Questions 1. How is the privilege of self determination integral in the formation of identity and, based on Ch.

2 awakenings, why is this privilege exclusive to whites? 2. How is the book "Meet Andrew Jackson" evidence of white privilege and double standards in American history and why do you think controversial figures likes A.J. have remained revered and respected? 3.How does one's first experience with racial discrimination shape one's views on the subject, and how do these experiences generally expose whit privilege?

Fionn Clinton English Professor Grayson October 23, 2012 Self determination is a trait and characteristic that is not only learned but taught and is essential to develop in a society and environment similar confidence and self respect in finding ones identity. Through self determination, one finds himself for he pursues what interest him whether it is an idea or a passion. I can speak through experience that I felt like most of my life I was searching for my identity and it was through taking a year off and pursuing what I loved, what interested me and what drove my passions that I found myself and my identity. In terms of Tim Wise Awakenings chapter, it is easier and more accessible for white citizen to find that drive of self determination to further their identity; in contrast, African Americans in Tims white society are unable to do so because there are so many barriers and obstacles in their way. Of course an African American could by all means be determined enough to find his identity but because of restrictions in society whether it is outright racism or the blindness of an white individual, it prevents them from pursuing and prohibits their determination. For example, Tim remarks on his theatre ambitions that had I been anything but white, it would have been unlikely that I would have gotten the parts I landed in any of the productions done at the school because these were roles written for white actors(Wise 40). Racism and segregation was still a prevalent factor in Tims life and so if a black student is put down and prohibited enough times even though he/she thrives on self determination, enough barriers and obstacles in front of these students would eventually deter them from pursuing their passions and finding their interests. That is why being a white person automatically gives one much more privilege and a better accessibility in life for more doors are open to search and discover ones identity. The evidence against Meet Andrew Jackson is surmountable for it really does etch a double standard in American society. We as a white nation act like race is in the past for reasons like having a black president and as Tim puts it telling people of color to get over it(meaning the past) whenever slavery or Indian genocide is brought up (31). However, it is apparent even in the simplest form of a childrens book that racism and manipulations/double standards of the past are still present. In Meet Andrew Jackson the authors downplay history and the president with quotes such as He felt it was right to own slaves. He called his slaves his Family (30). Another section of the book discussed how Jackson met Indians who did not want white people in their hunting grounds and often killed white travelers which is of course true but the authors seemed to forget to add that Jackson was responsible for invading and destroying their lands and livelihood and manifest a mass genocide such as the massacre of the Creek Indians (30). If Americans and white society want to move on and forget the ugliness of the past, they as well must take responsibility to not manipulate or pick and choose certain parts of history to glorify while forgetting others. The reason Andrew Jackson is still glorified and revered is because he was a president and simply because he is a part of history. He historically did more evil/bad than good however while I think that most people who know of his reign as president think he was worse off for the country it is still that sense that he was part of it, a part of making of a grand economically stable and powerful country today, a part of history and in part because he was white. As Tim puts it while white Americans tell African Americans to Just be

Americans, and drop the whole hyphen thing, were forgetting that its hard to just be an American when youve rarely been treated like a full and equal member of the family(29). There are many differences and factors depending on ones upbringing, outlook on life and education that can determine their outlook on equality when they encounter racial discrimination for the first time however in terms of Tim Wise case; his first encounter was not the most stunning or dramatic encounter but one of progression. For Tim as a member of TSU, he grew up and interacted with the black youth from a young age. However because he bonded with black kids early on he saw when he entered elementary school that we were so often separated in the classroom, by tracking that placed the white children in more advanced tracks by unequal discipline(34). Although Tim remarks that many white kids were too young to acknowledge what was going on he could see it happening in both the discrimination and the separating and it affected him profoundly because they were his friends and they were separating me from the people in whom Id had some investment(34). These experiences expose Tim white privilege for although he and his classmates were too young to have a reasonable reason to be separated on the basis of education it was apparent that it was race driven decision and because of the small but significant factor of skin color, Tim was exposed to both the racial discrimination but more importantly to the advantages that were handed to him for being white while his black students had barriers placed in front of them to succeed. While Tims mother would not push or force white entitlement and privilege on him, even avoiding all possible scenarios by putting him in a majorly African American school, white society still made it impossible for African Americans to succeed from the start and placed Tim in a head start position of advantage and privilege that would affect his future based on the minimal and minute circumstances of skin color.