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What Is The Theme Of Under Our Skin By Benjamin Watson

906 Words4 Pages

While most people like myself avoid discussing the hot topic of race, Under Our Skin: Getting Real About Race by Benjamin Watson has encouraged not only me, but it should encourage people of all races to deliberate the looming issue of race in our country without fear of saying something erroneous or offending someone who does not coincide with you. Watson’s book has given me the opportunity to march on a new route as I discuss the reality of racial conflict with my peers. Although I myself do not agree with absolutely everything that Watson stated, Watson’s experiences set forth in the book do help in elevating my level of understanding of the complicated issue of race and other diversity and inclusion issues arising under Title VII of the …show more content…

Firstly, Watson describes a day when his Pop Pop decided to jump into the public swimming pool, which of course was designated as whites-only. Nevertheless, Pop Pop swam in it anyway, and Watson’s grandfather received a call from the authorities, demanding that the family pay for the cost of draining the pool and refilling it with “pure” water. Reading this aroused an emotional response out of me because we as a nation failed to understand the basic human and civil rights of people regardless of the color of their skin. Moreover, a young boy of color being able to impurify water – please, give me a …show more content…

Although Chris’s racial attitudes were shaped positively by family and friends early in life, they were turned around later when he had his own family. Chris described to Watson that his son’s college application was turned down, even though his grades and test scores were plenty high enough to get in, and Chris’s job promotion, which was in the bag, ended up going to a black coworker. Consequently, Chris was visibly incensed at the affirmative action and welfare system policies, and Watson knew that. The imperative aspect of their conversation is that even if it became heated, they were both one hundred percent authentic with each other and respected each

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