September 11, 2016 - 21:15
While reading the chapter entitled "Slipping," the emotion that I felt most prevalently was surprise. Of course, I had seen confederate flags while driving throughout the south, but never could I have imagined that two women at an institution for higher education felt it was okay to hang up that flag.
The first time I stepped foot on the Bryn Mawr campus, I felt at home. I felt as if I had a place here, and that I could really become a part of this dynamic and accepting community. After reading the chapter, I did some more research into the incident on campus, and found out more about the situation. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling of surprise, and almost betrayal. Betrayal because hundreds of students came to Bryn Mawr that year expecting a safe and inclusive environment, and ended up not receiving that.
There is a glimmer of hope, just like Anne Dalke mentioned in the chapter. The fact that the students banded together to protest the flag and promote acceptance really made the whole situation a lot better.
What I took away from this as a whole is that large groups of people want social change, and often do their best to try and make it happen. However, small groups often try to hinder this. These groups are very often the minority, but their opinions sound loudly and often reverberate in our minds. While we must be respectful and listen to other opinions voiced in a civil manner, we do not have to pay attention to those who wish to scare or harass us. We must continue to press on.