English 101 In-Class Writing
Activity Readings on Whiteness
Fall, 2003
³Whiteness is
everywhere in U.S. culture, but is very hard to see.² (Lipsitz, p 1)
For today you
read two chapters from George Lipsitz¹ book The Possessive Investment in
Whiteness: How White People Profit From Identity Politics. For this writing activity, first I will
ask you to write specifically on the first chapter you read by Lipsitz. And, second, I am asking you to do
several things.
(1) Choose one
of the quotes below. And, explain
(a) what Lipsitz is saying; (b) how the quote connects to his larger point; (c)
what you think of what he says. (15 minutes)
In U.S. society at this
time, precise awareness of the present moment requires an understanding of the
existence and destructive consequences of the possessive investment in
whiteness that surrepticiously shapes so much of our public and private lives.
(2)
The power of whiteness
depended not only on white hegemony over separate racialized groups, but also
on manipulating racial outsiders to fight against one another, to compete with
each other for white approval, and to seek the rewards and privileges of
whiteness for themselves at the expense of other racialized populations. (3)
When confronted with
evidence of systemic racial bias in home lending, defenders of the possessive
investment in whiteness argue that the disproportionate share of loan denials
to members of minority groups stems not from discrimination, but from the low
net worth of minority applicants, even those who have high incomes. (13)
In the U.S. economy, where
86 percent of available jobs do not appear in classified ads and where personal
connections prove the most important factor in securing employment, attacks on
affirmative action guarantee that whites will be rewarded for their historical
advantage in the labor market rather than for their individual abilities or
efforts. (15)
In the 1960s, members of
the Black Panther Party used to say that ³if you¹re not part of the solution,
you¹re part of the problem.² But
those of us who are ³white² can only become part of the solution if we
recognize the degree to which we are already part of the problem‹not because of
our race, but because of our possessive investment in it. (22)
FOR THE NEXT
PARTS, DO YOUR BEST TO REMEMBER THE ESSAYS / ARTICLES WE READ, BUT IF YOUR
DETAILS ARE NOT PERFECT, DON¹T WORRY.
THIS IS A WRITING ACTIVITY ABOUT WHAT A THESIS IS AND WHAT A PARAGRAGH
IS IT IS NOT A TEST OF YOUR MEMORY IT IS FOR PRACTICE PURPOSES.
In-class Activity
(2) Think
about all four authors that we have so far read who take up the topic of
whiteness. Imagine you have to
write an essay on whiteness which explains what these authors say,
collectively, about whiteness.
Construct a ³thesis statement² (a sentence or two) that you would use to
set up such an essay. Write it
down.
(3) Think of a
list of three main points of evidence that you would use to write such a paper.
Add to your thesis statement a few sentences that you would use to introduce
your paper/essay.
(4) Take one
of those three main points of evidence and write a topic sentence for the
paragraph that would explain that piece of evidence. That is, illuminate your evidence with analysis and
explanation.
You have 15
minutes. Be brief and direct. You can use your Reader.