I understand what you’re saying and I agree, or at least I would have agreed when I lived in NYC. A couple of things have happened since to make it less clear to me.
First, teaching in NYC; the public schools in mostly poor, black/minority areas are atrocious. There is no way that a kid graduating from one of these schools is ready for college. We talk about equality, but these kids are clueless. They don’t even know what to aspire to and the few that do, have no clue how to go about getting himself there.
Second, moving to West Virginia, slightly south of the Mason-Dixon Line. There may be repressed racism in big cities, but here there’s nothing hidden at all. I went to a video store to sign up and asked if they needed a credit card or a deposit and the guy said, “Nah, your white, no problem.” I’ve waited in line at delis and watched white person after white person served w/ the black guy waiting. It’s ridiculous. I’ve also noticed that when a black person speaks up, they’re called uppity and should learn their place. This isn’t 50 years ago, this is last week. Thurmont, MD; the KKK is alive and thriving.
There are huge advantages to being born white and male in America. The only ones that don’t know it are white males. If everyone was born w/ the same possibilities and opportunities as white males, then you’d be 100% correct.