Prior to this class, I have never really thought too much about how racism, prejudice, and privilege have affected me as a white male. Although I have never thought about it, I would have to say that white privilege has probably affected me the most. I can see now that there are things I take for granted that many young black men might never have experienced. As I think back about it, I have never had a problem getting jobs, most times I could walk in, fill out an application, talk to the manager for awhile, and sure enough I would usually get the job. I think not having to be the victim of racism and prejudice is another privilege white people do not think about. In America, every other race is discriminated against in many ways, but white people don’t have to deal with it as much. While I was in the U.S. Navy, I served with a very diverse crowd of sailors, and although for the most part, racism was not a problem, it was something that was at times noticeable. People would “hook up” or give privileges to people of their own race that weren’t available to the rest of the crew.
I think one of the most race affected communities in the U.S. seems to be America’s prisons. Most inmates seem to rightly see prison as a dangerous place where if you don’t have friends, you are open pray to be victimized. Getting friends in prison usually means joining a gang and gangs are mostly race specific. In prison you can tell who your enemies are by their skin color. Documentary after documentary on television describe prison gangs and their wars with rival racially formed gangs.
Ending discrimination and inequality would be as hard as it is a worthy cause. It would probably take completely erasing the past and man’s fear of anything different. People will always be afraid of the things that are not like them and race in an easy thing to blame. After taking this class I hope I have learned enough to understand race a little better for the future.
