MSNBC host: White males can’t be described as ‘hard workers’ because of privilege

During a discussion about Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) chances of gaining control of the speakers’ gavel, executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles Alfonso Aguilar called the lawmaker a “hard worker.” MSNBC host Melissa Harris-Perry immediately berated the guest for using the term to describe a white male.
Here’s a partial transcript of the unbelievable exchange:

AGUILAR: But let’s be fair. If there’s somebody who is a hard worker when he goes to Washington is Paul Ryan. Not only works with the Republicans but Democrats. You know very well that I work on immigration issue, trying to get Republicans to support immigration reform. Paul Ryan is somebody who has reported immigration reform, has worked with somebody like Luis Gutierrez. Luis Gutierrez is very respectful, speaks highly of Paul Ryan. This is somebody who’s trying to govern.
HARRIS-PERRY: Alfonso, I feel you. I just want to pause on one thing. Because I don’t disagree with you that I actually think Mr. Ryan is a great choice for this role. I want us to be super careful when we use the language “hard worker” because I actually keep an image of folks working in cotton fields on my office wall. Because it is a reminder about what hard work looks like. So, I feel you that he’s a hard worker. I do. But in the context of relative privilege, and I just want to point out, when you talk about work life balance and being a hard worker, the moms who don’t have health care who are working —
AGUILAR: I understand that —
HARRIS-PERRY: But we don’t call them hard workers. Call them failures, people who are sucking off the system —
AGUILAR: No, no, no —
HARRIS-PERRY: That’s true.