The ad hominem attack

This is difficult because when we talk about normative frameworks and institutionalized privilege, what we really mean is "white people have advantages."  Obviously, this is an unpalatable pill to swallow for white people.  This is why discussions of race escalate so quickly.  No one likes to be personally attacked.  However, when institutionalized racism works FOR you, an ad hominem attack feels very hurtful because it is unique or even unanticipated.  One is not used to being stereotyped, and it feels awful. For people who lie outside the norm, the ad hominem attack is always anticipated.