Where There Is Race There Is Always Privilege

As much as I talk about race and privilege, I had never thought of the two as being inextricably bound. Now that Jean Halley has pointed out that the only purpose for the sociological designation of race is to privilege one over another, I am confounded by the thought. Now that the fiction and fact of race exists in our consciousness, is there no way to extricate ourselves from them?

Halley’s observation would help to explain why the attempt to disqualify race (to be “color blind,” let’s say) is yet another act of privilege (power) exercised by some over others. Like a bell, now that color has been struck you can’t un-ring it. I guess we just have to learn to appreciate the various tones of all the various rings.