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Jul. 23rd, 2016
There's something pressing on my mind and that is related to an essay by Jona Olsson.
Ms. Olsson is one of the first white people since Jane Elliott and Tim Wise who really has a handle on race in a way that allows her to explain it in terms that break it down into pieces that are easily digested.
She had written a lengthy essay titled "Detour-Spotting" subtitled "for white anti-racists" and it essentially gives a guided tour of pretty much every single argument for why we haven't been able to have a proper discussion of Race in America and why racism still has a stranglehold on our country and its collective citizens. I can't recommend this piece enough because it really allows a better understanding from the perspective of a white person trying to grapple with the concept of "privilege" and "oppression" in our society, and is very worthwhile. Of course, the essay is not "new," it dates back to 1997, with updates in 2005 and 2011. But, the time has come to re-examine this piece, as I'm sure you will agree.
The link to her original essay is HERE, and it deserves to be read, in its entirety.
But I wanted to go it one better. Because of the massive size of her composition, and because some of the things she discusses really do need to be unpacked in a more complete and/or a more precise way, I thought I would go through and take each of her points, one at a time, and expand on them, giving you a better and more comprehensive view of what she is talking about. I'll post her portion of the essay, then give some commentary about it.
( We begin with Ms. Olsson's opening comments... )
Ms. Olsson is one of the first white people since Jane Elliott and Tim Wise who really has a handle on race in a way that allows her to explain it in terms that break it down into pieces that are easily digested.
She had written a lengthy essay titled "Detour-Spotting" subtitled "for white anti-racists" and it essentially gives a guided tour of pretty much every single argument for why we haven't been able to have a proper discussion of Race in America and why racism still has a stranglehold on our country and its collective citizens. I can't recommend this piece enough because it really allows a better understanding from the perspective of a white person trying to grapple with the concept of "privilege" and "oppression" in our society, and is very worthwhile. Of course, the essay is not "new," it dates back to 1997, with updates in 2005 and 2011. But, the time has come to re-examine this piece, as I'm sure you will agree.
The link to her original essay is HERE, and it deserves to be read, in its entirety.
But I wanted to go it one better. Because of the massive size of her composition, and because some of the things she discusses really do need to be unpacked in a more complete and/or a more precise way, I thought I would go through and take each of her points, one at a time, and expand on them, giving you a better and more comprehensive view of what she is talking about. I'll post her portion of the essay, then give some commentary about it.
( We begin with Ms. Olsson's opening comments... )