Haleigh Riley

White America?
What is White America? According to the article by George Yancy, White America is
They were messages to White America- because they often directly expressed the experience of
those who live and have lived as people of color in a white-run world, and that is something now
white person could every truly know firsthand. Yancy is implying that America is ran by whites
and we dont understand the world view from a person of another color and what they experience
because of their racial background. I believe he is right because not all races get the same
treatment within todays time and era which is pathetic. We cannot physically or emotionally feel
or be treated how they are but we can listen to them and try to help change the world.
Yancy tells us to read his letter with love meaning that we need to examine ourselves
although it might cause pain and terror from the past. In the article is states We dont talk about
the urgency of love these days, especially within the public sphere. Much of our discourse these
days is about revenge, name calling, hate, and divisiveness. Then a few lines down Yancy says
I dont mean the Hollywood type of love, but the scary kind, the kind that risks not being
reciprocated, the kind that refuses to flee in the face of danger. While reading this what comes
to my mind is that the world has turned into an evil place no matter your race, age, sex, or
religion. Most days you cant go into public without hearing such things as name calling and
hate. The majority of America is a negative place and it affects those around you. The author
wants people to know the true meaning of love the kind you have to fight to keep and dont give
up when the going gets tough. He says this letter is a gift for us but that not all gifts are easy to
bear.
In the article Yancy tells us he is sexist. What is sexism? According to Google sexism is
prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. Most
sexism is towards women. Being a woman I can speak for myself and say that some men think
we cant do what they can do because of our sex/gender. The article also states, In our collective
male imagination, women are things to be used for our visual and physical titillation. Our
collective male erotic feelings and fantasies are complicit in the degradation of women. These
two sentences show how men use women as objects and that ties into sexism because it is
prejudice against women to look at us like we are toys. Yancy also states, And we must be
mindful that not all women endure sexual degradation the same way. For example, black
women and women of color not only suffer from sexual objectification, but the ways in which
they are objectified is linked to how they are racially depicted. There is a complexity to how
women are degraded and it usually ties in with the stereotypes of the individuals race. He uses
black women for example how they dont only suffer from racism but are also racially depicted
in sexism too.

Yancy states in the article Im asking for you to tarry, to linger, with the ways in which
you perpetuate a racist society, the ways in which you are racist. Im now daring you to face a
racist history. In those statements he is asking white Americans to think in the ways of which
they are racist. I know in the articles he states that he can see white Americans anger and how

Haleigh Riley

his letter is being misunderstood. I dont personally believe that I misunderstand his letter but it
does anger me in how he says white Americans are racist. I know that in today and within
history White Americans have and still can be racist but you cant tell me that other races are not
racists towards white Americans. For example someone at this university has called me white
girl does that upset me no because I am white but if you said that to any other race you are
liable to get in trouble and they would get mad at you and call you racist. But because of
Americas past I could see why they call Americans racist. The author tell s us to take deep
breathes throughout the letter and to not tell him that hes the racist. Honestly I believe all people
are racist whether they want to admit it or not and I believe that this is where he is coming from.
Also I do believe that is it ridiculous that people are judged off their skin color for example as he
says in the article After all you are part of a system that allows you to walk into stores where
you are not followed, where you get to go for a bank loan and you skin does not count against
you, where you dont engage in the talk that black people and people of color must tell their
children when they are confronted by white police officers. It is very sad that within our society
you receive or do not receive certain benefits or rights because of your color.
The article states The legal scholar Stephanie M. Wildman, has written, I simply
believe that no matter how hard I work at not being racist, I still am. Because part of racism is
systematic, I benefit from the privilege that I am struggling to see. She is saying that although
she herself may not be racist it is systematic for example she may benefit from a job privilege
over someone of color and struggle to understand why. I believe that no matter what color you
are you work on not being racist but because of todays society and world view your words can
get twisted and used against you to make you look racist depending on your color. Another
example of racism in history is that people that were raised during segregation our older
generations are probably still racist to this day and could have passed their same beliefs down to
their children throughout the decades.
Can we change White America? Yancy asks White America, are you prepared to be at
war with yourself, your white identity, your white power, your white privilege? Hes asking us
as White Americans if we are ready to change society and the way we see people of color. Hes
asking us to look within ourselves and our white identity to your our power to help America see
that color shouldnt divide us and that we are all created equal and should be treated fairly and
have all the same privileges. As a White American I am prepared to be at war with myself and try
to make a change within the community that provides everyone no matter their color to have the
same and equal privileges. Also I am prepared to look within myself and find the deep love
Yancy has referred to and am ready to spread it within the world.
Overall George Yancy is just asking for White Americans to see the privileges we have
and I do strongly believe that racism isnt a thing just in history but is still continuing on today.
Hes asking us to be a fissure in our understanding for and a space in our hearts for people such
as Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, and so many others. He wants us to realize that
the system in American is racist. Also that we in American need the system to value black lives

Haleigh Riley

more. All lives matter no matter the skin color of an individual. Help create peace within our

corrupt world.