Argument
This author Gloria Yamato argues that, “While people of
color are welcome to tear up their own neighborhoods and each other, everybody
knows that you cannot do that to white folks without hell to pay. People of
color can be prejudiced against one another and whites but do not have an ice-cube’s
chance in hell of passing laws that will get whites sent to relocation camps “for
their own protection and the security of the nation.” People who have not
thought about or refuse to acknowledge this imbalance or power/privilege often
want to talk about the racism of people of color. But then that is one of the
ways racism is able to continue to function. You look for someone to blame and
you blame the victim, who will nine times out of ten accept the blame out of
habit”. (Page 3)
What Yamato is saying in her main argument stated above is
that racism is whatever we make it to be, meaning as long as we continue to act
a certain way and display our power/privilege as important, racism is always going
to be a big deal. If people just act regular and wouldn’t portray their power/privileges
as such a huge level above others and other races then racism would slowly
start to disappear and everyone no matter what their race would be considered
equal.
I did not read this article when we covered race, and while it is simpley explained, you enlightened me onto what the point of the article was. what yomato states about white people not letting anyone get away with anything, as opposed to other races doing things to each other and getting away with it is so true. must white people do act or even assume priveledge even if it is not intentional.
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