If I was a middle class white guy writing about a poor black kid

http://ideas.time.com/2011/12/15/if-i-was-a-middle-class-white-guy-writing-about-being-a-poor-black-kid/

If I was a middle class white guy writing about being a poor black kid
In a response to Gene Mark’s “if I was a poor black kid.” By Toure

3 Levels of thinking: Bill Jonescheit

Literal: Toure is writing this response to Gene Mark, the writer of the article “if I was a poor black kid” in Forbes. Toure starts off by writing how he is clueless about what it would be like a poor black kid. He makes comments on how to solve their problems that are based on what a “Middle class white guy”. He talks about getting a job from the perspective of a poor black kid and the likeliness of having a criminal record with would deny any job. He also compares whites with a criminal history to blacks without a criminal history and calls the society on still being racist. In a hypocritical way he is also being racist in his article and states at the ending, “I’m a middle class white guy on a deadline at a big-time magazine--- I’m not aware that the very gesture and the breezyness of my discussion is insulting because I’m wrapped up in a cocoon of white privilege.”

Inference: Okay, I have a couple problems with this guy’s writing but he also calls himself out on it which drives me nuts! ><_><. He knows that this article will offend people but he also believes that blacks are being discriminated against and he’s writing how he himself is to ignorant to know what he is typing, yet he is fully aware. I’d infer that he used this style to get people to think of what discrimination is going on in the United States, though he can’t prove anything in the article. He speaks logically of the subject but also irrationally at other points in the article. It’s hard to understand his stance on the subject. One he’s happy he’s a middle class white guy with all the privileges. On the other hand he wants people to be aware the racism in America is a huge factor on the poverty of African Americans and how the system us manipulated to have the rich become richer and the poor stay poor.

Critical: As he makes these statements, he raises logical points of the United States System. Why do we have a system that doesn’t tax the wealth but fines the poor for not making a payment? Money is what drives our country and the love of money has become an evil and corrupt power. Toure also brings up discrimination and the ignorance of people who have a good life and don’t worry about not having a home. Instead we type on our expensive computers munching away on cheetos while people are starving in the street. But how hypocritical is it that people write and “raise awareness” but no one does anything? What does that say about our society? Have we become so high on our pedestal that we pity those that have fallen but are too lazy to lend a helping hand? Is it truly all about survival in America? If you have become homeless, people look at you like a monster and don’t want anything to do with you. But they claim to have pity and truly care about whether people starve in the streets or not. I thank the people who don’t write about such generosity but actually practice it. Looks like I’ve fallen into the hypocritical group with writing.