Entitlement. I’ve been hearing that word quite a lot recently: the result of a variety of social factors including the failing economy, the moral panic over immigration, rising xenophobia and the novelty of the first African-American elected to the presidency. It’s curious because I’ve rarely heard that word used—presumably because in the past there was a certain amount of social compulsion to be politically correct—a desire apparently quenched by the antics of controversial personalities including Glen Beck, Pat Robinson and Sarah Palin. Political correctness is now passé.
What’s interesting, particularly to someone like me—a person who studies the social behavior of humans—is the way that word is being implemented. I am not convinced that the people who are utilizing the word “entitlement” really know what it means.
I hear this word uttered by the lips of white people who are accusing minorities of implementing entitlement in their day to day affairs. The unsettling part resides in the realization that this is an engagement in faulty logic and requires a perverse inversion of the actuality of power dynamics in contemporary American society. While this most often functions as a means to silence and reprimand minorities from claiming their rights as fully engaged and equal citizens (in much the same way the words “slut”, “bitch”, “whore” and “cunt” are used to reprimand and silence women who step outside patriarchal constructions of subservient femininity) it can easily be transferred to poor people and basically any group that appears outside the margins of dominant white/male society.
I’ll give you an idea of what precipitated this musing. I was perusing movie titles in a local video store. After a minority woman dropped off some past due DVD’s at the counter, I overheard a white employee exclaim: “why do minorities always return things late. They always feel entitled to keep things as long as they want.”
This proclamation in a public venue and in the midst of other patrons shocked me by the brazen nature of the outburst. But it’s not the only time I’ve heard similar sentiments expressed. You could substitute a myriad of scenarios for the late DVD’s including: a minority person muscling their way to the front of a line, illegitimately taking a handicapped parking space, or recklessly driving a cart through a crowded grocery store-- but if we look at each rationally we can surmise that these offenses are not exclusive to one particularly race or group of people. They are common breeches of etiquette and good manners that are committed by everyone at one time or another—simply because we are all human and therefore imperfect.
Bad manners and inconsiderate behavior, although impossible to accurately tally, can be understood as universal transgressions perpetrated by all races and groups of people. To characterize transgressions committed by minorities as examples of “entitlement”-- and to simultaneously ignore similar behavior committed by whites is illogical—and quite frankly, racist.
In my opinion, “entitlement”—and all the brutal, inhumane and violent actions that are implemented in its extreme forms are more commonly perpetrated by white elites against minorities. I’ll list a few examples:
• Indian Removal Act 1830
• Asian Exclusion Act of 1924
• Jim Crow laws
• Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
• Dropping the atomic bombs on Japan during WWII
• Recent rise in white nationalism that influenced the recent Arizona laws SB170 and laws eliminating ethnic studies in Arizona schools
• Neo-liberal imperialistic policies
• Japanese internment during WWII
• Zoot suit Riots
I could go on, but you get my point. At the heart of this matter is a failure to enlist perspective. I do not think that returning DVD’s late is an example of minority entitlement. It may result in temporary annoyance and anger, but it does not drastically affect the quality of someone else’s life. However, white privilege has resulted in numerous atrocities that have not only affected the quality of life for many individuals —but has oftentimes taken away millions of people’s land, livelihoods, pride, identity, and even lives.
That’s what I have to say about entitlement.
5 comments:
Reading this makes me furious. You're right, they obviously don't understand the word "entitlement" and I'm sure that its not only "minorities" who don't always turn in their videos on time. I think I would have had to call the manager of the store or contacted someone higher up in the company to express my dissatisfaction with the views expressed by their employees while on the work floor. We can't control what people say in their homes or with their friends, but I would expect a company wouldn't be too pleased to hear their employees making such comments while representing the companies image . . . I hope!
I did write a letter to the home office of the corporation. Unfortunately I did not get the employees name--so I'm not sure what good will come from the effort.
I do feel, that it is the responsibility of us--people with a social conscious--to re-educate people. In other words, if a racist, homophobic, sexist or xenophobic remark is made, I think we are obligated, in a polite way to express our dismay over the comment.
A lot of people are not necessarily racist, however, they can say racist things without realizing they are being disrespectful and hurtful. Racism is such a part of the American culture that people don't realize they are internalizing racist agendas in their subconscious.
As a minority, the biggest dig about "entitlement" is that it only applies to minorities. As you correctly identify white privilege in your posting, this is the thing "minority entitlement" violates in the eyes of White America. Many American whites see no issue in returning a movie late because they have the privilege to say "I have other things to do, returning this movie is at the bottom of my list." And while the store employees might get frustrated, nothing more happens. But if a minority does it, it encroaches upon said white privilege which is strictly off limits to minorities. Huge double standard. Thanks for posting, this one really made me think!
I agree 100% and I'm glad you wrote a letter to the central office even if nothing comes of it.
To tellthejourney:
Thank you for the compliment. The nicest thing anyone could ever say about a post is "it made me think." You made my day!
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