White Guilt By Shelby Steele
While starting to conduct research for my research paper, I really didn't know what specifically to look for. So I typed in race and racism in the library catalog, and this book White Guilt came up. Not only a striking title but it right away made me start thinking about what it could possibly be about.
The book cover also states " How BLACKS & WHITES together DESTROYED the PROMISE of the CIVIL RIGHTS ERA", that is a very bold statement, which I love. The thing I found somewhat strange was how blacks was put before whites, the book is called white guilt, why not put whites first, just saying.
Anyways , flipping through the book I found two passages that stick out to me, and can be related to my topic, Does race exist today, or how has it changed.
The chapter is titled White Guilt and one passage basically blames the supposed end to segregation for how things are. The integration was a failure, people were forced to be with their same race, so once that was lifted off, no one really got that wall out of their mind. Believe it or not I really never thought about it that way, I understand they are scared and unwilling on some parts, but the world is still so segregated even without trying, its terrible. Therefore blacks were forced to stick together.
Another passages was about how whites try to make themselves look better by trying to prove they are not racist. One sentence that was written happens on a daily bases, " Stigma is behind the now cliched white disclaimer: "Some of my best friends are...," which is saying, "I might be white, but I am not a racist because I have friends who are black." " This statement is sad but true, just because you are friends with others that are of different color, do you not assume about others? Do believe everyone is equal? Do you believe is stereotypes? What do you do when a racial comment is made?
This book is very interesting as I hope my paper will be, but finding good research is tough.
This is an interesting--and important--book. Good find. I hope that you found some good threads to follow.
ReplyDeletesounds like this book is very interesting., you make me want to go and research it myself. one thing that stood out to me in ur response is when you took the statement from the book that said "blacks and whites destroyed the promise of the civil rights era" i find it quite distubing that you said you loved it. although i agree it is a very bold statement but whats the purpose of saying that you love it? i would love for you to elaborate upon your statement. and the fact that you said that "why not put whites first" just because the book is titled white guilt. who cares who gets mentioned first, just saying. why should the whites go first anyways? and c learly the title of the book is white guilt so of course theyre gonns do what they do best and put the blacks down and play like they are the victims and theyre not! but i hope that you have a great time conducting your research and forming your research paper.
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