Frederick Douglass

Our view of African americans has changed over the years and will continue to change. Often nowadays people think we should not treat everyone the same and not be racially biased, but race does exist and we learn by embracing it.

Here are two very good quotes by Frederick Douglass:

"In regard to the colored people, there is always more that is benevolent, I perceive, than just, manifested towards us. What I ask for the negro is not benevolence, not pity, not sympathy, but simply justice. The American people have always been anxious to know what they shall do with us.... I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us. Do nothing with us! If the apples will not remain on the tree of their own strength, if they are worm-eaten at the core, if they are early ripe and disposed to fall, let them fall! ... And if the negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall also. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! ... Your interference is doing him positive injury."

Frederick Douglass, The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro

So we don't have to completely go against race and act like it's not there. In class today I brought up a question about race that lead us to discuss the desire to forget race or something to that effect. The Professor reminded of the fact that I wasn't getting pointed out everyday. I'm not a minority where I live. Wouldn't this seem like such a bigger problem to me if I was suddenly thrown into a foreign country. We talked all about stereotypes and this project to look at a race up close and personal. I'm so scared to speak on this topic, so scared to fall into stereotyping or try too hard not to. Where is the balance?

Today in class this kid said "to approach it one person at a time." Get to know their story. Don't judge based off of " the single story" for let's say, African Americans, that is commonly used to set people in a context. This is going to be my goal, one person at a time. That doesn't sound too hard. 

Here's a favorite quote, again by Frederick Douglass, I love how "exciting" and "agitating" are right next to each other:

"Let me give you a word of the philosophy of reform. The whole history of the progress of human liberty shows that all concessions yet made to her august claims, have been born of earnest struggle. The conflict has been exciting, agitating, all-absorbing, and for the time being, putting all other tumults to silence. It must do this or it does nothing. If there is no struggle there is no progress."

Frederick Douglass, Civil Disobedience Manual

So here I go, man it's going to be an exciting, struggle.