Provide a 250 word response to the film above. Include an analysis of three major themes and include a comparison to some of the readings you've covered in Wise & Crass.
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Hakwoo Kim
11/20/2014 05:36:22 am
This video was very interesting and gave me a good insight to start understanding what black power movement is. One feeling that I consistently had while watching was that this movement is reactionary. Here, the first theme I’d like to talk about is white supremacy. Black power movement seems to have started as a response to white supremacy. They were trying to defend themselves or their “blackness”. Carmichael says that American culture is based on the premise that white supremacy. Them being the police of the world and sending missionaries to other countries are based on that kind of superior attitude. Even in this country, everything is based on that statement and designed to serve that. Something that is not or close to white becomes uncivilized or inferior. Like he claims in the speech it’s been all about “who has power to make their actions legitimate,” and it has been white people. Black people had not been accepted to this country because of their blackness, which is not white. Even though there were some black people who have been successful in this setting, they were usually the ones who did what white people expected them to do. Tim Wise also covers this issue in his book as he points to the success of Obama candidacy that he avoided bringing up the racial discussion, which white people would not like to see. After all, black movement was their response, after a long silence, to this white supremacy to protect their own selves.
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Alexander Salah
11/20/2014 10:28:26 am
Hakwoo, you bring up very solid arguments about race from material in the video. In your response, you stated that it is “up to the white people” whether or not they start to change and see blacks and other minorities for humans that they are. Equal rights and privileges should be extended to all of humanity, not just white people. In your conclusion paragraph, I like how you state that although it is the white peoples fault for enslaving blacks and other minorities, this gave the black people a sense of entitlement and power. I believe this made the African race stronger as a whole and more resilient to harassment in the long run. Although this is sad, this did make them stronger.
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Gordon Wang
11/23/2014 01:14:30 pm
I definitely agree with you that it is a little bit hard to swallow the idea that white people are solely responsible for changing the social landscape. His arguments that all the civil rights movements were just meant to let whites know that other races were also human was very interesting though, yet it was a bit at odds with that same idea that only whites could initiate change.
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Judy Chen
11/23/2014 03:34:48 pm
I also agree with you that it may seem a bit unfair how Carmichael groups white people together and makes the same assumptions for every single individual within that group. As for ever ethnicity, sex, or culture, there are individuals who do not behave like others of their group. But I believe that Carmichael did not have the intention of accusing every individual white person of advocating oppression and being racist. In fact he addresses early in his speech how he also wants to consider how non-racist white people can move forward and bring positive changes to American society. I believe that he assumed that his audience would understand that he is talking about black people and white people in a general race, because America is in fact, and white supremacist culture and it needs to be stopped. He is not, however, targeting every single individual white being and insisting that they are all 100% racist.
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Alexander Salah
11/20/2014 08:09:18 am
Stokely Carmichael illustrates a need for change and advocates for justice in his video at UC Berkley, “Black Power”. Carmichael begins by talking about how oppressed the black race has been for years and how people do not take charge when they are in certain situations. When minorities are put in positions to change the way humanity views their race, they usually fail to do so, and although there are always some exceptions, (Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X, Stokely Carmichael, Rosa Parks, etc.) the vast majority feels underpowered and under represented.
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Dylan SanFilippo
11/20/2014 09:26:55 am
In the film above Stokely Carmichael (also known as Kwame Ture) says that white people in America cannot be condemned. He claims that this is true because the white people are the people who held the power at the time of his speech, and he said that the ones in power cannot condemn themselves. Stokely in his speech says that he would like to build institutions that will allow people to relate to each other as human beings. He, much like Tim Wise, believes that all people regardless of racial background or color of skin should be united and get along peacefully in America. Another goal that is shared by both Stokely and Tim is that they are both fighting against white supremacy. Stokely says that a free person cannot give their freedom to another. He says that black people are enslaved when they are born. Wise and Stokely both believe that it is not a problem of black people that they cannot live anywhere that they please, but rather it is the problem of the white people who believe that black people cannot live in certain places. Stokely in his speech says that there has to be a law that says that black people can live where they like because the white people need that law to be there just to let the black people go where they please because white people keep the black people out of places where they don’t want them to be by denying them the rights given to all Americans by the civil rights bill.
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Alexander Salah
11/20/2014 10:23:06 am
Dylan, I like how you state that this speech was given in the 1960’s and back then, there were more clearly stated forms of racism and white supremacy. The people in power cannot condemn themselves due to societies view of them. The white race has been in power for a very long time. It is important to realize that the problems revolving around race stem from unequal treatment of black slaves not being able to do as they wish. Wise and Stokely have similar views of race and it is important to see times for what they are instead of what they should be. If the roles were reversed, how would black people treat white people? Food for thought.
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Judy Chen
11/23/2014 03:42:40 pm
I think that it is important to reiterate and be aware of the validity in how every oppression and obstacle people of color face daily are caused and enforced by white people through social construction. Black people should never have to work harder, be more educated, or be more "civilized" just to prove themselves to be equal to white people, or even worthy of white people. These standards themselves were created and set by white people in order to prohibit people of color from gaining the freedom that they deserve as human beings, a right that they were born into. Although civil rights does not specify any specific race, it is clear that they only pertain to white people in American culture, and this is an issue of great concern because every human being, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, or gender, should have their basic legal civil rights without question.
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11/24/2014 12:51:10 am
I didn't quite understand the concept that white people cannot condemn themselves. Now as I look at your response, it comes back to me. I am just wondering why it should be that way. If he means they cannot condemn themselves as it gets rid of their privileges and power, it shouldn't be condemning themselves. Like Crass talks about how the white privilege hurt white people themselves in the Youtube video we watched, it is just another opportunity for them to step forward and become more mature, which requires a little/incredible courage. Although he was empowering blacks back then, I was just wondering why it should be that way, that white people cannot condemn themselves.
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Jason Do
11/20/2014 03:35:39 pm
Three themes Stokely Carmichael brings up in his speech at UC Berkeley are white supremacy, white responsibility, and the effects of racism. White supremacy is the idea that white people are simply better than all other skin colors just because they are white. This is the root of racism and leads to very dangerous thoughts that justify treating people of color like animals. Slavery, discrimination, and racism all came from the idea of white supremacy and it is this idea that Carmicheal worked to destroy. The next theme is white responsibility, as it is mainly white people's fault that the idea of white supremacy exists. Carmicheal brings up an interesting point in that all civil rights bills are written for white people. It is quite obvious that every human being has rights and that black people are human beings, but civil rights bills exist to remind white people that black people are indeed human beings. This relates to Tim Wise's statements that white people have a responsibility to fight for the end of racism, as it was they who started it. No one is unaffected by racism, and even if someone isn't overtly a racist, there are still many subconscious behaviors that perpetuate racism that everyone has. Finally, Carmicheal talks about the effects of racism on society as a whole. While racism exists, the US cannot truly be a democracy. Racism is crippling to people of color and prevents them from participating in activities that all humans should be able to participate in. Time Wise brings up many statistics that show huge gaps in well being between white people and people of color. There is no logical explanation for those gaps, except for the institutionalized structure of racism. Therefore, until racism is eliminated, the US cannot call itself the land of the free.
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Tiffany Le
11/21/2014 01:12:29 pm
Hi Jason! White people have written the laws and the laws were written for them. Unfortunately, there's a lot of backlash for laws that are meant to help the "underprivileged," which many people disagree with (ex: affirmative action) even though it helps white women the most! As long as the laws are written by white people for white people, we will not be a democratic society. Also, racism and prejudice still impacts our voting system: gerrymandering still occurs today. As long as there is white denial, the issue of racism won't be solved. Awareness is the first step.
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Dylan SanFilippo
11/22/2014 02:35:53 pm
It is true that America is not as free as it claims to be, and racism plays a big part in that, but consider how much more free America is compared to other countries.
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Karla O'Connor
11/23/2014 10:55:20 am
Dylan, I like your response because although racism still affects people every day at least it is relatively free to people who came here escaping political corruption, natural disasters, etc. I can say that for my dad, who fled from the Sandinistas in Nicaragua is blessed to be living in a country like this. Understanding the pros and cons of this country is important, but we have to remember to be able to understand different perspectives, and to think more critically about them.
Nicole Cheng
11/20/2014 04:01:04 pm
Listening to Carmichael’s “Black Power” speech made me reflect on the relationship between white supremacy, white privilege, and “freedom”
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Tiffany Le
11/21/2014 09:46:33 am
Hello Nicole! I like how you state that white supremacy blinds people from reflecting on themselves because people are so concerned with being better than the next person (capitalism). So when in comes down to it, even if a white person is not rich or educated, (at least) they are white, which is better than than being black.
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Karla O'Connor
11/23/2014 11:36:04 am
Tiffany, there is honestly a psychological component to how people act. Greed definitely fuels a persons to do things they might not be conscious of because they are so blinded by power and money. This country has instilled this social hierarchy mentality which has caused discrimination amongst racial groups. I like the point you make about white people, being educated or not, are still seen as better than being black all due to white supremacy.
Jason Do
11/24/2014 08:02:35 am
What you say reminds me of what Tim Wise once said. "In many ways that’s all whiteness ever meant, and all it needed to mean for those of European descent. To be white meant at least you were above them. If you had not a pot to piss in, at least you had that." Definitely this mentality is one of the most primal, basic human needs. which is to be the dominant or alpha.
Dylan SanFilippo
11/23/2014 06:35:13 am
Oppression has been around since the dawn of civilization itself. In the 1600’s, white men were in power in America (before it was America), and the white elites needed to create a distraction to keep their power. As a result, the “White Race” was created to keep the elites on top, and to provide them with a scapegoat (everyone else, especially black people). As we all know, the theory of racism has torn apart this country for generations, and there will always be disunity in the world. Show me one country that is in perfect harmony with itself, and only then will I truly believe that the nation of America can be at peace with itself.
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Nelson Chuang
11/23/2014 02:26:59 pm
I feel like with any major country with power, they always attempt to justify something they do that is clearly wrong. Another example of this justification was when the United States accused Iraq of having Weapons of Mass Destruction and failed to find any evidence of that but continue to occupy Iraq well after the fall of the dictator that supposedly was a threat to the world.
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Hakwoo Kim
11/24/2014 01:06:14 am
Whoa, this explains really concisely of the speech. I like how you say about power as well, that it is coming from within. I am just curious that how you would tie these ideas with one of your topic freedom. I also like you saying that white privilege is tipping point. I was thinking that this is true for everyone. As soon as we feel entitled or superior than others, it just unconsciously makes us think less of the others. I just see this kind of thing in my life everyday, even finding myself doing it. I feel like what's important is our openness, and it comes when we really have humility. Your response just made me think of these..haha
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Gordon Wang
11/21/2014 09:30:46 am
Three themes that Carmicheal talks about in this video are freedom, white supremacy, and integration.
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Tiffany Le
11/21/2014 09:41:04 am
Stokely Carmichael discusses U.S. militarization and colonization, how “white” America is a white supremacist, racist society, and the necessity of white people to fight racism. First of all, I like how Carmichael states that people are born free, and after birth, people can enslave other human beings. One way America does this is by drafting citizens to fight in a war. Also, the civil rights laws have been written for white people and to limit the rights of people of color; people of color are well aware of the injustices that have been/are committed against them. Carmichael speaks about how democracy does not work in America (because society has been built on racism)—or in any countries that America has tried to colonize—which reminds me of how Chris Crass mentions that grassroots organizing is the epitome of democracy. One issue that disagrees with democracy is capitalism. In a capitalistic society, people work for themselves, and that fuels greed. Carmichael believes that giving poor people money will fix poverty. If society as a whole blames people for being “lazy” and doesn’t give people money for that reason, then that demonstrates how society values money more than people. Carmichael is extending this belief to the civil rights movement. In our current society, people value people who embody whiteness, and people of color are inferior. People then justify mistreating others because of this idea. Thus, our current institutions must be rebuilt to eliminate racism in this society. To reemphasize, both Tim Wise and Crass touch upon how American society is a white supremacist society. In addition, Carmichael brings up the fact that white people must fight against racism; therefore, people like Wise and Crass step up to the plate, but more people need to join together in solidarity. People need more empathy for one another, so people should share their stories and stop putting each other down.
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Gordon Wang
11/23/2014 01:28:05 pm
Carmicheal's thoughts on democracy as a facade were definitely interesting. I like how you noted that he emphasizes that western "democracy" is fundamentally undermined by capitalism. His ideas definitely do link very well with Crass's idea of democracy needing to be grassroots, because when "democracy" is forced onto people it is forced from a point of superiority and leads to the basis of the people it is being brought to being inferior by default.
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nicole cheng
11/23/2014 02:07:29 pm
I like your comment on empathy and knowing other people. I completely agree, but wondered how you would convince people with power, in which command by fear is much easier.
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Jason Do
11/24/2014 08:13:07 am
I too found Carmichael's statement that all men are born free and that people cannot give others freedom, and can only enslave them and deny that freedom. In hindsight it just seems so obvious, but I had never thought of it that way before. It's funny how something so simple needs to be said before we can realize it.
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Karla O'Connor
11/21/2014 11:34:41 am
One theme he touched upon was power, and that power is equal to legitimacy. This is important because this country has been built on white supremacy, and because white people held this kind of power, this meant they had the legitimacy to make policies in which created these systems of oppression. They created this notion that by being black meant, they were “inhuman, inferior, and fit for slavery” (Carmichael). These social constructions is what fumed the fire for institutional racism. Carmichael’s powerful speech of white supremacy can relate to Tim Wise’s ideas of white privilege and denial. When Carmichael states the stereotypes that people hold of black people, it finally made sense to me that these false perceptions of black people being “lazy” or “apathetic,” are constructions of white supremacy. These are stereotypes that were created in the product of slavery, and because of this white people only tend to see racism as an individual act of bigotry as Wise has mentioned, when in fact Blacks were always oppressed as a group, and still living with racial profiling and discrimination in their daily lives today. Some questions that Carmichael addresses are: how can white people who say they are not part of the institution move? and how can we build an institution in which treats people like human beings? These are crucial things to think about because Wise talks about White denial being part of this problem. Wise says how white people need to start checking their privilege and working together with people of color in order to deconstruct institutionalized racism.
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Nicole Cheng
11/23/2014 02:21:43 pm
I like that you bring up how power is legitimacy: power writes the history books, laws, and norms. And for some reason power makes it easier to act illegitimately in the interest of self gain. I'm often reminded of the hedge fund trader who quit Wall Street; he was addicted to money and felt emptier the more he earned.
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Judy Chen
11/21/2014 02:09:33 pm
One of the biggest central themes of Stokely Carmichael’s lecture at UC Berkeley is white supremacy. A large part of his lecture brings up questions of how black people can begin to move forward and progress in a white supremacist society, and how whites against racism can also begin to move forward and hopefully convince the rest that they should follow along and change the white supremacists institutions of American society. Carmichael brings up how America’s institutions are built on racism, and there is extreme validity regarding this statement. They built the country from selfish perspectives, claiming that everyone and everything foreign is condemned as uncivilized, when in reality, whites in America are the people who are truly uncivilized, going around the world hoping for world domination, and hindering an entire group of people based solely on their skin color, and nothing else. “I am black therefore I am.” This quote was said by Carmichael during his lecture, and it speaks in regards to how black people should be treated as equals, because they are the same human beings and any other white person. A black person shouldn’t have to go to college, get a degree, and obtain a steady job with a healthy income in order to prove themselves to white people as worthy. White people should not have a right to set these kinds of standards, and the fact that they do speaks volumes on the level of ego-centrism America has, which is another key theme mentioned repeatedly within Carmichael’s lecture. None of the stereotypes held against black people by whites should hold any validity whatsoever, and if they do, it’s because the American institutions set them up to become that way. Another theme that was brought up was white denial, which is a huge concept that Tim Wise speaks about in our course textbook, as well as his lecture that we watched during the second week of class. It’s up to white people to have the desire to make a change in order for people of color to make any sort of advancement within American society, but they still refuse to see racism as a problem. They fail to deal with this huge social justice issue within their own communities, simply because it’s easier to deny it. The solution for equality isn't to motivate people of color to work harder and strive for more than the average white man in order to deem and prove themselves worthy, but it in fact lies in the hands of white people to make a choice and commit to making a change in order to strip society away from such concretely racist institutions and to tear down a white supremacist culture.
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So Chun Kiu Ryan
11/21/2014 03:33:32 pm
Stokely Carmichael mentioned about different themes in his speech at UC Berkeley. Firstly, he talked about housing segregation. He pointed out that black people deserve the right to live wherever they please. For decades black people have been oppressed when it comes to housing issues. White people think their presence brings the insecurity and negative value to their community based on their biased preconceptions. Because of that, Black people are barred from living in certain areas and thus unable to live the place they want in United States. For Stokely Carmichael, black people and white people are also human beings. White people should be educated, liberalized enough to let black people enjoy the same right as white people in modern society. All human beings are equal regardless of skin color and that’s why black people should be allowed to live where they want. No one is authorized to manipulate other race because of any reason according to him.
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Nelson Chuang
11/23/2014 01:52:52 pm
I feel like for everyone to be able to exist together without any complications, individuals need to let go of their pride and their idea that they are better than someone else. This idea is always an instigating factor that creates conflict. Eliminating biased preconceptions of races would only touch on the surface of an issue I feel is much more than that.
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