madame thursday

Transcript of video:

Martin Luther King (from video clip of his I Have A Dream Speech): “I have a dream. My four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

[Camera cuts to interview with Jane Elliott].

Elliott: The day after Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, I decided to do an exercise that would help my students to understand racism. I tried to make a difference. I’m still trying to make that difference. 

[Clip of Jane Elliot in 1968 in front of a class full of white children]

Elliott: Is there anyone in this United States we do not treat as our brothers?

Child in class: The Black people.

Elliott: The black people. How are Indians treated? How are people who are of a different color than we are treated?

Another child in class: They don’t get anything in this world.

Elliott: Why is that?

Third child in class: Because they’re a different color.

(Camera goes back to interview in present day)

Jane Elliott: I feel people need this because we are still doing now what we were doing in the 50’s. 

(Camera returns to clip of Elliott in 1960’s classroom)

Elliott: Is there anything about you people that is different from one another that we could use to make part of you…

Child in class (off camera): Black?

Another child in class: The color of the eyes.  

Elliott: Okay, we could do the color of your eyes. How many people in here have blue eyes? Okay how many in here have brown eyes? It might be interesting to judge people today by the color of their eyes. Would you like to try this?

Children: Yes!

(Camera returns to interview in present day)

Elliott: I’m trying to get the people who participate in this exercise the opportunity to find out how it feels to be something other than white in this society. 

(Camera goes to classroom in present day with Elliott speaking to a group of mostly students of color)

Elliott: All right, people, I’m Jane Elliot. I’m your resident bitch for today. And make no mistake about that, that’s what this is about. 

(Cut back to interview)

Elliott: I do this in a mean nasty way because racism, sexism, ageism, homophobia, ethnocentrism are mean and nasty.

(Back in present day classroom)

Elliott: Today I am here because I have been asked to do an exercise in discrimination based on eye color. Now the purpose of this exercise is to give these nice blue eyed white kids the opportunity to spend about an hour and a half to two hours on the receiving end of the treatment we mete out to people of color on a daily basis in this country. 

They are in a blue eyed holding room right now. They are not eating, they are not drinking. There are three chairs in there four twelve people. We’re going to bring these people in here, you are going to treat them as though they are inferior because they are inferior. Everybody understand that? They’re not going to learn because they can’t learn and because we’re going to set it up so they can’t learn. And if they succeed, who has failed? We have. You people want to fail? No. If they get power, who loses power? We do. You wanna lose power? No. 

We’re going to accuse them of not being as smart as we are. We’re going to accuse them of not being as clean as we are. We are going to lower our expectations for them. We are going to force them to live down to our expectations of them. And when they do we are going to blame their inability to perform on the color of their eyes. Now in order to get them into their adult ego state we’re going to try to teach them the listening skills. 

Now what do we call men we want to keep in their child like state? Boys. We’re going to call these males boy. You’re not going to use their given name. You’re going to call them boy. Or you’re going to call them bluey. Or you’re going to call them fool. (laughs). Now, people. 

Now what do we call women besides “chicks” (cut to scenes of various female students in the holding room)”honey” “baby” “gal” (cut back to classroom) “dollface” “doll” “dumplin’”. We are going to give them no respect. How many of you have friends in that group? Let me put it this way: how many of you use to have friends in that group?

Because some of these people are going to leave here very angry. White people’s number one freedom in the United States of America is the freedom to be totally ignorant about those who are other than white. We don’t have to learn about those who are other than white. And our number two freedom is the freedom to deny that we’re ignorant. 

Today we’re going to take away these people’s freedom to be ignorant. I want you to understand how the system works. And believe me this is how the system works. we make laws to support white superiority. And to reinforce white superiority. And when you catch on to how it works, then we change the laws. I didn’t invent this exercise. I learned this from Adolf Hitler. One of the ways they decided who went into the gas chamber was eye color. This exercise is not without precedent. 

White man gathering up students from blue eyed holding room: “Let’s go people. Okay, let’s go.”

(Steudn

(Cut to classroom as blue eyed students enter):

“Now look at this. Watch ‘em. Look at ‘em.”

Student: “Should we just sit anywhere?”

Look at ‘em. Should we just sit anywhere? Should we just sit anywhere? If you came into a room in which the chairs were arranged in this way and the brown eyed people were sitting in these chairs in this way and nobody was sitting in the mildly, where would you sit? In the middle. That would make sense to me, would it make sense to you?

Where are you going? Get in the blue eyed section. The blue eyed section is in the middle of the room. Get there. You’re a non-brown? As far as I’m concerned you’re a bluey. Now, this one giggling. What do you know about him?

Student (off camera): He’s ignorant

Elliott: It’s because he’s ignorant. What else do you know about him? He’s in his little kid child ego state, isn’t he? Get up here and sit down on the floor. You two get up here and sit down on the floor. (Laughing)

(Cut to white student from group in interview outside): I was really tired when I entered the room but I didn’t have any expectations. I was just sitting there and wondering how it could be an emotional experience. 

(Cut to interview of Elliott)

Elliott: On the day these kids - these white kids - are in this exercise they see themselves as other people see them for the first time in their lives. 

(Cut to classroom)

Elliott: What are you gonna do? 

Student: Sit here until you tell me to do something.

Elliott: You see what he’s doing

Second white student: I’m a girl.

Elliott: You see what she’s doing?

(Cut to interview with second white student): It didn’t take very long before intimidation set in. And uh, before my buttons were pushed. 

(Cut back to classroom)

Elliott: Now, while I’ve been talking some of you have been sitting there reading the signs. I’m not gonna put with that any longer. So you in the back row stand up and read the first sign on that wall that back there. 

Red headed white male student: Only brown eyes need apply.

Elliott: Read it so we can hear you.

Red headed student: Only brown eyes need apply.

Elliot: Next.

White female student with bandana on head: Why can’t a blue eyed be more like a brown?

Elliott: Read it again. Get it right this time.

White female student: Why can’t a blue eyed be more like a brown?

Elliott: Read it again, get it right this time. Pronounce each one of those words correctly as they’re written.

White female student: Why can’t a blue eye be more like a brown?

Elliott: Next.

White male student: I’m not prejudiced some of my best friends are blue eyed.

Elliott: How many of you’ve ever heard that one before in another form? Oh yes. Favorite claim of liberals, right? I’m not prejudice some of my best friends are…Black. Has any person ever said to you, any Good Liberal person ever said to you “When I see you, I don’t see you Black.”

Female student of color: Every day!

Elliott: Every damn day! How many have had that experience? When I see you, I don’t see you Black. And what do you say to them when they say that?

Student: “But I am.”

Elliott: And then what do they say?

Second female student of color: They say, but I don’t see color.

Elliott: I don’t see color! How many of you think they do see color? Well people, if they didn’t see color they wouldn’t say when I see you, I don’t see you Black. Because they wouldn’t see black, would they?

(Cut to interview with student who said “Every day!” indoors in a different room)

Student: You can’t say I don’t see color cause you’d be seeing Black and white and that’d be a really weird world to see. If everything was Black and white we’d be some really messed up people. 

(Cut to an interview on a sidewalk with another female student of color): It happens to me on a daily basis in the institution I’m at. There’s really no way around it because whether people do it intentionally or not… 

(Cut back to classroom):

Elliott: You know the physical aspects of the listening skills? 

Student: Afraid not. 

Elliott: You’re afraid not? What about you? 

Another white student: Definitely not. 

Elliott: Definitely not? What about you? 

White female student with light hair: A bit. 

Elliott: A bit? (mocking student’s speaking manner) A bit?

White female student: Yes. 

Elliott: Well tell me what the bit is that you know? 

White Female Student: The bit that I know is that you stand up straight, you look at the person who is speaking and pay attention to what they’re saying. 

Elliott: What if you’re sitting down?

White Female Student: I am sitting down. 

Elliott: Then you can’t listen, right? 

White Female Student: No, you can listen by sitting down. 

Elliott: Oh, you just said you stand up straight. 

White Female Student: I said you sit up straight. 

Elliott: You did? She say you sit up straight or you stand up straight? Is this a universal problem with blue eyed people? You have a pencil and paper with you?

White Female Student: No. 

Elliott: Do you?

White Female Student: Over in my bag. 

Elliott: Over in your bag? 

White Female Student: Yes. 

Elliott: Why is it in your bag? 

White Female Student: Because that’s where I keep it. 

Elliott: That’s where you keep it? Why did you put your paper and pencil 

over there? 

White Female Student: Because I was not - I didn’t not know when I was going to be needing it.

Elliott: You came to a learning experience, right? 

White Female Student: Yes.

Elliott: Did you ever go to a learning experience before?

White Female Student: Yes.

Elliott: Did you ever take notes?

White Female Student: Yes

Elliott: What did you use?

White Female Student: I used a paper and pencil. 

Elliott: Paper and pencil And did you keep it with you so that you could 

take notes? 

White Female Student: Yes.

Elliott: Why didn’t you do that this time?

White Female Student: Because I was not planning on taking notes. 

Elliott: You weren’t planning on taking notes? You think you can remember everything that’s going to be done in here and said in here?

White Female Student: Not word for word

Elliott: Not word for word so what should you have done

White Female Student: I..

Elliott: “Probably.” She’s going to say, “I probably should have done it right. what should you have done?”

White Female Student: I should have brought my paper and pencil over here and kept it with me during their time. 

Elliott: That’s right that’s right you’re acting angry 

White Female Student: I am angry

Elliott: What are you angry about

White Female Student: I’m angry that you’re yelling at me

Elliott: Do you hear me yelling? This is YELLING! Have I done that yet?

White Female Student: Okay, you’re using a stern voice. 

Elliott: Are you - are you defining me? 

White Female Student: No I am not defining you.

Elliott: Is she defining me? Does she say I’m yelling when I’m not? 

Perception is everything. Do you feel like I’m yelling at you?

White Female Student: Yes

Elliott: Yes, why 

Because you are using a stern voice. 

Elliott: A stern voice. Honey, it isn’t my fault you’re stupid. 

Would you like me to go get my paper and pencil?

Elliott: I wouldn’t like you in any way shape or form 

White Female Student: Okay, then that’s fine

Elliott: Let’s get that understood here.

White Female Student: Okay

Elliott: This isn’t a matter of whether I like you or not. Repeat after me. One hand. 

White Female Student: One hand

Elliott: One hen. Not one hand, one hen. Hen! Hen! Hen! Lays eggs. One hen

White Female Student: One hen 

Elliott: One hen two ducks

White Female Student: One hen two ducks

Elliott: One hen two ducks three squawking geese

White Female Student: One hen two duck three squawking geese

Elliott: One hen two ducks three squawking geese four limerick oysters

White Female Student: One hen two ducks three squawking geese four hemerick oysters

Elliott: Hemerick oysters?

White Female Student: That’s it, I’m sorry. 

Elliott: Limerick oysters! 

White Female Student: Limerick oysters.

Elliott: One hen two ducks three squawking geese four limerick oysters five corpulent porpoises. You can remember everything honey, this isn’t hard for you. Go for it. 

Elliott: One hen two ducks three squawking d- geese four limerick oysters, five -I forget the other one.

Elliott: Do you wish you had a paper and pencil?

No. 

Elliott: Do you think you’re going to need one if I keep testing you on that?

White Female Student: Yes. 

Elliott: Then are you going to wish you had a paper and pencil

White Female Student: Yes. 

Elliott: Then in the future what are you going to do when you go to a learning situation? 

White Female Student: Bring paper and pencil. 

Elliott: And keep it with…

White Female Student: You. 

Elliott: you. Did you learn anything?

White Female Student: Yes. 

Elliott: Do you appreciate what you just learned?

White Female Student: Yes

Elliott: Did you like the way it was taught.

White Female Student: No.

Elliott: No? Any of the rest of you ever taught in that fashion?

(Other students sitting around middle section): Yes

Elliott: Yes. And did you have to express appreciation for it?

Other students: Yes

Elliott: Yeah. Did you learn something from her example? What are you crying about?

White Female Student: I’m sorry. 

Elliott: What are you crying about?

White Female Student: My feelings were hurt.

Elliott: How were feelings were hurt. 

White Female Student: They just were.

Elliott: Should I feel sorry for her?

White Female Student: I don’t expect you to.

Elliott: Should I feel sorry for her? Some of you are thinking “oh this is too harsh for this young woman” 

James Byrd, Black man in Texasm dragged to death behind a pick up truck by three white males. Matthew Sheppard. Matthew Sheppard young man about - a little younger than you are - had the misfortune to be born gay. Beaten beaten! With a pistol about the head until they cracked his skull and then they hung him on a deer fence and left him there overnight. And somebody coming along on a bicycle the next day saw a bunch of clothing hanging on this deer fence and they went over and started to take the clothing off the deer fence and they found a body in the clothing. 

I’m sorry, but those things happen because we live in a society in which people are allowed to treat those who are different in an ugly way because of their differentness. 

I cannot shed tears for a young white female in this exercise who knows that this is an exercise who knows that it’s temporary who knows that she’s getting a college credit, one hour of credit for being here. I’m sorry. I have to save my sympathy and my empathy for those those who go through something much worse than this every day of their lives. 

(Cut to interview with first student of color):

Student: Tears were coming in my eyes and when I saw these people crying. And I’m like, but it wasn’t for them. It was for the fact that I know people who are going through that right now. While we’re sitting in that classroom and have the privilege, the time, opportunity to be going through an experiment that there were people outside who go through that ten times worse than any student of color in that room. 

eshusplayground:

atomic-fireball:

catholicschoolreject:

thefemme-menace:

thegoddamazon:

racialicious:

eshusplayground:

unicornvagina:

eshusplayground:

Know what’s so funny about this? How the blue-eyed White folks know this is an exercise (as in not real life!) and can’t stand taking the shit people of color deal with for a couple of hours before they’re screaming and crying and storming off. They know it’s fake, and they still can’t deal!

Yet these are the people who are supposedly so much smarter than me, so much more reasonable than me, so much more civilized than me!

Seriously, she’s bawling over there because she’s getting a PERCENTAGE of what so effing many people have to deal with constantly on a regular basis. Grow the fudge up, doll face. Welcome to a different set of shoes, now walk it off. This exercise is great, and should probably be taught to even younger people. Empathy needs to be engrained in when people are young. Not hate.

Actually, Jane Elliott was a schoolteacher who developed this exercise shortly after the death of MLK for the 3rd grade class she taught. Check out A Classroom Divided.

Funny how the kids handled this better than the adults. Remember, they were in White-assed Iowa. In the 60s. There was a follow-up some 25 or 30 years later, but I can’t find it right now.

I think this exercise needs to be taught to adults, too, because I think it may serves as a reality check of not only what they say/do themselves, but understand how they enact this in roles like the workplace and, if they are around children, what they model for kids in terms of bigotry and privilege. 

This should be required viewing and practice everywhere in every field. I think it really puts things into perspective.

What made me laugh is the white girl who cried and stormed off after just a few minutes of experiencing what POC have to experience on a daily basis. But I don’t think she came away learning anything from this experiment because in the end, she can go back to being white and privileged and never have to worry about being singled out like that again.

This should be an ongoing thing for an entire semester.

“My feelings were hurt” 

I bet she never forgot a paper and pencils for the rest of her life.  

I don’t understand some of you, honestly. How can you take such joy and delight in someone else’s pain? It doesn’t matter what color that person is, a person is a person.

And yes, I would have felt the same way no matter what the girl looked like. I’m not colorblind, because people are different, but I try to treat everyone the way I would like to be treated.

Yes, there is something to be said about white privilege. And yes, it is still widely prevalent today. I’m not going to argue that.

But to go “Oh, well she’s white and so she doesn’t matter because she can go back to being normal.” I’m sorry, but that’s reverse discrimination. That really is.

Would you feel bad if this was real life and White people were treated this way? If you answered “No” because “They had it coming”, guess what, you’re an asshole.

I’ve been spoken to like that in real life. By my father. And, even though my skin is light, and even though I have light colored eyes, it fucking hurts. I would have cried, too. Not because my feelings were hurt, but because I would be scared for myself.

I agree with the exercise, and how important it is for people to get this message. Minorities are treated shitty, and this has to change. But getting angry and extracting revenge, well, that’s not going to help anything, either. That train of thought led to the Rwandan Genocide.

This is a good comment. Although I think this is a good, educational exercise that could really open up a lot of eyes, the fact is that in a perfect world no one should have to go through stuff like this. And while we do live in a world that is far from that ideal where shit like this does happen, the idea should not be to “get even” in the way where everyone lives at the level of least privileged, but to get equal where equal means no one gets singled out and mistreated for their race/gender/sexuality/weight/etc.

:-|