FNED 502 Social Issues in
Education
June 7th, 2018
Defining Racism "Can we talk?
By Dr. Beverly
Tatum
The
article written by Dr. Beverly Tatum titled Can We Talk? Is about an Era where
School segregation was the nornm. Dr. Tatum took her time to investigate and
find a way for "racism" to be defined and thoroughly explained.
Throughout the text, Tatum made vast attempts of explaining the meaning behind the word "racism." The article discusses how racism starts at a young age for many people due to limited interaction with others outside of our racial/ethnic/socio-economic/religious backgrounds from our own and the lack firsthand experience with people different from others. It also discussed how stereotypes come from what we have not been told which was interesting perspective to look at for me because we typically say that stereotypes come from pre-conceived notions. The definition of beauty has long been on the basis of race. The article then goes on to discuss prejudice and describe it as preconceived judgment or opinion, based on the limited knowledge people have.
Throughout the text, Tatum made vast attempts of explaining the meaning behind the word "racism." The article discusses how racism starts at a young age for many people due to limited interaction with others outside of our racial/ethnic/socio-economic/religious backgrounds from our own and the lack firsthand experience with people different from others. It also discussed how stereotypes come from what we have not been told which was interesting perspective to look at for me because we typically say that stereotypes come from pre-conceived notions. The definition of beauty has long been on the basis of race. The article then goes on to discuss prejudice and describe it as preconceived judgment or opinion, based on the limited knowledge people have.
Here is where the article got very interesting. Dr. Beverly Tatum defines racism as a system
of advantage based on race; not just prejudice but a system. She goes on
to define Cultural racism as cultural images and messages that affirm assumed
superiority of Whites and assumed inferiority of people of color. Dr. Beverly
Tatum attributes racism to what she calls “Smog in the air” Smog is visible
at some points but still less apparent at others and yet many people still breathe
it in. Dr. Tatum continues to say that
for the dominant culture racism, is not completely our fault but it is our
fault. This comment makes me
think of the video I am not Your Negro. Just like Dr. Tatum Mr. James Baldwin
Believes that “racism is not a race problem, racism is a human problem. We are
all affected by this plague.
Dr. Tatum goes on to say that the “pollution” of the air happens
when we allow our personal prejudices to intervene in our lives as we interact
with different people throughout our interactions because we lack knowledge of
certain groups. The results will be our rejection of the fact that we have
prejudices. So we should ask ourselves, do I have positive images of another
group before I truly know anything about them? Unfortunately many people create
a negative image, perception about other people (group(s) before they even get
to meet them. Other people create
negative images, perception about others based on comments made by other
Dr. Tatum goes on to discuss what she calls Passive Racism versus Active
Racism. Active racism is racism that continues to superficially display racist
ways and ideals such as the KKK. Passive racism is racism in which we see malicious
intents happening yet one continues to allow the racism to occur. Who can help
to end racism? Society still has a lot of work to do in order to end racial discrimination and social
segregation in many communities around the nation. The responsibility to end
racism is not exclusive to one race. Rather, the responsibility belongs to
all of us.
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