Week 5 – Lesson 9: Stages of Racial Identity – White People: Stages 3 & 4

SaraMae22 says:

6/14/2010
Looking at this week’s lesson it was very interesting to completely learn a little bit about how white people are. In today society I think most people think that black people deal with racism but what many don’t understand is that we, white people are afraid to talk about race. I thought that it was interesting looking at the last 4 steps. As white I think that it is hard for us to discuss race without being thought as a racist. We also don’t want to talk about it because we don’t know how to talk about it. I thought that Dr. Richard was absolute correct when he was talking about people don’t know to talk about race because we’re stuck in the awakening stage. I think that it is true I grew up in a town that is predominantly white and to see a black person is rare unless you travel across the bridge. When a approached college there population was mixed and I didn’t know how to act. I watched what I said because I was not sure what would be taken the wrong way. I typically tried to avoid conversations that were about race or involved different races because I didn’t want to be stuck and labeled something that I was not. Looking now according to the stages I was in the awakening stage. Now that I have been fully integrated I still watch what I say just to make sure that nothing comes out of my mouth is offensive but I am not scared and try to avoid conversation. I started going to church more often and through that I just have learned to expect people for who they are and their skin color. I feel that God created people this way and he doesn’t make mistakes on anything. Another thing that I found comical was about the wash cloths. I never knew that reasoning behind it but I know a lot of black people who use wash cloths and I know a couple white people who don’t use them. I will admit that I don’t use a wash cloth but I use a luffa. I thought that the meaning was interesting because whites feel that their skin isn’t dirty so they don’t have to use a wash cloth but I am pretty sure that everyone skin is equally dirty. Another thing that caught my interest in the lecture was about the video of the white nationalist girl singers. I was actually kind of offended that these girls were acting the way that they were. When the one said about the holocaust never happened I just wanted to come through the computer and slap her. I think that their parents are brain washing them and that they need a reality check that this world is multi- cultural and was built on the foundations of different people.

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COLOUROFCHANGE Reply:
June 14th, 2010 at 10:29 pm

Due Date 6/16/10 Reply

OK, now that I am finished crying from reading your post. I know exactly how you feel. And don't think it is not the other way around, as many Blacks will not say that they think an issue is a race issue because they don't want to be looked upon as jumping on the race-wagon. That CANNOT compare to what Whites feel like…When I say it hurts me to the core it does. My grandfather told me a story once about my grandmother that I thought was funny but many people wouldn't understand. When I watched the senator say Nigger it made me think of it. My grandfather used to travel and he would not cut his toenails, he only wanted them cut by my grandmother. He was away for about a month and he came home in the middle of the night and was quiet not to awake anyone. Well he was getting under the covers and one of those toenails hit my grandmother who is White. He said she sat straight up in the middle of the bed and screamed…YOU NIGGGGGEEERRRR! LOL After he told the story my grandmother said she didn't mean it in a negative way it is just the way she was raised and the words she heard because she did not come from this country she is Greek. I can only say just be you and if people don't except that then oh well. "It is what it is!" By the way be proud of your race and capitalize (WHITE)

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jjlayton Reply:
June 15th, 2010 at 3:27 am

Due 6/20
I guess since I’m half White and half Hispanic and live in a sort of diverse area, I live close to NYC; that I haven’t been very closed off to race and I speak openly about it with friends and other individuals. I don’t have a problem saying my Black, Hispanic, Asian or White friend by those references, especially when differentiating between them to my grandmother who never remembers names lol. I’ve never really thought about it in a different way before. People are people and we have different cultures and ethnicities and I think accepting that and embracing it is a good thing. I do have an advantage by being half Hispanic though, I realize that. I can talk to people of different races and have an understanding there that White people might not have. PS I wanted to slap that girl too.

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nrd5040 Reply:
June 15th, 2010 at 10:34 am

6/15
As a white person I know exactly what you mean. We are taught not to see color and not to discuss race so we never learn how to talk about it. It makes it uncomfortable sometimes in certain situations where there is a mixed group because I do not know the appropriate racial identifiers and I do not want to accidentally offend someone. Being white is like walking on a tight rope sometimes as I feel I have very little leeway as you have to walk a fine line when discussing racial topics. The political correctness of racial issues has stifled any meaningful conversation from both sides of the discussion and until we get over that political correctness conversations will continue to be difficult.

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rmb5202 Reply:
June 17th, 2010 at 12:42 am

6/16/10
I completely agree with your entire blog posting. I wanted to slap that little girl too and you took the words right out of my mouth when stating, "she needs a reality check that the world is multi-cultural and was built on the foundations of different people,” I could have not said it better myself. I watch what I say as well being a white person because I don’t want to offend anyone by saying something offensive without acknowledgement. I definitely hate the conversations about race as well because I feel like it is always a stupid argument in the end. I have several black friends that are awesome and we are the same exact people until the topic of race is brought up than all hell breaks loose and it is never a happy ending.

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jjlayton says:

Due 6/20
I found the wash cloth conversation funny because for some reason a lot of White people do have wash clothes in their closets and put them on display but never use them. I’m half White and I do have wash cloths but we never use them in the shower. We use them to dry our hands after we wash them but we are not allowed to use the “special” towels because those are for when company comes. I’ve noticed that a lot of people have these wash cloths that are not to be used because they are for “special” occasions and even when there is a “special” occasion you can’t use them, you can only look at them. My mother also has these “special” kitchen towels that she hangs up that I am not to use because they are just for display and to look nice. I use them anyways but don’t tell her that (haha).
Watching that White Nationalist Girl Singers video and I was completely shocked. I hope one day they grow up and realized that they need to think for themselves and stop believing in the beliefs of their ignorant parents. It’s a shame that racism is passed down to children who don’t know any better and who are conditioned to believe in such things. I guess people can argue the same thing about Christianity. I’m a Christian but I made that decision for myself. My family is Christian and of course they wanted me to be one also but I waited until I was old enough to make the choice by myself in my own time and in my own right. I was 17 when I made my choice after reading about other religions and faiths and I just found comfort in Christianity. I’m a Christian because I want to be one not because others forced it on me or because I was born or conditioned to be one. These girls shouldn’t have been forced into a practice that should be made by adults. Children are not capable of making such a decision that will shape the rest of their lives. But I guess there wouldn’t be many White supremacy members if parents didn’t involve their children in it. I guess they’re afraid if they don’t reproduce and force their children into it they would become extinct.
My father is the type of person who brings up race when he says something about someone or is telling a story. He also says stereotypical things and I am always trying to make him stop but of course it doesn’t work. He’s White and he’s with my mother whose Hispanic and had me and my brother with her so I don’t understand why he feels the need to bring up race when telling a story. I also noticed that his mother does the same thing. I guess he picked it up from her and my brother picked it up from him. I guess I’m too strong minded to follow anyone’s path, I have always been me, I’m the black sheep of the family and I love it.

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dancediva2191 Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 3:51 pm

Posted: 6/16/10
Due: 6/20/10

I, like you, found the conversation about wash cloths comical. My house, and especially in my grandparents house, every bathroom has hand towels that we aren’t supposed to use and next to those hand towels, that are “special” are paper towels to dry our hands. I sometimes just think my family is lazy and do not feel like regularly washing the hand towels and that is why the paper towels are in the bathroom. I too hope that one day the young girl singers grow up and think for themselves. I do think their parents influenced their thoughts and because they are so young, they just do not know any better. It’s actually a shame. It is interesting how you thought that if white supremacy members do not force their beliefs on their children the idea would come extinct. I guess like anything, if you don’t continue doing it, it will eventually go away and be forgotten. I wonder if there is a day where this will actually happen.

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soitgoes00 Reply:
June 18th, 2010 at 6:49 am

June 18, 2010
I also thought the washcloth discussion was hysterical. I am white and I never use a washcloth when I shower and neither do any of my friends or family members! My mother has the same decorative washcloths out; I really do not get this – why put them out if you are not going to use them? And then I feel guilty when I use the washcloth and it does not sit as perfectly on its little hanger as it once did… In regards to the racist twins, I was outraged. Another sociology professor of mine told me that Catholics are so against the birth control pill because then people will not use it and reproduce more Catholics. The same ideology can be used for White Supremacists. It is really sick how such crude beliefs are passed down from parents to children – and we think race relations may be getting better! Last, good for you for being the black sheep (seriously)! I wish I could be. Unfortunately, I am one of those people that will throw in the race of someone in a story when it is not really necessary to do so… but I am learning to get better at not doing this (so that is a step in the right direction, right?).

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DrCandle Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 9:24 pm

6/20/10
Just playing devil's advocate here but do you suppose that you chose Christianity because of the fact you were comfortable with it? I know that sounds like I’m repeating what you said but then you didn’t really freely choose it. The reason you feel comfortable with anything is because you are exposed to it from a young age. I'm not sure about you but most Christians I know are really only Christian because that's what they were exposed to growing up. If it's always there your entire childhood of course you would be comfortable with it. I feel this is the basis of sociology; the system tends to regenerate itself. Are you absolutely sure that if you grew up your whole life with agnostic parents you would still choose Christianity as the religion you want to worship?

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jjlayton Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 9:33 pm

For me personally, I wasn't "comfortable" with it really. I was baptized as a Catholic because my father's family is Catholic but my grandmother was a Christian. I never went to church or followed the Catholic faith at all when I was younger. I would hear my grandmother speaking about Christianity but I never really payed attention. Before I chose to be religious and the religion I wish to have I did research and read about many different religions just to find myself and what fit with my moral beliefs and that was Christianity in the end. I'm not a "normal" Christian though, I'm pretty free and believe in equal rights for everyone, including homosexuals. I'm also pro choice so there are things I don't agree with about Christianity but I do believe in the root moral disciplines and the true meaning of what it is to be a Christian not all these radical Christian beliefs that are out there.

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Highway308 Reply:
July 4th, 2010 at 11:07 pm

I too was very interested in the whole wash cloth issue. I am your average white guy. I have always had and always used wash cloths. I know that many people do not use them, and often wondered how they scrubbed themselves clean. I never really knew that this was an issue that was mildly divided by race. I thought it was funny. For once, I found myself in the minority. I would imagine, like with many other issues, it is how you are raised. My family always used wash cloths, so I use them. My wife always used wash cloths and it was never a topic of discussion.

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macwpsu429 says:

Why should I be scared that if I say something, the whole world would put a big red X on me to signify I am a racist? Why can black people walk around free to say things about their own race, but if a white person says it, oh gosh watch out? I am like in the book we are reading, the lady whose family member never tells a story regarding race. I can go home and tell my family a story and my first words are usually, "this guy" or "this lady” or sometimes, "this asshole" depends on the situation…..but, never "this black…" or "this Asian…" It is interesting to me that people can even begin a story like that. Because you started your story "this white woman" does that make the story more understandable? Oh ok she did that because she was white, that makes sense. NO.

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macwpsu429 says:

Everyone has their own mind and can make their own decisions; therefore everyone is capable to not continue down that path of thinking "us" against "them." I don't think racism is a cycle that will ever break the more ignorant and naïve people in this world, the cycle will continue. Some people are straight out just bigots and biased and racist. Those people are idiots, but that’s how they are and they aren't going to change. As long as there are humans around there will always be people who are like that and who think that way.

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lovinglife1126 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 6:00 pm

I couldn't agree with you more! People chose to be racist, not because there parents said they have to, or because that is the way mommy and daddy taught them at home. Just like a man or woman suffers at the hands of alcoholic. They can chose to go down the paths their parents did, or they can chose to be the complete opposite and better themselves, like my mother did. She chose to live her life without having to depend on alcohol. The same goes to those that are brought up with racist parents. You live and you learn.

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lovinglife1126 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 6:12 pm

I couldn't agree with you more! People chose to be racist, not because there parents said they have to, or because that is the way mommy and daddy taught them at home. Just like a man or woman suffers at the hands of alcoholic. They can chose to go down the paths their parents did, or they can chose to be the complete opposite and better themselves, like my mother did. She chose to live her life without having to depend on alcohol.

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lovinglife1126 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 6:16 pm

I couldn't agree with you more! People chose to be racist, not because there parents said they have to, or because that is the way mommy and daddy taught them at home. Just like a man or woman suffers at the hands of alcoholic. They can chose to go down the paths their parents did, or they can chose to be the complete opposite and better themselves, like my mother did. She chose to live her life without having to depend on alcohol.

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lovinglife1126 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 6:19 pm

I couldn't agree with you more! People chose to be racist, not because there parents said they have to, or because that is the way mommy and daddy taught them at home. Just like a man or woman suffers at the hands of alcoholic. They can chose to go down the paths their parents did, or they can chose to be the complete opposite and better themselves, like my mother did. She chose to live her life without having to depend on alcohol.

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macwpsu429 says:

It just sounds like a derogatory and disrespectful word. In the rap world, rap songs, black people say that word all of the time. I was raised in a house that you never said that word, it was a bad word. I am baffled at how much I hear it from the black community though like it is okay. I don't understand that. Now I am not saying all black people talk like that or say things like that, by any means. But it is a common issue or subject that is never addressed, especially by a white person that’s for sure.

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dancediva2191 says:

Posted: 6/16/10
Due: 6/20/10

As a white person, I definitely think I was learned to not talk about race but I have no clue at what age I was taught this. I probably learned from my family at a very young age and just picked up on it and it is something that I have lived my life doing, not talking about race, obviously until now. I definitely agree when Dr. Richards talked about if a white person talks about race that means that we see color, and that if we see color that means we might be racists. I can see that train of thought and how this adds to the whole political correctness conversation. So we are taught to treat everyone equally and this means not to see color. It is a very interesting concept because I felt that as Dr. Richards was saying this, I was shaking my head up and down and realizing that this is pretty much how I was taught and something that I followed.

What I found absolutely shocking was the video of the two young white nationalist girl singers. Do these girls actually have an experience that has shaped their thoughts and beliefs as to why they think they are better than other people? How can these two young girls have so much hatred? I don’t think these girls have had an experience that has shaped them to being such white supremacists, but I could be wrong. I truly think, like the reported, that the parents shaped their beliefs and the children are just supporting and advocating the beliefs of their parents. I wonder what these two girls would be singing about if their parents believed something else.

In the awakening stage, the third option is to seek a deeper understanding about race and race issues to lay the foundation to move forward to the next step. Instead of being afraid of race issues, you dig into the conversation and you may make mistakes and offend someone, but that’s all right with you because you find talking about race and race issues interesting. And sometimes, we use race when there is no need to even talk about race in the first place and where it is unneeded. The video for the furniture store that brought race into the picture I thought was absolutely ridiculous. The commercial almost seemed like a joke or a spoof because of how silly the lines were. Race was not needed at all, they could have easily said something like we have furniture for everyone! We would all get the point, but in the commercial they so blatantly included race that some people probably found it offensive. It is interesting to compare how using curse words in a story make something funny, but when we include race in a story, does it truly enhance the story in any way? Maybe sometimes, but maybe not. But this is the awakening stage, we have to engage in the conversation and make mistakes in order to learn and move forward.

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ChelAmelia Reply:
June 21st, 2010 at 3:25 am

6/20/10
I totally agree with you about the two white girls. I can believe that their parents would raise them with their beliefs. I can’t believe that they would turn their views into a singing career. I also can’t believe that there are people out there who would buy their music and pay to see them at events. I looked up the girls’ group on the internet and they actually are popular. I can’t believe they have fans. I guess I just didn’t think that in today’s world there would be something like this out there. I know and understand that there are all kinds of music out there but I am hoping that one day while buying music I don’t see the category “white nationalist.”

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lovinglife1126 says:

June 16
This lesson and lecture opened up a lot of doors this week I am sure. I know it did for me. It really opened my eyes and let me know what life is like from a white person’s perspective. (Well, those that are not racist for real.) Many times, I think white people are underestimated, and many forget they are not the only ones that can be prejudice and discriminators. I think many feel that it is easy to blame white people for everything that is gone wrong in the world. But this is not true. As mentioned in the lecture, a lot of the times we think to ourselves, “Who am I?” And sometimes we really don’t know the answer to that question right away. There are some things we just don’t think about, and we just continue to make assumptions and critical statements towards whites. Although they are the ones that seem to be the dominant group considered to be normal, that is not the case. There are some people that are prejudice to their own kind, and tend to value other races as normal. There are many that will judge white people based on how they carry themselves, but the same is for blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. The carrot example with Dave

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lovinglife1126 says:

There is also the notion of political correctness. Dr. Richard’s example with the Mexican restaurant was the key. Here this guy just wanted to fit in with the culture, and not make it seem like he was being rude. This was a good example into getting on the other side and perspective on things. What also made me think was the example of the kids in Philly being taught what to do when the cops pulled them over. That just brings out a whole different story. I could talk about racial profiling, but this is not the lecture for that. What this example did prove to me, is that children are being taught to fear the white man. I believe that children should be taught to fear bad people in general, of all races.

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lmbrown2006 says:

I had to laugh at this one! First the two sisters, I hope when they grown up they think about the real world. And the Red House Commercial video, what was that? I was thinking the whole time, Is this real or was it a joke I mean is this a real store and do people actually shop there? Who goes and buys furniture based on the color of the workers, the color of the owner and rather the item of furniture is suitable to whites or blacks or any race for that matter, lol, or if he given credit to everyone! I laughed then showed it to my daughter. We never talked about race in my family coming up and race was never an issued my children even asked about, but we don’t hid from it either. This is something that is learned, in my opinion. I mean even when my daughter was the captain of the high school basketball team more then half was white they came to my home, stayed the night and never had a problem from these girls.

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lmbrown2006 says:

Specially if they see the other girls speaking and some are white and black. I know there has to be an issue somewhere where these girls are learning this behavior. How can you go to school with a black girl all you life, they are going to the 10th grade and hang out, stay at each others homes and not speak to the parents avoids the parents at all costs in there friends home. I say to myself which parent are they learning this from because most the families are split up and they live with the mother but spend time with the father and the mother’s seem to be okay. But are they scared of my race or are they scared of saying something about race that they aren’t afraid to say in front of my daughter?

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rmb5202 says:

Growing up in a predominately white community I rarely ran into people of color unless it was camp. It wasn’t until I transferred grade schools when I encountered people from a different race every day. I guess we could say after watching the lecture I was in a serious care of the awakening stage. I had no idea what to do or say when talking to a black person. Not only was I new to the class but I had no idea how to make conversation with a black person because that was all new to me as well. Before that I was living in the pre-awakening stage because I was not experienced so I had no idea what to expect. I was taught to not talk about another race at a young age and I had no idea why until I grew up and wanted to put my foot in my mouth.

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Buddyruse21 says:

6/16/10
One of the things that really caught me in this lecture was the question about being “Disabled”. My father is disabled, and has been since I was eight. He isn’t in a wheelchair, but he is in so much back pain that he can’t leave his bed for more than 5 hours a day. His condition gets worse every few years when he needs to get another surgery on his spine, and I’ve had to watch my dad slowly lose pieces of his independence. As I watched him with this, it was like I gained a little more of my identity as I grew older. Now, I look at my dad, and I cannot possibly take for granted the fact that I can touch my toes, that I can run or jog down the street, or that I can have a job without worrying that the narcotics I’m on will affect my ability to focus and not make a vital mistake. I’m not the only one that had to go through it. My father lived it firsthand. With every surgery and new pain, my father tells me that he’s afraid what he’ll lose next. He’s learning just what he is, by losing what he was. It’s something that I cannot possibly understand completely, but I feel like I know better than to take what I have for granted. I feel as if I can identify myself as “able-bodied”, and fully understand what it means.
I loved the stand-up video. One of my favorite things about comedy is the personas that many comedians have. I think that the reason behind that is how, by picking a persona, the comedian is able to offer a commentary on the characteristics of that persona. For example, Larry the Cable Guy is acting in a caricature of a redneck man. Part of why I think he’s hilarious is because I live in the country. I’m not as extreme as “The Cable Guy”, but I can relate to what he says in his bits. I’ve seen people that dress like he does, and I have friends that have stories much like his. I never thought about what he was saying, but the moment he says it, I laugh because I knew it. The Weird Al video is the same way. Many of the things are classic stereotypical “white” things, and even though I don’t necessarily like all of those things, I know that they are clearly “white” things.
The fact that I look at those things and feel connected to them made me realize that there is an “us” and we have a list of stereotypes. This is where I think stereotypes are somewhat useful. We use them as a way of establishing our group and making it unique. Many of them are bad, but there are some good things as well. Either way, I think that stereotypes and jokes about stereotypes help us to go from stage one to stage two much more quickly than we would if we were stumbling around our world with no idea of what it means to be “white”.

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ViciousVirgo Reply:
June 17th, 2010 at 3:42 am

I am glad I read your post because it made me think even more and opened my mind to something I was not even thinking about when I first read the slide during lecture about giving others a sense of self. You mentioned the fact that your father is disabled and in the end it ended up giving you a sense of self and it made you re evaluate the way you lived and it gave you a sense of independence. When i read the slide, i just thought about the extreme negative and the extreme positive of a situation. For example, when a person teases a child or makes them feel worthless, the start to believe it. Or on the positive end, when a person is popular and everybody makes them feel on top of the world, they get a sense of self and in return the people around them give them their confidence or lack there of. You made a good point and made me think on a different path when it came to that piece of lecture.

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ViciousVirgo says:

i feel that he is blinded by the fact that we don’t have drastic race problems such as those that occurred when Martin Luther King was alive but to me, we have issues that are just as big. In the same clip he says, I think we need to work together to make things better. How can we do that if in the beginning of the clip, he claims that we talk about race too much? This is an issue I feel is heavy in America. People want to be equal and want to make peace and get on the same page but they are not willing to take the necessary steps needed to get there. It gets on peoples nerves when we talk about race too much but yet we want to see a change.
This also made me think about how people think black people talk too much about race or always think “the man” is holding them down. It made me think what is honestly the root of this mentality. I, myself, am black and I know I have friends who always seem to think the world is against them as a race and it made me wonder when I watched the youtube clip. Is it because black people think their feelings are swept under the rug when it comes to racial problems? Do other races ignore black people because of the fact that they complain too much?
The youtube clip made me think but it also made me a little upset because I don’t think the senator thought about his answer on a larger scale or thought about it period before he gave an answer. I also would like a detailed explanation of what a “white nigger’ is. That’s the first time I heard that term.

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queenofsanity8 says:

I was very excited to see that the topic of majority or white privilege and the inability or the lack of realization that those who are the recipients of it was being discussed. Time after time I have felt as if my peers did not see the advantages and privileges that were handed to them solely because of the color of their skin. Although one may not be directly related to the individuals responsible for their societal wealth, they are still reaping all of the benefits. However, one thing that came to mind during the lecture was the possible counter-argument: What about black privilege? What about all of the benefits that African-Americans receive because they look a certain way? It seems as though when we speak about race we always talk about what whites have and what blacks don't have and not the reverse. Personally, it would be interesting to hear what people think they do have. As an African-American I cannot think of any privileges that would slightly fair in comparison to those that my white counterparts may have. Even when considering affirmative action I cannot help to realize that the beneficiaries of that program are actually white women.
What are the benefits of being black? If you were to ask me I can go on for hours because I love my culture as I would hope others cherish theirs as well. My benefits however aren't those that can create jobs or wealth or prestige. They are personal and related to my ancestors. For example, I take pride in the fact that I come from a people who fought for what they believed in on a continuous basis.
What I am getting at is I always felt as though African-Americans were the race on display. Whether or not that is by their own doing or by others, this race has always been the one to watch, the most discussed, and the most debated over. Their actions are scrutinized, their talents are glorified, and their culture mimicked. As flattering as some of this may be, I never understood why. This race is among those that are the most deprived and discriminated against. Why would a majority population with so many privileges even want anything that their supposed inferior has? What is so amazing about this race?
I do apologize if this is coming off pompous and self-indulgent, but as an African-American I have had many experiences in which I felt as if I was on display because of the color of my skin. I have had many assumptions made about my culture just because it was perceived as different. I am not bitter, I am just curious. If you have the world available to your discretion, why would you even want to know what it is like to not have the same privilege?

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pennstategirl5 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 10:52 pm

June 20th, 2010 6:45 PM

I find your post to be very interesting. I am a white person and to be completely honest before this class didn’t think about my race on a daily basis. I live in a mostly white area and just continued on with life not thinking about it. When Sam mentioned about how white people never really talk about their race I could relate a lot. While he said that we are given more opportunities because of our skin color I accepted that but thought about affirmative action, like you said. Then also thought that affirmative action doesn’t compare to the advantages we probably receive. I find it really hard to even express what I’m trying to say because I will never know what it’s like to not be white but to answer your question as to why we would even wonder about not having all of the privileges we have…to me it is because I want to understand. I want to be able to understand how well off I do have it, to appreciate it more and to understand that maybe my idea of how other races are truly affected is probably not right on. I want to be able to know if what my idea of being a black person and how black people are treated is accurate (I assume it isn’t) but I want to understand how another race lives in order to be able to just simply understand. I know this will never happen but even for example, if I had a black friend that I could ask literally every question that came into my mind without feeling as if I were being perceived as racist, as I do fear when I talk about race, I feel as if that would help me to gain a better understanding.

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RRISTEEN says:

Lesson 9-Due 6/20/10
I found white guilt as a very interesting subject. I had never really thought about it before this lecture. At times I have found myself a little remorseful about what has been done to Native Americans in this country in the past, but that was pretty much the extent of it. This class has really led me into the Awakening stage. I have truly started to seek a deeper understanding about race issues and I feel have begun to lay the foundation to advance to the next stage in a positive way. The professor is right, from lectures and information so far in this class, I have wanted to address issues and racism in random discussions between people I know. Not so much as I am fighting for another race, more so the reason I want my friends to understand race, and what it truly means. I don't want them to ignorantly make blind statements about other races, as much as understand why they are making those comments. Aside from the Awakening I feel that I am also experiencing a bit of Revisioning. I do see a very large problem with political correctness yet, at the same time I have begun to see the racial inequality because of arguments such as the king of the mountain theory etc. I have also tried to bring up facts about racism for people of color in order for them to understand it as well, and they can be just as racist as whites and make just as ridiculous ignorantly blind statements. I can very easily see that the discomfort that white people feel can lead them right back into their old ways of thought. The discomfort can truly bring out anger because who wants to continuously feel awkward and uncomfortable in certain situations? I have known about the Black People Love Us website for some time now, and yes it is quite hilarious. I was not aware of the fact however, that black people thought all white people smelled like wet-dogs if they are wet. I did know however that Black people use wash clothes and white people tend to not. In the topic of these assumptions however, I can recall one that whites most often think about blacks and that is, black people generally smell like cocoa butter. So, in essence both sides are guilty of such comments regarding smells. The Doctor made a great point about the race table and just keeping your mouth shut after making certain comments because you cannot dig yourself out of the hole. I can see how an individual such as the student got tired of the “your white your advantaged” blame game and basically was just tired of race.

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soitgoes00 says:

June 18, 2010
This was such an interesting lecture as it pointed out a lot of the behaviors I do as a white person along with my friends. Dr. Richards started lecture talking about how white people learn to not talk about race issues, because if we talk about race issues we are noticing color and may in turn be called racist. I agree with this; my friends and I will only talk openly about race when there are no colored people around. We do not want to offend anyone or have our words be misconstrued. Just because my friends and I do not address race with people of color does not mean we are racist. I like how Dr. Richards brought up that point. Sometimes, it feels like talking about race and not talking about race is a double-edged sword. If we say something about people of color, we may be called racist, and if we do not say anything about people of color, we may also be called racist.

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soitgoes00 says:

June 18, 2010
After all of this talk about moving forward in race relations, I was disgusted by the two twin girls who sing about White Supremacy. What struck me most was when the girls said “Hitler wanted to preserve his race” and that it is an “exaggeration” that six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust. I was so taken back by these comments and found myself yelling at the computer screen. These girls were so young yet they had this impression, obviously instilled in them by their parents and their community, that whites reign supreme. It is so sick to me that children can have such hatred for other groups. Do they even know the true reason why they “hate” colored people? Do they have an idea of what white people did to the Native Americans? This drove me crazy!

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soitgoes00 says:

June 18, 2010
When Dr. Richards asked, “How many white people feel guilty about being white?” I admit I would not have raised my hand. Why should I feel bad about something I did not have control over? Though I did not feel guilty about this, I did feel guilty about using racial identifiers inappropriately. I think it is good to feel guilt about saying something not-so-good about another race. If we do not feel guilt, how are we supposed to move forward? Are those who do not feel guilty racist? Why should we feel guilty about saying something we believe in or saying something we just simply want to say? All of these questions were running through my mind during this lecture.

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samsmith119 says:

I use a washcloth So, white guilt….hmmm. I guess under the definition I have experienced white guilt. I have felt a "certain way" about the leg up I got for being white, but not enough to not wanting it. I have moved through that feeling though. It's funny when Sam was talking about people avoiding using color as a descriptor, I have done that, but to other white people not people of color. When I was using color or ethnicity to someone of color I had no problem using it as a descriptor. It's funny that it's the white people I didnt want to get a big bag of shit from and I didnt really understand why I did that other than the fact that if I avoided using the obvious descriptions that made identifying a person normal and simple THEN it looked like I was hiding from public notification of their race. You know whats so odd though is that when you are avoiding the color with a white person and then finally you need to use it, they understand. But if I were to use it right out of the gate often they would make an issue of it….ya the white person berating the white person for NOT making a big deal about someones color. frankly I find dealing with white people on the issue of race way way more confusing than with people of non-white. But then again I dont really give a crap if someones panties get to twisted up if they are offended by normal speech, too much PC IS crippling and it makes you look and sound like a complete moron.
I am about to inherit my 12 year old niece an a couple days. She is having issues at home (southern california) and her mother (my sister) thought maybe me and my wife could take care of her. My sister has 5 girls, the oldest is 13, and they have been a household of non-white haters. Its the fault of people of color that somehow has put my sister and her family in poverty (maybe its not working and having a lot of kids that did that- I'm just sayin LOL). The father is a white power nut that wanted to move them all to a white supremacist compound some years ago and the mother is always complaining about the mexicans and the blacks to her kids. The first thing my sister asked was how "white" is our community. So somehow we have to figure out how to deprogram this girl and get her moving in a new direction in regard to race. I dont want my niece to grow up hating, nor do I want her to grow up wrapped in bubble wrap. Somehow she needs to experience the world and its people for the humans they are, not the skin they wear, and that could become a challenge. So far the main exposure she has had to race has been negative. Here in State College one great thing I can say is that there is Sooo much positive exposure to non-white people. I am wondering what she is going to do when she gets to the "guilt" and how you move someone through that. I know for me I just seemed to move through, I dont that it was a conscious thing, it just happened. We (my wife and I) have discussed this at great length and the only thing we could come up with is just lead by example and make corrections as they come up. I think putting in her face would be just as damaging as doing nothing at all. One thing I dont want her to feel is guilt about being white…but on the same hand I dont want her taking Pride in it either. Why feel "proud" about your skin color, it feels to me like taking pride in your thumbs or in your big toe. Is this different for people of color? Are there other things in your minds associated with pride in skin color and is not seeing that for a white person just another tid bit we are missing? I feel like Im rambling now so Ill close it off.
PS: GO USA (world cup) glad to see us finally taking part with the rest of the world on this scale.

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crr171 Reply:
June 19th, 2010 at 10:16 am

June 19, 2010
I also use a washcloth And I have also avoided using people’s color to describe someone. I try to describe them in every other way possible besides using their race. I haven’t done that recently though. I have gradually learned that when you are try to describe someone it is okay to say the white person, black person, Asian person, etc. I have always experienced other people do this too when I am at work. One of my managers is an older black woman and she is the only older black woman who works at the store. Customers try to describe her every other way. And eventually I figure out who they are talking about and I always say “oh the light skinned black lady?” and of course they say “yeah that’s her”. They would have wasted less time if they had just said that from the beginning.

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kdh151 says:

First off I just feel bad for the two little white girls. I know that they don't feel bad yet in their life and maybe they never will but it is heartbreaking listening to them and their parents views. They are obviously sheltered and when you see the woman conducting the interview get a bit fired up and ask about the Holocaust the girls faces are blank and they immediately go on the offense. "Well I don't think that there were that many Jews around back then in the first place." "I don't think" makes me crazy. What research have these girls done? None officially. They listen to their parents and that's what makes them the way they are. Sad.

As far as the furniture commercial either those guys are very stupid or very smart. As far as a sales tactic I think it is a bonehead move but maybe their brilliance lies in their stupidity. That was a commercial from North Carolina and it made it's way to the PSU classroom and into an online lecture. I see commercials all the time that I think are the dumbest things ever but you know what I still do? Finish watching them and then talk about it after. Just the fact that I am posting about it shows that it stays with you. If I were a local there I may not shop there but when I see the commercial or drive by the store I will maybe shake my head or give a little chuckle. All I am saying is that it is a commercial you will remember whether you are for them or against or don't care at all.

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aks5248 says:

06/18/10
As lesson nine continued with explaining how white people live in this racially stressed, I have begun to see how I am involved with more than one stage (of the four we have discussed) at a time. Sam has shown how complex every different racial situation we encounter is. It is nearly impossible to tell what level someone may be in at any given time. It is nowhere near being black and white. I think taking this first step to understand that every person can be any different stage in racial awakening is vital to improving the race relations in the US now.
The one thing that I thought was interesting was when Sam discussed how white people are taught to be colorblind to improve race relations between every race. I was under the impression that this was a fantastic idea. If we truly threw race out the door entirely, it would be easier to treat everyone with equality. But the matter of the fact is that race is apart of everyone and ignoring that just prolongs the healing of racial relations until later. We take this class so we can embrace race and then go forth and attempt to heal what is wrong about race relations today. If everyone tries to be color blind in society. We are really being like the white people who don’t try to say anything that might offend someone. It’s all about prolonging the discussions that we need to have.
After hearing about the fist four stages that a white person may be in, I can say that I have been at least one point in time in any one of them. There were different experiences in life that led me to feel one of the four stages that Sam has discussed thus far. There are sometimes where I just don’t know what to say about meeting someone of a new race that I have never encountered but was curious to know. There are also times where I just get fed up with people of race who constantly blame any white person for their struggles in America. I just wish everyone were more educated about how to confront the racial issues that we face today. People are often too quick to make judgments about race and keep them there until they have an experience that they take amongst themselves that will change their first initial judgment.
The last thing that I have about this lecture is about white guilt. Because of our American values that tell us the power of guilt, white people feel guilty about being the better race when they consider them selves not racist in the first place. I agree with Sam on this point. We are forced into feeling guilty for something most of the white people didn’t cause. It’s just a natural feeling that occurs due to the way that we were raised as Americans; it’s just another issue that we need to discuss.

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jav5188 says:

6/20
I found this lecture to be very interesting because most of the things Sam was talking about, I could relate to. I remember at a young age, I was taught by my grandfather just to keep my thoughts to myself about race. I remember him telling me that it is a very touchy subject and since he lived through most of the hard times that they had to go through, such as the protests and a vital event like the March on Washington. This lesson just reinforced those ideas that I shouldn’t use it race in certain situations but I also learned when it is acceptable to use race in daily conversation. When talking about this subject though, I found it very comical when the washcloths were mentioned. I felt like in every friend’s house I have been in, including mine, there are washcloths on display, but they are never used. It is just funny because I have never noticed that. It has always been just a formality I guess.

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jav5188 says:

The one letter that Sam read from the girl was very interesting as well. It helped me understand the stages a lot better. Before coming to college, like this girl, I didn’t refer to myself as white, Italian or even Italian American. When I got to Penn State, I had an experience exactly the same as this girl. Everyone on campus referred to themselves as a certain nationality or color. I feel I am not in the beginning stages of the revisioning stage though. I feel like I am starting to feel guilty for some of the things that my ancestors have done and I haven’t really thought much in detail of what they actually did to get this land of to farm before this class. I was more worried about myself but now, I feel, like if I don’t understand these concepts, how will I survive in the real world?

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nrd5040 says:

6/20

The video about the white nationalists girls, Prussian Blue was their name I think, was pretty sad. We watched the entire video in Sam’s Soc 001 class and these girls were basically brainwashed by their mother. It is disturbing to hear such offensive; hateful remarks come out of two young girls’ mouths. At one point they were downplaying the Holocaust as "not that bad". By the end of the video though the girls start to turn away from their mother and turn away from all the white supremacist ideology due to backlash from their local community. It is just sad to see kids that were raised in such a hateful environment and who are taught that their race is better than all others. The video shows just how easily influenced young kids can be when they do not know any better. It is difficult for kids to break patterns that they were taught as a young kid as they start to become habits. In order to change, a shift in perception is needed and as discussing in Making peace between our Colors" one must leave their box.The backlash of the community where the white nationalist girls lived was their perception shift as they saw how other people viewed them. I think this is how you get out of the Awakening Stage and begin to see racial inequalities and racism. This is where white guilt comes into play, as we( white people) begin to come to terms with racial inequalities of the past and present. As a history major I have taken a few classes discussing African-American history. It is hard not to feel shameful when you read about the treatment of blacks by whites throughout history on this continent. I know that it is not my fault and I am not responsible for those past actions but it is difficult not feel a growing guilt about my white privilege. How much different would my life be if I was black or brown? I guess it is impossible to know. It is definitely not a comforting feeling for white people to think about. To feel that part of what they have accomplished in life was due to the color of their skin. What makes this stage difficult is not knowing where to go from there, having mixed feelings about racial issues and white guilt. I guess this is where people would move to the next stage of racial identity: reversal. The journal entry that Sam showed in class was really interesting and honest. It is a great example of how complicated these issues really are and its not all black and white. It takes a lot of work from all races to come to terms with racial identity and is not only a challenge for white people, although that is the group we are focusing on right now.

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charlan10 Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 6:02 pm

That video was complete insanity. They look like the Americana of what a little sweet white girls should look like. Then they show up with the Hitler smiley faces. I don’t understand why a parent would want to brainwash their children into such a jagged path. I guess though if you are a white supremacist their may not be a lot of understanding and different approaches to things in life. As you said they started to go away from their mothers beliefs, I hope so. And hope they keep making progression to the point were they can completely see all the wrongs it what their mother believes.

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JessOver Reply:
June 20th, 2010 at 8:46 pm

I was appalled by the video of the twin girls. It's terrible that parents have the ability to completely isolate their children from diversity and open thinking. I very much believe that children are born open to the idea of anything because they don’t know any better, nor do they do that there are differences between individuals. Parents have the power to transform their child’s opinions and form their ideas about the world. Furthermore, the idea that there are supported white supremist groups is horrible and I think these individuals are completely perpetuating the idea that the white race continues to be racist towards all those not included directly within the white race. It is these extremist groups that are the cause for racism throughout the world to essentially be stalled and incapable to proceed forward.

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ktb5071 says:

6/20

I really enjoyed this lecture and learning about the stages I have gone through (as a white woman) and the stresses I have felt regarding when and when not to acknowledge race. When Dr. Richards said that thing about his student asking to speak to the T.A. and if the student just said the black T.A. it would make everything much easier, it reminded me of the numerous times that I have been in a store and been helped by a black woman and I always would think “can I say it… can I not…?” Not knowing if it’s rude or ignorant but now, I know it’s just my innate political correctness kicking in.

What stuck out to me the most was that freaky video clip of “Prusian Blue”, those twin sisters’s who sung about the beauty of being white and how the holocaust was an exaderation. I looked them up on the Internet to see how successful they were, and shockingly they were fairly successful. But luckily, people did act out against them and they definitely received much more negative feedback than positive. I had no idea such “white supremacist” organizations still existed… I can’t even imagine how pissed they are that our President is half black. I did find that the bands’ website and MySpace page were shut down as of 2009 which is relieving that some action has been taken because after watching that video, I would assume it wasn’t these eager young haters that took it down.

It’s really shocking to me that the government doesn’t have some type of law to get rid of these public declarations of hate. If there were a law, it would probably help the situation by given white supremacists less resources to encourage and spread their views.

In conclusion to my post, I would like to acknowledge that I have feel immense guilt after listening to the lectures for this class. I am really surprised not more white people in the audience felt that way, or even black people. What I do feel most guilty about is the current neglect of the poverty within Native American tribes. I feel very guilty about this because both my family and me have helped people from other countries that suffer from poverty; I even donate money every month to the SPCA! I am helping dogs and cats before people, specifically people who have endured such horrible things and live in our own country and were the first people to live here! It’s so sad that nothing is ever talked about regarding the Native Americans and just looking at all the care America had to help the people of Haiti, if people got together like that to help the Native American’s such great things could be accomplished!

I hope this made sense… for some reason I’m having difficulty articulating my thoughts right now/writing clearly.

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xforeveryoung Reply:
June 21st, 2010 at 3:28 am

I agree with you about how shocking the twin girls video was. Its appalling that people like this are supported by communities and political officials in our country. But what is even more shocking is how young they are and their parents have led them to believe these ideas about the world. After saying this I don't believe that the government has any right under our constitution to do anything about these people. I am in no way defending them but they are stating their beliefs in a peaceful manner. Our constitution says we have the freedom of speech and they don't have the right to do anything to stop them if it is peaceful.

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