Racism and cruelty

For some reason, Critical Race Theory is so controversial to many people to the point that some states banned it from being taught in schools. Even so, I personally find it important to learn and understand how the victims of systemic racism are affected by the cultural perceptions of race, and how they are able to represent themselves to counter prejudice. Learning about CRT provided me with an understanding of the way that a person’s race, like my own, can shape their experience with the law and with society. I think it is useful to be educated on topics that are ingrained into our society because they affect me and others. 

Colson Whitehead’s “The Match” piqued my interest. Whitehead addresses race relations in educational institutions by sharing the story of Griff, a black student in a racist school only noticed as a commodity, or form of entertainment to be used at the school’s boxing matches. Whitehead is able to clearly demonstrate the power dynamic between the white people and the black students. The students and teachers themselves are segregated, “The racial division of the school recreated itself in the gym, with the white boys taking the south half, and the black boys claiming the north”(Whitehead 4). There was no prevarication of the clear race relations in the school. While all this was happening, the school still tried to maintain a prestigious image when giving tours, the countless fights and the inhumane means of discipline were ignored,  “They might have had a question or two but that was not part of the tour” (Whitehead 1). This furthers Whitehead’s points on race relations within an institution such as education, and lack of care when it comes to certain types of students. 

Whitehead created the capacity for cruelty by setting the story in a reform school for juvenile boys whose main hobbies are boxing each other.  These boxing matches are for white man’s entertainment, but at the same time, students like Griff use boxing as an outlet. The lack of regard for the black students in the story is also emphasized by the fact that the coach asked Griff to throw the tournament, and stop doing what he likes to do showing how the capacity for cruelty is bolstered by racist ideologies, and how the students used.