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The harm of racial stereotypes
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More handpicked essays just for you.
The harm of racial stereotypes
Cause and effect of stereotypes
The harm of racial stereotypes
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
In the essay "Untouchables" by Jonathan Kozol, he reveals the harsh opinion society has toward the homeless in a blunt way. He exposes an attitude of hatred towards these members of society. Shockingly, the government and society treat the homeless members of humanity as vermin. It seems more important that the homeless are dirty, they hurt business, and that they exist than the fact that they are people who are part of society and with a little help could get back on their feet. Because of this attitude toward the homeless, it seems like the situation is just getting worse.
According to Aykanian and Lee (2016) individuals who are homeless are often “common targets of policing when their behavior, especially behavior performed in public spaces, is viewed as offensive and deviant” (p. 184). A related point to consider is that some who experience homelessness do engage in criminal activities, but one shall not combine all members in a generalization. Hence, the image of having individuals who are homeless is not ideal for the people in communities, but it does not take into account people who are experiencing
In this essay, the author is painting a picture of what it is actually like to be homeless compared to the typical stereotype. In the opinion of most people, being homeless is, someone that does not work hard and only mooches off other hardworking citizens. According to Simon Wyckoff, in reality, being homeless is a struggle to survive. The homeless have to overcome adversity everyday of their lives and most people do not think twice about what it is like to be without a home. Wykoff states a unique statement at the end of his essay saying, "Though it may seem outlandish, I think you'll find that many homeless people work just as much, or more, than you."
The homeless are often used as scapegoats for problems in society, such as criminal activity. This is similar to how people in Puritan society blame Hester for any troubles that happen. Both groups face scapegoating because they are seen as different in society, making them easy targets. Nowadays, politicians, as a means of trying to improve society, have been criminalizing the homeless. This in turn stereotypes the homeless and perpetuates the misconception that all homeless people are criminals.
Stereotypes are a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a group of people as opposed to misconceptions which are views or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty information. The two terms are relatively coined together, but it is crucial to note that stereotypes are exaggerated truths whereas misconceptions are untruths. The false assumptions misrepresent homeless people and paint a poor image of them. However, in some cases, these stereotypes aren’t exaggerated at all, rather they are accurate depictions of certain homeless people. Personal interviews with the homeless reveal the struggles of living alone.
Homelessness, while widely acknowledged, continues to be an ever-prevalent issue within society. This urged me to take action. In order to compromise an accurate, precise claim, I needed to heavily research and analyze the various aspects of this issue -- specifically regarding the causes of homelessness, addressing the stereotypes and stigmas surrounding it, and by finding solutions at a personal, local, and national level. Initially, I intended to include pathos as a primary theme throughout my sources, but I eventually found logos as a more prevalent, more central theme that appeared throughout each source. Presented primarily through statistics, logos stands as the central theme.
Addie Crosslin Dr. Bergh COM 314 1 May 2023 The Help The Help, written by Kathryn Stockett, tells the story of a young white woman journalist interviewing the Black help for a book that she is writing. The story is set in Jacksonville Mississippi during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. As the journalist, Skeeter Phelan, forms relationships with the domestic workers, she begins to develop a new sense of respect for the Black women of this time.
People who are living on the streets face many struggles such as lacking necessities, safety and income but also, many people tend to overlook that they are being discriminated. Frequently, they are ignored and neglected by society because of their housing status and stereotypes they are given. The cartoon below directs the attention on both perspectives of homeless people and the public. Editorial cartoonist, Phil Hands illustrated this cartoon for the Wisconsin State Journal and his other publications have shown up in the Newsweek and USA Today articles. Phil was born in Syracuse, New York in 1980 but grew up in Detroit where he found many inspirations for his illustrations.
Apathy. Although there are circumstances that cause people to be homeless such as the loss of a job or addiction, the main reason is that citizens feel apathetic towards the homeless. Seeing homeless people on the streets has become so common that people are not impacted by the hardships a homeless person is clearly facing. Beggars have become invisible and it is nearly impossible for the homeless to regain a life of normalcy without the help of others. It is typically taught that when you see a homeless person you should ignore them, walk away, or lock your doors if you are in a car.
Homelessness Homeless people are widely known in the United States, as much as in any other parts in the world, where it is also a common issue. The issue is so common that when people drive or even walk through the streets they see many homeless people with no roof, and no food. People often see other people like this no matter where they are at, giving them the thought of what if they were the ones going through that. Most of the time when they view stuff like this it leads them to having a feeling of sorrow.
Acuña and Erlenbusch surveyed homeless participants to diminish the stereotypes circulating them with factual information. This information included employment history, education level, early adulthood, and demographics. As Southern Nevada’s homeless rate shoots up, unemployment continues to be a leading factor. This article informs readers of current statistics circulating homelessness in comparison to other states in the U.S. Amaro cites first hand information from non-profit organizations to bring awareness the growing problem.
Some people may think that homelessness is a trouble because they assume that the individual is lazy and just wants life to be handed to them. Further assumptions are made about drugs causing individuals to become homeless. While that sometimes happens, many times it is the other way around. Individuals who have become homeless feel helpless and give into the release from their reality that drugs can give them (Thompson, 2011). People that do not consider factors outside of the individual are overlooking the breakdown within many institutions including school and the family that could lead an individual to become homeless.
Homelessness is one the most ignored problems in the United States with citizen and politician. Homeless people are walked by and ignored. Nobody ever thinks that they will be homeless. Due to the economy, people live paycheck to paycheck making house payments very difficult. Most people will want to believe most homeless people are drug addicts or alcoholics, but most people will be surprise to know that it is no all true.
Runs past Hahnemann hospital at any time of day often result in two visuals: physicians and homeless people, with an emphasis on the 'and' as I've never seen the two groups interact. One morning as a member of Back On My Feet (a man from Africa with an impressive ability to remember names and faces) and myself ran past three homeless people, two sleeping on the sidewalk and one walking in circles, and towards city hall, I was struck with the thought of what it must be like for formerly or currently homeless members of BOMF to see other homeless people in the street, many of whom appear to be high and distressed. As we ran back toward the starting point, we passed physicians making their way to the hospital. In that moment, the bridging of two worlds seemed apparent and multilayered. Here I was, a medical student, seeing my own future in the young physicians who hurried past; here was a formerly homeless man potentially seeing his former self in the people we passed.
Homelessness is a significant complex societal problem. Many people think homelessness is an individual problem, but I think society has a large factor on why people become homeless. Individuals who are homeless are not lazy like most of society thinks. These people are struggling with societal problems such as living costs and mostly cannot support themselves financially. In my eyes, Homelessness is a factor of societal forces such as high cost of housing and living and also society having failed systems to support people who are stuck in these sorts of situations.