Blog Post 1

      This week for my FNED 246 class we had to read the first three chapters of Allen Johnsons book called, “Privilege Power and Difference”. In my blog post I am going to be reflecting on what I read. In his writing he talks about racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, and how privilege effects people. Right at the start Johnson states how he is a white straight middleclass man. He explains how he can only talk about his experiences; he cannot talk like someone who he is not. However, he can get a better understanding of privilege, power, and difference because of facts and research. The problem of privilege can only be solved when we talk about everyone, not just certain groups of people. Johnson then goes on to support that statement by saying how minorities do not have the power to make a change all by themselves. Thats why we need people to be informed so we can all work together to make a change. However, part of the problem is that people with privilege can get overly defensive on the topic and think they're being attacked, when instead they need to understand that they have privilege and then work to lessen the gap between people. Johnson states how denying that privilege exists is a barrier to change. Johnsons writing also relates to Leslie Grinners idea of S.C.W.A.A.M.P. This stands for how straightness, Christianity, whiteness, American-ness, able-bodieness, maleness, and property ownership are valued in our culture. Grinner says how people are not even aware of all these all the time, which also relates to what Johnson was saying. After doing all of these readings I can reflect that sometimes I can be ignorant about the privileges I have. Yet, learning more about it from Johnson shows how there are things that I can do to help, not just hide from the truth. 

https://blackboard.ric.edu/ultra/courses/_103177_1/outline/file/_4389792_1 - First source 

https://blackboard.ric.edu/ultra/courses/_103177_1/outline/file/_4389791_1 - Second source