Micro-Aggressions: Video Analysis

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This video, while probably intentional, perfectly displays the concept of Micro-Aggressions. A micro-aggression is when people enact subtle insults that may be behavioral, verbal, or social that conveys a negative attitude towards a member of a sub-group or vulnerable group. These actions are often ambiguous and the offender is often unaware that he is acting in a way that re-enforces negative stereotypes. This idea of micro-aggression can be displayed by the video when Tim Wise was talking to the speaker on “What Matters”, in which the speaker was talking about the use of buzzwords used by the Tea Party (42-43). Buzzwords such as, Real American, Take Our Country Back, Real Americans (42-43). These buzzwords are while ambiguous do point to real stereotyping toward African Americans (42-43). After the show, when Tim sated that he got a letter challenging his belief on what the Tea Party was about directly displays this idea of a micro-aggression and the use of …show more content…

Instrumental aggression is aggression that is enacted against a group of individuals who prevents one from reaching their goals. In the segment of the video on the tea parties, the party leaders were taking on aggressive actions stating that they want America to go back to the way it was (40-45). The problem with this is that America during that time had higher taxes and higher rates of government intervention, which is what the party argues against (40-45). Why would they want to go back to a time in which they problems they want to get rid of are worse then than they are now (40-45). In truth they are arguing against the promotion of racial equality (40-45). They enact their aggression by arguing against such campaigns as Medicaid and affirmative action, and will even enact aggression in order to reach their goal of securing white supremacy, thus enacting instrumental

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