There are quite a few people claiming that the conviction of Manafort and the plea agreement of Cohen will not change anything. I guess cynicism is to be expected. With the history of Watergate, the Savings & Loan scandal, the Iran/contra affair, and a myriad of other scandals, it’s easy to believe that nothing has changed. And for the most part the political and economic system in our country remains relatively tilted towards White Male Privilege.

However, the belief that nothing has changed flies in the face of civil rights advancements. Granted, it’s not perfect. As economic inequality continues to flourish, as the current push back against recent gains by and for the LGBT community rages, and race relationships with Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and other dark skin people continues to be strained, it is clear there is still need for more work.

Change is always tumultuous, if I may don my Captain Obvious hat. But tumultuous doesn’t mean failure – it means success. If there wasn’t strife, stress, and conflict, there wouldn’t be any change occurring at all.

Trump’s political and legal problems is an example that the Institutional White Male Privilege block is losing its grip on leadership in this country.