White Skin

Until this recent assigned reading, I was oblivious to the plethora of avantages that we as white people take for granted each and every day. As I was reading through the list of day to day activities, I began to realize the subtle advantages that something as little as my skin could determine. Up to this point, I was told that racism and segregation were things of the past, and should not cause such an issue now days. Some of the things that the author listed, were things that I would have never even given a second thought to, and this was the authors way to get the readers actually thinking. I never would think twice about a "flesh" colored bandage, and it not matching my skin color. It is just something that has always been there for me in my favor, so it never crossed my sheltered little mind. The author mentiones that she can buy toys, dolls, posters, and post cards and be sure that the people on them will be caucasian. This also was just something that I have disreguarded my entire eighteen years of life. I always had caucasian dolls and barbie dolls, and Santa Clause and his elves were always white. I have never had to worry about not getting in to a public place becuse of my race, and I have the oppurtunity to isolate myself from other races.
All of the issues that the author listed provoked many thoughts to run through my head, and I began to realize all of the advantages I have had at my finger tips for my entire life. I have come to realize that I have been racially sheltered, and can now try to understand what the world really is like, and that being white should not dominate our society's ability to function.