An often avoid conversation turned class discussion about prejudices and stereotypes

Last week in my Teaching English/ Language and Literacy in Middle and Secondary Schools, we had a discussion about the "white privledge", which lead to a intense conversation about stereotypes and prejuduices, and thus, race. It was a very uncomfortable conversation for many of my classmates, who were clearly nervous about talking on the issue. Many people refered to racism as "it", attempting to avoid saying the word. There were questions that were raised such as: Just because I am a white woman does that mean racism can not occur to me? How can I be the blame for something I didn't do? Many comments were made such as: " Sometimes I feel that if I talk about racisim it makes me a racist, and if I don't talk about racism, I'm a racist" "I live in a community where such realities are prevelant (poverty, violence, oppressive racisim), so I had no idea these things were going on." A response to the comment was, "How could you not recognized what is going on in society, just because somethings don't occur around your neighborhood". The article, "The White Privledge", was written by a white woman who came to realize all the privledges and power she acquired, simply by being a white woman. Peggy McIntose, the author, stated “I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not in invisible systems conferring dominance on my group” believe it the reason my professor chose to include the article in our readings, where to raise this often avoided issue and to ignite some critical thinking about ones self. Some of the 'privledges' listed in the article were:
I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
To view article visit the link:http://www.fjaz.com/mcintosh.html