When Privilege Fails to Bring Peace of Mind

I am healthier than I have been in years. I have a great job. I am economically secure. I have terrific friends and a loving family.

But I am deeply unsettled by the state of the country and the pain being inflicted our most vulnerable people.

I cannot be happy while others suffer, especially when that suffering is being inflicted in a cruel, vindictive manner, accompanied by a flood of racist stereotypes

I am not an island. I have Black and Latinx grandchildren. I have students whose families came to the US as undocumented immigrants . I have Black friends, colleagues and family members who have suffered grievously from racial profiling. I work closely with leaders of Bronx Muslim communities and know first hand the fear they feel in this political climate

In Donald Trump’s America, my status as a white male professional confers material benefits, but it does not bring peace of mind

I first experienced true happiness when I started using what skills I possessed to help people less fortunate than I was

I certainly cannot be happy when my prosperity comes at their expense or when I am expected to look the other way while they are being attacked