My version of unequal citizenship is that based on your social groups, you encounter different rights, resources, and privileges than other social groups may be exposed to. As a member of the black male community, I experience degrees of privilege and unequal citizenship such as always having to feel threatened and having certain advantages over …show more content…
I never used to think of privilege in this context. I would usually think of it in a way in which, if it was given to you it can also be taken away. I got this idea from my parents, for example, once I got my license my parents were always threatening to take away my car and they would always say “driving is not a right, it is a privilege.” I would have never thought just being able to shop or walk the streets without feeling scared could be a privilege. For example, there have been times where I have been at a store and one of the employees was following me throughout all the aisles. This shows that as a black man even if you are not doing anything, you are still assumed to fit the stereotype of being a menace to society. Lately on the news it has showed that there has been an increased amount of police officers shooting helpless African Americans. Certain examples are people such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and one of the latest victims Sandra Bland and one thing they all had in common was that they were all unarmed. This is one thing that frightens me, because this means that at any time I could lose my life. African Americans have to be careful with what they do every single day, especially when they are around a police officer, because, their lives are in jeopardy whether they are a criminal or just a regular bystander. Other races have the privilege of not having