I've never really used anything like a blog before, so this is a whole new experience for me. I look forward to free writing and being able to get somethings off of my mind that we talk about in class.
Growing up in a small town I didn't have to think much about race growing up. I live in a predominantly white town, went to an almost all white school, and hung out with all white friends. That all changes when you get to college though. Your small town world shatters and you are exposed to so many different cultures and races that weren't present in your world before. My parents raised me to be open minded and accepting of others, no matter who they were, what color they were, and all that jazz. I guess that's why I have the friends I do today at SUNY Fredonia. i mean one of my best friends here now is a transgendered Puerto Rican woman. I don't judge others, and I know none of my friends do either. The world is too small, and life is to short to worry about someones skin color, or why they dress the way they do, or talk the way they talk, or where they come from. I just guess that's how I felt everyone felt, especially at a liberal arts college, but I was wrong.
That leads me to my instance where I really thought about my race as a white male. I went to a party one semester sophomore year. It was the kind of party that was a friend of a friend of a friend thing. Before I go too much farther I'll just let you know that I've changed the names of the people in this life event just for safety's sake. So my friend tells me were going to this kids house and he's obtained the nickname from them of "Racist Ben". I just thought that the kid had a Confederate flag and listened to country music like a lot of the kids at my high school, so I really didn't pay much attention to it. That was until I walked into the house that the party was at. Sure enough there was a large Confederate flag on his wall, and as the night went on "Racist Ben" got very vocal about his opinions on different ethnic groups. My friends girlfriend was there and her father is from France. He proceeded to destroy her father by calling him every nasty way to call a french person known to man. He even threw in a few other racial slurs that were used for other ethnic groups which made no sense, but that's just how bad this kid was. The worst part was whenever this kid said something that made my skin crawl all of his friends would uncomfortably cheer and laugh feeding into this kids sick views on others.
At one point later on in the party a group of friends came in the door and one of them was African American. "Racist Ben" did not like this one bit. He shot the poor kid dirty looks, wouldn't talk to him, and at one point he changed the shitty country music to rap and he mockingly pretended to be a "gangsta". This got so bad that the group of friends left the party, and as did we. Enough was enough. I guess "Racist Ben" was acting like the Blackface Minstrels in the reading. He was mocking this poor kid for the way he looked for a cheap laugh from his friends and it made me sick to my stomach to think that people were really still think like this in the world. People who hate others so much for no reason other then the color of their skin. In a way I felt bad for "Racist Ben", I'm sure he was taught to be like the way he is, and say the things he says. And I felt sorry that the only way he thought he could have friends, or make people laugh was to stoop so low as to insult others just for being who they were. Needless to say we don't go to that house any more, and every time I see "Racist Ben" on campus I still get that sick feeling in my stomach.
Wow. Racist Ben sounds like such a cartoon racist, it almost sounds like he's putting it on, and maybe even trying a little too hard. Do people really think he's funny? And if so, who, and why are they laughing and egging him on? Most racism really doesn't look or work like that. It might be more interesting for you to look at the quieter sorts of looks and comments that go without saying, or maybe, because you are being very thoughtful about this, if you want to make your own head hurt a little bit, try considering how statements like: "the world is too small, and life is to short to worry about someones skin color, or why they dress the way they do, or talk the way they talk, or where they come from," which I agree is the basic liberal attitude, might even help to mask or reinforce the quieter kinds of racism. Or even what it means that an ostensibly liberal campus like Fredonia would regard your Ben as a form of entertainment (admittedly, I'd be very curious to see him in action). I can see why you compare him to a minstrel show, and I can see the parallel, at least peripherally. But this would be stronger if you discussed the context given in the reading--19th-century America, mass entertainment (not just a weird party performance), notions of democracy, and slavery. One of the questions we'll always be asking is 'what's the bigger picture?' Do keep thinking about all the things you're thinking about. And don't be afraid of the harder questions! You're thoughtful enough to take them on.
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