The Race Factor

1. Comprehension Check

1. Does racism still exist in the USA according to O’Reilly?

2. When and how did the author encounter white racism?

3. What were the circumstances of the O’Reillys moving to Levittown?

4. When did O’Reilly first meet Afro-Americans?

5. Why did many whites want to have black friends?

6. What example of the whites’ sensitivity towards the black youngsters does the author give?

2. Discriminate false statements from the true ones. Justify your choices by relevant information from the section.

1. Not until the 1960s did the blacks start to work their way into the middle class.

2. Willie Mays, New York Yankees superstar was young O’Reilly’s idol, though he was black.

3. All the generations of the family were equally immune to racism.

4. Afro-American at Marist College were conscious of being outnumbered by whites .

5. In New York City both white and black racism face the same response.

6. More talented people from wealthy background were promoted ahead of O’Reilly because they were well-connected.

3. Fill in the blanks.

1. You guys and a lot of others -------------- on stirring up racism.

2. Our lily-white town was populated in the 1950s mostly by whites who --------- Brooklyn after World War 2. This sudden exodus was caused by --------- real estate agents. They began to move in blacks. This was not an ------------ plan to promote ---------- and harmony among races.

3. My grandfather ------------- maintained his home on West Street because he owned it.

4. Many blocks owned by blockbusters began to -----------.

5. All the blacks ------------ together in the cafeteria and lived together in the ----------.

6. This behavior caused occasional------------ with some of the white players.

7. The result of all this groupthink on both sides was an embarrassing ------------- in most black-white social ----------.

8. To ---------- the white power structure with historical inequities is a waste of time.

4. Discussion Points

1. Why are the racist attitudes still at play after all these years .

2. What do you know about evolution of the racism and its latest forms?

3. The author advocates forgetting the history that produced you and enjoying your life, helping people of all races in genuine belief that thus we will be able to combat racism without any use of force or political commitment. Don’t you think that he is completely altruistic?

4. Aren’t too many people looking at classism and racism as obstacles to be used as excuses for not doing their best?