The Problem

Those with privilege must be careful not to become lax in their thinking.  If there thinking is lax there is a distinct possibility that someone like Mr. Trump could run a scam that would do profound and severe harm to them and others.  They are ripe for manipulation and useful as pawns for intent unbecoming.  A lack of thinking, more so a lack of critical thinking, is detrimental necessarily putting at risk delicate narratives sensitive to economic, cultural, social, religious and political liabilities. Those in this mental predicament, (ex. a Trump supporter), seldom see, without significant intervention, the harm it will do to their own standing, be it economic or another context such as the Affordable Care Act, i.e.., Obamacare.  In contrast those on the margins, the ones threatened by Mr. Trumps rhetoric during the campaign have, often, had to embrace critical thinking, to be cunning, to recognize the abuse, present as well as historical perpetrated by those privileged and unconscious of desires grounded in that privilege to maintain the status quo.  Those privileged, suckered by a man who is more and more seen as an unwitting operative of Russia and Vladimir Putin (The Hill, August 2016 and Washington Post December 9, 2016) could employ strategies which could take that privilege and use it his advantage to ultimately win the Presidential election.  While many of us could see through Mr. Trump’s scam sadly there were many who were unable to see through them and we look to be worse off for this.

That said, those of us concerned should stand tall, ready to keep Mr. Trump’s policies in full view of the public for the sake of our democracy  

The Rise of Trump, and a stock market which seems to look positively at his possible presidency, reminds me that capitalism, white supremacy and white privilege are connected at the heart.   This is the difficulty that consumes conversations which seek to engage a different more equitable and just economic system.  If we can delink white identity at an institutional level from the economics policy equality might emerge for all.