Meeting Notes 2/7

The meeting was indeed a roaring success! Here are some notes...

Each of us talked about Shekinah's blog, here are some questions and comments that came up as we went around the table:
-its important to remember we are always learning
-when is it time to actually say something?
-we all have our prejudices and play a part racism, sexism, and we're all products of this society--we need to acknowledge all of these in our own lives
-feeling like the super PC police "overreacting" ("ballsy" used in poertry class)
-when do you draw the line?
-when is "reclaiming the word" OK (dyke)-- sometimes it is not
-if it hurts every time you say it, then it is offensive
-we are sometimes afraid of coming across as too sensitive and of always analyzing everything--is it too much?
-everything should be up for discussion

Key points that came up in the meeting:

COMEDY is Dangerous
Ironic? - no, not in front of the mainstream who doesn't see the problem and when it's only repeating rather than analyzing-- how is that challenging anything?
Examples that were used are Minstrel Shows, Family Guy, South Park and Will and Grace (Gregory Heins episode)

"LANGUAGE colors the way we think"
using "guys" to talk about a group of people
cracker cannot compare to the n word
Poet at Spread opening using the n word in a quote was unnecessary.
History and Context are not the same thing

LIVING the Experience
"What if that happened to me or was regarding my heritage?"
Examples:
-when a man hugs you at work and for some reason maybe its where he placed his hands, how hard he squeezed you, what he said, it made you uncomfortable, and YOU LIVED the experience so it is not "irrational"
-poet at Spread opening using the n word in her story

POWER Structure and PRIVELEGE
People exercise a privilege they don't even think about
Examples:
-straight couple making out in the subway when "every time I wanted to hold a girlfriends hand I had to think about it"
-culture shock situation- "what if we get all white power" their privelege was being threatened
Why are black people always expected to smile all the time? So that they are not threatening?
Why in the media are we always helping or serving othes, "why are we never in the drivers seat"(HITCH and QUEER EYE)

ASSIMILATION, SEGREGATION and a nonexhsiting INTERGRATION
Are we beter off being segregated?
If we want representation, go to the people who have it?
Have your own or take their privelege

SOCIALIZATION a determing factor
white american are socialized to feel what? when black americans are socializd to feel self hatred. How do people know exactly what to say?

LABORING at home
Examples:
Angelina Jolie
Free Tibet
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0403/p01s04-wosc.html
Black people the permanant lower class.
"We built this country for free"


We concluded with...

They say we are bias, when in fact we need to have a dual viewpoint, while still absorbing the mainstream.

We need to live close to these ideals as best we can while still living in this world.

~Tiff