White Privilege as the Other Side of Racism

I've taken several classes on African-American history and American Indian history. In those classes, we've always confronted issues surrounding how and why these specific groups are discriminated against, but we've never examined how and why Whites are given the opportunity to decide why this discrimination takes place and how they are able to escape it. I think it's imperative to the study of racism to include the White side of it. Sure, Whites have had more than enough coverage in history classes, and the things they've done has been emphasized over the terrible things they've done (Thomas Jefferson for example). I think in order to begin to work toward eliminating racism, we've got to first admit it exists, acknowledge it, and move past the uncomfortable ideas surrounding White privilege. I think while reading this book, I've been able to better understand why it is that I like studying the history of oppressed groups. I think it's because I feel that ending racism and discrimination begins at a very personal level where we are able to change the scope through which we see the world and use our new perspective to widen that scope until it becomes societal instead of individual. I really liked our discussion in class today. History and issues of race cannot be understood without emotions tied to them. These topics are and should be emotional. Otherwise we never learn from them and they never become personal to those who have not experienced oppression and discrimination first or even second hand.