Tim Wise

In America today, many people still believe that racism goes both ways, meaning both whites and people of color are subjected to discrimination. Author Tim Wise begs to differ. He believes that only people of color are discriminated against and whites are granted with far more privileges. Even though America had made extreme progress towards becoming a more equal nation, there is still proof that racism exists. Although racism is less open than in the past, it still affects the lives of many people today.
Racism is still seen around the world today. It affects all types of people regardless of their color. Although toned down, racism is now against the law and not looked upon as the common belief of non colored people. Wise believes , “Racism is an ideology that says certain people, by virtue of their race, are either inferior or superior to others of a different, with race usually being defined by skin color…It’s a way or organizing society” (5). What Wise means is society stereotypes certain types of people by the color of their skin. It’s convenient to judge a person because of how they look. Americans find it easier to stay within their race and make assumptions, rather than to venture out and actually get to know people of a different color. Even Wise makes assumptions, “Once I got on an airplane with two black pilots, and my immediate reaction was, “Can they fly the plane?” I caught myself and realized that of course they could. But the thought was there, and I had to acknowledge it” (12). Racism might just be ingrained in us. We are raised today to know different stereotypes and how certain races are supposed to act or supposed to be better at certain things. Regardless of age, color, or social class, racism is apparent in society and affects anybody anywhere.
Along with racism, privilege is also apparent in society. White people are privileged in that they are given rights or benefits beyond the advantages of most other people. Wise describes a few of the privileges of being white, “we whites are able to be as incompetent or mediocre as we want and never have our mediocrity ascribed to our race” (5). What Wise means is that white people don’t have to live their lives under the microscope. White people are able to make as many mistakes as they want, and their race is not held accountable.
Even though we might not see ourselves as being racist or discriminatory, we still categorize and stereotype people without even realizing were doing it. “We don’t consciously believe in racial superiority or inferiority, but we’ve become so used to the existing policies, practices, and procedures that we don’t question them. To the extent that we don’t challenge this system of racism, we are collaborating with it,” (5) says Wise. By growing up in a privileged white society, we have been shielded from and made unaware of the way minorities live. It is impossible to truly understand how people of color are forced to live in society. By being white, our opinion or definition of privilege and racism are biased. This can also lead to the issue of privileged access, which is a main component of paper three.
When arguing a food community is better than another like in paper three, one must remember that there is always the issue of access. Because of racism and white privilege, minorities have less access to certain food groups. The majority of minorities live in the inner city or ghettos, where their access to fresh fruit, vegetables, and organic food is very limited. They can’t simply drive down the street to a farmers market or walk to a fresh produce stand to get those healthy foods, because they don’t have them.
In conclusion, racism is very prominent in all areas of the world even today. The way it affects people’s lives varies depending on the degree of the racism taken. The white race as a whole is much more privileged than other colored races, and does not have to deal with all the bad treatment that others do. Without even acknowledging it, whites have more opportunities and a better chance at life and success from the day they are born. The environment and surroundings definitely influences how prevalent racism and privileges are. Hopefully one day people will begin to look past the color of one’s skin and realize that everyone is not so different.