Fight The Power Analysis

Rankine’s essay concentrates on the idea that racism affects the perception of Serena’s excellence as the world’s best female tennis player. Toward the beginning of the essay, Rankine states “…the legendary Chris Evert, who herself has called you a ‘phenomenon that once every one hundred years comes around.’ Imagine that you’re the player John McEnroe recently described as ‘the greatest player, I think, that ever lived.” Rankine goes on to say, “Imagine that you have to contend with critiques of your body that perpetuate racist notions that black women are hyper masculine and unattractive”. These quotes, rooted toward the beginning of the essay, easily suggest the idea that Serena’s excellence cannot be discussed without the addition of the racist notions she so often encounters. This statement clearly reflects the lesson in which Serena’s father, Richard Williams, attempted to teach

As individuals, we live in a social environment that protects and separates us from feeling emotional pain that encounters with racism all around us. In the article, “The Sugarcoated Language of White Fragility”, Dr. DiAngelo argues, this “protected environment” of racial barrier constructs racial outlooks for comfort while at the same time lowering the power to allow emotional pain, leading to as white fragility (DiAngelo, 2016). White Fragility is defined as “racial stress becomes triggering a range of defensive moves” (DiAngelo, 2016, p. 1). In other words, the importance of one’s skin color and how it shapes an individual perspective and living knowledge is not characterized in an individual however it is determined by society and how they are presented (Lietz, 2015). This is the reality of attempting to have a discussion that encounters white fragility. For instance, this concept of white fragility can be seen in the Charlottesville riot. Charlottesville riot was occurring at the University of Virginia where white men demonstrated their racial outrage, and revulsion power violence because a statue have been removed (Heim, 2017). As quoted “You will not replace us” can be explained by how much rights are given than everyone else because of how much privilege is given in society (Heim, 2017). Overall, society have constructed and developed a belief system that deliberates power and privilege on those recognized of race (Kegler, 2016). Such power and privilege proves itself in having the capacity to shape social norms, and special treatment without being mindful of their race (Kegler, 2016).

According to Essed (1991), the everyday experiences of racism and racist practice involve those routine activities perceived by the majority to be normal and neutral, yet these putdowns and demotions are negatively experienced by minority women and men as a violation of their dignity and humanity. Essed (2002) also points out that everyday racism is entrenched within mainstream institutions so that patterns of dominance are largely invisible to those in power and passively tolerated by the majority. Finally, she argues that it’s not the actions per se that determine whether racism is at play; instead it’s about the contexts that define acts as racist. Everyday racism is subsequently defined (Essed 1991, 5) as a process in which (a) socialized

While racism is seen as a broad topic and people can generally grasp its effects on a broad scale, there are many more personal effects of racism and it effects every person differently. Each person can respond to racism in very different ways, while some may be motivated by it others may be harmed by it. In the essays “My Vassar College ID Makes Everything Okay” by Kiese Laymon and “The Meaning of Serena Williams” by Claudia Rankine, the authors analyze how people react to racism in their lives. Along with the analysis, both authors also looks at how those perpetrating racism react to the effects of it. In “My Vassar College ID Makes Everything Okay” by Kiese Laymon, Laymon evaluates how the racism in both his and college students’ lives have influenced them, while “The Meaning of Serena Williams” by Claudia Rankine mainly focuses on how racism affects Serena Williams. When comparing these two groups of people, the extremely wealthy or famous and all the other African-Americans, we can definitely see some glaring differences the reaction to racism in their lives.

The idea of racism has evolved and has become less prevalent throughout the last century. Schools and public areas are unsegregated, voting rights, racial slurs being considered as unacceptable behavior etc. American sociologist and race theorist, Howard Winant states that’s “The ensuing approaches increased recognition of racial injustice and inequality, but did not overcome the discriminatory processes” (Winant,2000)Although the United states has come a long way to try to end racism, one cannot ignore the fact that it still exists. It is something that may seem invisible in society, but everybody knows that it still thrives and that it’s racial attitudes affect the way our society functions. One of these invisible forms of

Racism, known as “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” (Oxford, 2013) When an individual mentions the word ‘racism’ almost all the time it will be referred to a black individual, not white nor any other race, but black. Over the years racism has repeatedly occurred whether it was said or done; some showed racism by the words they used, while others presented it by the racist acts they committed. Racism towards the black community has not only been shown by other races, but also by individuals who were there to keep them ‘safe’. Very contradictory yet true, that a black man’s worst

I believe in a higher power, and I will let that higher power guide me

Race is not merely a group of people with same identity, origin and physical characters but it is an issue that involves emotions, opinions and rights. In America, people were and are recognized mainly on the basis of their skin color. This could be best witnessed in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. He introduces his arguments against injustice. He provides the reason for being in Birmingham by saying that, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (__). His thesis awakes the desire to have equal rights for the blacks. Dr. King uses various rhetorical devises such as allusion, ethos, and pathos that appeals emotionally, socially, morally and makes the text relatable and important because his text responds

In my life there has been a small amount of racism. Considering that I’ve grown up in the small town in the middle of Wyoming. Although, I have surely seen the news articles on the subject of racism. Recently, there has been many encounters with this dreaded term in the larger cities. Some are reasonable, others are not so much. When looking over each story available there are a few that really jumps into my path or somewhat upset me.

On the other hand, the author, Charles M. Blow believes that it is very ignorant of Phil to think of racism as something “without malice” (Blow). The author portrays his upset toward this fact and believes there should be a change to how individuals, like Robertson view racism as something that does not exist in our society. These two perspectives from Phil and one from people with the same perspective as the author create a conflict in which they cannot agree and later becomes another issue for the

Claudia Rankine analyze racism to its core, bringing to surface that miniscule event are just as problematic as televised one. Her words are beautifully brutal, striking up emotions for anyone that reads it. As readers we are taken through a journey from past to present events of racial incidents experienced by different genders and ages. Above all, Claudia provides a strong indication that racism is far from over.

Our society now still has the presence of racial views everywhere we go, no matter how bad the consequence will be or the understandment of how it feels, we still decide to be prejudice to Different people. On the subway by Sharon Olds shows the racial and fearful views of what a white woman would have for a black man back then but these racial views are still presence in today society. Why do we still have to disrespect them? Theyve done nothing wrong to us but we step all over them. The women fears that this big black man will hurt her but in fact her society has made him up to be this scary and different people. In On the Subway by Sharon Olds racial and class privilege creates contrasting worlds, Dependent on in equality rooted in violence,

Racism should also be closely examined as it is perceived as the acceptable norm in the society. The book shows that sometimes it may take ridiculous forms such as refusing to serve ice-cream to a Black family or suddenly dismissing a worker after learning that she was Black and not Hispanic. The author portraits the bigotry of the people who blindly follow the norms.

As he watched the world bleed it's blood he laughed. Those fools didn't know what they were doing! They only thought with greed and lust for power.

Power means to be on top, that there is no competition against you. I personally believe power gets you respect. People follow a powerful person. A powerful person is someone who does anything that they please in any particular way without any restraints. Another the way of having power to be financially successful. Having financial power in my world is another way of being powerful because money has a huge value in today's society and can affect people’s decisions. Having power is important to me not only for the respect factor but because by being powerful I would have less financial worries.