Blog Post #4 Defining Racism Tatum

 

                                                  Defining Racism Can We Talk: Daniel Tatum

Argument - The author, Daniel Tatum argues that there is a major importance of teaching racism in schools, especially at a younger age. He explains that young students need to be made aware of this concept because it plays such a  role in our society today. Between bitter political debates, and news coverage of police brutality and shootings against African Americans, it it likely these students will be exposed to this concept on their own. It is important to give them an educated view on this topic, in a safe environment where this complex and uncomfortable concept can be learned. 

Daniel Tatum explains the main issue of racism and that is stereotypes. This is highlighted when he explains that in their daily lives, students can have assumptions due to cultural differences that can go unchallenged until they are adults. This highlights the main issue we have not teaching students about racism. When they form these assumptions, they carry these with them almost their entire lives. Changing a belief someone has had their whole life, rather than changing it right away is Daniel Tatum's main point. Tatum argues that it is just as important to teach students about cultural differences as well as acceptance. Tatum argues that these assumptions are what lead to prejudice, which is preconformed opinions on a group of people with limited information. These prejudices are the root of racism in our society because they force us to stay away from one another based on our conceptions of one another. Breaking these prejudices down, and teaching young students why these preconceptions are wrong, will not fully solve the problem of racism in our society, but will be a step in the right direction.

Comments  -  The main point that stuck out to me the most is his example of Cleopatra. He used her as a symbol of why teaching cultural diversity and acceptance is so important. The example follows two white students talking to each other when one tells the other that they had just found out Cleopatra is actually black. The other white students cannot believe it, because throughout her whole life she thought she was white. Many students, some black students too, probably think Cleopatra is white too. This extends into Hollywood and advertisements, where most models that are used are white women. They are this preconception that to be beautiful you have to look like them, and a main characteristic of that is whiteness. Imagine having a young Black student find out that this imagine of beauty, who was seen as white all her life, was actually just like her. This highlights why cultural diversity and teaching the correct information about history is so important in schools.

Hyperlinks  -  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LrhaF34dA0HaJDADXJi7WTvfcjedoVDmjiI6W_VvNUc/edit

Blog Post #3 Amazing Grace

 

Argument  - The author Johnathan Kozol argues that the culture and environment of New York City in particular is one where children have a hard time living in. He compels this argument in the form of a story, in which Cliffe, shows him around the city and tells him stories. He sets the scene of this reading by giving facts about New York City which include "In 1991, 84 people, more than half of whom were 21 or younger, were murdered in precinct". The way he delivers this message of the harsh realities of the City is from the perspective of a child, in which he shares his experiences living in the city. 

When walking with Cliffe, the first story that stood out to me was he pointed to the stuffed animals that were attached to the branch of a tree at a park. When Johnathan asks him why they are there, Cliffe dismisses the questions and proceeds to tell him that he saw a boy get shot at that spot once. He then offers Johnathan a cookie. This is important because it showed the attitude that Cliffe had to this subject. The fact he was able to brush over that fact so quickly, and to say it in not a sad voice, shows he is desensitized to these type of things. That highlights the main problem, that so many of these kids grew up in these environments that these behaviors become "normal" to them. It connects to the previous reading when talking about the culture of power, this is the culture that many people grow up in. So, it is easy to create a disconnect within people who would be scared to talk about these topics, and people who have grown up in them their whole lives. 

Comments  -  This reading highlighted to me the vast difference between the environment I grew up in versus the environment many people grew up in as children. I grew up in a relatively safe neighborhood, and was privleged enough to have parents with good finically stable jobs. Growing up, I was able to walk out of my house at night and walk down to the dollar store to buy candy and other things. It is clear that most people do not live in that reality. It is important to expand our understanding and think outside of the environments that other people grew up in, to better understand how people act and why they act that way. The communities in which people lived in plays a huge part in how they act outside of those communities. It is when we understand these communities that we can understand why people act how they do. 

HyperLinks - https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/childhood-depression.page