I chose a sentence from the reading Masters Tool’s and Uses of Anger. It
read, “I cannot hide my anger to spare you guilt, not hurt feelings, nor
answering anger; for to do insults and trivializes all our efforts”. I chose
this sentence because I know from personal experience that emotions are
something you don’t always have control over, nor is it something you should
always have control over. I believe that if you feel more than just mad or
disappointed and it’s real anger you feel, you won’t be able to tame it. If you
feel this real and raw anger then some act or situation has occurred that
demands this anger to be felt. It shouldn’t be up to you to control your
emotions for the sake of someone else’s guilt or feelings.
There have been occasions where I felt this anger and
I didn’t once feel the need to apologize.
I feel entitled to my own beliefs and opinions, if the actions of
someone else disappoint or offend me, it’s my right to express to them how I
feel. To minimize this anger would mean you aren’t staying true to yourself and
that you care more about other people’s feelings rather than your important and
strong personal beliefs. In the situation discussed in the Masters Tool’s and Uses of Anger, her anger is her own right and
she can express it as she pleases. She doesn’t once apologize for feeling the
way she does and she doesn’t doubt herself at all. As a young white female, I
don’t think her work was meant to speak to me. I’ve learned from my ethics
class that I am considered somewhat privileged and that not every piece is
meant to be felt and understood by my person. The author, as a black female,
has felt and continues to feel struggles of oppression that I couldn’t even
wrap my head around. Sometimes I fail to recognize that racism is something to
get angry about, because it’s not something I experience on a regular basis.
What I have learned in a very short period of time is just because I don’t
experience it, doesn’t mean it’s not a very real problem.
I came across a very direct and opinionated blog while
looking for outside resources on this topic and found the insight in it to be
very interesting. Dr. Eric Anthony Grollman stated, “Considering the structural
and everyday realities of racism, anger is an appropriate, even expected,
reaction”. I think his logic goes along startling well with the reading we had
in class and he even mentions Audre Lorde in his writing. He talks about how
while expressing his opinions and thoughts on racism he has been silenced by
people in order to avoid making other white people feel uncomfortable. Although
I found his blog to be very meaningful and important, I would challenge one
aspect of it. He largely stereotypes white people, claiming we all feel
uncomfortable at the slightest mention of racism. He also claims that a large
amount of negative comments come from “liberal-minded white people”. I
understand his anger is very real, but I feel he is slightly hypocritical in
his statements.
OTHER BLOGS:
https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2016/10/anger-isnt-poison-racism.html
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