While I think “Whitewash” is a controversial video, I don’t think it is something that is out of the range of a middle school class. I think even children as young as 6th grade are beginning to understand the power of race. Certainly, one of the first matters of importance is going to be having facilitators that feel comfortable with the material and the questions that may arise as a result. With those things in place, I have no more reservations about this presentation than I do about any others the Diversity Council has to offer. After all, we are hear to bring about change through thought, and sometimes it takes a slightly more jarring image to provoke that thought.
I think beyond the simple message of individualized racism and even the sub-story of the power of institutional racism, there was an even more powerful message of blackness and whiteness that many in the African American community must be inundated with every day. It was the unspoken idea of the value of being white and the worthlessness of being black. Of course it was made obvious by the gang that being white was the better choice, but I think it also was a subtle message in the way the media portrayed the situation and how the young lady reacted. At one point, there was a paper headline that that stated “White for a day”. This very well could have been a bit of overkill in emphasizing the insensitivity of media, but it brings home the point nonetheless. As do several of the reports that refuse to insist that it is a hate crime, and rather feel comfortable in speculating in a long list of what they assume are reasons for crime in a poverty-stricken area such as this.
The other aspect of this, as mentioned, is the inner turmoil I see in the main character. I see her struggling with the feeling of “how could they do this to me?” for the most part. But I also do think that she has an even greater struggle with self doubt as a result. While the message of invaluability of African Americans and minorities in general might not be as overt as it was in the past, I think it is still palpable for those who experience it. And, I think for some there comes a breaking point, a place of depth where you say to yourself, maybe they’re right. Maybe I can’t be anything. Maybe I shouldn’t care anymore. The cards have been stacked against you for some time, and now they all come crashing down. Unless you are a superhuman, or possibly have the support of a great social network, it can become overwhelming to retain hope anymore. I think that is the place we saw the main character in as she refused to go to school. All the strength she had to hold back those thoughts that inundated her everyday was finally broken.
Fortunately though, she had support, and with that support, she found new strength. It is that strength to empower others that we all need to continue to cultivate in ourselves. Because there is inevitably going to be a person in our life who has lost hope too, and it will be our responsibility to work within our own framework to help them overcome what life has thrown in their path.
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Great comments your comment about the media, caught my attention, in that we as people have a love hate relationship with the media!
Where when we want publicity we depend on the media and use the media! and think that is a great platform.
But when they post something that we do not approve of we hate them!
It is tough to be a neutral reporter and just state things. And looking at it this way if the media would not have made a big deal may be this incident would not be noticed at all and we would not be talking about it!
She like so many cases would have gone unnoticed and probably devalued further [with the assumption of "you are not even worth my time" ] if the media would not have published the fact.
Even thought they did not catch the "whites" they impacted her whole class! and of course the many people watching!
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