Katie Watkins Karen Thompson Eng. 343 Surv. Amer. Lit.

. Critical Response Essay 5 December 2011 Racism Once again, I found myself leaving class more baffled then when I walked in. After reading an assigned piece about slavery, I felt as though I had developed a complete understanding of my own opinions and morals toward racism. However as the class discussed the assigned reading, the conversation quickly turned to the idea of racism and how Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn should be taught in the classroom, or if it should be taught at all. I soon realized upon leaving class that perhaps I didnt have a clear understanding of my own stance upon racism. Having been raised in a conservative and rural area, I did not experience racial diversity in my upbringing. In fact, the only black person to attend my high school in the past 5 years is my best friend. I have never looked at him as being black, but I always looked at him as just Danny. I thought that since I had a black friend, then I was surely not a racist individual. As the issue of the n-word came up in class, I found myself admitting that I throw that word around rather carelessly and quite often. After witnessing the outrage that it brought amongst my peers, I found myself wondering if I was in fact racist person. I then started wondering what it even means to be racist, and whether or not I fit into that definition. I think that a persons upbringing and background has a huge influence on that individuals perspective of another race (not just African Americans, but all races). I will admit

that I am the offspring of two rather racially intolerable parents. Recently at my older brothers college graduation, my parents admitted that they found it hard to applaud the Iraqi student as she received her college diploma. Even though that was an inappropriate thing of my parents to say (for it was not that particular girl who wreaked havoc upon the United States), I found that I agreed with them to some extent. I find it hard to congratulate a Muslim students achievements in an American college. Does this mean that I am in fact a racially intolerable person? It is movies like The Help, Remember the Titans, and To Kill a Mockingbird and many others that sometimes muddle my view of the notion of racism. I see films like those and think to myself, well since Im not accusing a black man of rape, refusing to play football with a black guy, or making the maid use an outside bathroom, then I am surely not a racist person. However, I feel like racism is not prevalent in todays society in the way of making people of a certain color use a certain bathroom or play football at a certain school (at least not that I know of), but rather racism is an issue in society with people like myself. It is people that have not been raised in a diverse culture that feel it is necessary to always smile at people of a different race to make it appear as though they are not racist. On many occasions I have found myself smiling at the Iraqi behind at the coffee shop or avoiding eye contact with the black person on the campus sidewalk, all to make the appearance that I am not a racist person. I always wonder why something as simple as a difference in skin pigment can make such a commotion in society. Yet, I am guilty of seeing that slight skin tone difference as an excuse to walk on the other side of the side walk in downtown San Diego, or to clutch my purse a little tighter in North Carolina. I feel that it is one thing for a person to say that they are not a racist person, but it is a complete other thing to actually act that way.

I would love to admit that I am not a racist person, but that is simply not the case. At the airport, I feel my anxiety rise as a Muslim walks through security, even though I know without a shadow of a doubt that person is not going to blow up my plane. I think that it is a very bold statement for someone to claim that they are in no way, shape or form racist. I havent yet decided if it is it plausible for someone to state, I am not racist. I think that in some way every person has slight insecurities toward other races. However, that doesnt just apply to white people in regard to Mexicans, Blacks, Muslims, etc. That statement applies to all races. I dont think it is reasonable to live in a world free of racism, because there will always be inexperienced people like myself in the world (and yes, I do consider myself to be inexperienced in the world). I dont know if there is a solution to racism, but I think there is an alternative to live in a cordial world: treat every person with respect and integrity.