White Superiority and Racism (Post #4)

  Previously in class, we had discussed white privileges. We read many examples and scenarios where white people would have an advantage over African Americans. What really interested me was when Mrs.Mattessich talked about the African American English teacher from last year. I thought it was interesting that she was the only African American person in the English department. I found it even more interesting when Mrs. Mattessich brought up the question of whether or not it was hard for this African American teacher to express her ideas without being intimidated. Also, did the head of the English department feel inclined to agree with her opinions, or use her ideas solely because of her skin color? 

 While reading chapters 7-10 in Malcolm X, I saw examples of white superiority and privilege. When Malcolm, Shorty, Sophia, and her sister all got caught with the robberies, Malcolm and Shorty were sentenced to ten years in prison, while the girls were sentenced 1-5 years. I felt that this was a really good example of white privilege, because they were all equally involved in the robberies, but the white girls got off easier. I feel that the judge shouldn't have punished them for their race, but for the fact that they were all engaged in criminal activity, and that they all broke the law. Lastly, what really astonished me, was that the court was punishing Malcolm and Shorty more for being involved with white girls, than being involved in the robberies. "The girls got low bail. They were still white-burglars or not. Their worst crime was involvement with Negroes" (152). Another quote that showed an example of this: "'We seem to be getting sentenced because of those girls.' He got red from the neck up and shuffle his papers: 'You had no business with white girls!'"(153). This really angered me because the boys should be punished solely because of their crime, not because they were involved with white girls. If they were white men, I bet they would have been sentenced a shorter amount of years and a less harsh punishment. 

In the past I've witnessed a teacher that acted superior towards one of his students of a different race. I constantly watched the kid be treated unfairly due to something that he was born into This relates to Malcolm because he was punished by somebody of a different race for something that he too was born into. The kid was not punished for his actions, or any wrong-doings, but just because of his race, like Malcolm. Here is a link to an article describing why people are racist and feel the need to discriminate: www.childline.org.uk/info/Pages/Racism.aspx 

Here are two websites discussing white privilege: 

 1) www.unh.edu/residential-life/diversity/aw_article17.pdf

 2) www.dickshovel.com/priv.html

I chose the first link because it is very similar to what we were given in class. It's a list with white privileges on it. It just shows even more how life for a white person and an african-american are so different. The second link is interesting too because it talks about the white race and white supremacy. It notes how whites are born into certain privileges that others of different races are not so lucky to have. It also explains how whites can't understand how other people of other races feel inferior to the white race.