A Powerful Emotion

In reading these three articles, I found myself relating accurately to the title and also feeling quite a bit of rage. The several bullet point examples of interchanges between women that Lorde began with, compiled with the anecdote from Hooks about herself and her friend on the plane together brought out a very displeased reaction within me as I read.

More specifically, I was most annoyed by the third bullet point that Lorde listed (copied and pasted below)
• TheWomen'sStudiesProgramofasouthernuniversityinvites
a Blackwoman to read following a week-longforum on Blackand white women. "Whathas this week given to you?"I ask. The most vocalwhitewomansays,"IthinkI'vegotten a lot. I feel Blackwomen really understand me a lot better now; they have a better idea of where I'm coming from."As if understandingher lay at the core of the racistproblem.These are the bricksthatgo into the wallsagainst whichwewillbashour consciousness,unlesswe recognizethatthey can be takenapart. (Lorde 278)
 
The selfishness and narcissism within this statement are overwhelming to me. It is shocking how unaware  people with privilege, such as being white, can be of the struggles faced by others differing from them in things like race or ethnicity.  The senses of entitlement are undeniable and are projected though how we work our society. Hooks brought up the idea within her piece that people subject to racial harassment have accepted it as a social condition of life in this white supremacist patriarchy which we live. The fact that mistreatment and lack of respect towards people of color is still not only in existence, but is considerably a social norm is horrible, and something that we as a nation should be ashamed of. With the rage that I feel on this topic I cannot even begin to comprehend that of which those actually facing it feel.

This, however, I believe leads into another one of Hooks' important points. In speaking about this "black rage," she said that it has the power to inspire courageous action, as well as promote growth and change within a person (Hooks 3). Keeping the future in mind is key in actually making a difference. There must be awareness of the rage that is building within these oppressed people, and that cannot be done without a push against compliance and an encouragement of standing up and speaking out.


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