I’ve noticed recently, a pretty substantial jump in the number of black political media types.

Being a pundit is not the easiest thing in the world to achieve. Some of us have been trying to “break into that market” for a while (admittedly, I’m a short-timer, and haven’t tried all that hard to this point). It’s easy to start talking through one or more platforms. It’s somewhat harder to develop a following, and substantially more of a slog to get to the point where you can earn a living working as a commentator.

There are a good many black folks in the liberal arena (much of the current day media complex), and some of them are in the top of their ranks. That being said, there are also quite a few in the places where conservatives flourish as well.

Some I’ve heard speak for years, others are to me at least, relatively new.

Because I lean far more towards conservatism than liberalism, I’m far more prone to be drawn to the ones on what these days is considered the right side of the political aisle.

Considering the ratio of black folks to white in the U.S., and the tendency up until very recently, for blacks to be on the left politically, the fact that I can easily name four conservative black talkers and writers who are at or near the top of the heap is somewhat amazing.

Truth is, doing so, I’m bound to leave someone important out, but here goes.

Dr Thomas Sowell — An intelligent, deep individual with an extensive knowledge of economics, and the world at large. A national treasure by just about any conservative’s reckoning. In my mind, teacher and mentor first, commentator and expounder after.

Dr Walter E Williams — Another brilliant man, well versed also in economics. Amazingly able and intelligent. One of the most down-to-earth common sense folks I can find anywhere. A man of letters (true for Dr Sowell as well). As able to articulate truth as you’re likely to find.

Larry Elder — The epitome of no nonsense, all the while compassionate. As with all on this list, truly cares about the black community. Has a life story that shows you just how far a person can travel in a comparatively short life (not that he’s a terribly young man, but life is short).

David J Harris JR — A humble, yet intelligent man with much to say. Someone who’s almost always worth hearing. More than once Mr Harris has brought me information I haven’t seen anywhere else. Put another way, he pretty much always has a unique spin on things about which he speaks.

Terrence K Williams — Often the goofier of the folks on the list, but not one to be trifling with. This addition to the list is a “bonus level” individual. New to me, but pretty much always has something worth listening to, to say. Smart, at times harsh commentary on what’s going on in the world with a tendency to talk about the black community more than many other subjects (not nearly exclusively so, however).

Candace Owens — Another bonus name on the list. Candace proves that men are not the only ones who can be intelligent, articulate, witty, and coherent. She is young, but you shouldn’t mistake her comparative youth for a hinderance. She, like all of us, has things to learn, but what she knows is a great deal more than I did as a younger man. Well worth your time to listen to Candace given the opportunity so to do.

Keep in mind, the order of this list is not by an means intended to speak to the value or position of any of the individuals on it, this just happens to be how they came into my head and nothing more.

You should know a couple of things.

Firstly, what I’ve said about each individual, barely scratches the surface of who they are one way or another. It would take a book to do otherwise—maybe one for each of the individuals in question.

Secondly, at this point, I greatly admire each of the folks on this list, and count at least a couple (and in some senses all of them) mentors and people I look up to. They’re all amazing individuals; each takes the time to review current events, history and things to come from a unique and worthwhile perspective.

I bring them up because I wanted to address what I view as the pure fallacy of “white privilege.”

From the aspect of my superiority over black folks, the people listed here prove without a shadow of a doubt that I can make no such claim. I’m not saying that any of the listed people is in every way my better (though I’m not indicating that’s not possible either), but each of them has ways in which I consider them to be higher on the ladder than am I.

From the viewpoint of my having attained or achieved more in life than any of them. I’m relatively certain all of them are better off in almost every regard than me. That’s not something I decry, lament, or about which I complain. They (as with so many other exceptional black folks) should be celebrated. Folks should look on them as examples of what one can accomplish (black, white or part of any other group)—and most particularly here in the United States of America.

You can rest easy if you think that these are the only folks I think of as having accomplished much toward which I am striving (but haven’t really gotten in my arsenal yet). I could go on literally for pages—for thousands and thousands of words—talking about others.

You should also know that some of those folks I don’t by any means agree with (Mr Don Lemon comes to mind, as does General Colin Powell, and Mr Barak Obama).

I’m not trying to argue that there’re not those sold on the perspective of “white supremacy.” That being said, I am arguing that anyone who does so has holes in their head if they truly believe in such a ridiculous thing. You should also know, such people will likely never cease to exist, even if those holding such views changes over time.

Thanks for reading, and may your time be good.