The readings and conversations throughout this class has furthered my thoughts on oppression and my need to act for equality in a major way. As Alix Olsen's voice drives me in her clip called Women Before Me, "truth crushed to earth, will rise again", I will be sure to spread truth about equality and oppression to my friends and family, as well as to random people I meet on the street. I will live my life in a way that works towards equality, even if that means I have to start by just changing myself. Olsen says, "to pull out my thumb and make friends with my voice", and I believe that is very true. I will speak out when I hear people being ignorant on race, sex, religion, and the many topics we have studied. I know it will not be greeted with open arms, but it will be the start of positive change.
In the article by Jan Arminio, she mentions " All whites must wake up. This means acknowledging who we were as a group, questioning whether this is still part of who we are as individuals, and deciding who we want to become." I think that this is a very important point, as I myself am white, and I need to realize that I can't change that, no matter how my people may act or I have acted. I can change and work for positive equality, but I must first except who I am in society. In the future and starting now, I will work against oppression and no matter what I face, I will follow the words of Maya Angelou in her poem And Still I Rise, "You can shoot me with your words, you can cut me with your lives, you can kill me with your evilness, but just like life, I'll rise".
I loved your post. I'm glad you mentioned that all whites must wake up. I have also realized that I as a white female, need to wake up to see that I am as much as a problem as those who have prejudices. We all have a chance to make a difference and we should embrace it.
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out that your white, and can't change that, but rather you can change how you act with that privilege.
ReplyDeleteThank you both, over this session it was really interesting to have so much privilege exposed. I want to be able to go out and make a difference, like Samantha said, in this world,
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