In the chapter, “Privilege”, Tim Wise explores the advantages and disadvantages of different races in America. Specifically, he tries to find the reasoning for why it appears that whites have an advantage over Black-Americans. Although I do believe there is a “artificial color blindness”, I don’t believe that, given the same economic standing, whites would have more “privileges”. For example, when Wise states that “To be white, is to be born to certain advantages and privileges that have been inaccessible to others”, I could not disagree more with this statement. In all honesty, it could be because I am a white American who has certain “blindness” however; race alone does not determine what resources and opportunities one has. In addition, another quote that Wise states that I could not disagree more with is, “Just as a house or farm left to you upon the death of a parent is an asset that you get to use, so too is racial privilege” The comparison between a house left by a dead family member and racial privilege makes no sense and is a terrible example. This is because, although one might say “racial privilege” was left by our ancestors and past generations, it’s our job to find a solution. Wise poses many interesting points regarding the issues of “racial privilege” however, he gives us no solutions or even things Americans should to differently to combat this problem, if that’s even what “racial privilege is”
One issue that I feel needs not only to be addressed but fixed is the fact that, “Nearly nine in ten teachers in the U.S. is white” Education is what America prides itself in. however, I cannot be proud of a nation where biased views based on race control the future of our country. The white perspective dominates young minds. Not only do there need to be more black teacher, but our text books need to be more historically racially diverse.
I think there is no better answer to the issue of racial privilege then, “if you’re white, you simply will not, cannot, understand race.”
That Education stat caught my eye. I once heard somethin on NPR about black teachers. It used to be the only jobs blacks could do was teach (according to the person being interviewed) so when the world started moving away from this there was a black exodus from teaching. Black parents sometimes don't want their kids to teach, but, on a positive note, it looks as if this generation is moving back towards teaching. I've only had one black teacher in my entire school career and countless droves of white ones.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what Wise's solution for white privilege is either...maybe that came in a later chapter.
I'd say more blacks in the Chicagoland area are born with viewer priviledges and resources than the average white kid...there are also vast concentrations of poor blacks in contained areas which creates a whirlpool that keeps people in poverty...because that's where white racism has put them...and yes, some get out, others don't.
But there are affluent black families too...but their are porptionally more wealthy white families.
I was born into a world where being white is better for my prospects than being black, my family may not have owned slaves or made actively racist gestures, but I think they defenitely left me white privilege.