Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id e94IA2902923; Wed, 4 Oct 2000 14:10:02 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2000 14:10:02 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <LAW2-F293s5rQdHvl5D0000b211@hotmail.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Eileen Eckert" <eileeneckert@hotmail.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:124] Re: Defining Our Own Racism--Individual X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 4101 Lines: 88 The word "racism" carries such connotations of overt, physical violence that it is difficult for some of us to acknowledge our stereotypes and biases regarding people of color when we use the term "racist." I appreciate Ron's emphasis on racism as prejudice backed by power. To me that means power to materially or spiritually affect the target of racism in a long-term way, not just the power to refuse service in a restaurant. My goal on a personal level is to meet each person as an individual and not have the prejudices that have become ingrained affect my contact with others. In this goal, it doesn't matter too much whether I name my prejudices racism, sexism, homophobia. . . here I come to a halt—is there even a name for the labeling and prejudice against people with disabilities? In my work with Adult Basic Education, I form initial impressions of people's intelligence based on their appearance and manner of speaking. Having worked mostly in urban areas with African Americans, Southeast Asians, Anglos, and Latinos, I have enough experience that manner of speaking is not as much of an issue with people of different cultures as it is when I meet someone with Cerebral Palsy or some other disability that affects appearance and speech but about which I know little. I know this, so I can be deliberate about looking for more information before acting on my initial assumptions. But what good is my navel-gazing if that's all I do, if I do nothing to contribute to the transformation of institutionalized oppression? There is institutionalized racism, and it's not going to go away because the people who perpetuate it all have a miraculous realization that racism is bad. Institutional racism will not be overturned by white people, so white people who do not want to benefit from the oppression of people of color have to align ourselves with people of color and follow their lead. In the same way, men will not undo institutionalized sexism, so men who want equality between the sexes need to follow the lead of feminist women. My individual reflection and personal work in overcoming my biases comes back into it when I choose among the many different voices that claim to speak for the oppressed group, whether it is women, African-Americans, Latinos, or anyone else. My work to overcome my own biases is also crucial in working with others because I can't be very helpful if I can recognize everyone's biases but my own. We need individual and collective work to overcome racism and other forms of oppression. Eileen >From: "Kate Gladstone & Andrew S. Haber" <kate@global2000.net> >Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@nifl.gov >To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> >Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:121] Re: Defining Our Own Racism--Individual >Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2000 11:24:36 -0400 (EDT) > >THANKS to Catherine King for her comments! > >She writes, in part: > > > >(Many of my black students say > > they have no hope of it ever changing.) > >Not *ever*? I agree that our entire nation probably won't entirely cure >itself of all racist/biased attitudes within our lifetimes ... but do your >black students truly *seriously* believe that, say, the Universe will end >before this happens? > > >Yours for better letters, >Kate Gladstone - Handwriting Repair >kate@global2000.net, kate@WriteMe.com >http://www.global2000.net/handwritingrepair >325 South Manning Boulevard >Albany, NY 12208-1731 >518/482-6763 *or* (for toll-free dialing in the USA/Canada) >ENTER ACCESS CODE 04 at my new 800 number, 800/394-9482 (800/EX-HW-ITAlic), >access code 04 > (remember: > EX for EXcellent, HW for HandWriting, ITA for ITAlic ... then, access >code 04) >AND REMEMBER ... you can order books through my site! (Amazon.com link - I >get a 5% - 15% commission on each book sold) > > > > > _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com.
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