I Stand Corrected
Until this semester, I have avoided taking Cultural Diversity like the plague. Cultural Di ver sity, give me a break. How boring can a subject be! I mean come on, is there anything else to learn about this stuff that our public education system hasn't already pounded into my head? Turns out I was wrong.
The first two weeks have been the typical: "Acceptance. Tolerance. Diversity. Understanding. Love and embrace all cultural backgrounds: race, nationality, religion, sexual preference" ... blah blah blah. You've heard it before.
Our class today was discussing a scholarly article about racism titled "White on White." When I first skimmed the article I thought to myself that the article didn't have much application for me. I was taught (from public ed) that to end racism, one must avoid race altogether. To sort of pretend like race did not exist.
My professor made the most peculiar comment today that forced me to re-think my position: "When I was younger a white friend said to me, 'You sure don't seem black.' What the heak (explitive removed) did he mean that I don't 'seem' black? How could I be anything but black?!"
That's when it hit me. I don't need to avoid race by denying it exists. I should acknowledge race, but acknowledge it appropriately. Obviously this means I wouldn't hate someone of another race. I think it might also mean that preferential treatment shouldn't be given to others of a different race.
One way I plan to implement what I've learned is no longer fearing to verbally refer to someone's race.
Hope this doesn't sound like a buncha postmodern nonsense. But I thought I would share this with ya'll. At least this class hasn't been a complete waste of my time =)
Rusty
posted by rustypth @ 10:14 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
You should check out the recent sermons by John Piper on this subject. He has been preaching about racism/sexism recently. Read it at his website www.desiringgod.org
-tucson boy
Actually, I don't believe Americans considered blacks as less than human until the institution of slavery. In fact, before slavery existed in the states, we forced indentured servantship. I believe it was late in the 18th century when an indentured servant's seven years of service were completed, but his master would not release him. So the servant took his master to court! The master argued that the servant had indeed worked for him for 7 years, but the quality of the work wasn't worth 7 years. Thus the judge ruled that a master determined when 7 year's worth of work was completed. This was the institution of slavery. Before this, indentured servants were set free, and were living normal lives. But this ruling was the turning point in American history, particularly the southern states.
Finally, when we reached the Civil War, Southern society was utterly dependent on slavery. When Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclomation, it was certainly a peculiar proclamation at that - considering Lincoln himself had slaves. This only further embittered the Southern states who were angry at the many taxes and laws Congress was passing to benefit the Northern industrial part of the nation.
Obviously there is much more to this discussion, but that's a good summary of how I understand it =)
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