Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f0VEJm925901; Wed, 31 Jan 2001 09:19:48 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 09:19:48 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <sa77d7fe.072@langate.gsu.edu> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1177] race X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 5.5.3.1 Status: O Content-Length: 2237 Lines: 40 Andrea, You raise interesting points. I definitely associate more with my ethnicity than I do with my skin color. However, I also know that people first see my skin color before they know my ethnicity. By seeing my color, they make immediate unconscious and conscious decisions and judgements about me. Therefore, I think that frank discussions on race, at least in our society, is critical and essential. Perhaps one day we can move beyond race, but before we do so, I think that we first have to label it and fully discuss what race means in our culture. Daphne Daphne Greenberg Center for the Study of Adult Literacy Georgia State University University Plaza Atlanta, GA 30303-3083 Fax: 404-651-1415 Ph: 404-651-0400 E-mail: alcdgg@langate.gsu.edu >>> AWilder106@aol.com 01/30 12:21 PM >>> Daphne, I think we need to move our thinking forward. Race" is based on observed physical differences of groups of people to which we then ascribe social, cultural differences. Inborn differences are then mixed up with observed differences. In our country the salient division is between black and white. A book came out last year, something like "How the irish Became White." The word "ghetto" makes a Black/Jewish connection. Probably someone could write a book "How the Jews became White, "also. So some people in the categories can change "color." The problem is that there is considerable history attached to these "racial" designations, that is, people act on the bases of observed differences in others, so they are sociologically valid even if not genetically valid. Does it matter to me that French Canadians in northern New England were once seen as stupid? Maybe lazy? No, this is not a meaningful difference, though I believe it once was in the area. If you use the terms Black/White in this country you dredge up the historical associations to these designations. There is no clarity in this discussion. I doubt that ANYONE can make a sensible map to navigate these differences. I'd be interested in hearing what people do. If you go to ethnicity you try to find another set of categories that have meaning, to which people attach identity, but are not so historically loaded. Andrea
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