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Growing up I learned the phrase "it is a privilege, not a right" which applied to many things: drivers license and citizenship are two that come to mind immedi

Growing up I learned the phrase "it is a privilege, not a right" which applied to many things: drivers license and citizenship are two that come to mind immediately. It was explained to me that a right is something innate, that you simply HAVE - it can be temporarily unavailable to you through force or coercion or circumstance, but it is still yours. Privilege, on the other hand, is something you must earn and constantly prove yourself worthy of having through responsible action and behavior. I do wish these definitions were still used.

s1artibartfast 5y ago
Agreed. Now privilege is used to describe fair treatment under the law and freedom from racial prejudice. Calling them privilege, focuses attention on the wrong area and away from the real problem. It implies that to improve equity the solution is taking away these "privileges". It also implies some level of moral corruption for those enjoying the "privileges". It is a race to the bottom where we punish everyone until their experience matches those with the most unjust treatment in society.