Racism III

I *think* this is my third post on racism, but I can't be sure. Anyway.

My first term in English is almost over, and I gotta say, the range of profs for English are quite varied. Of course, most are ignorant of all topics aside from English, but one or two have theological backgrounds, which add some validity to their claims of religious context for older works (like Chaucer and the yet-to-take-place reformation).

A bit ironic then, that the prof with the thinnest veil on his religious beliefs is also the most biggoted one of all my classes this term.

I first met him individually two weeks into the term, because of my late registration into classes. I had wanted to see what I could do to catch up, and what other work needed to be done. We also spoke briefly about my personal life history, and of his religious beliefs. And even though I regularly talk to him after class to ask certain questions, he seems to refuse to acknowledge me in class. It's as if I'm invisible.

And true, it's not like we fought a war together, so it's understandable that he wouldn't remember me, but at the same time, my presence in class is strong enough that I should register on his radar more prevalently than certain other persons. And apparently I'm not the only one.

One time, when he was systematically forcing the entire class (moving along the rows) to answer questions, he noticed an asian girl (who ALWAYS has been sitting beside a vocal keener in the class, whose name the Prof does know). "Are you new to this class?" he asks, as if she had never been to lecture before.

This older caucasian professor often gives stories of his "friends", but always takes care to mention their ethnicity. Why is that important? And is it even appropriate to be telling someone else's lifestory RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, even if you don't name them?? "Some of you may have noticed the Sudanese who was here last class. She's the one I've mentioned before, who ____".

And it's obvious that he doesn't acknowledge his racism; intellectually he knows it's wrong (or at the very least, socially unaccepable), but emotionally he seems to lack the actual thought to see people as being equal.

Other things about him bug me, but I'll mention that in another post.