The Ills of Society

My mom and I are driving Dad's new truck, a nice, four-door Dodge Ram EcoDiesel, and we're headed to Ridgecrest to visit my grandmother.

I had just recently noticed on my phone that the English instructor left me an email in response to my rather long message named "I'm White And Privileged, Too." I read his reply initially and felt defeated, but maybe Mom would get a different interpretation.

I asked Mom if she would listen to it (there was nothing personal in the email, as always the case with the English instructor, so I felt it was fair to share). I want her opinion on the matter.

"He likes you!" My mom exclaims happily. "He really likes you. He wants you in that class."

Somehow, that just wasn't my impression. I didn't read the essay, and think, he's proclaiming his undying love for me. I thought of it more as a thoughtful and albeit careful reprimand, i.e., Jae, this is not how you win friends and influence people. If you want to be rude, fine, but don't expect anyone to thank you. 

He reiterated his original point in his email. "I felt that it was inaccurate and unfair to attribute your peers' views strictly to their race and class..."

On the road trip, I kept thinking of ways to still maintain my A in the class, and skip the rest of the lectures. But that would just make the relationship I have with the English instructor awkward, and as I explained to him, "I don't care what they think or if they will change their minds--I only care about and value your opinion."