ProCaliber
Rookie
- Apr 27, 2017
- 6
- 0
- 1
Hello All,
I know your not supposed to mix family and politics but my sister and I have such crazy differences and she is one of the few people in my life that has such a difference from me. I also feel like she is gullible and I'm losing her to the Dark Side
I would appreciate any feedback you want to give me on the following conversation I had with her including being critical of my own statements. Thank You.
Here we go:
Sister: Post an underlined segment of a book that reads:
Claiming color-blindness allows an individual to have no responsibility or “accountability for anti-racist change” and frees the individual from having to consider different ways of experiencing the world (14). Consequently, the lack of recognition of “different” identities that have not historically fit into the broadly drawn American identity ideal has meant limited visions of who Americans are as a nation. Saying “Americans are all the same” becomes another way of perpetuating a narrative that privileges the white experience.
Her text reads: Begin reading at the underlined, “Claiming color-blindness…” Very interesting book called Black Faces, White Faces by Carolyn Finney. It talks about why African Americans are so underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism.
Me: I struggle with that opinion, because at the core there is not a difference between one human being and another, to say there is seems racist to me. I understand that’s not what their trying to say. They are trying to say that there are different cultures and different cultures require different approaches, I think?
Her: At the core, yes! BUT you cannot ignore history and how collective memory shapes people today. 180 years of the middle passage, 246 years of slavery, rape, and abuse; 100 years of illusory freedom. Black codes, convict leasing, Jim Crow, all codified by our national institutions. Lynching, medical experimentation, redlining, disenfranchisement, grossly unequal treatment in almost every aspect of our society, brutality at the hands of those charged with protecting and serving. Being undesirable strangers in a the only land known. During the 385 years since the first ancestors were brought against their will, African Americans have barely had time to catch their breath.
Me: Ok, so I’m 34 born in 1983, I don’t really understand how anyone my age is different than me regardless of their skin color, am I wrong?
Her: But who are your parents? Our Dad was born in the 50’s. If we were African American, we would be hearing very different stories from our parents. Think of what was going on in the 50, 60, 70, 80s, and on.
Me: No doubt, forgiveness is the key to healing the past, repeatedly reminding your children of the injustices of the past is not going to help them rise up to independent liberty.
Her: But you can’t ignore the stories. Your parents experience makes them who you are. I wouldn’t keep those stories from my children.
Me: I would tell the story of how our country has overcome it instead of perpetuating the victim mentality. Being a victim gets you nowhere, forgiveness sets you free. I think the other problem a lot of “white people” have with the victim mentality is it suggests that if your white you have not experienced any injustices in your life when in fact we all suffer individually, there is no telling how hard one person’s life is from another, regardless of skin color.
Her: You may want to ask yourself why you don’t want that story to be told. By brushing the reality under the rug, you are preventing the history of an entire people from being told. The story is ugly. It’s a story rooted in skin color. But that’s the story.
Me: I did not say don’t tell it, I said tell it and tell how we have overcome it and tell the power of forgiveness instead of perpetuating hate and anger toward the offspring of those who may or may not be related to the offenders.
No response for hours
Me: I gotta say, your point of view is gonna get really interesting after you have your first child.
No response for a day
Me: What is your endgame? What do you want?
No response
Me: Are you thinking about it?
Her: Thinking about what?
Me: What is your endgame? What do you want?
Her: We’ve talked about “color blindness before”, and I was sharing with you a book that I’m reading that talked about it.
Me: Ok but look at everything you said to me, you want something…from white people or society or I don’t know but what do you want?
Her: You’re just one of the few people I know who has a strong opposition. It’s helpful to hear your opinion.
Me: Ok, but again, what do you want in the end, what are your ideas for reconciliation? Or are we just screwed forever?
Her: Dude, you need to chill. It’s OK to have relationships with people with different opinions.
Me: Your opinions are empty ended, what’s the point?
Her: Climbing. Get back to you later.
Me: Have fun.
I know your not supposed to mix family and politics but my sister and I have such crazy differences and she is one of the few people in my life that has such a difference from me. I also feel like she is gullible and I'm losing her to the Dark Side
I would appreciate any feedback you want to give me on the following conversation I had with her including being critical of my own statements. Thank You.
Here we go:
Sister: Post an underlined segment of a book that reads:
Claiming color-blindness allows an individual to have no responsibility or “accountability for anti-racist change” and frees the individual from having to consider different ways of experiencing the world (14). Consequently, the lack of recognition of “different” identities that have not historically fit into the broadly drawn American identity ideal has meant limited visions of who Americans are as a nation. Saying “Americans are all the same” becomes another way of perpetuating a narrative that privileges the white experience.
Her text reads: Begin reading at the underlined, “Claiming color-blindness…” Very interesting book called Black Faces, White Faces by Carolyn Finney. It talks about why African Americans are so underrepresented when it comes to interest in nature, outdoor recreation, and environmentalism.
Me: I struggle with that opinion, because at the core there is not a difference between one human being and another, to say there is seems racist to me. I understand that’s not what their trying to say. They are trying to say that there are different cultures and different cultures require different approaches, I think?
Her: At the core, yes! BUT you cannot ignore history and how collective memory shapes people today. 180 years of the middle passage, 246 years of slavery, rape, and abuse; 100 years of illusory freedom. Black codes, convict leasing, Jim Crow, all codified by our national institutions. Lynching, medical experimentation, redlining, disenfranchisement, grossly unequal treatment in almost every aspect of our society, brutality at the hands of those charged with protecting and serving. Being undesirable strangers in a the only land known. During the 385 years since the first ancestors were brought against their will, African Americans have barely had time to catch their breath.
Me: Ok, so I’m 34 born in 1983, I don’t really understand how anyone my age is different than me regardless of their skin color, am I wrong?
Her: But who are your parents? Our Dad was born in the 50’s. If we were African American, we would be hearing very different stories from our parents. Think of what was going on in the 50, 60, 70, 80s, and on.
Me: No doubt, forgiveness is the key to healing the past, repeatedly reminding your children of the injustices of the past is not going to help them rise up to independent liberty.
Her: But you can’t ignore the stories. Your parents experience makes them who you are. I wouldn’t keep those stories from my children.
Me: I would tell the story of how our country has overcome it instead of perpetuating the victim mentality. Being a victim gets you nowhere, forgiveness sets you free. I think the other problem a lot of “white people” have with the victim mentality is it suggests that if your white you have not experienced any injustices in your life when in fact we all suffer individually, there is no telling how hard one person’s life is from another, regardless of skin color.
Her: You may want to ask yourself why you don’t want that story to be told. By brushing the reality under the rug, you are preventing the history of an entire people from being told. The story is ugly. It’s a story rooted in skin color. But that’s the story.
Me: I did not say don’t tell it, I said tell it and tell how we have overcome it and tell the power of forgiveness instead of perpetuating hate and anger toward the offspring of those who may or may not be related to the offenders.
No response for hours
Me: I gotta say, your point of view is gonna get really interesting after you have your first child.
No response for a day
Me: What is your endgame? What do you want?
No response
Me: Are you thinking about it?
Her: Thinking about what?
Me: What is your endgame? What do you want?
Her: We’ve talked about “color blindness before”, and I was sharing with you a book that I’m reading that talked about it.
Me: Ok but look at everything you said to me, you want something…from white people or society or I don’t know but what do you want?
Her: You’re just one of the few people I know who has a strong opposition. It’s helpful to hear your opinion.
Me: Ok, but again, what do you want in the end, what are your ideas for reconciliation? Or are we just screwed forever?
Her: Dude, you need to chill. It’s OK to have relationships with people with different opinions.
Me: Your opinions are empty ended, what’s the point?
Her: Climbing. Get back to you later.
Me: Have fun.
