I found Collins’ first chapter titled “Why Black Sexual Politics?” to be very unique. I felt as if I could relate to a lot of what she was saying in the chapter and that makes the topic all the more interesting to me. The one part that really caught my eye and made me reflect on our society and how I have been unintentionally perpetuating all of it was when she spoke of contradictions in our society: “For example, well-off White teenagers can drive expensive cars to…college campuses that admit only a few handpicks African Americans, all the while booming the latest sexually explicit lyrics of their favorite Black hip-hop artist” (43). This is Colgate. This is what we do. Whether or not we like it, I feel as if this quote can be applied to the majority of our school population and this is an issue. We do not realize we are participating in a form of new racism because it doesn’t fit the definition of racism that we learned in elementary school, but we are. I do not believe there is a way to change what we listen to necessarily since so many of the famous music artists are black, but the way to change our society is to change our actions and thoughts. However, at this moment I do not know what actions could be taken to improve this since we so unknowingly participate in it and it is so embedded in our society. Many people, including me until I read this chapter and reflected on it, do not realize it is even an issue and I would guess that is where we should start. I would be curious to hear if anybody has any ideas as to how we can bring this issue to light and begin to deal with it.
Britt-I think you bring up a really good point that represent a new light of racism. I agree with you in that that quote can sum up Colgate is a similar way. Your post made me think about racism and the double standards. For example, if black Colgate students drove up to Frank blasting the latest Dr. Dre CD, people would say, "oh typical Colgate black students". I've heard multiple students stare and make comments. But when white, wealth Colgate students pull up blasting rap music it is considered "cool". I think it is really interesting how their are more double standards, especially at Colgate. I thought of a time when six Colgate black students got pulled over driving up the hill from downtown after a night out. The cop came right up to the window and asked what happened with his turn and he saw that there were more people in the car then seatbelts. However, they said sorry Office and the cops said that's fine and let them go. The boys claimed that the cop let them go because they were black. A new racism that Collins' talks about happens often at Colgate whether we realize it or not.
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