Race

White people suck man. like really.

I feel like this semester has primarily served to floor me with the great sins of my forefathers. Between The Autobiography of Malcolm X (by the way, really not that revolutionary. definitely played up substantially by the media. kinda like Rev Wright’s statements have been as of late), Native Son (by Richard White), and learning about the Black Atlantic world in Literature of the African Diaspora, I am truly ashamed to be white. I don’t think this is the intention of any of my teachers, nor the point of any classes. Lies My Teacher Told Me has also been instrumental in helping me see the ways I have been truly kept ignorant. We talk about racism a lot in my Multicultural American Lit class. It fits in quite well, with just about everything in life.

Even on campus, I’ve been much more aware of it.

And even if it isn’t blatant racism, theres still a lot of racism in the system, or else we wouldn’t look the way we do. My theory behind racism is that you should be interacting so personally with all the people around you, no races should be excluded, and you’ll know that you have truly succeeded when it takes a survey to tell you that there are no differences in the white and non-white experience wherever you are. that you wouldn’t know off the top of your head when someone asked you, you’d have to think about it, and then not be completely sure…

I don’t really have any other profound thoughts.

oh. to add to my first paragraph list:

in LAD, we’ve learned a bit about colonization of the African coast (and the religious colonization as well), the trans-atlantic slave trade, slavery in the states (including black slave-owners), the oppression that comes from the double conciousness of the black experience all over the Americas (not just US), and now we’re moving to South Africa to deal with Apartheid. Fucking white people. At least the apartheid is less divided along racial lines. Granted I doubt there were many pro-apartheid Black or Coloured protests, but at least there was white participation in the anti-apartheid movement.

And then the situations of the black ghettos… truly break my heart. well. maybe not truly. because even from reading from multiple perspectives, i doubt i even begin to grasp the correct concepts. or the complexities of it all. or the desperation that must ensue from hopelessness. shit man. shit. if i was less lazy i’d pull out some of the books i’m reading as to grab quotes.

i’m ready for some fighting. some protest. some Cause. Don’t know where I’m going. Don’t know where I’ll end up. Don’t know what will sweep me off my feet. Or if I’ll slowly fade into NormalLife, find NiceGuy, and settle down. i’m sure i’ll be loving people. probably working with kids. but is that settling?

next possible post: GENDER (and why i hate being female/being defined by ovaries/breasts)