Hey freshmen,
Your homework for this weekend is as follows:
- Close-Read “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” by Peggy McIntosh.
- Commentary #6: White Privilege. What is it and why does it exist?
- Post your commentary by Sunday, November 10th at 9:00 PM, and replies by 10:00 PM.
Here are some discussion questions to consider before writing your commentary. However, don’t feel obligated to respond to them:
- Which of the “daily effects of white privilege” in McIntosh’s list sticks out to you and why?
- What do you think McIntosh means when she writes about “people whom I was trained to mistrust?” What kind of training is she referring to? Who has she learned to mistrust?
- Does acknowledging privilege matter? What if we acknowledge privilege without “doing anything to lessen or end it”? Is acknowledgement an action in and of itself? Is it enough?
- Does McIntosh’s essay make you feel encouraged or discouraged? Why?
- How do we lessen the impact of our privilege? Is this required or desired?
Also, here is a digital copy of the text: (click here to download).
Mr. Mooney
Mr. Mooney's Class Blog 