&gt; You probably thought it was an attack on white people.<p>Prima facie, the use of the term leads people to believe that an identifiable group of people (white people) has obtained things which they do not deserve (privilege). A typical human response to being told that another group has things which were unjustly obtained is resentment and hostility. This is inevitable and obvious. The term is by its construction divisive.<p>&gt; It&#x27;s not.<p>That&#x27;s merely an assertion. The term is a tool. Some people use it to try to effect positive change for certain groups of people (I&#x27;m assuming this includes you). Some people very much can and do use it as a weapon to enact their idea of retribution.