The Unalienable Reality of Privilege

 Phil Kaye’s poem Unalienable, in his book Date and Time, sheds light on some of the very real issues plaguing the American people. His use of time is interesting here and provides startling imagery that makes readers aware of the serious lack of change that has taken place within the American way of thinking over the years. 

Kaye, throughout this poem, jumps back and forth between his 5thgrade reenactment of the American revolution and the 2016 election. Though the two seem completely unrelated, the connections he draws shed light on the reality that not much has changed in the years that Kaye grew up. Kaye writes, “it is November 2016 / the morning after/ the election in  America … the teacher tells us not to say anything / political / looks at me as if to say / you and I will get out of this just fine / California boy, white enough / he does not look at Franny” (93-94). Phil and his friend Franny are to perform at a school and were told to not get political. It is assumed from this passage that Franny is not white, and even though Phil himself is not white, he alludes here to this idea that he is “white enough.” That illusion of whiteness gives him some type of privileges within society that Franny does not possess. These are privileges that can be seen clearly within the context of the 2016 election. 

 

Kaye then discusses his 5thgrade reenactment of the American revolution. He writes, “Charlie whose family moved / here from Taipei / was dressed as John Adams & could not / pronounce the world unalienable/ & we all laughed / dressed in our wigs & coats / the good guys” (94). Here, Phil discusses a drastically different time, but still one where privileges play a powerful role. In his 5thgrade classroom, if you had the privilege of speaking English fluently or not having an accent, you save yourself from the trauma of being made fun of by your fellow classmates. The juxtaposition between these two events within the history of Phil Kaye’s life tell a powerful tale about the nature and endurance of power and privilege in American society. It seems that time, age, and space do not change the dynamic of privilege within society. In fact, it only seems to make this dynamic more obvious and hurtful. 

 

In reflecting on my service-learning experience so far, I can’t help but thinking about the role that privilege plays in my life. I have a computer that works, that I could afford to repair when it broke at the beginning of the school year, and a quiet space to do school in my home. This privilege is not lost on me when week after week, I meet with a student for tutoring who almost always has some kind of technical issue that impairs our ability to have a fruitful tutoring session. His microphone isn’t working, the space isn’t quiet, or he has to use his phone instead of his computer. These technical difficulties, while sometimes frustrating, bring to light the incredible privilege it is to be able to do school from home right now in a way that is fruitful and productive. While we try to make the most of it, I know that his education is being inherently impacted by these realities. Phil Kaye points to the role that privilege has played and still plays in our society. I think now, more than ever, privilege plays a huge role in how people can cope with the pandemic, especially in education. Even though Kaye points to the persistence of this issue, I hope we are heading towards a future where race, financial status, or living situation does not infringe on one’s ability to receive a good education in this country. 

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