Power and Privilege

I've spent a lot of time this week thinking about all the privileges we usually don't even notice. I would consider myself to be capable of being empathetic of the people who don't benefit from these privileges, but in this case I really can't imagine what it's like to live without them. I only know it's not fair, and like Ryan said in class, if I ever move into a position of power, I will not allow such privileges to sway me one way or the other, if I'm given the opportunity to hire an individual, it will be the person who is most qualified for the position. I honestly hate that the world still works this way, I really hate how invisible it can seem to somebody like me, and how obvious it can seem to someone who is being discriminated against. There lies the problem, the dominant culture on this continent is too blind to see whats happening, and if they do see it, that just makes me sick.
I think it's great that we're all taking a step back and looking at ourselves, because teachers are truly people in a position of power. We have the power to influence thousands, we open the eyes of our students, and our students can open the eyes to the rest of the world. I wish it were that easy and I know it sounds kind of corny, but I want to make a difference in the world, I've been saying that ever since I decided I was going to teach, what better cause than making the American dream something tangible no matter the race, gender, or economic background etc. I think we all see it, lets get to work!