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Zack Thornburg
1110-004
Tuesday 7 P.M.
This class was much more interesting than what I thought it was going
to be. I took the class mainly because it fit into my schedule and really didnt
know what to expect. When I read the first section I remember thinking how
boring this class was going to be simply based off the text. On the other
hand to counter balance the long boring reads were intriguing and insightful
class discussions. I had a pretty good idea of what was going on in the world
prior to this class, the discrimination, the prejudice, the hate. Reading about
these things was nothing new to me. I have seen them all in play first hand. I
would think it wouldnt be new to anyone, and if it was, the bliss that was a
result of their pure ignorance was surely taken away. One of the biggest
things I learned early on that will stay with me forever is that I am the
oppressor (not as an individual but as the whole groups I am labeled with), I
am the privileged in every category of the Isms. I am a white heterosexual
able bodied male. This class from early on was a smack in the face of how I
could be viewed as the devil from the oppressed groups. I was completely
unaware of this, I figured since I was all these things I was fine and didnt
have to worry about discrimination and what not. This is true but, I wasnt
looking on both ends of the spectrum though, how my privilege could be
hurting so many others or how so many others are taking advantage of the
privileges. I had a very nave perspective and that was quickly changed after
reading continuous chapters where people exactly like myself in terms of

race, gender, etc were abusing said privileges and making the world an ugly
place. Overall, I benefitted and learned more from the time spent in class
than reading a thousand page book. My peers were relatively diverse which
led to great conversations that were fueled by passion due to some of the
things people in my class have done or witnessed. When the discussions
finally did get a momentum of their own in the classroom the melting pot
was boiling away and I felt everyone shared open and honestly. Social
equality inside the classroom seemed to be an unspoken law, everyone
listened and really were able to relate to others stories and experiences in
their own way. The core of the discussions always seemed to boil down to the
same point, that we are all humans and deserve to be treated equally, it is a
rite for all and should not be a privilege for only a selected few.
The chapter that made the biggest impact on me was the chapter on
racism. Mainly because I think it one of the most absurd problems that still
has managed to stick around into the twenty-first century. Racism is the
epitome of human ignorance in the new age especially in America. This
chapter left the biggest impact on me due to the way it changed my
perspective on racism as a whole. Originally when I would hear the word
racism what instantly came to mind was whites hating blacks. A pretty
obvious type of racism. What certain sections in the chapter did is appeal to
the oppression of Native Americans. It spoke of how we (Americans) robbed
them of literally everything and this injustice is hardly, if ever, spoke of. To
honestly add insult to injury we still to this day use stereotypical Indians for

things such as mascots and a quite a few other things. The particular section
on this really opened my eyes as to how integrated certain types of racism
are in our society that we dont even realize them. I thought that there was
no more wool remaining over my eyes but this chapter certainly found some
and pulled it off.
Moving forward, the word that was hammered into my vocabulary from
this course was the word awareness. I will constantly be aware of what is
going on around me in the ways of privilege and oppression. I will constantly
observe for opportunities to do the right thing and stand up for others when
they seem to have fallen down. In ways of being an advocate I dont think I
will be seeing myself in the near future to be marching down State street
with the LGBTs, I will however find opportunities to do small acts of kindness
that will eventually assist with changing the world. I will set an example and
be a leader for what is right, I will think as an individual and not follow the
mass that more times than not are headed off a cliff. The biggest ally I have
to assist me with this is myself being the privileged in every category, it can
be used as an extremely beneficial tool to help send a message to the other
more ignorant and arrogant privileged people of how to behave for the
betterment of all.