TEACHSOC: Re: Crash?

[Del Thomas Ph D]

Most of what we do reinforces racism ....... our education system is designed to maintain inequity..... grades as a substitute for evaluation the acceptance of legacy in admissions and the rejection of affirmative action or compensatory legacy.   No surprise.  Then there is the   so what issue.   let's say we find a film or other content that convinces the class that "racism(s)" is not only here in river city.... but it is bad....like smoking.   What does sociology offer as a remedy?  Locally, church groups have used Brokeback Mountain to convince teens that the gay lifestyle is evil.... leads to violence and infidelity....they solve the so what issue by having teens work for candidates promoting anti gay legislation.... They report the film is quite effective...  They are not concerned by the science or the fact that these are commercial works of fiction.  As you know B Mountain was designed as a chick flick  ....... but it may have had other more powerful messages that producers will not admit to. On the other hand it might be more informative to listen to non fiction Fresh Air from WHYY, December 8, 2000 · Wiener spent 14 years fighting to gain access to the FBIs secret files on John Lennon. Wieners Freedom of Information case went all the way to the Supreme Court before the FBI decided to settle. H is book Gimme Some Truth outlines and reproduces the most important pages of the file, revealing that the Nixon administration plotted to deport Lennon in 1972 and silence him as a voice of the anti-war movement. Wiener is Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, and also author of Come Together: John Lennon and His Time. The FBI refused to release the files claiming national security......  Sound familiar?  Ten of the files were not released no reason given. It would appear that the main national security issue was preventing the discloser that the FBI had the competence of the Keystone cops. But still there is the so what issue. Del Melanie E. L. Bush wrote: The issue I am referring to is not that the film is inflammatory but that it reinforces racism by levelling out the impact of white supremacy on whites and peoples of color.    For example.. where's the film that shows the differential approach to incarceration that is being discussed on this listserve?    To address racism as solely prejudice or stereotype as the film primarily does provides some relief to some who believe that "everybody's a little bit racist" - it's just world we live in - and if they are "nice" and don't engage overtly racist language or ideas they need not be overly concerned ... though it is highly offensive to many who face constant reminder of the structural and ideological consequences.   ahhhh this is precisely the subject of Breaking the Code of Good Intentions: Everyday Forms of Whiteness...   --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Teaching Sociology" group. To post to this group, send email to teachsoc@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/teachsoc -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---