How to end “white privilege”

City Managing Director Brian Abernathy, still working after announcing his resignation after less than two years on the job, lit my fuse with two comments in a single paragraph, putting into relief a couple of things wrong with (some?) Democrats today.

Depending on which version you read, he wants out to spend more time with his family (the traditional exit parachute), or to make way for more diverse leadership (the woke departure line).

“It’s important to broaden the table,” he said, “broaden the decision-making, and frankly I hope the next managing director is an African-American, and maybe even an African American woman. 

“We have deep racial divides here,” he continued. “I am painfully aware of that . . . . I’ve been born with privileges that frankly are unfair.”

I am guessing the moonfaced executive was referencing his race. He’s white. Very white.

Let’s start with his hope that his replacement will be an African-American, because of our racial divides, and all. And because diversity is an end in itself, let’s integrate the managing director’s office. Abernathy makes race the most important qualification, rather than one of them.

And he’s too late. It’s been done.

He should have known, but apparently didn’t, that Philly’s first African-American mayor, Wilson Goode, appointed former Army Major Gen. Leo Brooks to be the city’s African-American managing director — more than 30 years ago. Brooks was not the first — Goode was, under Mayor Bill Green.

Goode put Brooks in charge of the 1985 final confrontation with the Black, radical MOVE group, and Brooks was criticized for dropping the ball.

The decision-making was broadened, in Aberanthy’s words, but what about the result?

This is not to embarrass Abernathy or Brooks, but to illustrate that decisions can be good or bad, independent of the color of the leader’s skin.

Now let’s deal with “privilege.“

Abernathy appears to be guilty about his “unfair” advantage. He reminds me of last year’s flash in the pan, Beto O’Rourke, who flagellated himself for his wealth (inherited) and his privilege. 

“White washing” is all the rage now. There must be two dozen books on “whiteness” and “white fragility” and “white entitlement” and “white supremacy” that guilt-stricken whites are rushing to read.

And when they read them, they will realize they are in the most hateful, corrupt, bigoted, unfair society that has ever existed on the face of the earth. It’s progressive self-hypnosis.

I feel no guilt because I have never taken advantage of anyone. That Blacks have gotten less than they deserve does not mean that whites have gotten more than they deserve. Equity is not a see-saw, with one rising only when the other falls. All right-thinking people should want to level the playing field, but no one should want to hold to account the blameless.

Because I always want to be helpful, I have a suggestion for people like Abernathy, O’Rourke, and anyone else who thinks they have gained some kind of an unearned advantage through the color of their skin.

If you have received some benefit you have not earned, you must return it. If you stole, you must make restitution. 

Instead of accepting the job of managing director, Abernathy should have declined in favor of deputy managing director David Wilson, who is Black. Why didn’t he think of that? Where was his wokeness then?

O’Rourke should have dropped out of the presidential race and pledged his fortune to the candidacy of Kamala Harris, for instance. If “privilege” was such a burden — he should have surrendered it.

If you are white and plagued by your “privilege” — give half of your money to a minority person. Or buy some minority family a house in the suburbs, or fund a minority person’s college tuition.

I am not kidding.

Don’t just wear a hair shirt and bleat about your privilege — end it! 

It’s not enough to read an anti-racism book or to march with BLM. That is superficial. You must put your money where your mouth is. You must feel the pain you have caused. Defund yourself.

Until you do that, don’t lecture me.