My dad tried to tell me the other day that it didn’t matter what he called Native Americans and that “they don’t care.”

Me: That’s easy to say when you come from a very privileged position. *proceed to explain how being white and male affords certain privileges*

Him: Both of your grandfathers came from nothing and worked their asses off to get to where they are, so don’t you dare tell me they were privileged.

Just because someone is not privileged in one way (e.g. wealth) does not mean they aren’t privileged in another way (e.g. skin color).

Every person is a combination of all sorts of characteristics. Many of these are not obtained by choice, but rather by genetics, family background, or where we happen to be born. That doesn’t mean they don’t affect our lives.

Because I was born white, I will always have certain privileges. I will not be discriminated against in hiring because of my skin color. I will not be criminally profiled. I may be poor, and that may will suck. But that does not mean that everything about my life and situation sucks.

To return briefly to my dad’s original point: Maybe something bothers someone, maybe it doesn’t. Why don’t you ask them?