Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education
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Hidden racism
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Author:  DanaSHolden [ Fri Apr 08, 2005 6:24 am ]
Post subject:  Hidden racism

You all may be too young to get sent this kind of material. Every couple of months someone will send me an email along the theme of "the good old days are the best". It will wax eloquent about milkmen who delivered to the back porch or swimming in a pond or leaving doors unlocked at night. What I always want to say back is, "Yeah, those were the good old days...if you were white and didn't have polio." I got one yesterday and for the first time decided to write back and point out all the ways society has changed for the better...that we no longer laugh at Otis Campbell's drunk driving, and that those were the days when people shrugged when men hit their wives and kids getting bruises was just part of punishment...

I want to challenge you if and when you get this kind of material, or your parents want you to read it because it's "cute" to point out the inherent racism in it. People just aren't thinking when they say those times were great and why can't it be like the old days? We need to remind them that those were not good times for everyone. It's just another example of majority culture not remembering there is anyone else here.

Author:  Cindy Eason [ Sun Apr 10, 2005 3:01 pm ]
Post subject: 

You know, I've never thought about it that way. I think that's a really interesting point that you're raising. Obviously no "era" is or was perfect, and everyone just reminisces (sp?) times past. However, I think the point that you raise is an extremely valid one. It makes me wonder how my mom would respond if I mentioned that. She'd probably chalk it up to crazy college talk.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank you Dana for sharing that with us.

Author:  MAIleiKao [ Mon Apr 11, 2005 9:49 pm ]
Post subject: 

Wow, rad point Dana. My mom got those for kicks, and I remember reading them in highschool. I thought, man, those sure do sound like the good ol days, and I would subsequently become quite depressed about the generation X I was growing up in. What is the the world coming to?!--I would think. Why can't we all have grampas who give us tractor rides and little hen houses to collect eggs from? But now that you mention it, I don't recall the good ol days being nostalgized from a black family's point of view. "Golly gee, kids, wasn't that a nice lynching?"

Author:  Tracy Keller [ Tue Apr 12, 2005 4:07 pm ]
Post subject: 

I totally agree that is an awesome point and I too have never really thought of it like that. When I hear my parents or grandparents talk about things of that nature it’s from a white middle class perception and as you pointed out not everyone enjoyed those days. I have never even thought about looking at it form a poor or an African Americans point of view, and you have certainly changed the way I think about the “good ole daysâ€

Author:  natalierichard [ Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:11 pm ]
Post subject:  dana you rock

i think that is an awesome point and I think too often we look back at our history without judging it by the standards of those times, but also realizing our mistakes, and how they can repeat themselves in culture and society now. Its all too circular.

Author:  heathersapp [ Tue Apr 19, 2005 8:57 am ]
Post subject: 

Wow! Excellent point you brought up Dana! I have never thought about it like that. There were in fact good things about the old days, but society has changed and there are good things about today's time as well. I would never have thought about it from another perspective such as a black family or an immigrant family. My family simply being white has and had privileges that I was unaware of. It totally changes things when you think about the past from another point of view. Thanks for sharing that!

Author:  Matt Lail [ Thu Apr 21, 2005 8:37 pm ]
Post subject: 

:idea: Excellent point Dana! I started to really think about life in the past that I lived in and the past that I have learned about. I have to admit, sometimes it would be nice to have the world slow down some and not have so much stress. There were some good things about the good ol days and those things I would love to have again. However, if it meant bringing the racism, sexism, and hatred along with it, then it would not be in any way worth it. Once you examine the good ol days, are they really that good?

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