Discussion Forum 4: The paradox of white privilege and hiding white poverty: CEOs and Honey Boo-Boo, Jerry Springer and the trashing of trailer trash in popular American media.
Review these online articles:
- Historical roots of white poverty in Appalchia:http://www.academia.edu/1266802/Land_Rich_and_Cash_Poor_The_Materiality_of_Poverty_in_Appalachia
- Farm Widows:http://farmprogress.com/story-farm-widows-9-113469
- Poor White Males:http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/31/1227963/-The-New-White-Poor-are-Not-Honey-Boo-Boo-They-Sleep-in-Their-Cars-and-Shop-at-Trader-Joe-s#
- White Privilege in White Poverty:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gina-crosleycorcoran/explaining-white-privilege-to-a-broke-white-person_b_5269255.html
In Discussion Forum 4, post your response to the following discussion question. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar.
In recent years with the expansion of diversity viewership, the rise of negative stereotyping of white poverty has become prevalent. It has become popular fare to make fun of white poverty on television, in comedy, and movies. This hides the dire fact that there are more white poor people by head-count than blacks or Hispanics, though by percentage of their racial group it is a smaller portion of people.
- What do you think is the reason that creating stereotypes and making fun of poor white people has become normalized in popular American culture?
- What is your view of the relationship between white poverty and white privilege?
- In what ways do the non-textbook assignments unpack the realities of being white in American beyond the stereotypes we have?
- Based on the textbook reading, describe some of the different experiences of white immigrant groups that were significant and notable to you.
