I have been a lurker on this site, reading and thinking but not talking. I would like to suggest a book that might go along with this discussion.  It's called Extraordinary Evil by Barbara Coloroso.  I found it tied many of thread together into a big picture of the problem.
Evelyn

Evelyn Brown
Academic Development Specialist
Parkland College
2400 West Bradley
Champaign, IL 61821
217.351.2587 
ebrown at parkland.edu


>>> Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> 3/11/2008 10:19 PM >>>

Katherine--

We humans also toast people in ovens, nail them to crosses, dismember  
them, kill children-- this is what we are capable of.  I think we need  
to accept what we are capable of doing.

Andrea


On Mar 11, 2008, at 8:53 PM, Katherine wrote:


> When I read things like this, I feel more than guilt.  I feel shame as  

> a

> human being.  How can human beings do this?

>

> Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt

> www.luxuriouschoices.net 

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: "Muro, Andres" <amuro5 at epcc.edu>

> To: "The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List"

> <povertyracewomen at nifl.gov>

> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 1:29 PM

> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1877]

> Re:DiversityandPowerinEducationalInsititutions

>

>

>>

>> I agree that the basic idea of bringing slaves to America, was

>> surplus labor, as you argue (not yet defined as corporate greed).

>> However, the superstructural (surface) argument which has permeated  

>> all

>> aspects of religious, political, pedagogical life throughout the

>> American continent, and has led to 400 years of systematic oppression  

>> of

>> blacks and horrendous abuses against other minorities has been that of

>> racial superiority of Germanic blood. This is what has been put out  

>> for

>> public consumption of the masses.  If it had been just as simple as

>> surplus labor, it would have ended slavery quickly and would have

>> resulted in equal exploitation of all ethnic groups. However, the

>> argument about racial superiority has facilitated the abuses,

>> mistreatment and exploitation of blacks and other ethnic minorities

>> throughout America.

>>

>> Belief in ethnic superiority was used as the surface argument

>> for the extermination ot millions of native Americans throughout the

>> American continent and educational policies of de-nativization of  

>> ethnic

>> minorities and the superiority of western white male curriculum. The

>> policy of enslavement, de-nativization and extermination has lead to

>> oppressive living conditions of ethnic blacks in the US, lower  

>> academic

>> achievement, higher incarceration and lesser economic achievement.

>> However, because of promotion of non-white as inferior, many still

>> believe that the lack of success of ethnic minorities is not the  

>> result

>> of social context, but of personal choices. And, of course, inferior

>> people are more likely to make poor personal choices.

>>

>> An example of 20th century racist policy is the US immigration

>> act of 1924 which specifically argues for the superiority of the

>> Germanic race and has a grading system for other groups by percentage  

>> of

>> German blood. The act was praised by the Nazis and used for them to

>> design their own eugenic policy. Interestingly enough, Cyclone B which

>> was used by the Nazis to murder millions of Jews was first used by the

>> US, in El Paso, Texas to sterilize "dirty lousy" Mexicans who used to

>> come to work in the fields. Other ways to sterilizing the "dirty  

>> lousy"

>> Mexican workforce has included kerosene baths and DDT sprayings.

>>

>> So, while you are right that it is economic greed that leads to

>> the origin of oppressive policies, the policies prevail through the  

>> use

>> of racist argument of ethnic superiority. They continue to be used to

>> justify conquest and invasion for economic benefit throughout the  

>> world.

>>

>>

>> Regarding your question about guilt, nobody is asking to feel

>> guilty nor to blame all white people. However, people who don't face

>> systematic oppression ingrained into the educational system, the media

>> and 400 years of racist policy need to recognize their privilege and

>> work towards fighting injustice.

>>

>>

>>

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov 

>> [mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of cris hall

>> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 1:49 AM

>> To: The Poverty, Race,Women and Literacy Discussion List

>> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1869]

>> Re:DiversityandPowerinEducationalInsititutions

>>

>> I don't think anyone is arguing the historical facts

>> here.  I think the issue here is what cause that

>> "fact" to occur?  Your assertion that black people

>> were brought to America on the grounds that they

>> SHOULD be enslaved because they were inferior is

>> wrong.  Such reasoning would imply that the

>> institution of slavery was born from a motivation

>> other than corporate greed.  My concern is that we

>> carelessly attribute the causation of these "facts" to

>> an entire race of people instead of where the blame

>> belongs.  Slavery was a fact that happened because a

>> bunch of rich, corporate guys wanted to increase their

>> profits.  They, the elite ruling class, are culpable

>> for slavery, not white America.  The relevance of this

>> assertion for a teacher is that we are the ones who

>> can put this misconception to rest so this nation can

>> heal.  Cris

>> --- "Muro, Andres" <amuro5 at epcc.edu> wrote:

>>

>>> Actually, racial oppression is not a question of

>>> belief, like religion

>>> or faith. It is a historical fact. Black people were

>>> brought to America

>>> on the grounds that they should be enslaved because

>>> they were inferior.

>>> They didn't have rights, they didn't get to vote

>>> until the 60s and they

>>> are discriminated on a daily basis because of the

>>> color of their skin.

>>> There is a higher percentage of poor blacks, of

>>> blacks lagging in

>>> academic achievement and of blacks in prison. This

>>> is the result of 400

>>> years of systematic oppression. Again, this is not a

>>> matter of belief.

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>> -----Original Message-----

>>> From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov 

>>> [mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf

>>> Of Angela Smith

>>> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 10:42 AM

>>> To: The Poverty, Race, Women and Literacy

>>> DiscussionList

>>> Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 1855]

>>> Re:DiversityandPowerinEducationalInsititutions

>>>

>>> Chris,

>>> I look forward to Michael's response to your

>>> question. However, I would

>>> like to pose a couple for you in the interim if I

>>> may. Do you believe

>>> racial oppression exists, particularly, Black or

>>> African American

>>> oppression? Briefly, why or why not?

>>>

>>> Angela Smith

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>>

>>

>>

>>

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