Rereading America: Loot or Find Fact or Frame?

Critical Reading Journal

Rereading America – Loot or Find: Fact or Frame?

Carli McCulloch

The Cheryl Harris and Devin Carbado, writers of this piece, prove their primary thesis that racism can be due to racial frames, including stereotypes, and may be disregarded by those who have “colorblindness”, by explanation of stories about Hurricane Katrina and comparison of government treatment for African Americans versus White Americans. Harris and Carbado’s combined purpose is to inform their audience. They use some persuasive techniques but overall they are mostly trying to point out that racism does exist in small (and large) forms throughout the United States, whether people see it or not. Their accounts on Hurricane Katrina and the pictures that they refer to throughout the passage, help shape this information. The pictures’ captions show how a racial frame is present and people assume that African Americans are more likely to steal while White Americans are framed to be more innocent and respectable. The tone throughout the piece is explanatory.  I say this because Harris and Carbado are mostly giving examples then explaining them through rather than just giving their opinion without explanation. I believe this piece is very successful in pointing out that racism still exists, even though it isn’t as obvious as when there were segregation laws. A strength is that it addresses people who do not believe that racism exists (“colorblindness”) and how racism is not a direct hate on African Americans but a perception of them based on stereotypes and neglect from government. I like that the piece isn’t shoving this information in mine or anyone elses face. It is presented as an explanation of an opinion rather than a fact that one would be unintelligent to not see. I also really like that it is not hateful toward White Americans, like some accounts of racism are.