I. Have. No. Words.

First, I need to say this.

My life is easier than the same life of a man who is black.  Same background, same education, same income, kids, cars, job and all the rest of it.  My life is easier.

Drop me off in any random city/town in the US of A and I’m almost surely going to be alright.

But today is better than yesterday.  And yesterday is WAY better than it was when I was born.

Way.

And until my life isn’t easier because I’m not black than it is form my friends who are black, we have work to do.  And, as long as there is work to do, we should do it.  And measure it.  And always keep the eye on the ball.

All that being said, and what was said is much more than just over 100 words typed, I have to say, this is some crazy shit.  Ca-Razy:

A university professor has claimed teaching maths perpetuates “unearned” white privilege.

What?  How..?  Are you kidding me?

She is not:

Titled “Building Support for Scholarly Practices in Mathematics Methods”, Ms Gutierrez argues a focus on Pythagorean theorem and pi feed into the idea that maths was developed by the Greeks and Europeans.

“On many levels, mathematics itself operates as Whiteness. Who gets credit for doing and developing mathematics, who is capable in mathematics, and who is seen as part of the mathematical community is generally viewed as White,” she wrote, according to Campus Reform.

Does she know what we call our numeral system?  Does she know who is credited with the discovery of zero?  The development of algebra?  She must – she teaches this.  But how can she ignore those facts?

But now moving forward, history being history, she begins to question math itself:

“Are we really that smart just because we do mathematics?”

She also believes society’s focus on maths as a key skill can perpetuate discrimination against minorities.

“If one is not viewed as mathematical, there will always be a sense of inferiority that can be summoned,” she wrote.

Umm, yes.  We are really THAT smart because we can do math.  And yes, math is a key skill.  Key in getting a job, key in keeping a job.  Key in organizing one’s life.  And living it well.  And increasing the odds that upon death, there will be a legacy to leave behind for the next generations.

As I mentioned, there is work to be done; less than yesterday, but enough labor to go around.  Such labor would be easier to ear without the addition of unrelenting false victimization that we see in these times.

 

2 responses to “I. Have. No. Words.

  1. Reminds me of the old Calvin and Hobbes strip. Calvin is in math class and is trying to do basic arithmetic. “I refuse!” He tells the teacher, ” 2+2=4, 3+3=6…why is this true? Only because we believe it. Math is a religion! And as a math atheist I refuse.”

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