Micro Aggressions by Aaron Zephir

I think that micro aggressions are only important situationally; that is to say, the context of the micro   aggression plays a role into whether or not it is a significant problem that needs to be dealt with. Things like clutching purses and crossing streets are rather insignificant. Neither of those actions, or things of the sort, do any harm to the target of said micro aggression and does not directly further injustices against the target. However, one situation in which micro Aggressions absolutely must be done away with are those that occur in the educational system. There is no reason or excuse that a students race or skin color should affect the quality of education he or she receives in the classroom. On that track, one situation that I feel micro Aggressions would be significant is to the youths. Children are not as strong minded and still easily influenced, especially by the media. In my own classroom, I've seen students perform micro Aggressions such as bowing to Asian staff members or referring to themselves as "Watermelonquisha." Something must be done to limit the view of micro Aggressions for children. However, after a certain age, these things are really not much more than jokes and should not be looked upon any differently than other kinds of insults or jokes. You just have to deal with them, the same way a fat person has to deal with fat jokes or or a short person has to deal with short jokes. With the exception of environmental micro Aggressions, many of these micro aggression are not aggressive; and at the end of the day, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."