In the world of today, I feel as if every issue – no matter the topic – can always be boiled down to race and wealth. But isn’t it so true? We are in so much social turmoil over topics such as minimum wage, higher education, racist police, the Affordable Care Act, poverty and so much more. Every time people start arguing, I always find myself on one side of the spectrum – the “wealthy white person” against the world. That may not be politically correct, but that’s how I feel, so here is a statement to every African American, Native American, impoverished person and every other minority who has been wronged by white and wealthy people in the past: I am sorry.

I am sorry that I am white. I am sorry that I am not in poverty. I am sorry that my parents provided for my every need throughout my life. I am sorry that I did well in grade school and didn’t have to worry about paying for college. I’m sorry for being everything that I am. I am sorry for everything that my ancestors or more recent family did to you by segregating you, placing you in internment camps, for taking your land and destroying your heritage and for everything else that has happened to you.

I don’t know why I feel like it’s my fault, but I do. I feel like society has pushed this feeling of guilt upon me for being white and wealthy. I feel guilty for getting an education and for having a nice job. I feel guilty for everything I have and everything I am because of what generations of people did in the past, and I can do nothing about it. I can’t change history. I can’t change the past. I can’t bring the dead to life. I can’t create money to give to the poor. I can’t feed every starving person on earth. I can’t give every refugee a home. I can’t help every immigrant wanting his or her citizenship. I can’t cure every sick and dying person. I just can’t, but I feel like I need to because I am white and wealthy, and because of that, I feel like I owe everyone who has been wronged. I feel like I need to repay every bad thing that has happened, but I can’t, and it is so overwhelming.

It’s horrible to go every day knowing that I am privileged because of blood spilled in the past. I see so many posts on social media saying that it’s white people’s fault and that people of color or ethnicity have it unfair in life, and it is true. Every night that I lay down to go to bed, I feel guilt and hate for being white. It’s not like I chose to be white. I didn’t choose to be born into a good home, but I was. I have a great life, but I still feel guilty. I hate that people hate me because of what people did in the past and what other people are doing now.

People always tell me that I just don’t understand because I have money or because I grew up in a good home. Well, I guess they are right, but it’s not my fault and I don’t know how to make up for that. I don’t know how to fix the world, but I feel guilty because I can’t. I feel like I have failed because I can’t repay the people who were wronged. I can’t take away the pain of segregation or poverty or any other problem in this world. But then why do I feel like I need to? I don’t know how. I don’t know how to repay for all of these heinous crimes that were committed.

I feel so much blame for every social wrong being committed in this world just because I am white and wealthy. Is this what it feels like to be a minority? To feel guilty for the skin that you wear? Maybe this is what I am feeling, and if it is, it can only be a fraction of what true hatred of oneself is. And for that, I am sorry. I am sorry that the past happened and that I cannot repay you for everything that you deserve, but I can repay you with my apology. It may only be an apology, but it’s all I can give anyone who feels wronged. I don’t have answers to fix the world or the way that society was or is, but I will apologize.

I am truly sorry.