Why is it so impossible to admit that white privilege is a problem? This is the question we asked when the news of Duluth’s reaction to an anti-racism ad campaign reached our ears.

The campaign, titled “Un-fair,” appeared in response to a recent report from The Knight Foundation showing that “[In Duluth] Fewer residents than in other comparable communities say it is a good place for racial and ethnic minorities”. The campaign was lauded for being bold and addressing this issue.

But now the campaign is being attacked for focusing on white privilege. Duluth residents are taking issue with the campaign’s slogan, “It’s hard to see racism when you’re white.” A Facebook page called “Stop racist unfair campaign” was founded on January 30th and had gained almost 150 members by the next day. The page’s founder, Phil Pierson, told the Duluth News Tribune, “A campaign directed only to white people is by definition racist.”

We disagree. The point of the campaign is not to attack white people but to call attention to the issue of white privilege. This is obvious when you look at the campaign’s posters which feature phrases like, “We’re lucky we’re white, lucky that people see us, not a color” and “We don’t experience the daily disadvantages- the looks, the fear, the hassles- that thrive in the unspoken world of white entitlement”. Yes, the campaign is aimed at the 89% of Duluth that is white. But it is not attempting to make white people feel bad about themselves, it is attempting to alert them of the benefits they enjoy without their knowledge or consent.

This message has been twisted by people who are uncomfortable with acknowledging white privilege. Besides the Facebook page the campaign has led to more extreme reactions. White supremacist groups from all over the world have contacted Duluth Mayor, Don Ness, with what he has called, “some of the most hateful messages I’ve ever read”. One group even suggested that the campaign was promoting white genocide.

Campaigns aimed at racism have to go beyond merely examining the contributions that minorities have made to society. We have to look at the racism that is ingrained in our society and the structures that have been set up throughout history to benefit some and not others based solely on the color of their skin. We should all throw our support behind this campaign and hope that similar ones are soon to follow.