Today we reflected on the term: "privilege" and then watched a film, "Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible," which added perhaps another dimension to the discourse students were engaged in alone and in groups.
In a 250 word minimum essay (about 3 paragraphs) discuss your views on privilege prior to the film and then share a few of the arguments presented which caused you to rethink your claims or assumptions.
You can post your freewrite here as well. The two can be separate posts. Please comment on another students essay. The assignment is due by Thursday before class, which means, the comments might occur after class (smile). Bring Reed and Jones to class Thursday. We will use Reed for the entire semester and begin with Jones's The Known World.I think it is the most difficult read.
I will give you a reading schedule Thursday or at least post it by then and have it to hand out by next Tuesday.
The website where the assignment handed out was taken is: www.world-trust.org There students can find clips and a study guide and more information about the product.
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33 comments:
Freewrite:
Privilege in one sense refers to an acknowledged permission to perform a specific task, or be in a specific location where others may or may not be allowed. Privilege is often something subject to revocation. In another sense, privilege can be something you did not earn on your own merits, such as an inheritance.
I am in one way privileged: I have the privilege to drive, and to ride a motorcycle. In contrast, I cannot write laws the way a legislative body can, but I can participate in electing officials; although voting is a right. Unless you’re a convicted felon: then you may or may not have the right to vote depending on state laws.
Rights are guaranteed legally, where a privilege does not have the same legal backing. Rights include things such as guardianship for those who are under 18 years of age, housing, food, etc. Though we possess these rights, we are not always granted access to it. An extreme example of such is a very wealthy person attempting to collect food stamps or a welfare check. A wealthy person clearly does not meet the criteria of a person in need of such benefits.
The concept of being underprivileged is something that is somewhat elusive to me. Privilege is known to be a system of acquisition where little or no personal effort was exerted to obtain said acquisitions. We are each born into the world with nothing, but are granted what is given to us by our caretakers. Is that to say someone who was born underprivileged simply gets less of everything? Can you be underprivileged regardless of your guardian’s financial status? That may be entirely contingent on the system of values the guardian’s possesses. Where a family places its values is a factor in determining whether one is underprivileged (such as education, health care, etc), whereas money can determine the quality of those privileges.
Essay:
My initial interpretation of privilege fell into the legal sense of the word: such as the privilege to drive, or the privilege to ride a motorcycle. The more discussion took place, and the more I thought about the definition of the term, the more I realized it was increasingly difficult to define. I found that to be true because there is an element of perspective when you refer to privilege. A person with great privilege may not realize what they have, while someone who is underprivileged, by contrast, can see it very clearly.
I felt as though my eyes were opened after watching the film. It became apparent to me that privilege is like a duality: there are people who have it in abundance, and others who do not. Just as when there is light, a shadow is cast. There are good people, and also evil people. It’s simply not the way it should be, but it arises due to cause and effect: the creation of one element causes the other to be born.
In another regard, I feel privilege is an aberration. That statement, in of itself, is largely subjective and is a matter of perception. However, it would appear that those of privilege tend to focus on what they do not have, instead of rejoicing and embracing what they do have. I have come to this conclusion based on a pattern of ignorance I observed from those who were interviewed in the film. Each of them seemed to have never explored their racial identity, and failed to connect and understand the feelings of those around them. I think if we took the time to really get to know our fellow man, it will be a triumphant step to changing a system of unfair advantages and disadvantages, to one of equality.
"Privilege"
Privilege to me means to be honored above others or duty. to be able to go places or do things others can't. To be able to get something in life by just being born in it.
I am Privileged because I am alive and breathing. That i get to learn new knowledge everyday. To be loved unconditional by family and friends around me. To be a black women in this type of society and be able to work and get an education. Some people get being blessed and having a privilege wrong. I am privileged also because my family is very business minded and have companies to where family could work together and progress and never worry about work or getting fired. I am also privileged because my family is very gospel and into the church. To be able to walk around a church where generation after generation has been baptized there or have gotten married, the church members know me cause of my family.
Every person has their own opinion about what the definition of privilege should be and to a certain point they might be correct. I define privilege as being fortunate to able claim a possession whether it's an object, honorable mention, the non-visible, or a certain social status. Being privileged or under privileged depends on the situation or topic being discussed.
Overall, I feel that I am privileged. Compared to most people in this country, I have been exposed to many things from decent education to racism. I am a first generation Asian American whose parents did not graduate junior high school and raised in a violence driven neighborhood as the only Asian family within a one mile radius. Racism came at an early age for me and became worse in adulthood, but having this exposure made me more situational aware. Many people are isolated and closed minded to the point where racism doesn’t cross their minds during everyday activities.
I felt at a disadvantage during boot camp being one out of three Asian-Americans in attendance because of the shock value from the racial slurs were spewed from fellow soldiers with whom I shall fight alongside. Yet, I felt privileged when I returned from my tour in the Iraq war and being praised by family, friends, and strangers. I felt that I didn't do anything great except my job and fulfilling my contract. Yet, when pulled over for a traffic violation by local law enforcements I was always given a warning and a stern advice, "drive carefully, you're home now".
Privilege is a special advantage or immunity or benefit that is not enjoyed by all. Privilege can often be related with money or social status, for example nowadays everybody talks about the “breaks” or the privileges that Lindsay Lohan has with the law. Her status of Hollywood Star allows her to have those “breaks” or privileges that we only wish to have.
Privilege is also link to education. I can still hear my mom’s voice telling me how privilege I was for going to a private school and having that opportunity that not many people in Peru has. If we go by the definition, I had the advantage to go to a private school in Peru that not many people have, then, I have to say that I was very privilege in that sense. Privilege can be related pretty much with everything, for me it is basically being born with a star. No matter what happens the star will always shine on you and nobody can take it away from you. Some people are born with a star that shines more than mine and some people are born with no star at all, the same as privilege.
Saying that privilege can be linked to everything is not an exaggeration, the movie we saw talk about the “white privilege,” linking privilege now to a color, but this time privilege touches color from a racial point of view. If we go again by the definition, “white privilege” in this case would be the advantage that a white person would have and that a black or brown or yellow or any color of the rainbow person doesn’t enjoy. As an example of that, the movie shows one lady (a white person) that talked about her personal experience of having the “white privilege.” She said that she was stopped by a police officer for speeding but she didn’t get a ticket and her Mexican friend (brown person), sitting next to her, told her that if she was the one driving she would have got the ticket for sure. Sad, yes but as the movie showed us, almost all of the people that were interviewed didn’t know that they had that privilege, but when they found out they were in shock and wanted to change that by all means. One of the means that they discussed in the movie was to create awareness of the situation to other people.
I believe that I am very privileged person. I had travel a lot of places, known people from around the world, have really great friends, have a wonderful family and being able to do what I want. Overall I am a happy person and only by having happiness I enjoy of something that, unfortunately, not many people enjoy.
Privilege is not something your entitled to its extra opportunity.
I feel like my privilege changes depending on what community I’m in. for instance when I go into black barbershops I often get extra attention because I’m in a setting were you don’t usually see woman and I get special treatment. being attractive also has similar privileges. I feel like there are more situations were I become unprivileged because of my skin color. In certain communities I visit I get less respect, I’m considered a theft, criminal or hood girl before I even get a chance to speak. So privilege varies.
The film “Making Whiteness Visible” gave the perspective of privilege from angle I don’t usually take into consideration. As an organizer I’ve gone to trainings about racial justice but it’s always from the other side of the fence, on the side of how people of color over come racism and white privilege. I felt like the people interviewed were struggling with having white privilege and not knowing what to do with it so they felt white guilt. So often I see white people as ‘them’, ‘they’ and ‘the man’ that I never really stop and think about how racism and white privilege effects the non-racist.
The stories gave insight to a question that I often pondered. I never understood how you could accept something at face value purely off what parents or the people around you said. The story of the woman who kissed her grandmother after she kissed the cook helped me understand how it starts. From a young age she was taught to think that blacks were unclean to touch. Then the story of the woman who had the black adopted cousins helped me to understand how you could go along with something when you know in your gut it’s not right. A lot of modern racism I think is about conditioning and acceptance.
I feel like it was beneficial for me to watch this film to help me process some of my anger from situations of being underprivileged. I often feel like when white folks are trying to ‘be down for the cause’ or help power movements I only see them as a money source because I feel like they don’t genuinely want to help. I’m not saying that this film will change my entire view of white people but I think it will make me think twice before I categorize them as funders.
I was not satisfied with my first essay, and have no idea if it met the objectives properly. Here is take two on my essay on privilege:
Matthew Roycroft
ENG 1B 9-10:50 AM
Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible.
My initial interpretation of privilege fell into the legal sense of the word: such as the privilege to drive, or the privilege to ride a motorcycle. The more discussion took place, and the more I thought about the definition of the term, the more I realized it was increasingly difficult to define. I found that to be true because there is an element of perspective when you refer to privilege. When taking into account which context privilege refers to, it’s important to consider there are differences of opinion in the definition, and to accommodate and respect each individual’s interpretation.
In the video Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible, the people who were interviewed discussed and explored their fears and tensions about racism, and how it impacts themselves, and their relationships. They had the privilege of ignoring and not caring about the struggles and challenges of people of color. They had failed to realize they have gained various unfair advantages because they were white.
Privilege is often something taken for granted, especially by those who have it. My views on privilege as described in the first paragraph align to a completely different sense of the word, bordering more closely to rights than privilege. In various ways I feel privileged, such as having a family that cares about me. There are so many people in the world who have less, and suffer from under-privilege. You could say being born in a “free” country is a privilege. It’s all a matter of perspective and interpretation.
My response to Robert:
You made a great point about how people are isolated and don't really think about racism. Thank you for serving Robert.
-Matthew Roycroft
Matthew Roycroft
Thank you for the comment. I cannot agree more that being privileged depends on a person's perspective and interpretation. Also, kudos for going above and beyond the given assignment by reporting another freewrite.
Robert Tai
Sha'Quea Pratt
Professor Sabir
English 1B
26, August 2010
Privilege is to be alive, have a home, and/or to hae friends and family. There are others who do not have anything, so to have something is a privilege. I am privileged because I have a home, a job, family, friends and love.
From the film, Mirrors of Privilege, A lot of material was discussed that covered many different definitions of privilege. From the film I learned alot about being privileged. I learned a lot about different peoples' encounterments that aloowed me to see how less privileged some people were and how privileged a lot of us today are. I learned how some white people lived in a racist home and were against racism later realized that they were in some way racist. I also learned how some white people were looked down upon just because they had blak friends or relatives.
After watching the film I have come to realize how much more privileged I am then I had thought. I am privileged to not be apart of slavery, I am privileged to be able to get an education, and I am privileged to be equal. I have learned how privileged people who suffered from racism are because they were fortunate to be apart of fighting for people of color and to become apart of history.
Cory Hollamon
Professor Sabir
Eng. 1B 9-1050
26 aug 2010
Leah B i agree with your defenintion of privilege.
I really enjoyed Shante’s post because she’s greatful for things that many of us take for granted. Things that we may feel are rights she feels are privileges like being a black women, getting an education, going to work and so on. Those are things that I feel like I take for granted but I’m forgetting that not so long ago black women didn’t have those rights. So I’m very privileged also.
After watching the video “Making Whiteness Visible” I don’t feel as if I am privileged. Throughout the video its shows that whites and blacks did not get along, for the simple fact the blacks were slaves and brought here by force. Whites did not look at blacks as equals and blacks always new they were beneath the people they worked for. Most of the children who grew up to be older did not know they were being brought up to be racist from there parents. The whites grew up believing that they were superior to the blacks and would lose a part of them if they tried to connect or friend a fellow black person. Through out the video they also talked about sexism, racism and trying to belong to one group or the other. Also it talked about how some people did not know deep down they were a racist or felt blacks are inferior unless provoked in a conversation. Being a young African American woman has its privileges and disadvantages, with affirmative action its help me get a job due to the fact that I am black, but did I just get the job to fill there quota or did I get the job for my skills, so I feel that this is a disadvantage in my life and hinders me from getting work. I was born into a family that owns a business where I will always have a job and not have to worry about financial problems, so in that way I feel like I am privileged, to not have to worry about the employer liking me or if I was hired for my color.
My response to Leah B:
Mauricio Cavero Alprecht
Professor Sabir
Eng1B 9-10:50
Leah, I think that you hit a home run when you said that “privilege changes depending on the community that you are in.” I think that basically that’s it because not everybody is the same (race aside), what I would consider a privilege somebody else might not. I also think that you are absolutely right when you said that “a lot of modern racism I think is about conditioning and acceptance” and that is basically summarizing the movie in one sentence.
Sha'Quea Pratt
Professor Sabir
English 1B
26 August 2010
Responce to Matthew R.
Matthew Roycroft made a very interesting point when he said, “The more I realized it was increasingly difficult to define.” I too found it extremely difficult to define the word until I further analyzed the word, watched a film and listened to a few of my classmates definitions of the word. I also agree with Roycroft when he states, “A person with great privilege may not realize what they have, while someone who is underprivileged, by contrast, can see it very clearly.” This seems to be very true because a person often will see someone less fortunate then they are and begin to either think or say how lucky they are because they aren’t suffering from conditions other people are. The people who are less fortunate can clearly look at you and see how lucky you are where you may not realize it because you are focusing on what you do not have rather than what you already have.
DeAndre Parker
Professor Sabir
English 1b
26, August, 2010
The statement made about the “conflict of wanting acceptance and wanting truth” was something that really stood out to me. Though I did grow up in a poverty filled neighborhood, and my family has been on section 8 for as long as I can remember; there is not a time that I can remember ever really having to go without having everything I needed. My sister and I are the two youngest, we are the last of my parent’s children and the on two of my four brothers and three sisters that have the same mother and father. My parents made it a point to make sure that my sister and I had an abundance of things that we wanted, and that we needed. I can remember going to “toy’s R Us” and watching my father spend over $100 on one box of Lego’s even with the knowledge of the fact that after I completed the set I would likely lose most of the pieces. The situation was no different for school clothes. My mother would spend hours at the mall shopping for my sister and I to make sure we had everything we could possibly need before school started. The issue was the fact that the same thing that made us happy was the same thing that made us different from our peers. Everyone knew our situation as far as our parents providing for us, so the truth was there, it was the acceptance that slightly lacked. I can remember times where my sister would have “friends” over and her clothes, or shoes, or c.d. player would come up missing and she would have no idea where they were. It was not until later that we realized that someone had been stealing from her. Then there were times where my friends would make jokes, or comments about me being “rich” and though the comments were always followed by a laugh I could still sense the jealousy in what was being said, so in this sense the acceptance lacked. In the broad picture my sister and I were never really looked at as being different. Everyone knew that we had our own troubles just as anyone else in out city did, but when you zeroed in on our family you could notice a slight difference and that is where we stood out. So in a small but legitimate way the “conflict of wanting acceptance and wanting truth” played a part in my life just as it did for the speaker in the movie.
I agree with what you are saying Matthew Roycroft, having a privelige and a right are two different things as you discussed. That you are privileged because your family loves you and you get to do certain things. and i also understand that everyone has there own opionion and definition. Thanks for that insite.
Victoria Fernandes
Professor Sabir
English 1B
August 26, 2010
I agree with Leah B’s definition of privilege, that it is not something that one is entitled to. I also wondered what the white perspective was on modern racism, and how they could be so blind to a situation that seems blatantly obvious. I had never thought of how racism might impact the lives of white people. Leah B had also not thought overmuch about how racism would affect a white person, stating: “I felt like the people interviewed were struggling with having white privilege and not knowing what to do with it so they felt white guilt. So often I see white people as ‘them’, ‘they’ and ‘the man’ that I never really stop and think about how racism and white privilege effects the non-racist”. I think that this film has carried off a bit of my own ethnocentrism, allowing me to feel understanding for those of the dominant culture in America.
Everlina M. Dancy
09-24-2010
English 1B
TTh 9-10:50
My mother always says “Nothing is a right, it’s a privilege”; of course when she was saying this she most of the time was referring to my cell phone being taken a way for my punishment. When I was young all I knew about privileges was that if I didn’t behave something such as my cell phone or computer time will be taken away. If only the word privilege could be that simple and naïve.
The text book definition of the word privilege is a right, immunity, or benefit enjoyed only by a person beyond the advantages of most. I believe the definition of privilege is having an advantage or benefits over others that can be used to your own benefit to move ahead whether you intend to use it or not. When asked if I am privileged I would answer yes I am. I am privileged because I am alive and well, I come from big loving family, and I have been able to experience simple joys that many take for granted. I equate being privileged with blessings. I am a young African American woman trying to accomplish all my goals with the support of my family beside me. I am blessed to live the life I have. I am truly privileged because I have been able to experience and witness things many people haven’t or in some cases ever will. I am no Bill Gates or living like the ladies from Real Housewives of New York City but my parents do ok. In my short lifetime I have been able to travel to three of the seven continents. I have been able to see my mother’s birth place of Sierra Leone, West Africa. I was able to look at her humble beginnings and see how far she has come. I was able to see poverty at its absolute lowest and realize my Kit Kat bar that I had dropped walking up the hill wasn’t as life ending as I thought it was.
Although my privileges have all been a blessing there is a particular time when I can say I saw it more as disadvantage. I attended Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama for a year and half. Tuskegee is a small majority African American town, which consists of a lot of great African American history. While attending school I volunteered my time working with elementary students. Although we shared the same color and race we found it hard to identify with each other. We came from two completely different walks of life. I attended private school my entire academic career and they were attending a small over crowed elementary school. Although we spoke English we struggled to understand each other. I would often tell stories about my travels and about my family in California; while some were interested others didn’t seem to care. While some students wanted to be closer to me others shied away. I believe it was due to that fact that they thought I was simply too different. I asked the teacher what I could do to create a closer relationship with some the students and she gave me a very simple observation. She said for many of those students they would probably never be on a plane, or leave Alabama. And although I was telling simple stories I was drawing an invisible line. It never occurred to me that although our circumstances were different that it would matter so much. Even though I was in college I found myself wanting to be accepted by second and third graders.
DeAndre Parker
Proffesor Sabir
English 1b
26 August, 2010
Free Write:
I would define a privilege as an opportunity that is not available to all individuals. In most cases a privilege is seen as a luxury and should never be taken for granted. There is no doubt in my mind that I am privileged. I have the luxury of having my own car which is something that many people my age do not have, but beyond that I am privileged to have a strong family and a lot of support around me. My family is the driving force behind me, so that if I ever do decide to “slow up” I am never given the actual opportunity to stop.
Free write
Privilege to me is something others usually say I wish I had and can usually give you a sustainable answer for why it would be so to them. In other words, I believe everyone is privilege it’s just how you look at it as a privilege. For example, in America, having freedom of speech and freedom of religion is a big privilege because it allows you to govern how you think and how you feel on your own. Unlike other countries that wouldn’t be forbidden.
Now to me, privileged, I would say I am; from the freedom to believe in God to the belief that the children I work with and their personal welfare is my business. This goes to show that I know I am privilege and I know I can push the limit until it is unwanted. On the other hand, I would argue that I am not privilege when I exam myself from the “worldly view”. Meaning, me being me, I do not qualify for being privilege when it comes to having a brand new car and having to live in a beautiful place with a view and no drugs or trouble. Privilege is up to debate, I don’t think there is no one definition for it because there are so many ways to experience it.
DeAndre Parker
English 1b
To the comment Robert posted: I too have also been exposed to racsim, but it was outside of my neighborhood.It is amazing how something as small as a look can change your whole perspective on life. Racist acts, though they are negative can be great teachers. They show us the truth about the world that we live in.
Cory Hollamon
Professor Sabir
Eng. 1B 9-1050
26 aug 2010
About 250,000 - 300,000 people die per day.(according to answers.com). Privileged to me means that something is given to you because you earned it, not a right! While on the other hand a privilege can also be given to you and you didn’t earn it. I started with that fact because everyone in this world that can wake up to see another day not promised to them should feel privileged.
I am privileged because I can wake up everyday and live my life chasing my destiny. Also I’m privileged because I can improve on my game everyday and get ready for the next step in my basketball career. In addition I am not only privilege but grateful that I have god in my life.
The film “Making Whiteness Visible” showed me that privileges that I have today I take for granted for the simple fact I don’t have to be scared to leave out of my house. My grandmother always says “that the kids in this generation are spoiled!” after watching that movie she is 100 percent correct, our privileges are luxury compared to the ones displayed in the movie. The movie also highlighted a lot of racism. I feel that someone else should not be able to interfere or take away another’s privileges if they didn’t give them to them.
Bishwojit sharma
Professor: wanda sabir
ENG 1B
25/08/10
Privilege
After watching a video, i have too many thoughts in my mind about privilege. But i could not find the exact definition of privilege. After going through my friend's essay i come with an idea what really privilege is about.
In my point of view, privilege is a special advantage or immunity or benefit not enjoyed by all.
Privilege is granted to us by king, church, or by the state and may be revoked at any time. This is usually caused if you fail to pay royalty, tax, license fee, etc. In other word, privilege is the set of unearned advantages a person gets for some perceived trait a person possesses.
In the video we watched racism as a system of group privilege. Racism’s effects are called racial discrimination. In case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or receive preferential treatment. The meaning of the term privilege has been changed through period of time and that earlier definitions of racism involved the simple belief that human populations are divided into separate races.
Privilege to me is being able to enjoy of anything that one has luckily earned that others haven't been able to. I feel that I am priviledge compared to many others in somethings such as health wise, family wise yet a little unpriledge because haven't been able to yet achieve other goals.
My reflection on this film is that it has taken and it is still taking such a long period of time for people from ethnicities other than white to enjoy their privileges and their rights. Racism unfortunately has been part of our culture for a long time and even though it has gradually been decreasing, it is still happening . Racism causes a lot of pain to both the one discriminating and the discriminated one. The discriminator feels empower to discriminate the victim, though he or she eventually feels that negativity affecting his own life by filling guilty or by experiencing the same situation in their life. The one who has been discriminated can feel pain in their hearts because he or she never thought anyone would be so malicious to try to humiliate him. It is important that people from all colors, white, black, latino, asian etc to take responsibility for our actions toward our surroundings and bring energy of equality making people feel as one would like others to make us feel. The compensation to this action is that fulfilling feeling of peacefulnes. This one will help us feel good about ourselfs and transmit that energy toward our friends and family.
Ricardo Pedro
Professor Sabir
English 1B
26 August 2010
Privileged White America
The word "privilege" to me brings up the social phenomenon that I also call the upper class. The people in this class are afforded many advantages and entitlements that the average person does not have access to. However, I like to think that the word “privilege” can also be used as a blanket term to describe certain parts of society instead of being used so specifically. For example, there can be priviliges that many people over all the social classes can enjoy - such as belonging to the state of california and its advantages or the bay area for that matter. We have the privilege living in the bay area to enjoy good weather, the city of san francisco, and a relatively goog economy compared to other parts of the country.
When a discussion concerning privilege is then focused on race relations – hence the term “white privilege” – we begin to have an interesting topic in which to draw many opinions and judgments. We want to know what different races feel about white people in general and also what the perception of white privilige is. Perhaps the best way to do this is through interviews of individuals and their experiences with white people in a racial context. That is probably the best way I can describe the film that we watched in class this past Tuesday entitled "Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible."
Among many things that I got from the film, I learned about the opinions of white people on race and the emergence of “white guilt,” I learned about asians and how they feel they are viewed by white people, and I also learned about how black people (African-Americans) experience racial tensions and the way that they feel about how they might be limited in society due to their race. Needless to say, I was not shocked by the stories from this film. I have black and asian friends and understand the undercurrent of the film. I myself have also experienced disadvantages due to the perception that I am latino as well as advantages because of my appearance as a white person. This film for me was a validation about what is happening in our society. What I like to focus on the most is the root of the problem and not to blame anybody. I want to know more about how society can be made more equal so that inconsistencies in how we are all treated vanish altogether.
Ricardo Pedro
Professor Sabir
English 1B
26 August 2010
Privileged White America
The word "privilege" to me brings up the social phenomenon that I also call the upper class. The people in this class are afforded many advantages and entitlements that the average person does not have access to. However, I like to think that the word “privilege” can also be used as a blanket term to describe certain parts of society instead of being used so specifically. For example, there can be priviliges that many people over all the social classes can enjoy - such as belonging to the state of california and its advantages or the bay area for that matter. We have the privilege living in the bay area to enjoy good weather, the city of san francisco, and a relatively goog economy compared to other parts of the country.
When a discussion concerning privilege is then focused on race relations – hence the term “white privilege” – we begin to have an interesting topic in which to draw many opinions and judgments. We want to know what different races feel about white people in general and also what the perception of white privilige is. Perhaps the best way to do this is through interviews of individuals and their experiences with white people in a racial context. That is probably the best way I can describe the film that we watched in class this past Tuesday entitled Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible.”
Among many things that I got from the film, I learned about the opinions of white people on race and the emergence of “white guilt,” I learned about asians and how they feel they are viewed by white people, and I also learned about how black people (African-Americans) experience racial tensions and the way that they feel about how they might be limited in society due to their race. Needless to say, I was not shocked by the stories from this film. I have black and asian friends and understand the undercurrent of the film. I myself have also experienced disadvantages due to the perception that I am latino as well as advantages because of my appearance as a white person. This film for me was a validation about what is happening in our society. What I like to focus on the most is the root of the problem and not to blame anybody. I want to know more about how society can be made more equal so that inconsistencies in how we are all treated vanish altogether.
Ricardo Pedro
Professor Sabir
English 1B
26 August 2010
Privilege Freewrite
The word "privilege" refers to a social phenomenon in which a usually smaller percentage of a group of people or a commnunity have social advantages that are given to them through entitlement as opposed to talent or effort. I don't believe I fit that category. But I believe I am blessed because of opportunities afforded through my efforts.
Answer to Cory Hollamon;
I agree with your statement regarding privilege because it is easy to take it for granted these days and forget everything that our passed generations went through for us to have it today. It would be very nice if we were more thankful more often for what we have that others can't.
Cristian Carrillo
Professor Sabir
English 1A- Tue-Thurs- 9am-10:50am
24 August 2010
Mirrors of Privilege: Making Whiteness Visible
After watching Mirrors of Privilege I felt complete disgust toward humanity, but I was not
in complete shock for I too have experienced racism. Many interpret the meaning of
privilege as a special right that gives a person an advantage amongst the rest of society. In my
perspective being white is a privilege because we tend to visualize white people as being wealthy and educated, but they are human beings just like us who are capable of being violent, deceptive, and destructive.
The reality of the situation is that white people are born into a privilege of color and minorities are not. Of course no one has the selection to choose the race they would like to be, but then again let me remind you that life is not fair. White people are just people in general who have every day lives like you and me. We should not presume that all white people are racist or have some type of connection to the KKK. People of color have also conducted racist acts toward others without knowing.
Everyone has or will experience racism in some way or form in their life time. The question is what will you do? Will you continue this viscous cycle of hate, or will you stop to think for once and learn to appreciate the beauty of life and all other cultures. The responsibility is upon our society to take action against racism and to learn from our mistakes. Hatred correlates with violence, but love brings peace and prosperity. People such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chaves fought for minority rights and equality. In conclusion it is a privilege to advocate equality amongst all ethnicities to create a better world for all of mankind.
Cristian Carrillo
English 1B
Reponse to Deandre:
Deandre I agree with your views on privileges. All aspects of life can be implied as a privilege, but most privileges are taken for granted by people.Until a dramatic horrible event occurs in one's life, a human being will never learn to appreciate the privilege of being alive. In my perspective we are the privileged few that can continue to live on and strive for education which not many people can obtain.
Brazile Clar in response to Ricardo Pedro:
I agree with all of your claims. the best thing to do is not blame anyone but to figure out the root of the problem and make plans for a solution. The film showed its attempt at attacking white guilt simply by educating all perpetrators on each different levels of racism, from those who did not believe they were racists to out right bigots. One guy said it best, that to save your community, you must save yourself. Education is key.
Great conversation!
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