The moral challenge of privilege

By Loretta Carpio Carr

I recently engaged in an online discussion about Sonoma’s status as an elitist community. One woman said that in contrast to her former hometown Santa Barbara, which was populated by celebrities, Sonoma was a normal, family-friendly town. I guess it depends on one’s perspective. I came here from the Fresno area, so Sonoma seems comparatively upscale to me. I’ve lived here for 45 years and have witnessed the rapid increase in economic disparity. How does this influx of wealth affect the social attitudes of our town?

Like thousands of other news watchers, I was disturbed by the recent “affluenza” teen case. Ethan Couch, a wealthy white Texas teenager who had been convicted of drunk driving which killed four people, fled the country with his mother to avoid arrest after violating terms of his probation.

The offender’s attorney had helped him avoid incarceration by arguing that Couch had been raised in a life of wealth and privilege, so he didn’t know right from wrong, thus the term “affluenza.” Many wondered if the judgment would have been this light had the teen been poor or a minority.

The prevailing response on social media was outrage at the arrogance and irresponsibility of the teen and his mother to think that their wealth placed them above the law. The young man and his mother have since been apprehended and are awaiting further legal action.

We would like to believe that such an injustice would never happen here, but a similar case of disregard recently occurred much closer to home. A Sonoma teen was repeatedly seen driving recklessly past an elementary school in Napa. When confronted by a fed-up community member with a video camera, the teen falsely accused the man of molesting him. This lie was caught on video, which went viral, and once again, the public was astounded at the smugness and deceit of this impudent youth with the wherewithal to drive his friends and himself in his car to his private school.

Surely, no parents want their children to display such behavior, yet very often, the adults are the source of this attitude of superiority. At a Sonoma Valley school district forum, the public was invited to discuss programs that were facing budget cuts. Following numerous adult speakers, a high school student bravely stood up and told the story of his friend who had earned his diploma thanks to the continuation high school. In response, an eastside parent haughtily commented that if his friend had done it right the first time, there would be no need for a continuation school.

This callous remark shocked the crowd into silence as the young man meekly took his seat. I was appalled that an adult had spoken so dismissively to a student while ignoring the possibility that poverty, health issues, or family circumstances might have prevented his friend from attending regular classes. Ironically, this unsympathetic commentator has gone on to assume a position of leadership in the school district.

These examples of disconnect and insensitivity may be anomalies, but economic statistics show that Sonoma is becoming increasingly stratified. Let us hope that the delusions of entitlement don’t result in a severe case of affluenza in our community.