#racecardproject

For the purposes of this assignment I visited the Race Card Project, and read several of the postings, as well as the comments responding to each of them. Eventually after going through a number of the essays, I realized that like the internet as a whole, many of the posts feature commenters going back and forth posting insults and offensive remarks. While I accept that the safety of our computer screens provides us with an opportunity to speak without real-world repercussions, what I find disheartening is when commenters take to blatantly stating that the opinions, interpretations, and observations of another person are wrong. In my opinion something that is subjective, something that someone believes or interprets in a certain way, cannot be “wrong” unless that person says so. That’s not to say I believe we shouldn’t question another’s opinions, in fact I wholeheartedly support the notion of friendly debates. I do believe, however, that truly subjective opinions, unlike objective facts, are based on PERSONAL experiences. To say that another person’s interpretations of the world is false simply does not make sense, because their experiences, the bases of their opinions, are unique to them. A post that I found on the Race Card Project that highlights my point of view, is an essay commenting on how success as a young black man in the US is, “to succeed in spite of your society, in spite of your nation–not because of it.” The author then goes on to back up his opinion by stating that advertising in the US media and television teaches whites from a young age that they are, “courageous, and smart, and funny, and thoughtful…[perfection],” while young blacks grow up thinking that they are, “naturally imperfect.” The essay, titled To be Young, Gifted, and Black, highlights just how important it is to consider the reasoning behind another person’s beliefs before we dismiss their opinion. It’s easy to say this person is completely wrong, that America supports and encourages young blacks, but what takes real courage is to step into the shoes of this man, and try to figure out where his opinion comes from. As far as my experience with reading popular novels and watching popular television shows is concerned, I have noticed that more often than not the focus is placed on white characters. I had never considered the negative effects that having television shows featuring mostly white characters could have on the self-esteem on black watchers, but to this man at least it made him feel an enigma of sorts growing up. Overall the point I’m trying to make is that before we judge another person over their opinion we need to realize that not everyone is from the same walk of life. That all though we may have had certain experiences in our lives that helped us form the basis of our opinions of the world, the people around us have had uniquely different experiences in their lives. Hopefully through considering what experiences lead to certain points of view, and also sharing our own experiences with others the world can come together.

 Post of interest:

http://theracecardproject.com/young-gifted-black/

Being a white, middle-class, straight girl.

I am average. I do not stand out in a crowd, in school, or in the workplace. I mentioned many “imagined communities”, but I feel that they all contribute to the “imagined community” for people that belong in the majority of many apparent aspects of life. The only aspect of my life that could make me more “average” is if I was a male.

I believe that many people can relate to this; the white, middleclass, straight community just does not stand out. Being a part of the majority of many groups in America makes us this way. We walk down the street and blend in with the crowd. Finding something about ourselves that makes us stand out can be very difficult, which makes activities like applying for college or scholarships and attending job interviews stressful. We must be creative to find some aspect of our lives that will help us stick in the minds of employers. Of course I stand out to some people, but to most strangers, there is nothing apparent about my appearance that would strike someone’s interest.

Being in the majority has many perks. For the most part, I have not faced discrimination. I have not faced bigotry firsthand, and I hope that I never do. Being in the majority can be beneficial in some settings since I will probably never walk down the street and hear hatred towards my race or sexuality. I will probably never be turned down for a job because of the color of my skin, and I will never have to fear a conversation between my friends and my parents about my sexuality. There is a lot less stress being in the majority of people, and I am thankful for that.

Although most people think of negative stereotypes affecting mostly minorities such as the LGBT community or the racial minorities, they can also affect the majority groups. There have been times where others believe that I am racist or insensitive towards minorities because I am white, but that could not be further from the truth. There have been times where the types of activities, the music I listen to, or my home environment are just assumed. The color of my skin, my sexuality, and my middleclass status has caused some to make assumptions about how I live. Although judgment is apparent for every race, class, and sexuality, I believe that some people forget that the majority groups are judged too.

Overall, I am content with being a part of the “imagined community” for the people that fit into the majority groups. It does not stand out the most, but I am sure proud of where I come from and who I am, and so should everyone else. There will always be times where who I am is an advantage or a disadvantage, but every group faces both of those too. Being a white, middle-class, straight girl may not be the most unique, but it is who I am.