Friday, January 27, 2012
Tim Wise
First of all let me say the film was not at all what I had expected it to be, it was so much more interesting and true in many of the ways. To hear it from a privileged white male, it seem to hit home even more, if I had heard it from someone else, it probably would not have hit home as much. What is sad, that it took someone on the outside looking in to open up the eyes of many who refused to recognize the seriousness of the problem in and around America. I am not surprised at all that it is almost as strong today, that people who are privileged are still turning the other cheek and refusing to step up and make a change starting with themselves. I also feel that we as a people of color have just as much change to begin, supporting our minority communities, uplifting each other and encouraging each other, we can not expect for others to do what we have not begun to do ourselves. When we see each other on a majority white privileged university campus, wave, smile and say hello to each other. What will bring us together no one can tear apart and come to realize that it may be this way for many more years but do not lose hope and continue to stand up for equal justice for all. I can not feel bitter anymore and or sad, I have to stand tall and stay strong and mentor those in our communities that they should try any open avenues for an higher education and to stand up for their rights when being discriminated against. The realization is that the privileged may not be willing to risk what they have, even though not earned but given to them, to stand against unfair practices against African Americans and we must keep it moving forward to see that everyone has an equal opportunity, just like the privileged do. When asked to think of privileges that I felt I held, I came up with two, being a woman and receiving a college education and I am still pondering about what other privileges do I have. If that film information had come from anyone else, such as a African American/ and or Latino, the first thing would have been said was aggressive, anger, bitterness and complainer and people would have ignored the entire lecture even some people of color, what they perceive of us, we sometimes perceive ourselves the same way.
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Cynthia, thank you for your post this week. Not only is it right on the money, but you are incredibly honest as you share your feelings on the Tim Wise film. I really like your statement about the fact that privilege is unearned and a free gift (to some). The more I learn about privilege in general and also as it relates to me personally, the more I do not understand why this gift of privilege is afforded to some and not others. Thanks again for your insight this week!
ReplyDeleteFor this week I think the video was the most eye opening to the entire "white privilege" lesson that we could have received. It was a funny experience to me when listening to him speak because I found that his rhetoric and tone simulated that of a AFrican American preacher. This was interesting to me because it made me begin to inquire if this was a planned desire of his to invoke a connection to the African American people or if it was just something he had picked up while speaking and interviewing so many people. The way he spoke invoked a since of self-evaluation in yourself, as to say you begin to evaluate if you are a part of this "white privilege" without even considering you are. As a African American it also allowed me to begin to think about my own privileges that I have compared to other races. Over all i believe it was a very eye opening experience and I agree with you that, had it been delievered by an African American that it would have been that much more powerful.
ReplyDeleteAt first I was a little skeptical of the movie, but as the movie progressed I really got into it! I agree, Tim Wise did an excellent job of painting a picture of inequality for people of all races. I agree with your statement about that people as a group must help to bring each other out of the darkness as opposed to feeling sorry for ourselves. internalized empowerment for a group of people is key in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how seriously the audience took the speaker. Yes, they did listen to him and didn't attack him, but after all was said and done, do you think they went home and thought about it?
ReplyDeleteI do agree that having a non black or brown person speak on the topic was beneficial for the audience, however.
I also thoroughly agree that minorities need to recognize that we have strength in numbers.