The separation and segregation of whites and blacks is an interesting and touchy subject throughout history. I think that this history plays a big role in the communication between races today. In the reading the author says, “all of my friendships with people outside of African American culture are initiated by those people.” This is also true for most people I think, this could be caused by the history that is pounded into us throughout our childhood. She says in the reading, “that the education system in this country has failed white people more than it’s failed anybody else. It has crippled them and limited their humanity.” In some ways I think this could be true.
The book also says, ”But Danny didn’t seem to care. I conclude it must have been because he was secure in his mind that he wasn’t racist, and he had nothing to hide. He simply was curious. He didn’t know, so he did what any intelligent person should have done: He asked rather than assume. I respected that about him and found that, in spite of myself, there was something about this dude I really liked.”
This quote made me wonder if the real reason I don’t attempted to communicate with people of other races is not because they are different, but rather that I am afraid that I am inherently racist or will be labeled a racist. This brings up the point the author makes when she says, “I am often curious about whether I have refused – out of fear—to admit others who are often different to my circle of friends.”
Discussion Questions:
1) Do you think the school system helps interracial relations or hurts them?
2) How do you feel about letting people of different races into your circle of friends?
I feel that anyone can be in my circle of friends no matter what race. One of my good friends in high school is from Bangladesh and he fit in fine. His parents were very old school and religious, and while he still practiced his religion with them, he was very Americanized and meshed with us well.
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