Reading reflection Essay #2. The marrow of tradition

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Reading Reflection
The underlying theme in Race Mattersace Matters by Cornel West, The Change by Tony Hoagland, White Debt by Eula Biss, and Megan Rummler’s article on the sitcom Fresh Off The Boat is racism and white privilege. The articles do approach the topics differently but, in the end, they help reveal some of the darkest and most personal secrets in America. Apparently, each appears to drive towards a different goal but somehow are united in how they approach the topics.
Looking at White Debt, for example, Biss shows how white privilege is still a factor in the United States. She appears to note that while it is indeed inherited, it does set the white Americans apart and, on a pedestal, compared to the other races. She also talks of how white Americans can be complacent and appear to be in line with the status quo while neglecting the notion that they are indeed privileged. Many apparently, appear incensed with the state of the country. However, they are also cautious in their cry for justice because while they might be uncomfortable with their privilege, they are content with the comfort it provides. Biss notes that “what my son was expressing – that he wants the comfort of what he has but that he is comfortable with how he came to have it – is one conundrum of whiteness.” Continually, the state of the country serves to reinforce the privilege of the white Americans. While doing this, the state of the country also serves to reinforce the feebleness of the African American race. West handles this in his article and notes that “no other people have been taught systematically to hate themselves – psychic violence – reinforced by the powers of state and civic coercion – physical violence - for the primary purpose of controlling their minds and exploiting their labor for nearly four hundred years.” Here, West appears to be showing how history has been repeating itself and further reinforcing the idea that African Americans are inferior to the white Americans. However, as this is happening, Biss appears to be s...