In this episode of "What Would You Do", a black actress is shopping at a store owned and run by white people. The black woman is constantly asked to leave and is even frisked because the employee claims she is a risk, and that she “knows her type”. While discrimination is nothing new, the interesting part of this episode comes at the end of the show when they begin discussing how few people intervened. They bring up the fact that more people of color stepped in to help to actress than white people.
What does this mean in relation to the “white privilege” theory? Did white people feel no need to step in because, due to their white skin, they do not know how to relate to the black woman; or do they think that they are above the woman and her problems because they are white? Did more people of color step in because they are more caring; or because they have experienced the same situation; or do they feel the attack on one black woman is also an attack on them?
The real question is what would you do, and why? I think that it is so easy to assume that we would do the right thing and stand up, but when put to the test, how brave would you be? The take away lesson for me was that racism may not be a problem that I can single-handedly solve, but I can solve racism on personal levels.
"White privilege" means that White people can go to a store and never have to worry about others suspecting they have taken something or will do something illegal. White privilege is never having to be questioned for your actions for reasons that people of color often are. I have friends who are Black who had very similar experiences right in the BYU Bookstore!
ReplyDeletei think this shows that people will stand up for those who are like them that is why blacks and women were better at standing up for a black woman. but because the issue is race those who have faced that same kind of discrimination it would seem to me could not just sit by and watch it happen to somebody else. If i were in that situation i would like to think that i would have helped. but i think i am not very good at confrontation so i would have been more likely to help and comfort her when the ordeal was over. but how does that help? i need to get better at not being afraid of attention.
ReplyDelete-kim welch
You've asked some very deep rooted questions, Melanie. I too, hope that I would stand up for the woman, but I'm afraid that like Kim, I would be too afraid or only be willing to help when it was over. I guess the only real way to know what you would do would to be put into that situation. I wonder what would happen if "What would you do" came to BYU. I sincerely hope we students would be able to make the right choices but I'm still curious to see what would happen. Especially if it was somewhere off campus.
ReplyDelete-Jodie Jensen
It was really disturbing to see how many people just stood and listened. It doesn't surprise me that the majority that did speak up were of minority races. I think because they can sympathize better with the lady being discriminated they were more willing to step in. It also really bothered me when the lady said she wouldn't do anything because it had nothing to do with her. If everyone had that attitude there would be a lot of injustice and harshness within our society. I think if racism is going on in our community it IS our business to do something about it.
ReplyDeleteHannah Pardoe
I would have to agree with Hannah. Racism is our business when it is happening in our communities, even in a large city like New York. One thing that really surprised me about this segment was the other shopper that the black actress went to talk to and she didn't even say a word. Even when pushed to do something about it, nothing happened. I would hope that I would at least say something when approached if I didn't have the courage to approach the store clerk or security guard.
ReplyDeleteOne other thing that hit me was the lady that started crying and the sincerity I felt from the actress when she said thank you. It's so sad that this is real and even an actress was a little affected by it all.
Jacquelyn
I found this a fascinating video, and I also really enjoyed the discussion. As I was watching and thinking about it, it made me also think about other situations that could be similar. For example, I thought of the story from about a month ago of the homosexual man who was attacked in Salt Lake. What would I do if I saw someone harassing or bullying someone of a different sexual orientation, knowing what it could lead to? On a smaller scale, what do I do when someone makes a gay joke, or a racist comment? In some ways these smaller instances are more important, because they are more common than a scenario of blatant racism in a store. I think that it is important to consider how we react to discrimination on any level.
ReplyDeleteThis series of episodes is entitled, "What Would You Do"---and to be perfectly honest, I think a lot of people wouldn't know WHAT to do. I think most people would LIKE to think that they'd be an individual who would stand up in such an awkward and clearly discriminatory situation, even if it had nothing to do with them. But the reality is that a lot of people in this world are too afraid to do so for fear that they'd be verbally or even physically harassed as well. It's easy to say to you'd be that person to defend the victim at hand, but when you are actually IN that circumstance, sometimes fear and unsurety can get the best of you. We need to respect the fact that ALL people are human beings who have feelings and rights that they are entitled to. If that respect means stepping in and speaking up, even if it's in the most uncomfortable place, at the most unexpected time, then THAT'S what we must do.
ReplyDelete