Ben Garrett

6/8/16
Coach Clark humanities

Race and Privilege

Race and privilege is too serious of a subject to look over. Everyday it passes our heads
and is a crime without punishment. The only punishment is directed to the innocent victims that
take blame for stereotypes that were placed on them. Conversation with Mr. Clark Your brain is
like a rope. When you are born there's no knots. As you grow so does your rope, and through
experiences your rope can get knotted sometimes small and sometimes large. These knots will
affect your thinking and view and you have learn to unknot them. The reason why this issue is
still so big is because of the knots that society has tied in it self. It does not allow conversations
and thinking about race and privilege to be systematically correct which is a stereotype within
itself. Maybe that's why people don't think about it, mention it. It's hard to recognize the picture
of problems when you're in the frame.
For as long as men could remember racism, discrimination, and privilege have been a
factor in society. Racism and discrimination is easily identified but privilege can lead to the same
issues while being blind to many. Can you see or understand race, gender, or age privilege? Age
privilege is pretty understandable and normal everywhere around the world. As young adults we
learn to respect our elders and parents which is not a problem. As you grow older as a teenager it
can change a little. Around the age of 16 you are thought of and asked to be an adult and make
adult decisions but you're not treated like one. You are still viewed as a kid that can't make a
difference in society. How about gender? Can you recognize in your daily life the privileges
males have over females and females have over males? For a very long time Males have had

huge privileges over females. It wasn't until 1920 that women couldn't vote. Leading up to this
day it has calmed down alot but still affects today's society. Race is definitely the biggest issue.
Ever since slavery ended in 1865 thousands of events have happened surrounding race. For
example, World War One, Hitler started a war to eliminate other races. Black people had to go to
different schools, use different bathrooms, and different water fountains. They had to sit in the
back of the bus so white people can sit in the front. These things ended in 1965 due to the civil
rights movement. To this day racism still lures more than you would think with groups like the
kkk or just the media affecting the thought of everyone. In an Interview with a local college
student this was said, My whole life Ive been around racism. My mom is very racist. If I had a
friend thats black she would tell me to be careful because they would steal from me. If you see
a black guy walking down the street with his pants low, do you think he's a gang member or its
just a sense of style? When you see an Arabic, Muslim, or Islamic man at the airport does the
thought that they could be a terrorist pop up in your head? When you think of a nails salon do
you think of an asian women? What about farmers or landscapers, what do you think of?
Starbucks? These are what you call stereotypes, serious or not, these things have been knotted
into your mind because of what society has showed or taught you. Some seem silly but others
can lead to you getting kicked out of an airport, arrested because you are believed to have drugs
or a weapon on you, or because you are believed not to have your papers and you are not a
citizen. These things can be true, but to be singled out for something you were born into is
wrong. In an Interview with an elder at a nearby retirement home this was said, My whole life I
never lived around any other race other than White. The first time I saw a different race was at
the market, I was in middle school at the time. It was an asian man. I didn't think anything of it. I
grew up in a household and community that had no racism or discrimination. Because of the

time, place, and people they grew up around knots get tied and turn the person into who they are
now. That goes for all of us. The reason that there is discrimination and racism to this day is
because there are knots in society, and the communities all around us. When I engaged in
courageous conversations I found that you see so many different perspectives and that's the
point. I got to see and experience other peoples stories and learned to view race issues and other
topics in different ways.

Through this project I learned some very important viewpoints. First Im able to say I
have little to no bias towards any race or gender due to the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The
test measured how you associate with certain races due to your race. I did surprisingly well from
what I suspected. But I did get 100% unbiased, and I feel that the way society has to be. Being
that racism almost has to take place which is very sad to believe but its true. It can get to the
point where you might not consider it racism and label it stereotyping. Saying an Arab is a
Terrorist is stereotyping but at the same time racist because you're perceiving someone to be
something that they're not especially something as negative as a terrorist. Thats just how the
mind works. Our mind organizes things and puts them into categories based on what we have
seen and learned. Seeing and eating chocolate for the first time is just like watching a movie for
the first time that has a terrorist in it. In movies 95% of the time the terrorist is Middle Eastern.
Also 95% of the time people like the chocolate. Because of these experiences you brian will tie a
knot saying chocolate is delicious and terrorists are Middle Eastern. This is so significant
because if humans are taught at a young age to view and be open minded about everything, their
field of view would be wide open instead of being closed off with tunnel vision while believing
and following the stereotypes.

I also learned about privilege. I have a lot of privileges over other people, not because of
what Ive done but because of the societal stereotypes that surround me. I do have a lot of
privilege over other people and other races and I recognize and respect that. I am a white/ asian
male. The two most successful races are white and asian. Successful is defined as making
the most money. Another example is that I play alot of basketball with guys. But is that my
fault? No. There are definitely great female basketball players out there but I rarely play with
girls. Is that my fault? No. Also, whenever I try to get my friends that are girls to play do they?
Never! They always say no. Its either because they have never played before or they don't think
they should. Which in my opinion is stupid but I do respect that. How often do you see the
WNBA (Womens National Basketball Association) compared to the NBA. I never ever see
WNBA on ads, magazines, or tv. The NBA I see everywhere and every day. Because of that,
knots get tied in everyone's head, making it systematically more likely for guys to play
basketball. It is hardly unrecognizable but I am definitely privileged.
From what I learned I think everyone is blind to racism and privilege. How often do you
go through you day thinking I work here because I'm blank, or I'm eating this because I'm
blank? More than likely, race or privilege isn't what you're thinking, but it does play a part in
everything you do. Yes there are people who have untied knots and live unconsciously but knots
get tied time and time again. I think it's important just to recognize that. To know what you are
learning and where it's coming from. If what you are perceiving is actually correct or what you
want to believe
Having these conversation, listening to the stats and presentations about small but gaint
issues about race and privilege, lets us see a big picture other than being in it. When you key into
these things you really start to see the effect it has on people and the society around you. How

should we grow and start engaging in subjects like these? Being open minded, aware and a
listener is the best thing anyone can do to become more aware of this issue. Everything your eyes
have laid on and ears have picked up has affected you somehow. Depending on when, where, and
who has been around, you will shape your thoughts for good or for bad. You want to know what's
right and wrong, if its opinion or fact. Knowing if you are stereotyping or being racist, having
privilege or not. Your mind can get knotted. A Lot of the time you do not realize why or what
your thinking because of the knot that has been tied. The great thing is all knots can be untied.
Some have been tied for so long they might be frustrating and annoying to untie. Know that you
are born into what you are right now. The privileges, race, family, society, poverty, social class,
and knots that come with these. You do not have to follow the stereotypes and don't have to take
any blame for the stereotypes that are given to you . Know you have a chance to change those for
you and the next generation after you.

Parents Reflection
This is a very interesting discussion. I think awareness of such issues is truly a wonderful
personality characteristic that can help us all grow to become better people and more
compassionate. For example, someone can be judging you , all the while, you can realize that
their judgments are based upon their upbringing and environmental circumstances. Then you
will be less likely to take their judgment as a personal attack. Once you realize that we as
humans are all conditioned to think and act a certain way, even though it is wrong, it is much
easier to understand other peoples belief systems while also giving you the ability to untie your
own knots. It would be great if we could all drop our EGOS and live in spirit and with love for

all people!!!!! The knots are actually our teachers which help us to appreciate what it is like to
live without them.