Anti-racism activist Jane Elliott leaves white audience speechless

[crickets]

with a brilliant question about race:

Link to tweet

I want every white person in this room who would be happy to be treated as this society, in general, treats our black citizens -- if you, as a white person, would be happy to recieve the same treatment as our black citizens do in this society, please stand.

[auditorium is silent, stays seated]

You didn't understand the directions. If you white folks want to be treated the way blacks are in this society, stand.

Nobody's standing here. That says very plainly that you know what's happening, you know you don't want it for you. I want to know why you're so willing to accept it or to allow it to happen for others.

Jane Elliot is the school teacher who originated the Blue-Eyes-Brown-Eyes exercise in her classroom after the assassination of Martin Luther King.

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/jane-elliott-taught-kids-not-be-prejudiced-now-she-sees-racism-growing#stream/0

Edited to add youtube video link:

[tblue37]

1. K&R for visibility. nt

[alwaysinasnit]

2. K&R Excellent posting.

[Solly Mack]

3. K&R

[0rganism]

4. well that just crystalized the main problem right there

damn

[dchill]

5. That's some serious germaine.

[NoMoreRepugs]

6. Those people in the audience had to feel sooooo tiny.

[TimeToGo]

19. I'm not sure what you are saying

They understood her point, right? That’s why they didn’t stand.

[reACTIONary]

29. Exactly. Who would be ashamed to acknowledge that ...

... Black folks aren't treated fairly.

[TimeToGo]

40. Yea. Of course.

It seemed as if people were acting as if the audience had been caught. Or had acted incorrectly- they understood the speaker as we do.

[2naSalit]

7. Good one her, again!

I though the name sounded familiar. Glad she's still teaching.

[Joinfortmill]

8. Wow. Just wow.

[Mr.Bill]

9. In one of his HBO specials, Chris Rock said:

There isn't a white person in this room who would trade places with me, and I'm rich.

[dalton99a]

12. +1. At 1:35 :

[djacq]

10. Perfect example of White Privilege.

You may not want to be treated that way but I, as a black citizen and many others of color, don't have that choice.

Welcome to Institutionalize Racism in America.

Educate yourself about the African American History.

[dalton99a]

11. "Would you like to be black for one day?"

[Hermit-The-Prog]

24. Not if I have to walk, jog, run or drive anywhere.

It's pretty clear that breathing while black is a dangerous act.

[onecaliberal]

41. You can be in your own home sleeping and be in danger.

[KS Toronado]

13. Great way to make people THINK, main thing lacking in the maga crowd

[madamesilverspurs]

14. Video won't play

Does anyone have another link that might work?

TIA

[crickets]

16. Added a youtube version of the video to the OP. I hope that one will play for you! nt

[madamesilverspurs]

18. Works, thanks!

[iluvtennis]

17. Here is another link to the video

https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1266448172982951943/pu/vid/320x320/rsrAVBUqco0CXrZZ.mp4?tag=10

[iluvtennis]

15. Jane Elliot is the educator who did the "Blye Eyed vs Brown Eyes" experiment into racism in late 60s

For x weeks, the blue-eyed kids were told they were superior and brown eyed folks were no good. Blue eyed kids drank from water facets different than the lowly brown eyed kids. Same with bathrooms, use of library space, etc.

She noted the behavior of the kids and how the treatment of brown eyed kids (..previously friends with the blue-eyed kids..) by the blue-eyed kids changed when they were told the brown eyed kids were inferior.

Then for next x weeks, the roles were reversed. Brown eyed kids were told they were superior and blue-eyed kids were inferior.

Very effective experiment in how racism is taught.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Elliott

[CaptYossarian]

25. Many years ago, she did the same thing with an adult audience on Oprah.

The brown-eyed adults were screaming at her and pointing their fingers.

It was powerful enough that I still remember it about 20-25 years later.

A DUer posted a Chris Rock video above. The last time I was shocked by anything (other than this administration) was when he said his mom told him that when blacks needed dental work in South Carolina back in the day, they would have to go to a veterinarian.

The United States of Apartheid.

[iluvtennis]

26. On Oprah, wow - would have loved to see that.

[Demovictory9]

20. kick

[Sunsky]

21. Excellent nt

[DavidDvorkin]

22. But many of us (most, I hope) don't accept it

Nor do we accept it, but we don't have the power to stop it.

[soldierant]

36. No, we don't have the power to stop it

but we do have more power than we are using. Some more than others, certainly.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

38. To quote President Obama's four-letter response, "VOTE."

We o have the power. We need to VOTE for every office from the bottom to the top.

[Nevilledog]

23. So simple in its brilliance.

I plan on using this .

[czarjak]

27. Racism...

The same yesterday, today and forever. Just like Jesus, huh, rubes?

[CrispyQ]

28. Denis Leary quote:

Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps! End of list.

~Denis Leary

[Nevilledog]

37. Perfect

[c-rational]

30. K&R Great Question and Statement.

[Marthe48]

31. I saw her on a talk show years ago

I saw the Blue Eyes-Brown Eyes exercise. I worked harder on my own outlook ever since.

[napi21]

32. I never thought of racism that way before, but she's right. Children are taught racism from

birth. In most cases there aren't specific words, but actions. Kids are very perceptive, and they sense a lot of things that are never verbalized. We as a population, need to hear that, over & over until it sinks in. Some may not realize what they're doing & must change their behavior.

[Upthevibe]

33. crickets...WOW!

I had NEVER seen that. I know all about the blue eyes/brown eyes exercise but I didn't know really who did it. That was soooo powerful! Thank you for posting.

[BarbD]

34. South Pacific song "You've got to be carefully taught"

You've got to be taught
to hate and fear
You've got to be taught
From year to year
It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught
To be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a different shade
You've got to be carefully taught

You've got to be taught
Before it's too late
Before you are 6 or 7 or 8
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You've got to be carefully taught.

[malaise]

35. I sent that to a sibling

He replied with a teardrop

[Nevilledog]

42. You seem nice.

[smirkymonkey]

43. K&R

Very powerful!