Everyone drop what you’re doing and go read this


Greg Laden absolutely FRICASSEES an article that, if privilege was a liquid, would be dripping with it:

Much of this may be true. Certainly, libraries often do have computers and kids can have access to those computers. And so on and so forth. But, again, we need a reality check. There are three things you need to know. First, the Po Black Kids in the inner city already knew this. If you have ever gone to an inner city library you would know that they know it. If you go to the library in the inner city before it opens on the weekends you’ll see this line of Po Black Kids outside and around the block, regardless of weather, waiting to get into the library. There, they are herded into waiting areas by the library staff and eventually given access to the computers, several at once, for limited periods of time.

Reality one: They know this and are doing it. Reality two: The 1%, in all their wisdom, have worked the system so that libraries around the country are generally closing, not expanding. The anti-tax lobby has shut down library after library. There is more and more need for what you are telling the Po Black Kids to make use of, and less and less of those resources to go around. And Reality three: They have been using the free technology all along, and it has helped, but it is not enough.

I swear, I miss ONE LOUSY DAY and Greg scoops me on the juiciest privilege puff piece I could hope for. Luckily, he got to it before I did, because he did a much better and more patient job than I would have. Go read it. He’s good.

Comments

  1. sunnydale75 says

    Wow. That was a right proper roasting. I am curious though, how _your_ critique would read given your comment about Greg’s more “patient” job. After all, Right Proper Roastings come in many flavors (and degrees of intensity).

    Tony

  2. Crommunist says

    It would have been shorter, involved more swearing, and would have made extensive reference to System Justification Theory. Trust me, you’re better off with Greg’s analysis than with what mine would have been. Mine also wouldn’t have happened for another week, since this week’s stories are already picked out and written.

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