Talking Point 10

Privilege, Power, and Difference by Johnson
Premise:
· Exclusion
· Rejection
· Privilege
· Harassment
· Discrimination
· Violence
· Change
· Challenge
· Society
· Privilege
· Racism
· Sexism
· Oppression
· Being able to say the words
Argument:
Johnson argues that the problem of privilege and oppression is deep and wide, and to work with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that we can talk about it in useful ways, but to do so we must first understand the language/vocabulary.
Evidence:
1. “Once we can see and talk about what’s going on, we can analyze how it works as a system. We can identify points of leverage where change can begin.”(126) This quote shows that once one learns and understands the vocabulary and can openly discuss issues of racism, sexism, privilege, etc. an act of change will have occurred. This is the beginning stepping stone to changing societies views.
2. “You don’t have to do anything dramatic or earth-shaking to help change happen. As powerful as systems of privilege are, they cannot stand the strain of lots of people doing something about it, beginning with the simplest act of naming the system out loud.” (153) I chose to use this quote because it ties Johnson’s argument together, because it discusses how an individual can simply change the perspective on privilege by saying the words out loud and admitting that they live in either a privileged or non-privileged community.
3. “Large numbers of people have sat on the sidelines…… Removing what silences them and stands in their way can tap an enormous potential pf energy for change.” (125) Johnson states that one needs to tap on the invisible glass to cause a chain reaction of change in society. This small paragraph encourages people to stand up instead of just keeping quite, again you need to speak up and say the words. Because you never know, your words may change how society approaches/ sees various issues in the community.
Comments:
This reading I felt was very similar to Johnson’s first article we read in January, he again stresses that you need to say the words. Over the course of this semester I have definitely become more comfortable saying the words that many are too embarrassed to say. Also with this reading, I feel that he explained his views more in depth, which made it easier to relate to than the first article we read. Overall Johnson made it clear that I can start a change in society by looking at my own community and finding a way to change my personal life.

Talking Point 9

Our Guys by: Bernard Lefkowitz
Premise:
· Anger
· Hatred
· Confusion
· Special need child
· Jocks
· Painful
· Disorder
· Trouble
· Police-arrest
· American communities
· Suburbs
· Fun- seems for the males participating
· Disturbing
· Uncalled for
· Embarrassment
· Appalling
· Greif and shame
· Adolescent years
· Social devastation = poverty of childhood
· Squeaky clean/manicured town
· Perfection
· Segregation of towns
· Financial/social class
· Privilege
· “tragedy”
· “character”
Author’s Argument:
Lefkowitz argues that being privileged and affluence could inflate the self-importance of otherwise unremarkable young men, not always with good results. Also that being privileged changes everything in society, character changes to tragedy in this story, meaning that vocabulary is different within the two towns being discussed; along with this the privileged receive more attention and to the society of Glen Ridge become the victims.
Evidence:
1. In the introduction on pages 5 and 6, he discusses how in Glen Ridge they (the society) says what a tragedy for so and so and their family; while in Newark they say character, that kid had such bad character. The focus more on problems or situations the child has been exposed too, in Newark. Glen Ridge is like a gated community, and they just feel sorry for the boys involved and forget completely about the victim and her family.
2. In the beginning of chapter one, Leslie says how she wishes she was popular and could be one of the girls who partied with the jock clique. She then continues to say that all the jocks ignored her, her entire life and she probably would never party on Kyle and Kevin deck. She was sent to a different school out of district because she had special needs, but one of the guys that she did associate with asked her to come to their party and she was a vulnerable girl so after she found out that her lover would be there she said yes. This is a perfect example of peer pressure, which does exist in many high schools especially among girls.
3. The silence. This example I feel is the strongest, because it just shows how “the heroes” of Glen Ridge always ended up on top and got away with everything they did because they were respected by all in the community for being the jocks. However their silence could be interpreted as being ashamed of what they did; Leslies silence is more grief and shame oriented, since she fell for Chris’ invitation. Being silent is the easiest way to move on and forget than deal with what happened.
Comments:
This reading was easy to comprehend, but disturbing at the same time. I liked how Lefkowitz uses concrete images to draw the picture in the readers mind. After reading just the first chapter and introduction I was disgusted with what the so called heroes had done to that innocent girl, and I did not like how the community only felt bad for the jocks and sort of made them the victims. I liked reading this and I actually want to go and purchase it so I can find out what happens between chapters one and twelve. I also see how is relates to Kozol, the society makes the difference in the society and Lefkowitz draws a clear picture of the community of privilege in relation to Newark (which reminded me of the town Kozol talked about) the poverty stricken town. I also noticed that Leslie was sent to a school where she was in a class with other special needs children, which is like segregating against her. Aren’t all children supposed to be taught in the same public institution in their local school district?

Talking Point 8

Whites Swim in Racial Preference by Time Wise
Premise:
· Racial preference
· Putting yourself in a fishes shoes
· Not seeing difference in color
· Equality
· Unfair
· Affirmative action programs
· Minorities
· Whites
· Culture
· Society
· Bad thing- negative
· segregation
· property
· families
· income/working
· self-sufficiency
· privileges
· fairness
· history
Author’s Argument:
Wise argues that due to “racial preference” is sought to be originated with affirmative action programs to whites, intended to expand opportunities for historically marginalized people of color, racial preference has been a large and long part of white history. He continues to go on arguing that it is hardly exaggeration to say that white America is the biggest collective recipient of racial preference in the history of the cosmos. It has skewed our laws, shaped our public policy and helped create the glaring inequalities which are still around today, segregation.
Evidence:
1. On page 1 in the first paragraph, he uses the example if we were fish and if he “asked a fish what water is you’ll get no answer.” Fish take their environment for granted just as Americans take culture and society for granted everyday. Many white individuals took life for granted in the years of slavery and severe segregation.
2. Again on the first page the sixth paragraph, “in recent history, affirmative action for white’s motivated racially restrictive housing policies that helped 15 million white families with FHA loans from 1930s to 1960s, while people of color were mostly excluded from the same programs.” This shows how affirmative action has been around in society for many years favoring the whites.
3. On page 2 second paragraph, Wise discusses self-sufficiency and says that “we ignore the fact that at almost every turn, our hard work has been met with access to an opportunity structure denied to millions of others.” Thus resulting in privilege which is like water to fish: “invisible precisely because we cannot imagine life without it.”
Comments/ Questions/ Points to Share:
I thought this reading was very easy to comprehend and had a great message in the pages. The fact that many say privilege is apart of life and white culture is true, but in cases such as college applications sometimes being a minority is beneficial. There still is segregation around today, but many simply do not see it because as Johnson stated it needs to be talked about and said. Just that, many Americans don’t talk about segregation at all. I really liked this article and I feel like it did the point across, and I also liked that he related human beings to fish. It was interesting but made a lot of sense.