Talking Points #10

Author:
Allan G Johnson

Name of Text:
Privilege, Power, and Difference : What Can We Do? Becoming Part of the Solution

Author's Argument:
Johnson argues that in order to fight oppressions, one must learn to "Acknowledge That the Trouble Exists", "Pay Attention", "Do Something"...
Quote #1:
"Large numbers of people have sat on the sidelines and seen themsselves as neither part of the problem nor the soultion. Beyond this shared trait however, ...people who know inequitues exist and want to be part of the
solution. Their silence and invisibility allow the trouble to continue. Removing what silences them and stands in their way can tap enormous potential of energy for change."
See! Some people might not want to come out because they don't feel like they need to whereas others are afraid for their lives therefore remain "in the closet". I totally know what Johnson is trying to say though. If at least one person can say it then it gives others assurance and they begin to come out one by one. Homosexuality is like let's say another race. We have Black, White, Asian, Latino, European [did i cover everything?] and... then there are Homosexuals. Being a Homo is ok. Some Heterosexual may think it is disgusting to fall in love with someone of the same sex, but have those people ever thought about it in the position of a homo? Homosexuals might think it is disgusting to like be in love with someone of the opposite sex, but they sure dont make a big deal out of it. Being gay is also like being left handed. A majority of the world are right handed so the handful that are left handed gets mistreated too for being "different" or "out of the ordinary"? Ridiculous i tell you RIDICULOUS! I think it is only America though. In most of the Asian countries and other countries i hear about gayness is ok.
Quote #2:
"The greatest barrier to change is that the dominat groups don't see the trouble as thier trouble, which means they don't feel obliged to do something about it."
I don't think this is true at all. I know plenty of straight people fighting for gay rights not only because they know gay people but also because everyone desrves equal rights regardless of age, ethnicity, sexuality and all of its relevance! Some of the straight people fight harder than those that are gay. it is almost like blacks or hispanics even asians trying to fight for equal rights. Im going to picc one and make up an example... let's say blaccs. OK. Blaccs are fighting to try to get equal education and treatment as would anyone else that isnt blacc. We have the blaccs that are quite serious about the fight and we have those that are in the fight because they feel obligated to or was forced into it. Then we have people of other races lets say for instance white... I know this one professor her husband is blacc and when i had to do like an orientation about racism after i was admitted into the school... i remember her lecture about how she was white and her husband is blacc and she always saw the mistreatment her husband recieved from the public and she would fight for equality more than some blacc people i know. Some people dont even like care. Like the n***** word... that is a rascist term and i seem to fight people about using that word more than i see blacc people do. Some blacc people are so ignorant when it comes to matters like fighting for equal rights and not just blacc every race. Like oh i could use the word n***** cuz im blacc... not true thats like promoting rascism...
Quote #3:
"If you don't make a point of studying history,...you find racial oppression has been a feature of human life for only a matter of centuries..."
I remember in history class how we focused on Athenians. There was one class lecture that i remember a little. She was telling the class how gayness was ok. And how even married men would go would get tired of women and look for pleasure from other men. And for some reason i somehow think one if not more of our presidents are gay...
Questions/Comments:
I don't understand why people can't accept it... "minorities": gay, blacc, asian, hispanic... why is it so difficult to be open minded about it all? Although i don't see racism, predjudice and wat not i know its all around me... butt i still feel ignorant about it because i am not confronted wit any of it so how do i kno how to act or respond when it does come slap on the face? I am not saying i want to get hated on because of mah ethnicity, sexual preferences or whatever im jus saying i don't even know anyone that has ever been a victim of hatred due to the person's baccground or preferences personally. Like I kno gay people, transgender or transexuals butt it was so open and accepted that when i come out to the real world i dont understand why it cant be accepted... Like look around... most of the people on the streets begging for m oney for survival... guaranteed they arent gay! so if gay people arent bringing down the reputation of the country then why not give em a chance huh? i jus dont get it