I found the concept of race as a social construct mentioned in both articles of Critical Race Theory to be very important as I have had the same conflict my entire life. I've been criticized as being too "white" by my own African American peers. What disturbs me more about these attacks is the meaning behind white. You see, the reason I was considered to be "too white" is because I valued my education, did not have a "thug" attitude, did not live in the ghetto, and I did not play basketball. Apparently aspiring to be something else successful other than a rapper or a ball player meant being "white" and if you are "white" you cannot be "black". Equating "whiteness" with success has always disturbed me as it has disturbed the author Ian Lopez who wrote "The Social Construct of Race".
Like the authors of Critical Race Theory I do to a certain extent blame White America for pushing this concept of "whiteness" equating to total success. However, what disturbs me most is when the Black Community simply accepts this notion of "whiteness" as being successful and "blackness" as not being successful. We only set ourselves back with the talk and in effect, we are letting the bigots and racists win. These social constructs have chained not only the African American community but all minorities as well. If we are to shatter these chains of "Blackness", "Whiteness" and race as a social construct, we have to do so together. Otherwise, the same status quo that has plagued me my entire life will affect the generations after us.
Critical race Theory is the TEXT the two articles are reprinted in. I would generally refer to the specific article's title, NOT the name one sees on the first page. I just include that so you have the publication information for citation purposes.
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