For my final blog I will reflect back on the work we have done this week that includes what is racism and what are its effects? I will also talk about my family history paper that I worked on for the past 3 weeks. I will also talk about what privileges I may or may not have along with how much my race, sex, and gender afford the advantages and the ways that I have inherited privileges from my family history.
To begin, this past week we have read different readings dealing with racism and the effects of racism. They were very hard for me to understand the concepts of what each author was trying to get at, but I learned a lot from the readings. I learned from the article, “Internalized Racism,” that people of color may feel inferior and different because they have come to believe that they do not belong in today’s society because they are different. I never really thought of color people thinking this way, and maybe this might be all of opinion to some but I learned something new. Also, I learned that internalized racism can lead people of color to question their own thinking and judgment about racism. These feelings of confusion and anger remind people of color of previous harmful actions that whites have called them, example like when whites call blacks “niggers.” I know that people of color have these feelings of confusion about their own identity and anger when being called a hurtful name, but one thing that my race, Caucasian American does not have the advantage of getting school paid for. I am jealous of people of a different race that can get their college education paid for just because they are not Caucasian. I think that this is one advantage that I don’t have.
There are privileges that I do have to my advantage because I am Caucasian American. In today’s society and even in the earlier year’s people of a different race get turned down from jobs because they are of a different race. I think that this is wrong because men and women of a different race can be just as good for the job or even better than a Caucasian American. I still think today that people of color are treated differently. It has definitely got better from the lynchings and sexual abuse, but they are getting turned down by jobs every day. Today for the first time in history we have an African American president and I think he is doing a great job, just my opinion.
To continue I will talk about my family history paper that was very interesting to learn about. I learned that my father was Native American and that was definitely interesting considering now I am part Native American. Once I told my grandmother that I was and she said I could have got some of my college education paid for, but my father never told me because he didn’t realize I could have got money. I also interviewed my cousin, Dale Deniston who served in the military and was a combat fighter pilot in World War 2. Dale, being a combat fighter pilot was also very interesting to know, considering he never told me about it before. I thought that the family history project was not going to be any fun, but I learned a lot about my family history and where I came from.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Blog 4
To begin, I will tell you about the arguments for non-violence and arguments in favor of more aggressive responses such as lynching, sexual violence, and abuse. I will also tell you the arguments behind each approach and why they were embraced and what was hoped to be achieved by these approaches.
First, the non-violent tactics used during the Civil Rights movement and based on the moral principle that violence is wrong was very active. Non-violent direct action confronts and disputes and opposes what is wrong. The boycotts, sit-ins, and marches were all tactics that were used to disrupt and challenge racism and Jim Crow segregation while bringing no harm to white people. These peaceful means of protest were often met with threats, arrests, beatings, and even death. Some examples of non-violent direct action were the Montgomery Bus Boycott with Rosa Parks and the Jim Crow Laws. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated civil disobedience, the non-violent resistance against un-just laws. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Non-violence is a powerful and just weapon which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.” Civil rights activists organized boycotts and marches and refused to obey laws that they knew were wrong and unjust. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to end segregation, and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and non-violent means. His arguments to end segregation and discrimination was brought out by arguing that we can all be free and equal through non-violent means.
To continue, more aggressive responses and the arguments why lynching, sexual abuse, and abuse was the violence used. Lynching and sexual abuse occurred in the United States during the 19th and 20th century. Lynching is how white men thought they could enforce so called “white supremacy” after the victory of the Union in the American Civil War. African -American women were also being raped every single day by white men and if taken to court the white men were often found innocent. White men often raped African-American women because they were used as sex objects for pleasure. In the article, “It Was like All of US Had Been Raped,” Betty Jean Owens was raped seven times by four white men and these men were found innocent but only taken to jail for fifteen days. If an African-American man was accused of raping a white woman than he would have been lynched. This is wrong in so many ways, but white men thought that they weren’t doing anything wrong.
To continue, civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael were all hoping to achieve freedom and end segregation and end racial discrimination. Their determination and hard work let to more freedom of the African-Americans today. In the 19th and 20th century African-American men, women, and children were getting lynched but now African-American men and women work at the same jobs and are getting more respect. Now we even have an African-American president for the first time in history, who thought that would have ever happened?
First, the non-violent tactics used during the Civil Rights movement and based on the moral principle that violence is wrong was very active. Non-violent direct action confronts and disputes and opposes what is wrong. The boycotts, sit-ins, and marches were all tactics that were used to disrupt and challenge racism and Jim Crow segregation while bringing no harm to white people. These peaceful means of protest were often met with threats, arrests, beatings, and even death. Some examples of non-violent direct action were the Montgomery Bus Boycott with Rosa Parks and the Jim Crow Laws. Martin Luther King Jr. advocated civil disobedience, the non-violent resistance against un-just laws. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Non-violence is a powerful and just weapon which cuts without wounding and ennobles the man who wields it.” Civil rights activists organized boycotts and marches and refused to obey laws that they knew were wrong and unjust. Martin Luther King Jr. wanted to end segregation, and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and non-violent means. His arguments to end segregation and discrimination was brought out by arguing that we can all be free and equal through non-violent means.
To continue, more aggressive responses and the arguments why lynching, sexual abuse, and abuse was the violence used. Lynching and sexual abuse occurred in the United States during the 19th and 20th century. Lynching is how white men thought they could enforce so called “white supremacy” after the victory of the Union in the American Civil War. African -American women were also being raped every single day by white men and if taken to court the white men were often found innocent. White men often raped African-American women because they were used as sex objects for pleasure. In the article, “It Was like All of US Had Been Raped,” Betty Jean Owens was raped seven times by four white men and these men were found innocent but only taken to jail for fifteen days. If an African-American man was accused of raping a white woman than he would have been lynched. This is wrong in so many ways, but white men thought that they weren’t doing anything wrong.
To continue, civil rights activists such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael were all hoping to achieve freedom and end segregation and end racial discrimination. Their determination and hard work let to more freedom of the African-Americans today. In the 19th and 20th century African-American men, women, and children were getting lynched but now African-American men and women work at the same jobs and are getting more respect. Now we even have an African-American president for the first time in history, who thought that would have ever happened?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Blog 3
To begin, when I read these readings I thought that the Jewish and Mexican immigrants were the most interesting so I will compare the Jewish and Mexican immigrants and the challenges they faced and how they handled the threats to their culture and how they assimilated into the American culture.
To continue, I will first start with the Jewish immigrants and how they handled their threats to their culture and how they assimilated into the American culture. Jews were required to live in the Pale of Settlement and they were not to be found outside of the Pale, because they were Jews. They were prohibited from owning land so most Jews were forced to live in the urban areas where they earned their living as merchants and artisans. They lived in the shelts, which were Jewish towns and villages. There was anti-Semitic violence that was in the pogroms, which were massacres of Jews and the destruction of their shops and synagogues. They came to America because of the higher wages and they believed American was the Promise Land. The Jews saw themselves as exiles and they were unable to return to Russia, they had to make America their new home. When they got to America they landed on Ellis Island and then headed to New York City’s Lower East Side. They were living in “the same environment” as they did before with harsh conditions, but they settled in the Lower East Side and began to establish organizations to create a community. They were very involved in political issues and they went to many organizations to debate these issues. Then the Jewish peddler became a figure of Jewish-American folklore. 10% of Jews were peddlers while 60% worked in the garment industry. They worked in sweat shops because they had good skills especially in sewing. These immigrants were needed in New York’s growing garment industry. They were assimilating into America by making new garments in New York. These Jews revolutionized the way clothes were made and what Americans wore (Takaki). The only problem was, Jews were they were treated like “a slave” at the sweatshops, it was horrible for the Jews to work under these conditions. The Jews went on strike because of the harsh conditions and they wanted higher wages. After the strikes it had given them a sense of belonging to the new land, America. When they arrived in America they were dressed foreign and their language was different, but the Jews assimilated into the American culture and started living an American life, they did not want to live the life of a “greenhorn.” To dress fashionably and language was indicators of assimilation.
Next, I will talk about the Mexican immigrants and how they handled their threats to their culture and how they assimilated into the American culture. Mexican immigrants thought of American as “El Norte.” Mexicans saw America as a land of opportunity and they wanted to leave Mexico because of poverty and violence. They were basically forced out of their country, so the Mexicans went North in search of safety and work. Mexicans enticed across the border because their labor was needed. They worked as industrial workers, construction, garment factory workers, food processing plants, and most of them worked in agriculture. Labor struggles were very difficult for these Mexicans, so they decided to go on strike because they wanted higher wages. While working in the agriculture labor, immigrants from India were right beside the Mexicans. Most of these Indians were Sikhs and love was not the only reason why the Mexican men wanted to marry the Sikhs. They wanted to become farmers in California. Mexicans were also excluded from Anglo society. At sunset, Mexicans had to go back to their barrios separate from the Anglos. The Anglo educators were preparing Mexican children to follow in the footsteps of their parents. The Anglo farmers wanted schools to help reduce the labor force. However, the Mexican children didn’t receive any education. Takaki explains that Mexican immigration seemed to be endangering American culture identity. The Mexicans assimilated by inventing a new identity, they were becoming Mexican American. Their religion was a uniquely version of Catholicism stated Takaki. The Mexicans were still Mexicans but they did assimilate into the American culture by adapting and creating new cultures.
In conclusion, the Jewish and Mexican immigrants came to America for opportunity, I believe this came true for their generations to follow, because now in today’s society some Jews and Mexicans are well-know and have assimilated into the American culture.
To continue, I will first start with the Jewish immigrants and how they handled their threats to their culture and how they assimilated into the American culture. Jews were required to live in the Pale of Settlement and they were not to be found outside of the Pale, because they were Jews. They were prohibited from owning land so most Jews were forced to live in the urban areas where they earned their living as merchants and artisans. They lived in the shelts, which were Jewish towns and villages. There was anti-Semitic violence that was in the pogroms, which were massacres of Jews and the destruction of their shops and synagogues. They came to America because of the higher wages and they believed American was the Promise Land. The Jews saw themselves as exiles and they were unable to return to Russia, they had to make America their new home. When they got to America they landed on Ellis Island and then headed to New York City’s Lower East Side. They were living in “the same environment” as they did before with harsh conditions, but they settled in the Lower East Side and began to establish organizations to create a community. They were very involved in political issues and they went to many organizations to debate these issues. Then the Jewish peddler became a figure of Jewish-American folklore. 10% of Jews were peddlers while 60% worked in the garment industry. They worked in sweat shops because they had good skills especially in sewing. These immigrants were needed in New York’s growing garment industry. They were assimilating into America by making new garments in New York. These Jews revolutionized the way clothes were made and what Americans wore (Takaki). The only problem was, Jews were they were treated like “a slave” at the sweatshops, it was horrible for the Jews to work under these conditions. The Jews went on strike because of the harsh conditions and they wanted higher wages. After the strikes it had given them a sense of belonging to the new land, America. When they arrived in America they were dressed foreign and their language was different, but the Jews assimilated into the American culture and started living an American life, they did not want to live the life of a “greenhorn.” To dress fashionably and language was indicators of assimilation.
Next, I will talk about the Mexican immigrants and how they handled their threats to their culture and how they assimilated into the American culture. Mexican immigrants thought of American as “El Norte.” Mexicans saw America as a land of opportunity and they wanted to leave Mexico because of poverty and violence. They were basically forced out of their country, so the Mexicans went North in search of safety and work. Mexicans enticed across the border because their labor was needed. They worked as industrial workers, construction, garment factory workers, food processing plants, and most of them worked in agriculture. Labor struggles were very difficult for these Mexicans, so they decided to go on strike because they wanted higher wages. While working in the agriculture labor, immigrants from India were right beside the Mexicans. Most of these Indians were Sikhs and love was not the only reason why the Mexican men wanted to marry the Sikhs. They wanted to become farmers in California. Mexicans were also excluded from Anglo society. At sunset, Mexicans had to go back to their barrios separate from the Anglos. The Anglo educators were preparing Mexican children to follow in the footsteps of their parents. The Anglo farmers wanted schools to help reduce the labor force. However, the Mexican children didn’t receive any education. Takaki explains that Mexican immigration seemed to be endangering American culture identity. The Mexicans assimilated by inventing a new identity, they were becoming Mexican American. Their religion was a uniquely version of Catholicism stated Takaki. The Mexicans were still Mexicans but they did assimilate into the American culture by adapting and creating new cultures.
In conclusion, the Jewish and Mexican immigrants came to America for opportunity, I believe this came true for their generations to follow, because now in today’s society some Jews and Mexicans are well-know and have assimilated into the American culture.
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