'd give the Devil the benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.")
I think the concept of "privilege" is a valuable one, but I dislike seeing it applied to things that should be considered either rights or matters of common decency, such as not being refused housing (right) or not being followed around by security in a store (matter of common decency) just because of one's skin color. Privileges are changeable and negotiable in a way that rights and common decency aren't.