Quote:
Originally posted by preciousjeni
The ability to not be aware is an effect of white privilege. Look again at the poem. Are you aware of the things she's talking about? If you're opening your awareness, think again about your previous comments about this poem being racist. I'm not condemning...I'd like to know if anything about your view has changed after you've stated that you want to be more aware.
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I am aware that historicly the things in her poem are true, and even though I went to predominatly white schools all my life, we were not taught a rosey view of that time in history. I think the thing that still gets me is the accusation that "ALL" white people are that way, both in the poem, and by a few comments such as "when a few white people show you courtesy..."-and I'm not condeming that person's viewpoint, if that's how she feels, there must be a reason for it. I think I have the most problem with the line in the poem that "nothing has changed". I will agree that there is still a long way to go before everything is equal - not the same, equal- but I also don't think it's fair to say NOTHING has changed.
Quote:
Originally posted by preciousjeni
Awareness is only the first step. Acknowledgement will be the next. Then, Action must follow.
I've mentioned this before, but I think it's also appropriate here. Have you seen the commercial (I think it's a PSA) about the black woman and the white woman on an elevator? They're chatting when a young black man walks onto the elevator, listening to music through headphones and paying the women no mind. The white woman clutches her purse a little tighter.
When they exit the elevator, the black woman asks her why she did that. The white woman, at first, has no idea what she's talking about. So, the black woman says something like, "That thing with your bag" to which the white woman replies something like "Oh, it's a natural reaction." The black woman says, "Not to me it isn't."
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I have not seen that PSA, but it definatly reminds me of the movie Crash, which I have seen. I know it's more Hollywood then PSA, but it still makes you think. I watched it twice myself and then I made my husband watch it with me (you should have seen his face when Chedle was talking about parking on the lawn!!)
Quote:
Originally posted by preciousjeni
That's action. Maybe the next time you are in the midst of "subtle" racism, you'll be able to make a point to ask, "Why?" Is that a reasonable hope?
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Definately a reasonable hope. Although, there is a difference between noticing it, and looking for something that's just not there. It seems like some of you are just digging through my posts, looking for something to pull out to say - AHA! Look, you're a raceist.
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