Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Priya Patel
Adam Padgett
ENGL 102
01/31/2017
When we look at ourselves in the mirror do we ever think I see a racist.? No one thinks
of themselves as a racist. We may see others as racist though, but never those who are nice and Comment [NY1]: Define in your words what racism is. Give
a definition to base your position off of.
mean well. Racism is a topic we have been taught since childhood as something evil. It is viewed
that those who state their hatred towards a certain race bluntly is racist. We think of Trump
currently or in the past we think of the KKK but, what about the everyday person who genuinely
means no harm. Are racist tendencies apparent even in an everyday common person without
Within the article, The Good, Racist People, you can see that Coatess central claim is
that even those who seem to have well intentions can be racist. Do they not also have some
racism inside of their minds? When you think about it, you do it every day and we do not see
people that are nice to be racist (Coates). However, because of this we fail to see that dangerous
effect that can be. Due to a nice person or someone who is globally know well we dont see it as
bad nor good, we let it pass because they are a good person. In the article, Forest Whitaker,
Oscar winning actor, was a regular customer of the neighborhood deli and not only did he love it
but his whole family did (Coates). His wife would have friendly conversations with the whoever
was working at checkout (Coates). However, one day he was walking out and a man approached
him and falsely accused him of shoplifting (Coates). By this experience, Coates is trying to show
how people feel that if they follow all the laws and are nice to others they do not believe to be
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prejudice (Coates). This source is credible in the sense that they used the interviews as a source Comment [NY2]: How is this story relevant to the point you
are trying to make?
themselves. In this article there is some bias that we do not know the perspective of the
employee, who stopped Whitaker. As well as the situation itself, it was a little vague. This
information could have helped with analyzing the situation and the claim.
The second source being titled, Racism: Nice People Do It Too, has a central claim of
that many people in America have this fixed belief that people who have bad lifestyle qualities
are racist, and that to say others are racist is insulting to others (Bouie). The prime evidence in
this article is the example of Bull Connor, helped out in civil rights position. From this example
you see that only certain people are viewed as racist and the rest are somehow one hundred
percent pure of no prejudices (Bouie). This made everyone in America not understand the true
meaning behind racism (Bouie). The major value is that everyone is blinded about the topic until
something large happens. Then when it gets contained for a bit we act like racism is over
(Bouie). The authors examples are biased towards political and historical people which can sort
of hurt the author. The claim of present America thinking racism is over yet using past examples
only makes it hard for the reader to understand how there is a bridge between the two.
The third source is titled, Its Time To Call Out Nice Racists And Their White Fragility.
This articles major claim is that its not the stereotypical racists you think of, that are all the
racists possible in this world (DeGallerie). Her view is that we live in world where everyone is
constantly joking about stereotypes. This also contributes the those who are nice racists
(DeGallerie). Her main evidence is that racism and a nice person can go hand and hand. You
dont have to bluntly show it in a evil way to be racists. Wearing a white hood and joking about
races are on different levels of extremes but in the end they both fall under racism (DeGallerie).
Her article may be biased in the way that she doesnt have a lot of hard facts, but more feelings.
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This can lead the reader to believe her based on their beliefs, but if they expect facts then the
Here are three inquiry questions that came to mind after reading the three sources above.
Is the definition of a racist we perceive to be today, just a way of covering up the racism that is
actually going on in present day? Are even the good hearted people racists in some way, without Comment [NY3]: To go along with this line of Inquiry you
could also discuss how racism had evolved. In actions,
words and how society would define racism.
realizing it? Why racial jokes/stereotyping not considered racism but now and days considered a
joke?
Some agreements I found in the sources were that we tend to overlook the jokes we make
and say them without realizing that we are stereotyping. Those jokes soon become statements of
truth and blind people that they are spreading racism. Some disagreements would be that not
only are whites racist. Every race should be treated fairly and equally and then truly racism
would be eradicated. These different perspective of each and every article will influence my own
perspective in that you dont really think of someone with good manners and a good education to
be racist, even a little. Sometimes we forget that the exterior is only and illusion and it controls
how we perceive others to be. In order to write this paper, I need to know more statistical
research on how the mind can be racist, even if you are the nicest person. Using research on that Comment [NY4]: No idea how to go about it but try and find
statistics to back up your claims and strengthen your points.
will help with persuading the readers.
Very interesting/ controversial topic. One question I was asking myself after reading this is
what are the conditions that create racism? If everyone is racist in some form is a bad or just
a result of people being different. I would like to know your definition of racism and how you
think of it. One issues I could possible see you having is researching racism. You can certainly
look at the history but it is hard to get numbers on something that is a social construct.
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Works Cited
Bouie, Jamelle. "Racism: Nice People Do It Too." The American Prospect. N.p., 15 July
Coates, Ta-nehisi. "The Good, Racist People." The New York Times. The New York
DeGallerie, Christy. "It's Time To Call Out 'Nice Racists' And Their White Fragility." The