Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Evening in the East--Reflections

I continue to reflect on The Warmth of Other Suns which I recently blogged about, even I read news reports of hysterical opposition to so-called Critical Race Theory.

The trials people of color endured and still endure deserve to be talked about. I believe that there is not a White person alive who has not, in various ways, benefited from the oppression suffered by people of color.


My idyllic childhood was surely enabled by the presence of various Black women who did tasks around our house I might otherwise have been called on to do. My schooling avoided the mention of unpleasant truths--it was all those happy Indians welcoming Columbus and sharing a Thanksgiving feast with the Pilgrims--who would soon massacre almost a whole tribe.

 And White privilege was always with me--applying to college or for a job or a credit card or a loan. (Of course, my husband had to cosign for my first credit card back in '64, but that's another rant.)


There is so much in American history that was white-washed or soft-pedaled. No, I don't advocate talking to first graders about genocide--but maybe we could lose the fairy tales about the happy Indians and the kind-hearted plantation owners. Just like Santa and the Easter Bunny--sooner or later the truth needs to be clear.

And if it makes folks uncomfortable--maybe it should.




 

5 comments:

Barbara Rogers said...

White privilege is a concept which was coined in the last few years...and I have had to shrug it onto my shoulders now almost at 80 years old. Of course it's been there all along. Kids could well learn a true story rather than the fairy tales...and there should be different Thanksgiving histories taught. It will take a few generations I think.

KarenB said...

I'd like to leave the word "plantation" behind and call them what they were - forced labor camps.

Karen Olson said...

I edited this book at Yale Press that is groundbreaking: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/they-were-her-property-stephanie-e-jones-rogers/1129229955?ean=9780300251838

Anvilcloud said...

I appreciate your progressive views. I have lived all of my life in a very white society, so I can't tell if I have been directly advantaged by being white since all of us were and are.

Elizabeth Varadan, Author said...

Good post. This business about CRT making white kids feel uncomfortable in schools. Someone raised the point on Twitter that U.S. history the way it has been taught has made and continues to make black and Native American students pretty uncomfortable . . .