Throughout this first semester I am excited to begin the talk on racism. It has always been the most controversial topic that, from my experience, everyone tends to avoid. I am curious to learn why everyone seems uncomfortable to speak on the matter. I have always been curious to have the infamous conversation about the issue that has plagued our country from its beginning.
Growing up in Middletown, New Jersey can be described as a small Vatican City. I come from a middle class family from the suburbs, so it is needless to say I have not dealt with racism nearly of the same magnitude as other races have. However, I have always advocated for equal treatment for everyone, and I am eager to learn about the stories and viewpoints of the implication of racism and oppression from around the nation. I have a feeling that Ijeoma Oluo’s book So You Want to Talk About Race will provide an insight that will broaden my horizon on racism. I find it fascinating that Oluo was experiencing other isolated and oppressed people coming out of the shadows to speak to her after she began talking on the issue.
My personal perspective on the talk about racism is that it is an excruciatingly sensitive topic. In the era of the internet it can seem nearly impossible to begin this discussion without offending someone. Instead of progressing the conversation, I find that it can be easy to get caught up in the way a phrase is worded instead of looking at the bigger picture. News sources are notorious for taking words and/or phrases out of context in order to try to “expose” someone for being racist, sexist, misogynistic, whatever the case may be, without providing the actual background that enabled the phrase in the first place.
Jordan Hamilton 
I think you are absolutely right, I like how you talked about how the internet and the media also affects our views of racism today. This is something I did not think about but it is very true! The way social media can make something look can sway some people to believe one thing and others to believe another. The media (for the most part) does not use its power to bring people together but more to tear them apart. The media should use its power to educate and empower young people to do the right thing and treat people equally
LikeLike
I agree with your blog mainly about the unwillingness to talk about race. I feel that this is the majority of the problem, people don’t want to talk about it, so how would anyone educate themselves about race if they turn their back to the subject completely. Coming from around the same area, Colts Neck , NJ, I have also had my fair share of encounters that could involve race and honestly, I have no idea if I dealt with them the correct way or not. That is the reason why I am looking forward to this class, to educate myself in these social situations on the topic of race.
LikeLike