Discussion on Class as a Protection Against Racial Violence

We were talking about the Tulsa, Ok race riots in 1921 earlier today and how class is not a protection against racial violence and power inequalities. These two documentaries are very powerful and feature interviews with survivors of the race riots and the attacks on "Black Wall street."

Here is a clip on the East St. Louis, Race riots in the same period, where Whites systematically killed and murdered African Americans in order to "purify" their town--and how the Black community resisted.

The Flexibility of White Privilege

Over time in middle-school I shifted from being vaguely Christian to a militant atheist. In conservative, religious, Grand Rapids, Michigan this was not a popular belief. It was difficult knowing that some family members, friends, and strangers thought I deserved eternal damnation and would treat me differently. Now, I’ve mellowed in my beliefs, but I my religious convictions are contrary to those of many believers. However I would never equate the discrimination I have felt because of my atheism with the oppression of other marginalized groups. The discrimination I faced was usually short, mild, and well-intentioned. In almost every situation,I had to consciously expose my self to discrimination.

Many whites, especially middle to upper class whites, exercise control over the degree of privilege they experience. Whites can choose when to reveal or not beliefs or characteristics that conflict with Whiteness. We choose when to laugh at a racist joke and when to be offended. On one occasion we may protest against injustice and on another, because it is more convenient, we are silent.

However what interests me the most is when whites seek out discrimination Sometimes I would enjoy it when someone acted prejudicially towards me. It gave me a sense of uniqueness and lessened the guilt I felt for the privilege I did have. I came to enjoy the feeling of righteous indignation. Occasionally in conversation when I could tell things were going into an uncomfortable area, instead of steering things to safer territory, I would let it come out that I was an atheist. Then when the person I was talking to said or did something that offended me I would revel in my noble fury.

I have seen in my life and in the media many white Americans emphasize their anti-conformist/anti-whiteness identities to be different. However, be they goth, punk, leftist, what have you, it is often something that can be hidden if need be. While I don’t want to suggest that people shouldn’t be allowed to have whatever identities they choose, it is intriguing that some people consciously surrender privilege. Is the control of white privilege a form of white privilege? Furthermore when white people knowing give up their privilege or emphasize their anti-whiteness how does that relate to the effects of “white shame” and the “wages for whiteness” that Thandeka describes?

Race in Religion

This is an article I found on the Washington Post website. It's called "Obama Ushers In An Era of Inclusion." We haven't discussed the relationship between race and religion much, so I thought this might produce an interesting conversation. This article discusses Obama's choice in speakers for the invocation and benediction at the Inauguration. I think some interesting ideas to talk about might be how it is "safe" to broach the "race issue" under the umbrella of Christianity and why the author believes these choices that Obama made are a symbol of inclusion. (Not very religiously inclusive, in my opinion.) Rev. Lowery's final words, "all who embrace justice say amen" are also quite interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/23/AR2009012303507.html

Introductions

Now that we are up and running. Two of you will be nominated to make the first posts for our blog. Those of you who don't post, should respond to the "discussion leaders" piece. These posts can consist of any number and types of items--be creative, but also be thoughtful. What would make for an interesting conversation? What ideas are you still struggling through from our in class discussions? How are our conversations speaking to "the real world" where politics and power intersect all around and through us?

Those of you who are not discussion leaders in a given week are responsible for responding to your peers' original posts. But, don't let this be a strict guideline: if you are not the featured blogger for the week, you should still post your questions, found news items, or links that you find interesting, compelling, or exciting.