Strategies that dominant group members use to deny, minimize and erase the oppression of targeted social groups in the U.S. by blaming the victim or calling it something else. Those who stand in a position of privilege will do anything to make sure that it stays that way and in our culture white male heterosexuals are at the top. Dominant groups deny the oppression of targeted social groups and blaming the victim furthering the cycle of oppression. An example used in the reading regarding why segregated communities still exist today Johnson's explanation could not be more true. Whites often will claim that blacks would rather live among other blacks and it is a natural human tendency to choose the company of your own kind. Research has shown the complete opposite that black would prefer to live in integrated neighborhoods, it is the white that have made sure that integration would never happen. Instances of reality companies redlining in the past government housing projects built in neighborhoods with little or no resources that viable community needs. Racism has a huge part on why we do not live in more integrated communities today. Blaming the victim persists among gender privilege, and an example used where males will often blame woman and accusing them of "asking" for all kinds of trouble, especially what's otherwise known as rape, sexual harassment, and being beaten by domestic partners.
Over and over again you see instances of people becoming immediately defensive or pointing fingers instead of taking personal responsibility for your indirect and direct actions affecting the form of oppression occurring. We can take steps to interrupt this cycle, once more and more people become active about breaking the silence and calling out the oppressors on their actions they will not be able to function as they have in the past. It takes every single person to have an awareness and not turn yourself away from problems just because it is not directly affecting you. Johnson says it perfectly "There is no such thing as doing nothing. There is no such thing as being neutral or uninvolved. At every moment, social life involves all of us." (p. 121).
I agree with the fact that instead of dealing with something people just like to put the responsibility on someone else instead. Hmmm, but I was wondering what you thought the best way to make people aware that these things really do affect them (since at first glance they appear to not have anything to do with them)?
ReplyDeleteIt is a fact that in a sensitive issue like racism people don't consider that they should take an active role but if its health care then its a matter to be discussed because it effects them directly. I agree that awareness that it is affecting social life of people will make a positive step towards solving this problem.
ReplyDeleteI really like the last quote in your article that was stated by Johnson that "there is no such thing as being neutral or uninvolved. At every moment, social life involves all of us." (p. 121). I don't think Johnson could have been more correct in this statement. We need to realize that everyone is connected to racism in someway, and it will never go away until we can all accept and realize the roles we play so we can change our actions.
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