Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D.

(12.) Certainly some people are more prejudiced than others, actively embracing and perpetuating negative and hateful images of those who are different from themselves. When we claim to be free of prejudice, perhaps what we are really saying is that we are not hate-mongers.[10] But none of us is completely innocent. Prejudice is an integral part of our socialization,[11] and it is not our fault. Just as the preschoolers my student interviewed are not to blame for the negative messages they internalized, we are not at fault for the stereotypes, distortions, and omissions that shaped our thinking as we grew up.

Comments and Annotations:

This paragraph is really important to the whole article, because in the beginning they talked about how most people were exposed to stereotypes. In the third paragraph they talked about how they interviewed preschoolers. Preschoolers aren't aware of stereotypes and prejudice, their education isn't as advanced as highschoolers to know that we are shown to prejudice and racism. But other than their education, little kids are still aware of stereotypes and prejudice without them knowing.

Annotations: I underlined the following words, "negative and hateful images," because some people who are more prejudice than others are just wrong and mean. I also underlined the words, "not to be blame," because the preschoolers who are unaware of prejudice aren't at fault. Prejudice makes our world go round and unique, but sometimes its just a hateful thing.