Blog Assignment #2

Is Race Real? 

Fact #1 Human subspecies don’t exist 

"Unlike many animals, modern humans have not been around long enough, nor have populations been isolated enough, to evolve into separate subspecies or races. Despite surface differences, we are among the most similar of all species."

Our race is purely an outward appearance, not something that determines or effects our personalities or who we are as people, yet somehow we see people of different races as different beings. Something that I always think of when I think or race, which unfortunately comes along with racism and discrimination, is that although we might all have different personalities, different dreams, different upbringings, different interests, etc ultimately we are all human beings and we have many more similarities than differences. People of different races are treated as if they are a different species, but as this fact proves we are among the most similar of all species, and because we often times tend to focus on the color of a person's skin we forget this. 

In "The Roots of Racial Classification," scientists claimed that whites were the last and most developed and than that black people were inferior to whites. Even though we do have more similarities than differences there are many people who disagree, and while these beliefs have come along way and have dissipated, many people still have this belief today. I was shocked to learned that scientists so strongly stood behind these beliefs and it makes more sense why so many people believed these claims because this information was being published in newspapers and scholarly journals! 

Fact #2 Race is not biological, but racism is still real 

"Race is still a powerful social idea that gives people different access to opportunities and resources. Our government and society have created advantages to being white. This affects everyone, whether we are aware of it or not."

Unfortunately, our race often determines the opportunities we are given and the ways in which we are treated in society which has many negative repercussions for people who are not white because they don't have "white privilege." But I think the part that most people are unaware of, especially white people because they don't experience as many ill effects as minorities, are the ways in which it can effect white people as well. I don't feel that I fully even understand the effects and I look forward to learning more about it in this course. 

Fact #3 Race is a modern idea 

"Ancient societies did not divide people according to physical differences, but according to religion, status, class, even language"

I found this fact very interesting because it shows that there has always, or at least for a very long time, been some sort of division among society. While it is understandable that people like to stick with people that are similar to them and people they have more in common with I believe that something beautiful about this world is that there are so many different types of people that we can learn from. Being surrounded by people that are all the same as you can get boring and uniqueness is something that makes our world beautiful and interesting. 

Another article that I found by Tim Wise is "White Denial: America’s Persistent and Increasingly Dangerous Pastime."

Blog Assignment #1

After reading the Bob Herbert editorial, write a brief reflective response (1-2 paragraphs) based on the following 3 points:

What does Mr. Herbert describe as the problem with Black America article? 

Do you agree or disagree with his perspective?

Herbert calls for a new Civil Rights Leader, which reminds us of the great work of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Now that you have read the speech, how do Mr. Herbert and Dr. Martin Luther King differ in terms of both the cause and solution to the plight of Blacks in America?  

Herbert states that although the slavery era is behind us, there are still many problems that black people face in the present day which he believes are largely self-inflicted due to black American’s behavior. While I do agree with Herbert’s standpoint on this issue, I believe that it is important to identify why this is happening, and that while one could claim it the behavior is self-inflicted I believe it is a vicious cycle that many black people have a difficult time escaping because of their upbringing, knowledge, and opportunities. That’s not to say that they are helpless beings and that it is out of their control and they shouldn’t take accountability for their actions. I just believe that he is a little bit harsh on blacks, and I think if any race was put in some of the positions black americans are put in then the results would be similar. 

Mr. Herbert and Dr. Martin Luther King’s view points are similar in that they are advocating for a revolution, or change among the black community, but their reasonings for why these issues are present and the ways in which they believe we should go about achieving change differ. Herbert believes that the cause of these issues are due to self infliction that black people have put upon themselves while Dr. Martin Luther King believes the issues are present due to the promise of the nation that every citizen would be ensured equality and happiness, which was not kept and carried out sufficiently for black Americans.  The solution MLK provides is much broader than Herbert’s and claims that blacks can never be satisfied until they receive equality, and that they must take a stand without resorting to violence, but instead using “soul force.” Herbert on the other hand makes a much more concise and simple solution to the problem which would be for black women and men to come together in a meeting and brain storm creative ideas to approach the issues.