Attitudinal Response

For this assignment, I decided to review my first well informed post which was on Racism. I feel like this is one of those controversial topics that nearly everyone has a set "viewpoint" on or automatic response. I certainly did and still do. As I read over my WI post, I noticed that I did try to see the issue from all sides and discuss alternative opinions of it all however I did see my automatic response peeking out ever so slightly. I saw it with the first example I shared about the students starting "white unions." I found myself automatically applauding them and thinking "yeah, what's wrong with that?" Although I didn't bluntly state that in my post, I know that's what my true reaction was.

Before I even started the assignment and just saw the topic coming up, I thought "great.. here we go with the non-sense." Being completely honest here, I don't think my automatic response is simply racism doesn't exist. My automatic response is more that I feel sometimes minority races play the victim card and/or create a racism situation when there really isn't one. I saw my attitudinal response again with the articles I shared putting the blame on white people so to speak. Before I even read the article, I read the title, "white people- if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem." I almost instantly got a negative feeling and couldn't wait to dive into the article and argue everything she wrote. That being said, after I read her articles, I did take a minute and reflect on what she was trying to get across. Although I didn't agree with everything she said, I could understand how black people feel and how we sometimes un-knowingly are acting racist in some way.

I feel like my automatic responses to Racism come from a variety of things. First off, obviously I am white. That is something I can't change and I can't pretend that it doesn't impact my feelings on this issue. As much as I would want to walk a day in someone else's skin to see how racism affects them, I can't. Although I really don't feel any sort of supremacy over anyone else especially over another race, I have to factor in my own race as a part of my attitudinal response. Another factor that stems my thinking and creates a barrier is where I grew up. Bountiful, Utah and then as an adult, Saint George, Utah. I was and am literally surrounded by white people and their viewpoints on racism. I often hear "black jokes" and conversations about how someone is crying out racism again, followed by rolling of eyes. I don't think I am an extremist on other side of the pendulum however I am definitely in the middle somewhere. I have to admit that I chuckle at some of those jokes and I too occasionally roll my eyes when I hear those stories of racism.

I think that both the well informed assignment as well as this one is helping me to realize I am not completely innocent. There may be little flickers of racism or racist thinking instilled in me. The only thing to ask myself is do I see it as an automatic attitudinal response that has no real backing or critical thinking or do I see it as my true opinion and stance, if you will. I believe it is a little of both. I do still firmly believe that some individuals do hide behind the color of their skin and use it to either claim a wrong doing or to get their way. Yes, I realize that sounds harsh but that is my own solid opinion. However, I think that when I do see/hear a story or a video or see a photo dealing with racism; rather than automatically thinking this is one of those situations (referring to my stance above) I need to clear my head, fully engage myself in the story and figure out for myself what is going on and the dynamics therein. Then, I can think critically about the people involved and how they may be perceiving the situation and make a conclusion, not judgement, about what I saw/heard.

In conclusion, I need to stop automatically viewing racism as an annoying issue that needs to stop being blown out of proportion. Instead, I need to realize this is a real issue that in many cases, individuals are really suffering from. Instead of assuming I know how someone feels or what they are meaning to say, I need to understand who they are and what they have experienced. I need to get past the easy response and band-aid solutions and get to the core of the issue and realize what I personally am contributing to the problem and how I can stop.