Woman Shares All The Crimes She’s Committed Despite Having No Criminal Record To Illustrate White Privilege
Krista Vernoff is a TV screenwriter, showrunner, executive producer and director, best known for running the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. She’s also white. Which, according to Vernoff herself, has been her the most important mitigating circumstance every time she got herself into trouble.
So, to make a case for defunding the police, Vernoff tweeted all the times she escaped consequences due to her race. From drunk driving and stealing thousands of dollars worth of goods to beating people up, the woman shared it all and even inspired other people to do the same.
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Image credits: KristaVernoff
Vernoff said she was inspired to share the stories after learning about the fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks, who was shot during a struggle with Atlanta police after he was found sleeping in his car in the drive-thru lane of a Wendy’s.
Vernoff talking about white privilege would probably strike a chord with Frances E. Kendall, Ph.D. , a consultant for organizational change specializing in issues of diversity and white privilege. Kendall thinks this subject is extremely difficult for white folks to discuss because many of them don’t feel powerful or as if they have privileges others do not. “It is sort of like asking fish to notice water or birds to discuss air,” Kendall wrote. “For those who have privileges based on race or gender or class or physical ability or sexual orientation or age, it just is – it’s normal.”
Kendall thinks white people can — and should — try to engage in conversations about their privilege more often. “While people of color understand the necessity of being able to read the white system, those of us who are white are able to live out our lives knowing very little of the experiences of people of color. Understanding racism or whiteness is often an intellectual exercise for us, something we can work at for a period of time and then move on, rather than its being central to our survival.”
So, our dear readers, let’s do just that; let’s discuss white privilege in the comments. We are eagerly awaiting your thoughts on the subject.
Other people also started sharing similar experiences
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While I understand the point this woman is making, she also sounds like a not so good person. I've never had any interaction with cops except for traffic stops (and visiting someone in prison). I don't punch strangers or steal thousands or drive drunk or do drugs. Her stories turn my stomach because of her flagrant disregard for other people.
Ikr? It's almost like those are normal choices instead of really crappy ones. I've never done anything like that either. Punching people and drink driving? Ugh. Okay, so she's turned her life around and hopefully making MUCH better choices. A black person is highly unlikely to have had the same chances she has had. She's been very privileged.
That is exactly her point!!! She knows her behavior wasn't right but she survived and got away with it because of her privilege. Young adults and teenagers make risky choices, many middle class white (not poor whites) are able to get away with having a troubled youth and get a second chance or no consequences. While blacks dont have that ability and what's more often time are harmed or killed when doing nothing unlawful.
"She's been very privileged." - Good lord, that's exactly the point!!
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imagine the tweet she put after losing her privileged lol
Yeah, but that's the thing, right? She's done so much shit in her life that would have earned her a conviction of SOMETHING but she doesn't have any. Everyone was convinced that she wasn't doing anything worth ruining her life for, but others with darker skin or maybe less-fortunate genes would not have gotten the same chances.
Marlowe. Yes! And that's exactly why she wrote this. She's privileged and she she knows it now. She wrote it to show what our white privilege looks like.
Most of these seemed to happen when she was in her teens and very early twenties, when many of have no common sense. The only way it would make her a bad person is if she continued this behavior well into adulthood. Just shows another disparity between those with and without privilege. I have worked with a lot of POC in their mid twenties who had records for way less than what she was allowed to get away with.
Sure, I did stupid things in my teens. I think (and hope) everyone does. But never at this level. Though I know several white women who did a fraction of what she did and do have records. I guess it is the luck if the draw, which is NOT how the law should work.
And her point is, she was NEVER arrested, detained, charged or convicted for any of those offenses, whereas we know that black people have been shot point blank for less. This is her whole point!!!!!
I thought it were several people responding to the thread she started. Different people including herself
It was, but she said she did all those things the comment says.
You're completely missing the point.
She didn't. She just added further points.
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Y'all are missing the point so fucking hard.
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The human brain is not full developed till you are in your mid 20s. Teenagers and young adults don't have the decision making capabilities or the ability to understand consequences adults do. She is not a bad person. Much of this is stupid teen stuff. Her point is that being white means she doesn't have a criminal record for this where a no white person certainly would
She stole thousands of dollars worth of stuff! She drove drunk! She could have killed people! Not a bad person?!?! Bullsh*t
I'm 13 but I understand why all these are bad, I thought that she would go to jail for years for a lot of these.
Even tiny children know the rules that stealing in wrong, and you don't hit people! You are just trying to excuse her behavior, that that is part of the problem!
Female privilege, not white privilege. And apparent lack of parental guidance. She's almost bragging about it.
Or both? Pretty disgusting that she got away with so much. Particularly the drink driving - that can and does kill. I knew a little boy who was killed by a drunk driver so I have a very low tolerance of anyone getting away with that. I've never been stopped by the police for any reason but I don't need to be to see that there is a massive problem with the disparity in the treatment of black and white people. It needs to be dealt with. No-one running any police forces seem to be taking responsibility for that and they should be.
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It is white privilege. If she was black she'd either be dead or in prison. And there's no such thing as female privilege
But it happens to white guys too- rapes, drinking etc. They get away with it and things are getting swept under the carpet..
Also- it's not just ;lack of parental guidance. My brother stole from family, others, robbed shops and I tell you now- NO ONE taught him or allowed him to do it. Some people just do it.
I suppose there needs to be some type of compensation for when creepy cops use car plate numbers to hit you up and let you know how hooooot you are. Eeeewww!
It’s both. If she was a black woman do you think she would have gotten away with so much?
R L: EXACTLY. And not just 'female' privilege, but "blonde, pretty female' privilege. It has already been scientifically proven that "beautiful" people get "passes" from their horrible behavior from most people, especially members of the opposite sex. Women who are blonde and pretty in the USA get away with all sorts of horrible shit, and guys usually just chuckle at them and say things like "I'd hit that". Ugly women such as myself get zero passes for the most minor infractions, and we've never been able to "look pretty" and get out of a speeding ticket.
I agree
It's white privilege.
Agreed. I had a friend (beautiful girl, 1/2Jamacian 1/2Asian) Never got a ticket... even when caught speeding without her drivers license. She'd just burst into tears and voilà no ticket. Last time I was pulled for speeding I was pulled from the car, thrown against the trunk, yelled at, spit on (maybe unintentional), and held for an hour.... and I have a clean record.
The standards of the cops are a massive problem if they think being a bully is part of the remit. Doesn't take away from the central point being made though - black people are disproportionately badly treated. Were you actually done for speeding? What do you think would have happened if you had been a black man? Doubt that they'd have been let off. I'm assuming that you are a white man from what you have written - apologies if that's not the case.
Liam. No worries. You are correct. Its hard for me to image being treated worse. Not all cops are racist and not all of them are bullies, but I don't think there's a nickel's worth of difference between the two... although I'm sure some are both.
@blugeagua yes actually there is, people think that men commit more crimes then women, but it's not true it's a 50/50 you're gender doesn't predict if you're gonna grow up to be a criminal or not.
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There's no such thing as female privilege
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
It must be nice to be her, both soooooo virtuous and such a badass!
woooosh!!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
there's no such thing as female privilege
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No its white privilege. And she's not bragging about it, she's making a point that she got away with it because of her race. If she was black she would either be in jail or killed. And female privilege isn't a thing.
Female privilege is a thing, but can also be a heavy burden. There's many pros and cons to it. Sure sometimes tears can get you out of a ticket, but other times simply being female invites harassment from police. Believe me, being sexually harassed by a police officer happens more than is ever reported! (That's another topic for another post)
Yes it is. It is very different from male privileged. It does not negate it or bear weighing the two in some kind of scale against each other. But you can find lists of things that are much easier as a woman written by trans-men who did not appreciate the advantages they had until they lost them. But to restrict it to just the subject of this discussion, women who commit the same crimes as men are less likely to be arrested, less likely to be charged, less likely to be convicted, are more likely to be granted plea bargains, and if convicted, typically face shorter sentences. The exception to this is crimes against children, where women face longer sentences.
Privilege isn't limited to race. If she where male (or and race) she would have been convicted for many of those crimes.
A bit off-topic, but seeing what people say on various sites and articles on the matter, I have to say it. I think, rather than one group being privileged, it's more like the other group was denied basic human rights. It doesn't make the situation any better, but at least it shifts the focus onto empathy, instead of generating hateful over-analysis and competitions to who's more miserable. Language does matter, it really affects people's thoughts. (And I say this as someone legally qualified in linguistics, not as some random "angry Karen")
You make a good point. I find it very insightful. Unfortunately, privilege does figure in a lot, not just police, but in education, pay , healthcare, the legal system as a whole, etc. and while it's common across the board that those in lower economic groups to face these disparities, when you add in color, ethnicity, gender, etc. it's even more obvious and widespread
Being an ethnical minority myself, I confirm this to be true as well.
It’s true that the main issue is black people being denied their rights, but what’s described here in these specific instances is flat out special treatment.
And, indeed, I started with "a bit off topic (...)". ^_-
As someone who enjoys being a pedant, your distinction doesn't seem to diffrentiate things much. If anything, using your language, the solution would appear to be not to treat those with less privilege better (i.e shifting the focus to empathy*), but to stop being so forgiving to those who are benefiting from the privilege differential. -(*Which, however you look at things, I think we can probably agree that more empathy is indeed the solution, or at least a start to it)
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Why has my comment been deleted? I pointed out that because it's only white people that are getting those human rights it's called privilege, because if white people got the same treatment as black people it would be considered normal, despite how horrible it is.
While I understand the point this woman is making, she also sounds like a not so good person. I've never had any interaction with cops except for traffic stops (and visiting someone in prison). I don't punch strangers or steal thousands or drive drunk or do drugs. Her stories turn my stomach because of her flagrant disregard for other people.
Ikr? It's almost like those are normal choices instead of really crappy ones. I've never done anything like that either. Punching people and drink driving? Ugh. Okay, so she's turned her life around and hopefully making MUCH better choices. A black person is highly unlikely to have had the same chances she has had. She's been very privileged.
That is exactly her point!!! She knows her behavior wasn't right but she survived and got away with it because of her privilege. Young adults and teenagers make risky choices, many middle class white (not poor whites) are able to get away with having a troubled youth and get a second chance or no consequences. While blacks dont have that ability and what's more often time are harmed or killed when doing nothing unlawful.
"She's been very privileged." - Good lord, that's exactly the point!!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
imagine the tweet she put after losing her privileged lol
Yeah, but that's the thing, right? She's done so much shit in her life that would have earned her a conviction of SOMETHING but she doesn't have any. Everyone was convinced that she wasn't doing anything worth ruining her life for, but others with darker skin or maybe less-fortunate genes would not have gotten the same chances.
Marlowe. Yes! And that's exactly why she wrote this. She's privileged and she she knows it now. She wrote it to show what our white privilege looks like.
Most of these seemed to happen when she was in her teens and very early twenties, when many of have no common sense. The only way it would make her a bad person is if she continued this behavior well into adulthood. Just shows another disparity between those with and without privilege. I have worked with a lot of POC in their mid twenties who had records for way less than what she was allowed to get away with.
Sure, I did stupid things in my teens. I think (and hope) everyone does. But never at this level. Though I know several white women who did a fraction of what she did and do have records. I guess it is the luck if the draw, which is NOT how the law should work.
And her point is, she was NEVER arrested, detained, charged or convicted for any of those offenses, whereas we know that black people have been shot point blank for less. This is her whole point!!!!!
I thought it were several people responding to the thread she started. Different people including herself
It was, but she said she did all those things the comment says.
You're completely missing the point.
She didn't. She just added further points.
This comment has been deleted.
Y'all are missing the point so fucking hard.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
The human brain is not full developed till you are in your mid 20s. Teenagers and young adults don't have the decision making capabilities or the ability to understand consequences adults do. She is not a bad person. Much of this is stupid teen stuff. Her point is that being white means she doesn't have a criminal record for this where a no white person certainly would
She stole thousands of dollars worth of stuff! She drove drunk! She could have killed people! Not a bad person?!?! Bullsh*t
I'm 13 but I understand why all these are bad, I thought that she would go to jail for years for a lot of these.
Even tiny children know the rules that stealing in wrong, and you don't hit people! You are just trying to excuse her behavior, that that is part of the problem!
Female privilege, not white privilege. And apparent lack of parental guidance. She's almost bragging about it.
Or both? Pretty disgusting that she got away with so much. Particularly the drink driving - that can and does kill. I knew a little boy who was killed by a drunk driver so I have a very low tolerance of anyone getting away with that. I've never been stopped by the police for any reason but I don't need to be to see that there is a massive problem with the disparity in the treatment of black and white people. It needs to be dealt with. No-one running any police forces seem to be taking responsibility for that and they should be.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It is white privilege. If she was black she'd either be dead or in prison. And there's no such thing as female privilege
But it happens to white guys too- rapes, drinking etc. They get away with it and things are getting swept under the carpet..
Also- it's not just ;lack of parental guidance. My brother stole from family, others, robbed shops and I tell you now- NO ONE taught him or allowed him to do it. Some people just do it.
I suppose there needs to be some type of compensation for when creepy cops use car plate numbers to hit you up and let you know how hooooot you are. Eeeewww!
It’s both. If she was a black woman do you think she would have gotten away with so much?
R L: EXACTLY. And not just 'female' privilege, but "blonde, pretty female' privilege. It has already been scientifically proven that "beautiful" people get "passes" from their horrible behavior from most people, especially members of the opposite sex. Women who are blonde and pretty in the USA get away with all sorts of horrible shit, and guys usually just chuckle at them and say things like "I'd hit that". Ugly women such as myself get zero passes for the most minor infractions, and we've never been able to "look pretty" and get out of a speeding ticket.
I agree
It's white privilege.
Agreed. I had a friend (beautiful girl, 1/2Jamacian 1/2Asian) Never got a ticket... even when caught speeding without her drivers license. She'd just burst into tears and voilà no ticket. Last time I was pulled for speeding I was pulled from the car, thrown against the trunk, yelled at, spit on (maybe unintentional), and held for an hour.... and I have a clean record.
The standards of the cops are a massive problem if they think being a bully is part of the remit. Doesn't take away from the central point being made though - black people are disproportionately badly treated. Were you actually done for speeding? What do you think would have happened if you had been a black man? Doubt that they'd have been let off. I'm assuming that you are a white man from what you have written - apologies if that's not the case.
Liam. No worries. You are correct. Its hard for me to image being treated worse. Not all cops are racist and not all of them are bullies, but I don't think there's a nickel's worth of difference between the two... although I'm sure some are both.
@blugeagua yes actually there is, people think that men commit more crimes then women, but it's not true it's a 50/50 you're gender doesn't predict if you're gonna grow up to be a criminal or not.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
There's no such thing as female privilege
This comment has been deleted.
This comment has been deleted.
It must be nice to be her, both soooooo virtuous and such a badass!
woooosh!!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
there's no such thing as female privilege
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
No its white privilege. And she's not bragging about it, she's making a point that she got away with it because of her race. If she was black she would either be in jail or killed. And female privilege isn't a thing.
Female privilege is a thing, but can also be a heavy burden. There's many pros and cons to it. Sure sometimes tears can get you out of a ticket, but other times simply being female invites harassment from police. Believe me, being sexually harassed by a police officer happens more than is ever reported! (That's another topic for another post)
Yes it is. It is very different from male privileged. It does not negate it or bear weighing the two in some kind of scale against each other. But you can find lists of things that are much easier as a woman written by trans-men who did not appreciate the advantages they had until they lost them. But to restrict it to just the subject of this discussion, women who commit the same crimes as men are less likely to be arrested, less likely to be charged, less likely to be convicted, are more likely to be granted plea bargains, and if convicted, typically face shorter sentences. The exception to this is crimes against children, where women face longer sentences.
Privilege isn't limited to race. If she where male (or and race) she would have been convicted for many of those crimes.
A bit off-topic, but seeing what people say on various sites and articles on the matter, I have to say it. I think, rather than one group being privileged, it's more like the other group was denied basic human rights. It doesn't make the situation any better, but at least it shifts the focus onto empathy, instead of generating hateful over-analysis and competitions to who's more miserable. Language does matter, it really affects people's thoughts. (And I say this as someone legally qualified in linguistics, not as some random "angry Karen")
You make a good point. I find it very insightful. Unfortunately, privilege does figure in a lot, not just police, but in education, pay , healthcare, the legal system as a whole, etc. and while it's common across the board that those in lower economic groups to face these disparities, when you add in color, ethnicity, gender, etc. it's even more obvious and widespread
Being an ethnical minority myself, I confirm this to be true as well.
It’s true that the main issue is black people being denied their rights, but what’s described here in these specific instances is flat out special treatment.
And, indeed, I started with "a bit off topic (...)". ^_-
As someone who enjoys being a pedant, your distinction doesn't seem to diffrentiate things much. If anything, using your language, the solution would appear to be not to treat those with less privilege better (i.e shifting the focus to empathy*), but to stop being so forgiving to those who are benefiting from the privilege differential. -(*Which, however you look at things, I think we can probably agree that more empathy is indeed the solution, or at least a start to it)
This comment has been deleted.
Why has my comment been deleted? I pointed out that because it's only white people that are getting those human rights it's called privilege, because if white people got the same treatment as black people it would be considered normal, despite how horrible it is.