Blog #1: White Privelege and Combahee River Collective Statement
One of the most prominent themes in both "White Privilege" and the Combahee River Collective Statement is privilege and the idea that some people are born with it and others have to fight for it. In her article McIntosh writes about many privileges white people have that are often overlooked, but it is clear that the Combahee River Collective thinks about these things everyday, and they are very passionate about fighting for the privileges they deserve. They state that they do not have privileges related to race or class to rely upon, so they are therefore less powerful and have more opression to deal with.
This idea of not being a part of the dominant part of society is another issue the Combahee River Collective raises, and is another common theme in both articles. McIntosh gives some very good examples in her article about how white people are the dominant culture in the U.S., and gives some insight into how it would feel to be a part of the culture that doesn't have the privilege. To walk into a store or go to school or any other place and not see your race represented, or to simply know that every decision you make or action you take could be attributed to your race or representative of your race. The Combahee River Collective Statement does not only deal with being underprivileged in terms of race, but in terms of gender as well, mentioning that many black men view feminism negatively, and it is even a struggle to fight for the idea that men and women are equal in value. Although both of these texts are coming from different authors with different backgrounds, they address themes that they both have identified to be important. One author comes from a place where the oppression has always been aparent, while the other had to take a bit more time to become fully aware of it, but they have both written something important to them that allows others to know about their position on the matter.