Hi everyone!
As I read pages 165 to 208, I was able to wrap my head around the author's overall argument and the connections she made within the passage. Before, I had some trouble with grasping her main idea because I became impatient when she made claims that she didn't fully support. Instead of focusing on finding evidence right away, I opened my mind and tried to find the bigger picture of what the author was trying to say. From what I understand, Tatum's argument is that institutional racism still exists, and understanding why it exists will ultimately help solve the problem.
As Tatum continues to explore this idea of institutional racism, I noticed that she focuses on the 'understanding of why it exists' in this specific passage. From what I understand, the main claim of part five is that when someone's racial identity is found, it will lead to them understanding the topic of racism as a whole, leading to more understanding interactions between races. for example, from pages 201 through 208, Tatum discusses how important it is for not only blacks to have their own racial discussion group, but also that whites should have them, along with the positives they serve. She states:
For me, this quote introduced an entirely new perspective on racial support groups. I learned that no matter what your race is, you should always have the right group to talk to about unsettling topics like these. It's just unfortunate that white support groups are given a negative connotation in today's society. It's proven by Tatum that if you find the right support group, your understanding of racism will be much better, and that "White guilt" of feeling privileged will be easier to talk about. Here's a quote addressing author Shelly Tochluk's perspective of this correlation between "White guilt" and finding the right support group:
"Tochluk also notes that moving from an unconscious or guilty phase to becoming an effective ally is a 'massive leap' that requires scaffolding, all the more reason why becoming part of a community of support is so helpful."
Shifting back to the bigger picture, the other part of Tatum's argument is that institutional racism still exists. I personally think it's pretty interesting to see how she breaks that concept down. First, of course, she defines the different kinds of racism, her main one being "a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as the beliefs and actions of individuals" (page 87). Then, from how I see it, she breaks down this concept of institutional racism to her claim that white privilege still exists by linking this definition with hers of white privilege: the ability to do anything you please without having to worry about being in danger because of your race. Here are just a couple of primary sources supporting that.
In this quote, Tatum's definition of white privilege is being directly supported by a primary source. Robbins says the police will not perceive her as "a threat or a problem" specifically because she's "a nice white lady in a minivan," which also supports Tatum's definition of institutional racism because it involves feeling that violent cultural messages are being repressed just because of her skin color and her suggested socioeconomic status (when she mentions her minivan and "suburbia USA").
In this quote, Tatum's definition of white privilege and institutional racism are also being supported by this primary source. This Black father states that he feels as if he's "always being watched" and even that "people look at [him] like [he's] not as good as they are" just because of his skin color. This supports Tatum's definition of white privilege because it shows that this Black father feels that he is sometimes in danger of losing everything he has just because he's Black; the opposite of white privilege. Therefore, he does not have this social privilege that whites have. However, in terms of institutional racism, the only thing I found was that there were suggested looks at the father, which weren't really proven.
Overall, I'd say Tatum did a sufficient job in supporting her definition of white privilege, but maybe not so much institutional racism. She hasn't tackled all of the points yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for more examples of it. I'm definitely starting to see the perspective of Tatum's argument a lot clearer and it's opened up even more perspectives for me.
While of course there is value in cross-racial dialogue, all-White support groups serve a unique function. Particularly when Whites are trying to work through their feelings of guilt and shame, separate groups give White people the 'space to speak with honesty and candor rarely possible in racially-mixed groups.'
For me, this quote introduced an entirely new perspective on racial support groups. I learned that no matter what your race is, you should always have the right group to talk to about unsettling topics like these. It's just unfortunate that white support groups are given a negative connotation in today's society. It's proven by Tatum that if you find the right support group, your understanding of racism will be much better, and that "White guilt" of feeling privileged will be easier to talk about. Here's a quote addressing author Shelly Tochluk's perspective of this correlation between "White guilt" and finding the right support group:
"Tochluk also notes that moving from an unconscious or guilty phase to becoming an effective ally is a 'massive leap' that requires scaffolding, all the more reason why becoming part of a community of support is so helpful."
Shifting back to the bigger picture, the other part of Tatum's argument is that institutional racism still exists. I personally think it's pretty interesting to see how she breaks that concept down. First, of course, she defines the different kinds of racism, her main one being "a system involving cultural messages and institutional policies and practices as well as the beliefs and actions of individuals" (page 87). Then, from how I see it, she breaks down this concept of institutional racism to her claim that white privilege still exists by linking this definition with hers of white privilege: the ability to do anything you please without having to worry about being in danger because of your race. Here are just a couple of primary sources supporting that.
If I look into my rearview mirror and see flashing red lights, I'm not afraid. I probably have an 'oh shit' moment but I have zero fear that I'll be harmed or even harassed by a police officer. I'm a nice white lady in a minivan... in suburbia USA. I might walk away with a ticket or maybe just a warning. No police officer is going to perceive me as a threat or a problem (an excerpt from Jill Robbins' essay titled "How I finally 'Got' the Meaning of White Privilege" on page 190).
In this quote, Tatum's definition of white privilege is being directly supported by a primary source. Robbins says the police will not perceive her as "a threat or a problem" specifically because she's "a nice white lady in a minivan," which also supports Tatum's definition of institutional racism because it involves feeling that violent cultural messages are being repressed just because of her skin color and her suggested socioeconomic status (when she mentions her minivan and "suburbia USA").
Just being black makes it hard, because people look at you like you're not as good as they are, like you're a second class citizen, something like that. You got to always look over your shoulder like somebody's always watching you. At my job, I'm the only Black in my department in his seems like they're always watching me, the pressures always on to perform. You feel like if you miss a day, you might not have a job. So there's that constant awareness on my part, they can snatch what little you have, so that's a constant fear, you know, especially when you have a family to support... So I'm always aware of what can happen (A quote from a black father Tatum interviewed on page 176).
In this quote, Tatum's definition of white privilege and institutional racism are also being supported by this primary source. This Black father states that he feels as if he's "always being watched" and even that "people look at [him] like [he's] not as good as they are" just because of his skin color. This supports Tatum's definition of white privilege because it shows that this Black father feels that he is sometimes in danger of losing everything he has just because he's Black; the opposite of white privilege. Therefore, he does not have this social privilege that whites have. However, in terms of institutional racism, the only thing I found was that there were suggested looks at the father, which weren't really proven.
Overall, I'd say Tatum did a sufficient job in supporting her definition of white privilege, but maybe not so much institutional racism. She hasn't tackled all of the points yet, but I'll keep my eyes open for more examples of it. I'm definitely starting to see the perspective of Tatum's argument a lot clearer and it's opened up even more perspectives for me.
Gabe, you've discussed the argument well. Early on in your post you mention the bad reputation that "white support groups" get. Do you think this is because many of them are really focused on supporting whites as superior, rather than white people as trying to understand and be allies?
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