Posted on 05/12/2015 11:04:21 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Apparently, just being in certain rooms is a microaggression.
According to a new report released by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, just “walking into or sitting in” a classroom full of white people is a microaggression in itself.
“Students of color reported feeling uncomfortable and unwelcomed just walking into or sitting in the classroom, especially if they were the only person of color, or one of a few,” stated the report, which designated the experience a microaggression.
“People do not necessarily say I do not belong, but I feel as if I do not when I am in a classroom and I am the one non-White person,” said one student, identified as a Latina female, who is quoted in the report.
The report, titled “Racial Microaggressions,” was based on an online survey of more than 4,800 students of color during the 2011–12 academic year, and it found more than 800 examples of such microaggressions on campus. Now, that may seem like a lot — but it’s important to recognize that this high number could signify the prevalence of a tendency to assume that almost anything is racist rather than the prevalence of racism itself.
Don’t get me wrong — some of the examples are totally unacceptable and definitely racist. One Asian student reported having “been told to go back to running a Laundromat,” and a multiracial student reported that she once “overheard other White students discussing admissions and laughing about how the only reason stupid Mexicans could get into this school was due to affirmative action.”
Those things are definitely racist and offensive. There’s no doubt about that.
But a lot of the report’s “most commonly described” racial microaggressions could also be interpreted as having nothing to do with racism at all. “Being the only student of color in the classroom” was on that list, as was “being discouraged during meetings with one’s academic advisor” (one student determined that her adviser had questioned her choice of major only because “she realized I was African American,” and therefore, “in her mind, I wasn’t able to successfully complete the major”); “being dismissed or ignored by the instructor before or after class” (an African-American male stated, “when I raise my hand, I am often not called upon”); “receiving hostile reactions to participation in the classroom discussion” (one student said she has “witnessed and felt that when a minority student tries to correct [a] comment . . . they are then viewed as angry or defensive when in reality they are simply trying to inform others of what is true”); and “being excluded from participating in a group project” (one student says he keeps quiet in these situations because “I feel as though what I have to say often doesn’t matter to the rest of the group members.”)
But don’t advisers question students’ major choices all the time? Isn’t that actually their entire job? Hasn’t every participation-eager student had a professor that he feels doesn’t call on him enough? Isn’t it possible that people who act annoyed or upset about being publicly corrected are just upset about being publicly corrected in general rather than because they were corrected by a minority student specifically? Doesn’t the group-project example sound more like the kind of general shyness/self-doubt/social anxiety that anyone can experience rather than a sign of institutional racism?
Despite the fact that so many of these “microaggressions” are designated as such based on questionable assumptions, the study still recommends that the school take drastic measures to stop them: requiring that all students complete a “General Education requirement about race, White privilege, and inequality in the United States” as well as “both a non-Western culture and a US people of color cultural course”; fundamentally altering the curriculum to ensure that a third of all college 101 classes “include diversity and inclusion”; providing workshops, trainings, campaigns, and brochures “to help students identify when racial microaggressions are occurring”; creating a “slogan or language” — such as the phrase “Racism Alert” — to use when they identify one; and developing a “mechanism for students to report perceived racial microaggressions.”
Call me cynical, but I have a lot of doubts about these suggestions. First of all, I could see college students mocking a phrase like “Racism Alert!” rather than taking it seriously, which could just create further discomfort for everyone involved. Furthermore, what material specifically is the report suggesting that the school eliminate in order to make room for this kind of widespread anti-microaggression curriculum?
Some of these policies could even create tangible disadvantages for minority students. For example, picking the right major is a crucial decision, and experienced advisers definitely have the ability to help students pick one that’s going to benefit them most — but putting advisers at risk of being branded racists forever in a campus-reporting system for offering this kind of advice to students of color might discourage them from doing so.
No doubt, racism and sexism exist. But it’s important to carefully examine problems before jumping to do something to try and solve them just so you can say that you’re trying — especially when some of the ideas run the risk of making things worse.
I would apply for citizenship. Or sneak across the border. :)
If liberals had their way with all this “microagression”, “safe space”, white males are inherently evil incarnate, etc. stuff, it would be impossible to simply live a normal life, have a normal conversation, etc. Basically, the liberals want to criminalize certain classes of people based on the color of their skin, their sex, their religion or their political views. This is simply 100% opposite from the ideals upon which our nation was founded, i.e., freedom of religion, speech, press, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, etc. How did our country reach this state? Modern Americans who buy into this crap should be ashamed of themselves.
A Room Full of White People Is a Microaggression.
Microaggressions are the everyday verbal, nonverbal, and environmental slights, snubs, or insults, whether intentional or unintentional, which communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative messages to target persons based solely upon their marginalized group membership.
Works for me... change the reason for that perception and the problem goes away.
Two middle-aged technician buddies where I worked decided to go to each other’s bars. One was Caucasian the other black. They went to the white guy’s bar, where the black was the only black. They played darts, pool, watched TV and then went their ways. But when the Caucasian went to the black only bar they ended up backing out through the door with the black guy staying between the patrons and his white buddy. A black in a room full of Caucasians isn’t experiencing micro aggression. He’s experiencing safety.
Are you deliberately using “ex-patriot” in place of “expatriate” to make a point? If so, it’s pretty clever!
It must be hard, going through life feeling threatened by being in the presence of other races.
Imagine, being intimidated entering into a classroom of other races. That’s quite a sad thing.
I know I would not want to be in a condition where a classroom of students of other races intimidated and threatened me to the point where other races’ presence feels like aggression towards me. That’s just horrible. How does it happen?
Laws have been put in place to forcefully elevate this race and allowances are given in all of society, culture and politics to accommodate the past lack of progress and capability, yet, they are still blaming the exact same people who have sacrificed so much, so that they will be able to achieve a footing and foundation in the world. They’ve been nurtured and mentored and financially supported...all for their happiness and in of course in the name of human decency.
Perhaps we have coddled them and produced dependents rather than participants? Could it be they need to stand on their own to be participants? Say it ain’t so!
OK. This is great. My son invited his Afro-american friend to spend the weekend at his college, which happens to be 99.9% white. After the visit, I asked my son if “Michael” felt uncomfortable about that. My son said, “No Dad, that’s what he liked about it !” It’s called a MICROSENSATION.
Aggression is when someone does something TO you. What these whiners are experiencing is insecurity. Tough; grow up and deal with it.
Psyops. Public indoctrinators peddling paranoia.
Tinker toys for totalitarians/oligarchs/socialists/scumbags/racists.
10. “Divide and govern”
11. As soon as sufficient progress in the intended change shall have been made, and the public mind duly prepared according to the rules already laid down, it will be proper to venture on another and a bolder step toward a removal of the constitutional landmarks.
http://www.constitution.org/cmt/freneau/republic2monarchy.htm
DEPOPULATE totalitarians, oligarchs, socialists, scumbags, criminals, racists from the body politic.
Legal Plunder Has Many Names
Now, legal plunder can be committed in an infinite number of ways. Thus we have an infinite number of plans for organizing it: tariffs, protection, benefits, subsidies, encouragements, progressive taxation, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, guaranteed jobs, guaranteed profits, minimum wages, a right to relief, a right to the tools of labor, free credit, and so on, and so on. All these plans as a whole — with their common aim of legal plunder — constitute socialism.
Socialism Is Legal Plunder
http://bastiat.org/en/the_law.html#SECTION_G021
Money quote.
Well!Now after all these years I’ve found out that I’ve been microagressed while attending a predominantly black school system throughout my youth.
I believe the term you were looking for is expatriate.
“But since I like men, usually I had no problem.”
That’s probably why men accepted you. Men are impressed by competence, whether from males or females...so you must have been competent. Excellence and high merit are instinctively recognized by males and wise males learn to appreciate it no matter what “package” it comes in. I don’t doubt you ran into some “a-holes” but note I said “wise males” would have appreciated your talents and education! You kept that chip off your shoulder....no one likes a chip on the shoulder, be it males or females encountering males or females who have them. There are universal non gender based aversions to “chips on the shoulder”!
Similar thing happened to me in Alabama . . . I got on the wrong bus by mistake. I didn’t blame the black people on the bus for being in the majority. SHEESH! I felt stupid personally for getting the wrong bus. I think I rode it to the end of the line and back again. No harm no foul.
We always say: don’t send your kids to college (well, at least I do!) The way this is going, the colleges themselves are going to implode.
That’s the big difference.
A black can walk into a room full of white people dressed in their Sunday best and not have to worry about walking out.
White racist aren’t in the mainstream and aren’t taken serious by anyone that is.
A white walks into a room full of blacks dressed in their Sunday best and they wonder if they will walk out.
Black racist are the mainstream and are the so called black leaders. Most wouldn’t be seen unless they are dressed in their Sunday best.
B.S. on the Laundromat! It’s rare these days to see Chinese screaming “No tickee, no shirty!”
You really can't win for losing. Suppose whites, professors, the institutions were especially mindful and caring about not letting this plurality micro-aggression occur? They would enforce quota rules on class demographics then? What would blacks say about that? Racism because they are now forced to populate a particular class solely based on their color?
What about the horrors of not being able to pick a major or a career path or area of study most beneficial to a black? Would exaggerated efforts to make sure blacks are offered intensive assistance in this decision process be seen as they are thought to be too stupid to plan out their own lives?
My point is that one cannot control and assuage feelings one person or group may or may not have based on perception or 'studies' alone. To materially minimize the possibility one person or group may experience nearly always diminishes the rights of someone else not in that group.
In the end, equal treatment without preference based on some characteristic not universal is the only standard that could be fairly applied.
Yet we end up with harrumphs, claims of racism, micro-aggression and other memes in response to futile attempts to placate a constituency long accustomed to being pandered to and satisfied. It will never cease.
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