1. How did the author stumble upon this issue? The writer was working on a woman’s studies class and she wanted men to ignite late that they are overprivileged compared to women and it made her think about unacknowledged white privilege is very similar to on acknowledged male privilege as a phenomenon.

  2. What does McIntosh mean by an “invisible knapsack”? An invisible knapsack are special provisions maps, passports, codebooks, visas, close, tools and blank checks that white people can take out whenever they need it but it is unseen and unacknowledged.

  3. What does she mean that white students are taught that their lives are “normative”? It means morally neutral. You do not see yourself as an oppressor or and unfairly advantage person and don’t believe you participate in damaging other people’s culture. It means you are average but also ideal so when you work to help people that‘ll allow them to be more like us.

  4. McIntosh writes, “ I was taught to see racism only individual acts of meanness.” In reading her article, summarize her argument regarding the danger or this idea. Being oblivious to the system of dominance is just as bad as being mean individually.

  5. Regarding the author’s list of privileges, which ones do you think are most important? Number 24 I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help my race will not work against me. This is a very important one legal and medical help can literally mean the difference between life and death. Number three I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral pleasant to me, it is sad but true.

  6. Which ones do you think aren’t as important, or may not exist as much today? (Remember, she published this in 1990) number nine I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race and the my foods in my store and my hairdresser that can deal with my hair. African American music is by far the most popular. Number 12 I can swear her dress and secondhand close without having people attribute these traces to bad morals poverty and illiteracy of my race. I just think this is true anymore I believe African-Americans are very well thought of in general and most places in the United States.

  7. Do you see evidence of an ‘invisible knapsack’ in your own life? At BHS? On Bainbridge Island? What experiences have you had that could shed light on this topic?

    Dear god yes. Money money money people assume everyone is rich on Bainbridge Island. I‘m often amazed at what people take to be “normal” I love Facebook postings from around the world on long weekends or during spring break, people just assume you’re going someplace amazing because everyone else is.

    On Bainbridge Island at the high school it is always assumed that you will take the next step and go off to college so it is not a question of if but where for nearly everyone. This is an unusual state of affairs I still have friends from my old high school and they literally don’t talk about it this is a Bainbridge Island thing not a countywide thing.

 

Film Questions:

  1. In watching “The Color of Fear,” what struck you as particularly significant insights regarding race in America?

  2. How do you think that the dialogue would have been different if there would have been more white males or no while males?

  3. How do you think that the dialogue would have been different if there would have been women involved in the conversation?

  4. What is good and what is bad on David’s perspective on the need to be colorblind?