Father Pfleger

Ok, let me say from the beginning that I know I come at this Father Pfleger controversy from a different place than a lot of people. I was married to an African American, my son is African American, and I have many friends –real friends, not just acquaintances – and family members who are African American. I have worshipped at churches, ate at BBQs and danced at clubs where I was the only white person in attendance. Most white people I know haven’t had those experiences, which isn’t a problem.

But I do think my experiences give me a vantage point from which I see things differently. I think there is something important going on here that goes beyond what we are seeing in the media.

I look at the Father Pfleger video and I do see him making fun of Hillary. I do. And as he started his comments, he indicated that this was probably not the place to do that.

If you look at the video of that morning, there was a context that had nothing to do with Presidential politics. He was talking about white entitlement. The fact that being white in our society is an advantage is very clear to anyone who is not white.

But here is the disconnect that keeps us talking and arguing about the wrong thing. Most white people would not agree that they are entitled, that their color gives them any special privileges.

If Father Pfleger had simply made fun of Hillary, or George Bush, or Barack Obama for that matter, this would have been a matter between Father and his congregation and his pastor. But he broached the subject we dare not speak of, he did it in public, and he told the truth.

Before he talked about Hillary, he talked about facing “the one who says ‘Don’t hold me responsible for what my ancestors did.’ But you have enjoyed the benefits of what your ancestors did, and unless you are ready to give up the benefits…then you must be responsible for what was done in your generation because you are the beneficiary of this insurance policy.”

I think that many whites feel that since all laws discriminating against minorities, and African Americans in specific, have been struck down, everyone is equal. And in some cases like Affirmative Action, some folks may even feel that they have been victims of reverse racism.

Most white folks I know are not trying to hold anyone else back and are not conscious of any benefits due to color. We are too busy living, trying to hang on to our job or find another one, send our kids to school and keep them out of trouble, fighting to put something together that we can leave when we are gone, too busy with all of that to consider what life is like on the other side of the street.

There is, however, another side of the street.

When my son was small and we would walk to school, I would point to the policeman on the corner and tell him that if anything was wrong or if anyone tried to hurt him he should go to the policeman. The policeman would help, I told him.

When his tall, well-built, well-dressed African American father walked him to school, they passed the same policeman. His father would tighten his hold on my son’s hand, walk a bit faster and try not to attract any attention. His father has never been accused of any criminal activity greater than a speeding ticket, but, even so, he had been made to assume the position many times while on his own northside block, keys to his apartment in his hand.

Which one of us gave my son the right message?

This is where I think the entitlement disconnect comes in to play. A tall, well-built, well-dressed white man walking to his northside home will not be ordered to assume the position for no apparent reason. The possibility would never occur to him.

So he gets two entitlement points. He won’t be stopped. And he doesn’t have to worry about it.

My son’s father on the other hand, loses three points. He may be stopped. He does have to think about it. And he knows that there are other men walking in the same neighborhood who never have to worry about it.

Everyone is equal under the law. But clearly we are not all having the same experience.

One thing I can tell you about attending African American church services. They tell the truth. And when appropriate, there is lots of laughter. Father Pfleger was ministering to a congregation who deal with the their lack of entitlement points every day. He was talking about it loud and clear and he was telling the truth.

He may have used poor judgment in bringing Presidential politics to the pulpit. But he is being punished by the white media for something else entirely.