^ Darn it, my whole reply just got blown away ...
Yes, I agree. I'm not saying it's impossible for anyone to understand, but when I find someone not understanding, a high degree of privilege is generally also present.
It requires empathy ... it's not just an intellectual understanding, I think it's also important to try to feel what it's like. Racism, sexism, homophobia and all the rest really create a huge burden on a lot of people.
I was talking with a guy at work recently ... I've decided that I need to try to have some meaningful dialogue with people who disagree with me, and he certainly qualifies. He refuses to admit that he (as a white male) has any privilege. Up by his bootstraps, grew up poor on a military base, blah blah and blah. He informed me that minorities 'just need to let it go.' I said that perhaps that's true, but one definition of privilege could be that a) not only were you not born with anything you need to let go of, but b) you don't have to listen to very annoying people telling you that you should let go of it. One day a ray of light may strike through that hard red-hatted head ...
