Is Race Real?

After finishing the sorting race exercise I truly realized how difficult it is to identify who a person is solely based off of their exterior. I failed on most of the matches and found myself surprised at the results and what races the individuals actually were. Then I thought to myself "What does a person see when I walk by?" Most people would see me and say she is a Black woman. Some may assume that I am mixed. The answer to that is that I am a Black and Korean, however in todays society I am told to categorize myself as one or the other by choosing the "dominant race." 

How did we get to this point? As we have been discussing this question about "whiteness" in class there are many points that I knew about but the alarming aspect of it all is the "pre meditated" intent. Race is not biological but a social construct that was created to uplift the "norm" and oppress anyone who countered the "norm". It is frightening to see the power of authority when it is abused and misused. 

So Is Race Real? Race is simply a tool created in our nations history used to categorize individuals. Race was used as an intent to promote some sort of classification system amongst people. Unfortunately as our nation was birthed the overwhelming imbalance of power of one group promoted this tool or idea. "For us or against us", Comes to mind when i think of the events that took place. People were forced to give up the very things that made who they were to fit into a category of people that was created and promoted as the "best." This tool  disabled the power of people outside of the "norm" and their ability to refute anything that was constructed. 

So what are the facts?

Fact #1 Race Justified Social inequalities as natural

The intent to keep others in a state of oppression had to be justified. The creation of race and "whiteness" being superior aided this oppression. Through institutionalized racism and abused authority the idea of race was pushed to the forefront of our nation allowing the idea to grow, and thrive. Through science, government, stereotypes, and media this oppression was justified.


>(Video:Melissa Harris-Perry on comedy show, highlights self created stereotypes of Black women.)
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/405561/january-09-2012/melissa-harris-perry

Fact #2 Most variation is not between races

This fact was new to me and I could only think to myself only if this information could have been promoted as much as the information of white superiority through biological facts. Anthropologist,scientist, and scholars did their best to promote the idea that Black men could never be equal to white men through biological information. Eugenics and other ideas that Blacks would never reach the potential of whites also aided to justify oppression and promote the categories of race.

Fact #3 Race has no genetic basis

Race was based to promote ideas and theories created by a group of people who wanted to keep power separated in our nation. Some type of system had to be created and maintained with all the old immigrants, african americans and  new immigrants entering the country. This refutes the ideas that whites had better genes than blacks.

I feel that if more people knew about this information there would be a major change on several levels. From a basic standpoint I feel it could help promote healing in the African American communities by revealing to those who do not know the truth behind how and why we are at this point. Young African Americans could gain a sense of pride and confidence and empowerment in these revelations. Educationally if these facts were promoted in school systems I feel that their would be a rise in our communities as far as graduation rates and college attendance rates.  Which all these facts would economically boost our communities to better jobs and incomes. Its a very minor step to a major change.

Privileges
1.Student
2.woman
3. religion

Civil Right Movement & Gingrich

First & Foremost Happy Birthday to a man who contributed to shape it all! 

After reading the Bob Herbert editorial the alarming statistics or the even the blunt reality of it all were both not as frieghtining as the relevance of his words to our present day communities.The accuracy and how the same issues manage to stand over time and represent our African American communities today alarms me. As the the lack of education and poor health conditions of African Americans continues to increase easily we can be lead to wonder if in fact the oppression is self inflicted? 


The idea of a "New Civil Rights movement", would require individuals to form into structural groups around their own communities to stir up a movement. However, as Herbert stated "Most black people are not poor..most are leading productive lives." I began to wonder is the African American community split? Are we bonded together strong enough to even begin to fathom a New civil rights movement? Our brothers and sisters before us were in fact truly fighting for rights and equality that they all did not have.Now that we have managed to obtain this freedom would we fight for a subculture of our people that are plagued by generational curses.


I Do not feel that our communities are ready for a movement like this because a large part of Africans Americans are successful and turning from the "generational curses" amongst our people.




After viewing the Newt Gingrich short clip it saddens me to hear how he specifically directed the food stamp v pay check scenario to the NAACP and African American communities.In his statement Gingrich displays his thoughts on African Americans by those simple words. He feels that the African American Community does not work and they are the primary group of people receiving economic aid in their households. On one hand I understand it is an unspoken truth that when society thinks of lower income and proverty stricken communities they often think minorities and primarily blacks. On the other hand however within our society their are several stereotypes and categories that socially we know not to speak of. To imagine that we have entered upon a time that presidential hopefuls degrade and freely voice their personal opinions about members of a society they wish to represent and command is extremely alarming.