reflective assignment 3

If someone were to say to me "Black people are better at sports because of their "race"" I would respond probably with more questions as to where their "knowledge" came from. I then would explain that race is not biological. That there are no real physical differences that would support this claim. Race is a socio-historical political construct used to hold one group of people above another and in no way affects ones physical capabilities. I would also say that making a blanket statement about any group of people is false. I would speak to them about  the opportunity structures available to Black youth in this country. I would explain that the white supremacist system in the US only allows for Black and Brown people to excel in sports and hip hop. Not every Black person has great athletic ability but for many the tragic truth is that they must be good at sports in order to get out of the constraints of economically devastated urban communities. Most Black children growing up in the US are not expected to go to college or even to finish high school. The white supremacist structure tracks Black people directly into prison, poverty, sports arenas, or MTV. If a Black child wants to go to college playing sports is a great way to get there. This is not to say that Black people do not get into college because of their intellect. I am saying that opposite. Black people in this country have been deemed deviant and delinquent and are treated this way by the social sphere of whiteness. The structure and culture of racism does not allow Black children to grow up confident in their intellectual capabilities. after all when you continuously tell a child they are bad they will believe it and act according to the expectations placed upon them. You combine this with intricate structures and policies that ensure failure and poverty and no support system and you get the "ghettoized" urban communities that continue the cycle. 

The system of racial classification in the US census is incapable of measuring reliable differences in the US population because it does not take class and opportunity structures into consideration. It also does not allow for people of mixed ethnicity to claim all that they are made up of. People who are of mixed "racial" background have to either check a "multi" box or the they check the box that shows they are a person of color. example; half Black and half white folks are expected to check the African american box. The fact that we have boxes for racial classification in the first place is a tool of oppression. It is the way for whiteness to track the progress of its racist system. 

Abstract Liberalism is the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" ideology. It is the false thought that if you work hard enough, no matter the color of your skin, you can make it in this country. It is associated with political and economic liberalism to lessen racist opportunity structures and oppression. This ideology ignores the reasons why we have affirmative action policies in the first place. I am not saying that these policies actually do what they said there were supposed to do but instead do exactly what they were designed to do, elevate white women. We have a great disparity in opportunity structures and access in this country and the fact is that Black and Brown people do NOT have the same access white people do. In fact it is as if white people live in a completely different world than Black and Brown people. 

Naturalization is an excuse for segregation. It is the thought that people naturally gravitate towards likeness. meaning that color would define likeness. I have found that likeness has more to do with culture than color and although color influences your culture it is not the defining factor. If we would have created an egalitarian system in the beginning we would have more diverse communities in which our likes and dislikes, beliefs and character would determine who we gravitate toward. WE are not that different though we are created different by whiteness and its need to classify and pigeon hole. 

Cultural Racism is basically stereotyping. It is the belief that there are traits, flaws and abilities intrinsically belonging to a certain group of people usually classified by color and ancestral background ("race"). Statements such as "Asian people are smart", and "Black people are lazy" are examples of cultural racism. These are used as ways for white people to justify the social and economic standing of people of color in this country. These beliefs are a part of the racist structure that extremely limits the opportunities available to people of color and uplifts other group unjustly. 

Minimization of Racism is the belief that racism no longer exists. It is a product of white privilege to be blind to the state of racism. Because we (white folks) are not discriminated against and oppressed for being white we have the ability to look the other way and continue to be ignorant to racism and oppression. This leads to white people saying that Black and Brown people overreact and are too sensitive when talking about race a and racism. 

Personal racial prejudice is individualized. It is to say that racism may still exist but it is only in people's thoughts and individual actions, not systematic. Racism is within most systems and policies in which the fate and future of Black and Brown people is determined. White people are not the only ones who can be called racist but white people invented racism for our own benefit. I believe that there are many assimilated cultures that would not identify themselves as white that are racist. I do not however believe that Black and Brown people can truly be called racist. I believe that there needs to be recognition of why racist attitudes within Black and Brown people exist. In my opinion Black and Brown people are merely and appropriately reacting and responding to white privilege, white supremacist culture, structures and policies, white oppression and white racism. I do not believe that there is such a thing called reverse racism.