Race is a difficult subject to talk about. Race is a subject that does matter. Our society has been and remains tainted by race divisions. This subject is address in the books White like me Reflection on Race from a Privileged Son by Tim Wise and Race Matters by Cornel West. Both books have a different emphasis in this topic. Tim Wise focuses on the notion of white privilege, and how it is not only unjust, but how it causes harm to people in every aspect of society not just ethnic minorities. We must be honest about the ways in which white people collaborate with the systems that privilege us and oppress others. White privilege and white supremacy still exist in the United States. White people are given smoother passes to success and prosper in life, compared with ethnic minorities. Their treatment as …show more content…
it is, far more, the lived experience of coping with a life of horrifying meaningless, hopelessness, and (most important) lovelessness.” (22) Consequently, nihilism is the number one problem as Blacks. There is also another issue which is the idea a of color blindness. The United States is a multiethnic state. We don't live in a “color-blind” society today, nor have we in the past. Those who support that we live in a “color-blind” society are generally the same people who defend the status that keeps blacks, women and homosexuals in a second-class position. Both books discourse about white supremacy, West focus in defeating white supremacy as our central goal. Also, to fight national oppression, African Americans must regain their hope and self-love. The lack of self-love is directly related to oppression, which is what happened in the first
Alexander Crummell, an Episcopalian priest, professor, and lecturer, set out to analyze and discuss “The Race Problem in America.” This piece was written in 1888, following the Reconstruction period after he had traveled to Europe and Africa, lecturing on American Slavery and African-American and African issues. Crummell, when not working outside of the country, resided in the North at various places in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, where many of the countries African-American intellectuals lived at the time. As a professor, lecturer, and priest, the intended audience were members of the society who were literate, Christian, and for the time period, more radically thinking. Due to his relationship with Christianity and the relationship
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines takes place in Louisiana in the 1940’s. When a young African American man named Jefferson is unfairly sentenced to death, school teacher Grant Wiggins is sent to try to make Jefferson a man before he dies. Throughout the novel, racial injustice is shown in both Jefferson and Grant’s lives in the way other people view them.
Peggy McIntosh wrote this article to identify how her white privilege effects her life. Each statement is written as a privilege that Ms. McIntosh does not need to consider or fear as a white woman. From financial credibility to national heritage, this article makes a valid point regarding the way white people can be arrogant and naïve when the same treatment is not being given to their neighbors, coworkers, and peers. There can be two responses when reading this. The first would be a person of color. They will appreciate the attempt at realization of what white people take for granted. The second would be the reality that smacks the white people in the face when they realize how true all 50 statements are. Once this begins to sink in, many will start to broaden their competence realizing the unfair treatment of the people in this world. Moving down the timeline, we can see how the acknowledgement can mend broken relationships. Owning the reality and doing something to change it can give the people of different races the treatment they deserve (McIntosh,
In her 16 January 2016 The Washington Post editorial, “What is White Privilege?”, Christine Emba asserts white privilege is a societal advantage inherent in people who are white, irrespective of their “wealth, gender, or other factors.” According to Emba, white privilege makes life smoother and is an entity that is hidden or unknown until the privilege is taken away. Although racism is still a rampant issue in society today, white privilege is a concept created by the progressive left in order to brand whites as a scapegoat for issues and adversities that non-whites face. This concept of privilege ultimately causes further dissension between whites and non-whites.
Racism is not only a crime against humanity, but a daily burden that weighs down many shoulders. Racism has haunted America ever since the founding of the United States, and has eerily followed us to this very day. As an intimidating looking black man living in a country composed of mostly white people, Brent Staples is a classic victim of prejudice. The typical effect of racism on an African American man such as Staples, is a growing feeling of alienation and inferiority; the typical effect of racism on a white person is fear and a feeling of superiority. While Brent Staples could be seen as a victim of prejudice because of the discrimination he suffers, he claims that the victim and the perpetrator are both harmed in the vicious cycle that is racism. Staples employs his reader to recognize the value of his thesis through his stylistic use of anecdotes, repetition and the contrast of his characterization.
In today’s society, the dominant ethnic group continues to be the white race, as it has been for the past few centuries. Whites can ignore what is occurring in the world since the majority of the time it does not specifically affect them. The Caucasian race is very privileged, yet they are unaware of this fact, and it is, therefore, invisible to them. There are many reasons as to why this fact is true, some of which is explained in Roxane Gay’s novel “Bad Feminist,” she outlines her views on this subject and writes about what knowledge people should have about their privilege and how they can change their perceptions. People being unable to acknowledge their privilege becomes a worldwide issue and affects the lives of many individuals worldwide.
This power keeps the behavior of the oppressed well within the set guidelines of the oppressor (Freire, 2000, pg. 47). Critical Race Theory outlines this system of oppression as it relates to white and non-white races. By using the critical race theory coupled with the system of oppression described by Freire (2000), I propose that within the system of oppression, the oppressor must keep its own members in line with the prescribed guidelines by reinforcing the social norms from birth. Freire (2000) suggest that the interest of the oppressors lie in “changing the consciousness of the oppressed not the system” (pg.34). Identifying as white, therefore, starts at birth when members of the white class work to reinforce social norms that began with our founding fathers at Plymouth Rock. This long history of white privilege was taught to me and I continue to teach it to my children. As an educator of white affluent high school students, I believe we provide college and career counseling based on this white privilege system of oppression as well. Here, I journey even closer to unraveling the myth of white privilege as I encounter the intersection of an affluent white student choosing a career after high
In America, essentially everyone is classified in terms of race in a way. We are all familiar with terms such as Caucasian, African-American, Asian, etc. Most Americans think of these terms as biological or natural classifications; meaning that all people of a certain race share similarities on their D.N.A. that are different and sets that particular race apart from all the other races. However, recent genetic studies show that there’s no scientific basis for the socially popular idea that race is a valid taxonomy of human biological difference. This means that humans are not divided into different groups through genetics or nature. Contrary to scientific studies, social beliefs are reflected through racial realism. Racial realists believe that being of a particular race does not only have phenotypical values (i.e. skin color, facial features, etc.), but also broadens its effects to moral, intellectual and spiritual characteristics.
Temporary inequality exists as a means of “improving” a subordinate to the level of a dominant. After the period of inequality is over, the two view each other as equals. The other form of inequality, permanent inequality, exists solely because of an ascription of inferiority to a subordinate that is inherent and unchangeable. Unlike temporary inequality, there is no possibility of improvement for the subordinate; they are, in the eyes of the dominant, inferior and impossible to “fix.” The dominants, who view themselves naturally superior to the subordinates, begin to take advantage of the subordinates. “Out of the total range of human possibilities, the activities most highly valued in any particular culture will tend to be enclosed within the domain of the dominant group; less valued functions are relegated to the subordinates” (Rothenberg, 112). Moreover, the subordinates, who by this point are under the total control of the dominant group, may begin to internalize the value of the dominants. “[Subordinates’] incapacities are ascribed to innate defects or deficiencies of mind or body…More importantly, subordinates themselves can come to find it difficult to believe in their own ability” (112). This theory of domination and subordination are clearly mirrored in race relations in the United States. Whites, who are the dominant group, make all of the fallacious errors involved in race-based thinking; they are prone to, like Miller describes, hoarding superior roles in society and practicing systematic cruelty towards the subordinates due to their sincere belief that the subordinates are inherently incapable of rising to the level of the dominant. This internalized belief on the part of the dominants, that the subordinates
In his book Racial Matters, Kenneth O’Reilly presented the facts as he sees them, with little interpretation. He delivered a sharp historical account of the unconstitutional methods the Federal Bureau of Investigation used to weaken and destroy what it labeled to be subversive groups in defense of its ideal of America. O’Reilly saw the role J. Edgar Hoover played to be essential to the manner in which the FBI illegally refused to protect Black lives and persecute Black organizations during the civil rights movement. The events described in Racial Matters, could be prevented in the future, if people became more aware of the involvement their own government had in the systematic destruction of the civil rights movement, and do not let it happen again.
By illuminating the many forms that white privilege takes, Peggy McIntosh urges readers to exercise a sociological imagination. She asks us to consider how our individual life experiences are connected to and situated within large-scale patterns and trends in society. She includes a “white privileges” checklist which includes answering yes or no to statements. For example, can Chad Aiken confidently say “I can be pulled over by a police cruiser and not have to worry about it being about my race”, or “I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to the “person in charge”, I will be facing a person of my race”. White people are generally free from this systemic bias, suspicion and low expectations that racialized people must endure everyday because it is built into our culture.
The prevalence of white privilege had not occurred to me previously, but after reading White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack I have a better understanding of the impact my privilege has on myself and others. I also started to realize that this privilege can not only cause emotional distress for people, but also prevent them from achieving success. For instance, privilege can cause people from wealthier areas to receive more money for their school compared with those from poorer areas. This does not only impact the student by affecting the quality of their education, but also makes it harder for these students to rise above the poverty
Tim Wise’s book White Like Me provides a picture of what it is like to be white in America. A main topic covered in White Like Me is white privilege. On pages 24 and 25 Wise illustrates what white privilege is and shares his opinion regarding how to address white privilege in society today. Wise’s plan for addressing white privilege is one not of guilt, but of responsibility, a difference Wise highlights. The concept of feeling guilty for white privilege lacks reason because white privilege is something built up through generations and its existence is not of any one person’s fault.
Both novels demonstrate the characteristics of gender, race, and family relations. Black culture has endured through challenges as represented in these books. Both books present the struggle that individuals go through regarding slavery or society changing. They present diverse stories regarding things actually falling apart in both books.
Before taking this class, I never really delved into the idea of whiteness. I knew it was a thing, but no one ever talked about. However, after going to the passionate difficult dialogue on whiteness, I saw its impact on many of my peers. Also, I have seen how it has perpetuated a lot of hurt in society and a feeling of non-inclusion. Whiteness is the idea of the white race or culture having privileges or advantages in the United States through the government , media , corporations , schools and much more. This process of whiteness perpetuates racism in America. You don’t have to be white to employ whiteness. Whiteness is always present even when white people aren’t there. There are many situation sin the book in which whiteness was revealed. Irvin bribes the police officer to let Ma Rainey off the hook. Irvin proclaims “ (Slides a bill from his pocket)Look, Officer. I’m Madame Rainey manger…as soon as we’re finished with the recording session, I’ll personally stop by the precinct house and straightening up this misunderstanding .”(Wilson ,pg. 52). Another scene the displays whiteness in society is when Cutler has to ask Irvin for a specific form of payment. He has to ask fro this specific form because Cutler is unable to cash his check anywhere. As Hampton said in “The People Have to Have the Power” , the people have the power, it belongs to the people. The by product of capitalism is racism and one