Innoue, “How Do We Language So People Stop Killing Each Other?” Response

As I read Inoue’s “How Do We Language So People Stop Killing Each Other,” I found myself reflecting on my role as a white male in the academic world as well as in society. Inoue presented a variety of very bold ideas, but I felt as a whole they were provocative and thoughtful. 

While Inoue presented a strong argument that highlighted the imprisonment of people of color by the academic system, I would have liked to know more about what he would like to do to change it. I felt like a lot of the text discusses the problem rather than how to adapt to it. Additionally, I felt like it was somewhat contradictory for him to ask people to stop pointing out the problem and act while ending on a note pleading for people to think about their actions. 

Additionally, I was not the largest fan of his overgeneralizations. While it may stem from the fact that I am a white male, it was not the best feeling to be accused of being racist just by being white. I think it is extremely important to remove prejudices from learning, so I understand his issue with imprisonment within white academia, but I felt like it was counterintuitive to be accusatory to white people in this manner. While accusatory, I felt it was very powerful and forced a white audience to reflect on their actions (or lack thereof) and how they affect people of color in ways they had not previously understood. 

While I felt this piece was very inflammatory, I also felt that it drove home important points that we must discuss to be inclusive and supportive within academia. This topic must be a focal point in academic circles. While Innoue may have addressed the issue in an inflammatory way, the concepts he highlights are important to discuss, and further discussion will allow us to advance as scholars and for the academic system as a whole to develop. It was difficult for me to read without being defensive, but I understand that is what Inoue was trying to get at. I look forward to hearing the ideas of my classmates about this and how they felt while reading it.