Talking Points #1

Peggy McIntosh: "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack"
Salim Muwakkil: "Data Show Racial Bias Persists in America"

Premise:

~ women's studies
~ white privilege
~ racism
~ oppression
~ discrimination
~ status
~ whiteness
~ power
~ domination
~ hierarchies
~ advantage (white & male)
~ minorities

Argument:

Peggy McIntosh and Salim Muwakkil both argue that many people deny that white privilege still exists today.

Evidence:

1. Peggy McIntosh states, "Most talk by whites about equal opportunity seems to me now to be about equal opportunity to try to get into a position of dominance while denying that systems of dominance still exist." (6)

2. Salim Muwakkil states, "... many white Americans now believe that race no longer affects personal prospects of success or failure." This statement is backed up by, "[In 2003 a] study found that when white and black job seekers had the appropriate qualifications and experience for the position, whites were far more likely to be called back than blacks." (1)

3. Salim Muwakkil also brings up important evidence when he says, "These studies make clear that racial biases persist. Those who assert we've arrived at a colorblind society are blinding themselves to reality." (1)

Other Stuff:

I found these two articles very interesting. Salim Muwakkil's article brings up many important points about white privilege and how it still exists today (2003). Also, it backs up his argument very well with many points of evidence. I really enjoy how he uses statistics and facts to back himself up. I also really enjoyed reading Peggy McIntosh's article about white privilege. The quote she has at the beginning of the article, "I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in indivisible systems conferring dominance on my group," really explains how she was brought up with a different knowledge of racism than many other people. I also really like how she has the list of conditions of how her race (white) is very prominent and is almost like a "safe-zone" for her life. Compared to Delpit's piece, I thought that these two articles were very easy reads. I think that is why I liked reading them a lot more than i liked reading Delpit.