Summary
"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack," by Peggy McIntosh is an article that features a list of privileges and conditions that mostly apply to Peggy's color (white). Peggy is an associate director of the Wellesley Collage Center for Research on Women. Her purpose for writing the article was to show the everyday effects of white privilege in her life. "...my African American coworkers, friends, and acquaintances with whom I come into daily or frequent contact with in this particular time, place and time of work cannot count on most of these conditions," Peggy exclaimed. She writes this article to convey the definition of racism as not being individual acts of malice, but rather the fact that we live in a society that spreads racism unknowingly.
Response
In Peggy McIntosh's, "White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack," she talks about how the minority do not get to experience the privileges that her color does. She points out the simple fact that racism is not a series of evil or malicious acts toward the minority, but rather our society has indirectly implemented the use of racism in everyday life. Also, she focuses on mainly skin color instead of referring to ethnicity, class, religion, and etc.
I agree with her opinion on the effects of racism in today's society. Although today's customs promote equal rights and freedom to all, old ideas and traditions may cause people to reminisce on past habits; people to this day still have mixed feelings on the ideas of equality and it is taking a toll on society. When she focuses on skin color it reveals that being white gives many people the mentality that they are privileged to many of the conditions that Peggy listed in her article. Even though there are white people with differences in class, ethnicity, and religion, they have a mindset that causes them to think white is right.
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