Like I said in my previous post, I needed to step away from my computer and from thinking for a while and take a break. Or as I like to say, I needed to simmer down. After the sizzle start to fade and I started to simmer, I had some revelations. Nothing earth shattering by any means, just more thoughts I juggled around in my brain.
Revelations:
--- As much as I hope my next statement wasn't true, I realized it is and unfortunately always will be.
Statement: People are ignorant and arrogant.
Ever since the discussion in my Culture and Communication class a while back that I discussed, I have rewound and fast forwarded the discussion over and over. One of the most obvious and most unsettling details of the situation was that the students who felt like racism was a non-issue these days and something of our past were white. Ha, surprised at all?! AHHHHHH. I'm not saying other students did not agree or disagree with the comments being made, but no one voiced their opinions. And personally I think silence can be just as bad. I view it almost as an agreement or acceptance through omission.
--- As a white female who hates, abhors, detests, and loathes racism (insert any other synonym you fancy here) I personally feel like no one really thinks I can understand it fully or deep enough to really feel those things. I have felt that people think you have to be black, or have experienced direct racism/racist slurs/ or other forms of oppression to truly know what racism is. I understand why someone may think that, but I do not believe it is true. I am a white female. That's the way it is and it's never going to change. I do not think this limits my understanding. It could limit experience, but not understanding. I am prepared to respond to whatever debates or arguments people may have, but this is something I have thought long and hard about. Let's discuss all you want.
---I am going to have to learn how to better handle situations when racism comes up. I don't know how that will happen, but I need to learn how to do it better.
Here are a few more articles that I have found interesting regarding the Trayvon Martin case...
Trayvon Martin Case: Special Prosecutor Appointed as Protests Grow Louder
VIDEO: Trayvon Martin Case: Congresswoman Frederica Wilson Demands Arrest of Suspect on House Floor | Video - ABC News
Trayvon Martin case: Shooter may have expected it to 'blow over'
I don't even know how to close my blog other than saying I hope you keep thinking about and checking yourself when it comes to racism, profiling and stereotyping.
Happy thinking!
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