Womens Studies
Journal #1: Is This a White Country, or What?
Rubin brings up some fascinating points on her argument on essentially whether this is still a white country, and how white animosity toward immigrants has not only grown but also flourished. The most notable point to myself was when Rubin stated, “until the new immigration shifted the complexion of the land so perceptibly, whites didn’t think of themselves as white in the same way that Chinese know they’re Chinese and African-Americans know they’re black.” (Rubin, 1994, pg. 94) I found this particularly interesting, the implication that whites were never forced to think of the selves as a race until immigration forced them to think about it that way is fascinating. I myself rarely think about as of the white race, although I typically don’t associate with my white side. However, the fact of the matter is that I look white, and yet I never think about being white and the privileges it affords me unless it is thrown in my face the way the author is suggesting that it is done now with the way immigration is shifting the complexion of the land. What I find most interesting about this though is that, for hundreds of years in America white has been the norm. That is what most white people tend to not realize. It is not until something comes along and threatens the white way of life and the white norms that were established over hundreds of years that white people begin to see themselves as a white race. It is not until white peoples position in society is threaten with some form of oppression that social norms that were once overlooked by white people become a reason for white people to cry foul and demand that immigrants be throw out.
Journal #2: Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference
One of the few things I knew about Audre Lorde before reading this article was her famous quote “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” (Lorde, 1980, pg. 366) I was very pleased to actually read
Rubin brings up some fascinating points on her argument on essentially whether this is still a white country, and how white animosity toward immigrants has not only grown but also flourished. The most notable point to myself was when Rubin stated, “until the new immigration shifted the complexion of the land so perceptibly, whites didn’t think of themselves as white in the same way that Chinese know they’re Chinese and African-Americans know they’re black.” (Rubin, 1994, pg. 94) I found this particularly interesting, the implication that whites were never forced to think of the selves as a race until immigration forced them to think about it that way is fascinating. I myself rarely think about as of the white race, although I typically don’t associate with my white side. However, the fact of the matter is that I look white, and yet I never think about being white and the privileges it affords me unless it is thrown in my face the way the author is suggesting that it is done now with the way immigration is shifting the complexion of the land. What I find most interesting about this though is that, for hundreds of years in America white has been the norm. That is what most white people tend to not realize. It is not until something comes along and threatens the white way of life and the white norms that were established over hundreds of years that white people begin to see themselves as a white race. It is not until white peoples position in society is threaten with some form of oppression that social norms that were once overlooked by white people become a reason for white people to cry foul and demand that immigrants be throw out.
Journal #2: Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference
One of the few things I knew about Audre Lorde before reading this article was her famous quote “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” (Lorde, 1980, pg. 366) I was very pleased to actually read