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10 aspects of cultural identity
10 aspects of cultural identity
10 aspects of cultural identity
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Discrimination can arise when arriving in a new country/area, or by simply having a gender that is not preferred in the dominant society. Consequently, it may result in one left feeling unappreciated or unequal. When discrimination occurs, one may choose to fight back or stand by and allow anything to be said and done. Night by Ellie Wiesel explores Eliezer's experience with discrimination first hand by presenting his remarkable self control, and patience while viewing harm being done to his father. Similarly, in Disappearing Moon Cafe by Sky Lee, Mui Lan patiently deals with the discrimination she faces at the hand of her own her own government.
In the 21st century, Native American culture is largely represented by mascots. Issues of isolation, education, and alcoholism continue to plague Native American reservations, but these issues are largely ignored by the general public. Instead, much of the battleground relating to Native American rights has centered on where they are most visible--sports. In “Racism American Style…,” Elizabeth Delacruz presents the problems with the mainstream portrayal of Native Americans. She uses four examples of problematic mascots to support her claim that racist imagery depicting Native Americans continues to be prevalent in American society.
American society tolerated racism for many years, proving the nation void of true equality. Along with this discrimination were born stereotypes about certain races and even genders. Stereotypes that still exist today include all Mexicans being illegal immigrants and females being bad at sports. These are only a few examples. Brent Staples, an African American editorial writer for the New York Times, wrote his experiences of suffering as a prisoner to a stereotype his entire life within a short story titled “Just Walk On By.”
The Color of Sex written by Catherine A. Lutz and Jane L. Collins examines “National Geographic magazine as the product of a society deeply permeated with racism as a social practice and with racial understandings as ways of viewing the world” (Collins & Lutz, 1993, 292). National Geographic often portrays a racial hierarchy within its pictures, where black individuals were “portrayed as poor and technologically backward” (Collins & Lutz, 1993, 294) compared to white individuals who were “wealthy and less likely to be poor” (Collins & Lutz, 1993, 294). This racial hierarchy degrades the status of dark-skinned people and keeps with the stereotype of white skin individuals being better than dark-skinned, ‘the other’. Racism is constantly seen
Nelson Mandela once said, "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”. Racism can often be defined as discrimination or hatred against a group of people based on the color of their skin. As an African American family visits the capital while on vacation. Lorde realizes that racism is bigger than she thinks when she has her first racist experience, which shows that discrimination is overridden by equality even in a free country.
As he casually talks to Lev about the origins of racism in the past, and how people would use to call his race black. For this think piece, I will compare and contrast modern day society’s approach to racial discrimination
Mrs. Wilson is an example of racial injustice in (presumably) the 1940s in America. Johnny and his African-American friend, Boyd, have just arrived after some sort of outing. Mrs. Wilson is then introduced to Boyd for the first time. As soon as Boyd enters the house, he is making jokes and being generally joyful, Mrs. Wilson sees he is carrying wood, and assumes that, because Boyd is black, he must have it oh-so-bad, and Johnny is being rude by making him carry it. This stereotyping, along with Boyd’s “thin” appearance, leads to the assumption that Boyd is weak and sickly, a common view at the time of he African-American community at the time.
In a world where image is everything, very few people take the time to look past what is on the surface. Jane Elliott happens to be one of those extraordinary people who have learned to not judge a book by its cover. According to the article “Jane Elliott,” Jane has devoted her life to combatting discrimination. She has stated on multiple occasions that the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr was the driving force in her creation of the “blue-eyed” experiment. This exercise has been performed on children and adults of all ethnicities in many different locations in an attempt to eliminate prejudice in society.
In Octavia E. Butler’s novel Kindred, Dana battles an external conflict of time traveling to the past, and experiencing what it was like to be a slave. Dana ultimately resolves this conflict by killing her ancestor named Rufus to return to her present time; however, this choice also illustrates her true character as both scared but brave. Dana’s decision to kill Rufus because she did not want to live in a time where slavery and racism occurred also reveals the universal theme that racism was very common in the past, and it still occurs till this day. When traveling to the past Dana struggles with an external conflict of racism and slavery.
Similar to one of many lessons Huck learns on his adventures, my mother always says “It is what's on the inside that counts.” Unfortunately, not everyone comes to this realization that every human being deserves to treated with respect. Racial stereotypes and prejudices continue to be passed along from family, friends, entertainment, social media, and even music. In Cultural Etiquette by Amoja Three Rivers, she also points out that “All people are people” and there is no true divisions of race between us because we are all humans (Three Rivers, Amoja). I also believe that racism can be destructive against any race, and it is possible for white people to experience prejudice from African American people or other non-whites as
The model I chose to apply to myself is the Hardiman White Racial Identity. The five stages of development are: 1. Naiveté or lack of social consciousness, 2. Acceptance, 3. Resistance, 4.
Anna Arnold Hedgeman’s legacy has served as a platform for many African-American women battling the obstacles of sexism, racism, and diverse forms of oppression. She resisted the social calamities common to Blacks nearing the end of the formal period of Reconstruction and endured the torments of Jim Crow. Hedgeman’s resistance to the social and racial persecution manifested in her protesting against the system that worked against the people of color. She used her education along with her influence to end the maltreatment of Blacks. According to the American National Biography Online, Hedgeman became the executive secretary of the National Council for a Permanent Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC).
In this interview, C.P. Ellis illustrates his racist transformation after interacting with African-Americans. Although, there is not a simple answer to what causes prejudice, three of Parrillo’s theories that have an immense influence on becoming prejudice are socialization, economic competition and social norms. A theory presented by Parrillo, is the theory of the socialization process where individuals are heavily molded by the beliefs of those around them, resulting in the individual carrying on prejudiced beliefs. Parrillo defines, “in the socialization process individuals acquire the values, attitudes,
Racism has long been present in society. Since the beginning there has always been the inferior and the superior. Marianne Williamson wrote an article call “Race and Repentance in America.” Throughout her article she took an absolutist standpoint, in which she clearly points out that racism was wrong, is wrong, and will always be wrong. She believes that something needs to be done to make up for what was done.
Many people today seem to live life just as the instructor does, and they don't allow themselves to see people past their skin color. Others take up the traits of Mrs. Ericson as they simply watch racism and discrimination unfolding, only to do nothing to stop it. This short story is a reminder that to live a life of hatred is to live a life of blindness. The only way that racism can truly come to an end is if everyone does their part to stop it. If someone sees or hears something meant to demean a race or culture, then it is their duty to take action against it.