Sunday, September 21, 2014

McIntosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack (Connections)


Reading McIntosh's article was truly incredible. I never really realized how much "power" we as white people have until reading this article. For personal experience I have black children at my daycare and just the other day I was putting on a bandaid on a black child and was thinking to myself there really aren't black colored bandaids. It is sad that this is the way it is. Why wouldn't they make there colored skin bandaids. Nobody wants to change anything to make society more about black people. Why can't everything just be equal?  I really think McIntosh did a great job writing this article. There are a lot of things that black people can not do but white people can. Many examples include, white people getting a job faster then black people, seeing toys, dolls and picture books being mostly "white" then black dolls and pictures, also being able to go out alone in the streets where I live. These black people have many disadvantages and it is so sad. McIntosh had said "If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area that I can afford and in which I would want to live."(McIntosh 2) Most black people would not be able to choose where they want to live. Most of them live in tiny houses because they can not afford a nice house because they can not get a job. I think White people over power black people. One of Delpit's aspects of power say The rules of the culture of power area reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power. In this she said "Children from middle-class homes tend to do better in school than those from non­ middle-class homes because the culture of the school is based on the culture of the upper and middle classes - of those in power. The upper and middle classes send their children to school with all the accoutrements of the culture of power; children from other kinds of families operate within perfectly wonderful and viable cultures but nat cultures that carry the codes at rules of power." (Delpit 27) So, because these people can not afford a nice house and do not have a job, or if they do making very little money, these children can not get the help from their parents. But, a lot of white people have nice houses and take the time with their children to help them with homework. I really feel like white people should help out black people more. I am glad we are going to these Providence schools to interact with the children because I am sure some of these children do not get much interaction with their parents from home. 
Mcintosh also had said, "For this reason, the word "privilege" now seems to me misleading. We usually think of privilege as being a favored state, whether earned or conferred by birth or luck. Yet some of the conditions I have described here work systematically to over empower certain groups."(McIntosh 4) I agree with this. But I also question if we are privileged because we are white. Is she basically saying white people are more privileged then black people. If anyone could maybe let me know in a comment I would love your input on this part. 



Questions/Comments/ Points to Share
I have to agree with Jessica's question and going to share her question again. How could we fix this? I feel like I am learning new things in this course already. I am glad I am taking this course but if white people are racist and against black people I don't know if they should be teaching because a teacher should love their children no matter what race they are. I am not sure if I am being harsh saying this but it is what I believe. 


    

6 comments:

  1. I agree with what you said about the band aids I actually used the same example.

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  2. To kind of answer the why cant everything just be equal question, its simple just never going to be that way. i guarantee if you moved to a society where you would be the minority and where everything is flip flopped, you wouldnt be making this argument for blacks but about yourself.Youd be asking, why dont they make white band aids? why cant everything be equal? its just the simple fact that in end there will always be someone or something with the advantage and your right its not fair but nothing will ever be fair. http://edwardlatimore.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/unfair.png

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  3. I absolutely agree with you! I also liked how you were able to connect Delpit to this.

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  4. I really liked how you connected to Delpit. I also made connections to Delpit in my blog this week.

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  5. I like how you brought up the hidden issue with nude band-aids and mostly white dolls. It is interesting to read as that topic is rarely brought up today.

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  6. I really like how you connected Delpit into this blog post. White privilege is something that is used in our society today and now that we are getting older I have noitced it more and more to this day. I still am unsure if I am completely okay with the fact of white privilege being a "thing" in our society.

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