Hi folks,
So we had to cut the discussion on racism short on Tuesday, but Jessie suggested the blog might be a good place to keep it up. So, if you're interested in continuing to talk, I'd like to hear everyones' thoughts. A few questions that linger in my mind:
What do you think of the concept of the "white knapsack"?
Do you agree that part of the problem with addressing racism is sense of fear around being called a racist?
Is racism an individual or societal problem? Why?
Do we live in a racist society?
How deep do our prejudices go in terms of race? Is racism entirely a conscious paradigm?
Here in Montana we have a clearly racist legacy to contend with in terms of Westward expansion and the treatment of Native Americans. What are some of the issues you think Native Americans have to contend with here? What do you know about the different tribes that have lived in this area?
In Missoula, we also have the legacy of the Fort Missoula internment camp. Do you feel like race played a roll in it's existence, or was it a necessary evil of war time?
What has influenced your ideas on race the most?
Here's some added links that I think make racism more visible that friends of mine on facebook mentioned in a recent thread:
So we had to cut the discussion on racism short on Tuesday, but Jessie suggested the blog might be a good place to keep it up. So, if you're interested in continuing to talk, I'd like to hear everyones' thoughts. A few questions that linger in my mind:
What do you think of the concept of the "white knapsack"?
Do you agree that part of the problem with addressing racism is sense of fear around being called a racist?
Is racism an individual or societal problem? Why?
Do we live in a racist society?
How deep do our prejudices go in terms of race? Is racism entirely a conscious paradigm?
Here in Montana we have a clearly racist legacy to contend with in terms of Westward expansion and the treatment of Native Americans. What are some of the issues you think Native Americans have to contend with here? What do you know about the different tribes that have lived in this area?
In Missoula, we also have the legacy of the Fort Missoula internment camp. Do you feel like race played a roll in it's existence, or was it a necessary evil of war time?
What has influenced your ideas on race the most?
Here's some added links that I think make racism more visible that friends of mine on facebook mentioned in a recent thread:
- B.J. For sure it's an ongoing debate with examples all over the country, but there was an NPR story this morning about "The Sioux" being used as a mascot. The appropriation, commodification, romantic repackaging of culture for sport led to a pretty good conversation last semester: http://www.npr.org/2012/03/15/148227969/voters-may-break-up-fight-over-fighting-sioux
- Courtney : http://hamptonroads.com/
2011/09/ teacherstudent-racial-imbal ance-widest-va-beach i know it may not be as intellectual as you like. But where I live is highly segregated and many people don't discuss it. I went to a workout dance class and stood near some black girls, which was taboo and when I left for the bathroom, they flocked to the area. I have begun to notice distinct neighborhoods, etc, while running and notice if someone of the wrong race is in that neighborhood (i.e. black in white AND white in black). I have brought it up with a few friends and it is truly fascinating. Further, it is publicly denied by whites: http:// www.bluevirginia.us/diary/ 2031/ gop-virginia-beach-mayor-th eres-no-racism-in-virginia -beach and here is an image of segregation. I bet you can guess which areas are the industrial areas next to the water and which are the nice beachfront areas based on the maps at the bottom:http://www4.uwm.edu/eti/ integration/norfolk.htm denial and lack of discussion are the two most harmful aspects of it here. I hope that people are not infuriated by anything I just wrote. - Sean: http://www.npr.org/2011/
09/19/140594124/ u-s-government-opposes-cher okee-nations-decision Not to side track you, but I always find the connections between tribalism and racism fascinating. Last year's row over Cherokee Nation expelling descendants of their former slaves from their nation rolls is a great little piece of contemporary history with a fascinating back story. - Lainie: This video is pretty amazing... not sure if you'd refer to it as intellectual but I think it's so interesting.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/
pages/frontline/shows/ divided/etc/view.html - Laurel:
Here is some poetry that speaks to racist ideas around Hurricane Katrina. We had a great discussion in class on Wed about the dark humor that Finney uses, the references to the original "Eenee Menee" rhyme (no tigers in there), and the way that Finney weaves long views of the past into this situation.
http://wwww.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/22310 Also, her speech at the National Book Awards was amazing, and speaks to the political/racist history of literacy and what many poets are responding to today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFSiKx-hzks Also: Internalized racism (and the resisting of it)
http://wwww.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/21308
wwww.poets.org
hey music and me only white, hair a flutter of fall leaves circling my perf... - Jimmy Kendal http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=pAljja0vi2M
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