'Whiteness studies' classes spark critique

THE WASHINGTON POST ^ | Darryl Fears

[dewee]

AMHERST, Mass. — Naomi Cairns was among the leaders in the privilege walk, and she wasn’t happy about it. The exercise, which recently involved Cairns and her classmates in a course at the University of Massachusetts, had two simple rules: When the moderator read a statement that applied to you, you stepped forward; if it didn’t, you stepped back. After the moderator asked if you were certain you could get a bank loan whenever you wanted, Cairns thought, “Oh my God, here we go again,” and took yet another step forward. “YOU LOOKED BEHIND YOU and became really uncomfortable,” said Cairns, a 24-year-old junior who stood at the front of the classroom with other white students. Asian and black students she admired were near the back. “We all started together,” she said, “and now were so separated.” The privilege walk was part of a course in whiteness studies, a controversial and relatively new academic field that seeks to change how white people think about race. The field is based on a left-leaning interpretation of history by scholars who say the concept of race was created by a rich white European and American elite, and has been used to deny property, power and status to nonwhite groups for two centuries. Advocates of whiteness studies — most of whom are white liberals who hope to dismantle notions of race — believe that white Americans are so accustomed to being part of a privileged majority they do not see themselves as part of a race. “Historically, it has been common to see whites as a people who don’t have a race, to see racial identity as something others have,” said Howard Winant, a white professor of sociology at the University of California at Santa Barbara and a strong proponent of whiteness studies. “It’s a great advance to start looking at whiteness as a group.” Winant said whiteness studies advocates must be careful not to paint white heritage with a broad brush, or stray from the historical record. Generalizations, he said, will only demonize whiteness.

[DaBroasta]

Funny how it's always affluent white liberals who feel the need to outlaw 'whitey.' Of course in the hypocritcal mold, when you confront the white RAT libbie about the size of their donation to charities that actually do help minorities improve their lot in life, all you get is a bunch of platitude. It's as though they believe that once they manage to distort the facts enough and being 'white' is outlawed, they'll be left in control of the government coffers and therefore be in control of what remains--those people of color who appear unable to do anything without their help. That sounds hauntingly familiar. Now where have I heard that before?

[Hacksaw]

What a great way to brainwash people and get them to hate themselves.

[tet68]

You'd think their time would be better spent teaching
the students HOW to get a bank loan, how to over come difficulties etc.

Wh*teness? I ain't buying it.
Just another weapon in the class war.

[Hacksaw]

"He said later that confronting whiteness, day to day, is challenging. “I am racist. It’s not on the surface, but it’s in me. Day to day I hear racist comments, and people don’t even know what they’re saying.”

This guy (Dan Clason-Hook) had been successfully brainwashed into thinking he is a racist because he is white. I tried to find his email to give him a piece, but could not.

[gunnedah]

The very rich and powerful are the ones that push this idea under the table. There are no differences in rich blacks,yellows,browns or whites.Divide and conquer.We have allowed race to control and divide and the white people in America have been sold out so they can be controlled.
The middle to upper class always prosper at the cost to the poor and it will eventually come together somewhere.
We now import Mexican Slave Labor and are creating another class in America to which we will answer for in this century.
This agenda has been pushed by the powers for forty or more years while they get richer and more powerful.
Does anyone truly think the media and government has not been behind this agenda or in bed with those that push it?
As an average person what say does one have with these people? They control what you see,hear and what your kids are taughtThe great melting pot is starting to boil and the best way to divert attention is with a war.

[Mr. Bird]

After the moderator asked if you were certain you could get a bank loan whenever you wanted,

I think any kid, white or other, who responds in the affirmative to that question while in college needs to study harder. Anyone know of any banks who routinely loan money to college students?

I read the whole article, and now I'm starting my Saturday convinced that the world is being overtaken by imbeciles.

[Bon mots]

It shows the power of positive thinking. If you believe you can't do something, you won't. If you believe you can, you may just succeed.

All of them are college students. None of them will get a loan. But you can see the difference in their mental attitudes. Minority students need to change their attitudes. Who's been feeding them that victim crap?

[Mr. Bird]

Good point, hadn't thought of that. But when I was in college, I would not have stepped my white butt forward if that question were asked...It wouldn't have been pessimism, it would have been realism.

[krb]

you were certain you could get a bank loan whenever you wanted

Lady, I'm white and I have never assumed it was going to be a slam dunk every time I've gone to beg a bank for some dough!

I sweat it out every time.

[spodefly]

Posted many times previously:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/search?s=%27Whiteness+studies%27&ok=Search&q=quick&m=any&o=score&SX=3ef464b7001b4272cac946b599449d046b41be67

[Pontiac]

Advocates of whiteness studies — most of whom are white liberals who hope to dismantle notions of race

Winant said whiteness studies advocates must be careful not to paint white heritage with a broad brush, or stray from the historical record. Generalizations, he said, will only demonize whiteness.

Who are they trying to fool?

Race hatred is exactly what they are trying to foment. They want to instill guilt in they white students and envy and disgruntlement in the non-white students.

[marktwain]

Instead we spend time fostering the "Us vs Them" attitude

What "we"? It seems the whole point of this exercise is to foster a "Us vs Them" attitude.

Note that the questions focus on perceptions rather than reality.

A large gap between perceptions and reality is a mental problem. Our universities do much to make this gap as large as possible when it involves race.

[socal_parrot]

Another view of "whiteness" from Scrappleface.com...

'Whiteness' Students Learn Universe Is 96% Dark

(2003-06-20) -- University of Massachusetts students taking whiteness studies, courses were shocked to learn this week that astronomers now believe that 96 percent of the universe is composed of so-called "dark matter" and "dark energy".

UMass Professor Arlene Avakian led a classroom exercise which showed white students that less than one percent of the universe is composed of luminous objects, the rest of it is dark, "like the ethnic minorities who continue to suffer oppression in the United States."

African-American students in the class said they felt empowered by the knowledge that the vast majority of the universe is, as one sophomore put it, "Black like me."

Professor Avakian, who confessed she is white, assured her white students that they need not feel inferior because of their lack of blackness. However, she warned, "we will never have justice in this nation until every white person feels bad about her or his color and heritage."

[A_perfect_lady]

I encourage whites to get used to being accused of racism and develop a very thick skin about it. That word is used to bully us into submission on a regular basis; most people would almost rather be thought rapists than racists. If someone accuses me of being a racist, I shrug and say something along the lines of "maybe I am, I don't particularly care." Boy does that stop them cold. They really, really count on you panicking, and scrambling to defend yourself. If you refuse to defend your psyche and continue to defend your point instead, they are utterly stymied.

[Billy_bob_bob]

" Professor Avakian, who confessed she is white, assured her white students that they need not feel inferior because of their lack of blackness. However, she warned, "we will never have justice in this nation until every white person feels bad about her or his color and heritage."

I hope this bitch gets pancreatic cancer.

[LiteKeeper]

INTSUM

[liberalnot]

we got a forward look at white studies in application during the los angeles riots.

as reginald denny's truck was stopped and denny beaten senseless, a guy named football poured engine oil into the mouth of an unconscious mexican on the street. (blacks believe that mexicans are white.)