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From: mjm@ahimsa.intel.COM (Marjorie Panditji)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: another comment on racism/sexism in all of us
Message-ID: <m0jWFmh-0000TtC@intelhf.hf.intel.com>
Date: 26 Apr 91 14:42:45 GMT
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Here is my slightly altered opinion on the Forbes quote:

> "I begin my course with the basic principle that in a racist,
> classist and sexist society we have all swallowed oppressive ways of
                              ^^^^^^^^^^^  (the key part, in my opinion)

> being, whether intentionally or not.  Specifically, this means that it
> is not open to debate whether a white student is racist or a male
                                  ^^^^^                        ^^^^
                                  (the part that is objectionable to some)
> student is sexist.  He/she simply is."  -- From the April issue of
> "Forbes"

I have had an e-mail discussion about this quote and I'd like to add
some comments now that I have looked at the quote in a different way.
This person felt that the quote had only the purpose of instilling
guilt in white males.   I, personally, did not take it that way when
I first read it, but then, I am a European American (white) female,
not a white male.

The main point I took from the quote is that we should change our
perspective from the point of view that only "other" people (bad
people, not us) have racist/sexist attitudes.  I think a healthier
and more constructive view is that all of us have some level of these
attitudes simply as a result of being raised in this society.  Some of
these attitudes we don't even see--it takes others to observe them and
point them out to us, to help us change.  Until one recognizes a
problem, one cannot work to solve the problem.  In my opinion, this
will cause less blaming and more focusing on the problem.  If I accept
that I have some sexist/racist attitudes, won't I be less likely to
adopt a "holier than thou" stance when trying to combat racist and
sexist attitudes?

However, the second sentence of the quote, taken out of context,
appears to blame only men and whites, not all of us as jointly
responsible to varying degrees.  I can understand how it can cause
defensiveness and appear to be placing blame on all white men,
regardless of their individual differences.  That is certainly not my
opinion and I apologize to anyone who interpreted my earlier posting
in that way.

--
Marjorie Panditji
mjm@ahimsa.intel.com  -or-  uunet!intelhf!ahimsa!mjm