white priv questions

8/13/2019 White Priv Questions

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Questions

1. How is the privilege of self determination integral in the formation of identity and, based on Ch. 2

awakenings, why is this privilege exclusive to whites?

2. How is the book "Meet Andrew Jackson" evidence of white privilege and double standards in American

history and why do you think controversial figures likes A.J. have remained revered and respected?

3.How does one's first experience with racial discrimination shape one's views on the subject, and how do

these experiences generally expose whit privilege?


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Fionn Clinton

EnglishProfessor Grayson

October 23, 2012

Self determination is a trait and characteristic that is not only learned but taught and is

essential to develop in a society and environment similar confidence and self respect in finding

ones identity. Through self determination, one finds himself for he pursues what interest himwhether it is an idea or a passion. I can speak through experience that I felt like most of my life Iwas searching for my identity and it was through taking a year off and pursuing what I loved,

what interested me and what drove my passions that I found myself and my identity. In terms ofTim WiseAwakeningschapter, it is easier and more accessible for white citizen to find that drive

of self determination to further their identity; in contrast, African Americans in Timswhite

society are unable to do so because there are so many barriers and obstacles in their way. Of

course an African American could by all means be determined enough to find his identity butbecause of restrictions in society whether it is outright racism or the blindness of an white

individual, it prevents them from pursuing and prohibits their determination. For example, Tim

remarks on his theatre ambitions that had I been anything but white, it would have been

unlikely that I would have gotten the parts I landed in any of the productions done at the schoolbecause these were roles written for white actors(Wise 40). Racism and segregation was still a

prevalent factor in Timslife and so if a black student is put down and prohibited enough times

even though he/she thrives on self determination, enough barriers and obstacles in front of thesestudents would eventually deter them from pursuing their passions and finding their interests.

That is why being a white person automatically gives one much more privilege and a better

accessibility in life for more doors are open to search and discover ones identity.

The evidence against Meet Andrew Jackson is surmountable for it really does etch a

double standard in American society. We as a white nation act like race is in the past for reasons

like having a black president and as Tim puts it tellingpeople of color to get over it(meaningthe past) whenever slavery or Indian genocide is brought up (31). However, it is apparent even

in the simplest form of a childrensbook that racism and manipulations/double standards of the

past are still present. In Meet Andrew Jackson the authors downplay history and the presidentwith quotes such as Hefelt it was right to own slaves. He called his slaves his Family (30).

Another section of the book discussed how Jackson met Indians who did not want white people

in their hunting grounds and often killed white travelers which is of coursetrue but the

authors seemed to forget to add that Jackson was responsible for invading and destroying theirlands and livelihood and manifest a mass genocide such as the massacre of the Creek Indians(30). If Americans and white society want to move on and forget the ugliness of the past, they as

well must take responsibility to not manipulate or pick and choose certain parts of history toglorify while forgetting others. The reason Andrew Jackson is still glorified and revered isbecause he was a president and simply because he is a part of history. He historically did more

evil/bad than good however while I think that most people who know of his reign as president

think he was worse off for the country it is still that sense that he was part of it, a part of makingof a grand economically stable and powerful country today, a part of history and in part because

he was white. As Tim puts it while white Americans tell African Americans to Just be


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Americans, and drop the whole hyphen thing, were forgetting that itshard to just be an

American when youve rarely been treated likea full and equal member of the family(29).

There are many differences and factors depending on ones upbringing, outlook on lifeand education that can determine their outlook on equality when they encounter racial

discrimination for the first time however in terms of Tim Wise case; his first encounter was notthe most stunning or dramatic encounter but one of progression. For Tim as a member of TSU,he grew up and interacted with the black youth from a young age. However because he bonded

with black kids early on he saw when he entered elementary school that we were so often

separated in the classroom, by tracking that placed the white children in more advanced tracks byunequal discipline(34). Although Tim remarks that many white kids were too young to

acknowledge what was going on he could see it happening in both the discrimination and the

separating and it affected him profoundly because they were his friends and they were

separating me from the people in whom Id had some investment(34). These experiencesexpose Tim white privilege for although he and his classmates were too young to have a

reasonable reason to be separated on the basis of education it was apparent that it was race driven

decision and because of the small but significant factor of skin color, Tim was exposed to boththe racial discrimination but more importantly to the advantages that were handed to him for

being white while his black students had barriers placed in front of them to succeed. While Tims

mother would not push or force white entitlement and privilege on him, even avoiding all

possible scenarios by putting him in a majorly African American school, white society still madeit impossible for African Americans to succeed from the start and placed Tim in a head start

position of advantage and privilege that would affect his future based on the minimal and minute

circumstances of skin color.

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