I am very fortunate. I have inherited the privilege of the western tradition, which through much struggle, destruction, and pain, has developed a value system that respects the individual. I have inherited the privilege to vote and have the career of my choice thanks to the feminist movement. I have inherited the privilege to think and speak what I feel and believe thanks to the millions of people who fought injustice in the name of equality. I have inherited the privilege of religious freedom so I can believe or not believe in religious dogmas as I choose. I have inherited the privilege of living in a country that has a written constitution to protect me from governmental tyranny. I have inherited the privilege of being a white woman in a world controlled by white people. I have inherited privilege.
I’ve only inherited (been given) privileges (special advantages not enjoyed by all); I did nothing to earn them. This makes me very fortunate. Because I am fortunate, I have a choice. I can accept my fortune and go on my way ignoring the plight of those who are not privileged, or I can become part of the struggle to extend the privileges I have freely received to those who are not as privileged as I. Until everyone is truly equal, what we call “Rights” aren’t Rights at all, they are only privileges. This is why I am a liberal.
When we can identify ourselves as privileged, we can begin to see that when others don’t have the same privileges that we do, our own privileges are in jeopardy because privileges are not Rights unless everyone has them. Sure, you may say that this motive is selfish—that I am only fighting for other people because my privileges are threatened—but you would be wrong. My privileges are not threatened. I will not lose them any time soon. I want to bring privilege to more people for one reason—because it is good and right to do so. This is why I am a liberal.
If it was not good and right to do so, why would heterosexual white men fight for privileges for anyone who wasn’t white, male, or heterosexual? But they do. Those of us who are informed have a global view of the world, and we know that we have to see past our own backyards. We see the fundamental idea that underlies progressive liberalism: change is inevitable. Positive change empowers; negative change diminishes. Empowerment is the key to extending privileges to all. This is why I am a liberal.
“To whom much is given, much is expected.” I have freely inherited many privileges. I have worked hard and taken advantage of those privileges to participate in government via voting, to further my career, to raise my children as I see fit, and to worship what I choose to worship. It is my responsibility to all those people who came before me, and to all those who will come after me to continue to fight for equality and justice. It is my responsibility to not let all those who died so I could have privileges die in vain. It is my responsibility to all those who are not yet born to continue the fight, so one day we can stop calling them privileges and call them Rights, true unalienable Rights. This is why I am a liberal.
