I want you to really think about this question before you answer it. It requires you to closely examine yourself, your surroundings and your experiences.
From your own perspective, what is your definition of racism?
Does ignorance of racism promote or prevent it from becoming an ideology? By ignorance I simply mean the lack of knowledge that it exists. Because, if you were raised in an area that is predominantly white and you're white, odds are, you don't see much evidence that it does exist--right? Or wrong?
If you were never exposed to a multicultural environment, would you be more or less attuned to the cultural differences that exist in society? And for that matter...Do you believe that there ARE cultural differences? If so, what are they?
Do you think people hide behind the definition of cultural differences to excuse rude, inappropriate or obnoxious behavior? This question applies to ALL races, incidentally.
And finally, do you think that the division of class "levels" within schools (AP, Honors, CP, Non-CP) promotes or prevents a racial divide?
My definition of racism is when a certain group of people thinks of one or more races as inferior only because of their race. There’s not much rationality behind it. Instead, there is just an immediate association between race and inferiority.
ReplyDeleteI doubt being unaware of racism prevents it. In some places, thinking of any other race besides your own as inferior is considered natural. It’s a fact of life. In those places, it’s just that blacks, Asians, Latinos, and others aren’t as good as whites, plain and simple. What may be the case is that the area is predominately white because they’re racist. So when people of other races go visit Friendly Town and figure out that it’s Friendly to Whites Only Town, they hightail it out of there.
If someone isn’t exposed to a multicultural environment, they probably won’t be aware of the differences. Of course, if they then decide to check out a multicultural environment, it’ll be like a switching from plain to everything pizza, except with people. I’m only semi-exposed to a multicultural environment (I have mostly white friends) and notice cultural differences. Which basically answers the next question. I do believe there are some cultural differences.
As for what those differences are, I’d have to say that it’s mostly behavioral. Usually people of a certain race are raised among those of a similar race. And this leads to similar behaviors and interests. But it’s also location, too. White people here, in New Jersey, are a bit different from white people over in Alabama. And those differences include the levels of racism. Unless I’ve been sheltered my entire life, I’m pretty sure Mays Landing isn’t full of racists. Or maybe it’s full of kind racists who keep their words to themselves. How could anyone ever tell the difference?
Some people obviously hide behind their race to excuse some sort of behavior, even if they aren’t aware of it. What were the Nazis trying to attain? Besides the perfect Aryan race of course. It’s not that they hid behind their race but it’s that they thought this perfect race was worth all of the terrible things that they did. And in that way they used their race to excuse this more-than-inappropriate behavior.
I’m not exactly sure about the class levels being these racial dividers in school. I always saw the class levels as a motivational divider. It’s the student’s desire to work that separates them into different classes. The kids who want to put in the effort will be put into a class that will make the most of their effort. Unfortunately, race can be a factor in motivation, so it ends up certain races are grouped together in certain class levels. This would probably create a minor racial divide, if people didn’t constantly move in and out of those class levels and disperse the different races over all of the classes.
From my prospective, racism is intolerance or judgmental thoughts towards someone based on their ethnic background (often determined at first glance through skin color). It is also when someone says something like “Oh, they’re just doing that because they’re black,” or “Oh they’re just doing that because they’re Asian.” It’s easy for some people to fall into saying and thinking things like that despite how unfair it is.
ReplyDeleteI’d have to say that ignorance promotes racism to becoming an ideology. No one should be ignorant towards racism; you have to learn about something in order to be able to prevent it. Those who are white and raised in a predominantly white area may not witness racism much (if only because they don’t have the chance to), however they may find themselves practicing it or participating in it without even knowing. Think-what would happen if you threw that person into a room filled with people from different ethnic backgrounds? Obviously their reaction would differ person to person, but I’m sure you’d have at least a few, if not many, who jumped right into judging and thinking racist thoughts. It is said that we fear what we don’t know, and fear can be a major motivator for people to act out, or do or say things they normally wouldn’t.
It’s hard to say whether never being exposed to a multicultural environment would have made me more or less attuned to the cultural differences that exist in society (there definitely ARE cultural differences), as I’ve been exposed to multicultural environments since I was born. If I had to guess I’d say it would make me more attuned, because instead of seeing everything as normal I’d be seeing it as something new and (probably) weird. As for the cultural differences in society, they’re everywhere, though it is more pronounced in families who keep their ethnic culture alive and strong. In these cases, their mannerisms and the way they talk, eat, and think can all depend on where they’re from and what they believe.
I do feel that some people hide behind the definition of cultural differences to excuse rude, inappropriate or obnoxious behavior. That bothers me because there is no culture that has “being rude” as a custom. I’ve heard people excuse themselves and their behavior by saying things like “it’s whatever-I’m _____ so I can act like this” and fill in the blank with the ethnicity of your choice. I think this is extremely stupid because it contributes to other people saying those things about them, they almost make it sound like it’s okay to say and think things like that. I can’t decide if they act that way because some people expect them to or if their acting like that and following with an “it’s okay because I’m…” statement makes people create the stereotype and expect that in the first place. Either way, it’s a bad loop to be in.
I can honestly say that I don’t think that the division of class levels effects racism at all. Which class you’re in depends on your willingness and ability to do the work that class requires, and race has nothing do with it. Maybe that’s me being too CALLOW (see what I did there?) to see what is really going on, but that’s what I think.
Cole: “So when people of other races go visit Friendly Town and figure out that it’s Friendly to Whites Only Town, they hightail it out of there.” Haha I love this line! Anyways I like what you said about location (there is definitely a difference between here and Alabama) and I completely agree with you as far as the whole motivational divider thing for class levels. Way to bring Nazis in though. I used a more day-to-day less extreme example, but Nazis work too.
Racism is the effort to discriminate, demean, or ignore a race of peoples. Racism could also be a persistent mindset of hate toward a certain race.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of racism is encouraging the idea to present itself. Racism is, in a sense, natural. Ethnocentrism, for some reason, is found all over the world in various forms, even today. If one were to grow up with a single race and a single culture, that person would always think of their culture as the “best”, basing every other culture off of their own. Once that person would come across a different race or culture, they would automatically, and probably unconsciously, make judgements. For example, if you had only met one person from Alaska, and they were a complete jerk to you, you would probably assume that all people from Alaska are jerks. Still not convinced? Here’s a question to think about. Who is more likely to be racist? A white kid growing up in the bible belt, or a minority child growing up in a city? The more you are exposed to foreign races and cultures, the less ignorant of others you become, and the chances of you becoming racist are virtually nonexistent.
The difference of cultures and races can be minuscule or massive. The most important aspect of cultural difference would obviously be social behaviors. What may be friendly in one culture could be intrusive in another. Others aspects like customs, traditions, beliefs, and language are all important factors of culture too. What makes culture way more profound than race, is diversity. Cole gave an excellent example of how white people in Alabama and white people in New Jersey are nowhere close to one another, which is why culture is really a much more diverse subject than just race.
In the current world of global culture interaction, people don’t have much room to hide behind race as inappropriate behavior goes. The world knows what is wrong what is acceptable. However, in the past, groups of people always hid behind their cultures to excuse behaviors. Cole gave the example of the Nazi’s exterminating “inferioirs” during World War 2, and adding to that, the Christians during the Crusades and the European colonists in the Americas. All of these are examples of people killing or conquering in the name of their culture. However, today I really doubt a culture or race could get away with such a thing.
The division of class levels in schools without a doubt, creates a discrimination, but it is not a case of racism. Kids and teachers (yes, even teachers), will group students into the AP, Honors, and CP categories and consider the students all very similar. I see where one could argue that it would cause a sense of racism in the divide. After all, the percentage of minorities in the top and bottom class levels are probably very different. However, as time goes on, the races are being more equally dispersed. The real discrimination is one of socioeconomic status, which I firmly believe originates in this whole school “grouping” process. People at the bottom begin to dislike the ones at the top, and vice-versa. Thus, a form of discrimination is being developed and promoted in our schools.
My definition of racism is fear and ignorance that personifies itself as hatred toward people who are different from yourself. It's just a mindset that people have and it is expressed as hate because human nature is corrupt and self serving so it makes a person feel as if they should hate people because they don't know any better.
ReplyDeleteIgnoring racism, in some ways, promotes it to becoming an ideology because ignorance like hate is a powerful thing and the more it's ignored the more prevalent it will be when it is finally uncovered (most people don't go their whole lives being completely unaware of the existence of people of other races or racism). I feel that even though it may happen less often, a person who is constantly surrounded by people of his or her own race is more likely to be highly racist toward someone different, because you have not experienced different kinds of people and because of fear hate for those people is likely to be present. Whereas if you were born in a very diverse community where races often associate, it would be less likely that you would have the racist tendency that someone who is ignorant to other races would.
I believe that there are most certainly cultural differences in society because culture itself can exist down to individual families, and denying that there are differences between families would on some levels be almost foolish. Almost anything down to household routines or family interactions and relationships could be considered cultural differences. With that said being less exposed to a diverse and multicultural environment would make you less attuned to social differences, how can you be attuned to something that you don't know exists, which would be the case for someone who was never exposed to multicultural environments.
I would have to say that people do hide behind "cultural differences" to excuse behaviors. Recently I witnessed someone who demonstrated what was considered in the situation to be absolutely ridiculous behavior and they got extremely upset because it was brought to their attention that their behavior was not appropriate and they said their behavior should be excused because that the kind of person they are. So people definitely hide behind differences to excuse behaviors, however this is a little ridiculous because for the most part things are situational and especially in public environments certain behaviors should not be acceptable because they can be offending and sometimes disrespectful.
As far as academic division goes I don't think there is any promotion or prevention of racism mostly because it's an academic division. I almost feel that it's a personal choice to be in any of these level classes it just depends on the level of work and the amount of time your willing to do for it. Although as George brought up having these separations can sometimes allow racism to be present but I still feel that its less to do with race and more to do with intelligence and motivation.
So when I first heard that this week’s blog topic was going to be about racism I thought it was going to be easy considering that we touch upon racism and bullying and all that stuff every year in school. So the first question asked was basically: what is racism? I was all prepared to tackle this blog and sat down with my computer at my kitchen table and thought. What is racism? Well… I’m not quite sure. Obviously people will say that racism is being prejudice, or doing hate crimes against specific groups of people, but is that what I believe or is that just what adults and government officials have been pounding into my head. Looking for an answer I searched my mind for actions that I might perceive as racist and I couldn’t find anything. I so far, have lived my life without racism. For inspiration I asked my father and I think I agree with him. Racism is hatred, ignorance and influence all mixed together in one poor soul’s meaningless body.
ReplyDeleteAccording to American Heritage, an ideology is, “The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, a group, a class, or a culture.” So does the ignorance of one ‘group’ of people cancel racism off the ideology list? I think not. Without racism there would be no anti-racism. Without anti-racism world famous movements including but not limited to the Civil Rights Movement never would have taken place. I would like to think that great civil rights activists like Frederick Douglass or Dr. MLK would agree that racism fueled their entire movement, without it, their cause would have been useless. The ideas, needs, and aspirations of, let’s say civil rights movementeers were to be equal and equality is breached when racism is in town.
I would have to say that I live in a pretty cultural family. During the year we have our little traditions we acquired from previous generations. We also celebrate a lot of Polish holidays that people don’t even know exist here in America, but in Poland they are certainly known of, maybe not celebrated like my family does things, but they are recognized. In my little circle of friends I have people from all different nationalities, races, and sexualities and so on. Usually I pick up on differences in people and I enjoy them.
It really bothers me when I go out and see a group of 20 kids who are almost exactly the same: same hair color, same skin tone, same clothing brands etc. There are cultural differences in people, but they are fading away. I don’t think that people embrace their cultures the way my grandparents generation and before has in the past. I also think that people use their cultures in the wrong way, that’s my opinion of the wrong way. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a black person, or anyone else for that matter, says that something happened to them because they’re black, or white, or Mexican. Really? You’re not the only one that life is happening to. I joke around with my friends all the time about race but we are best friends and we’re all different races and come from different backgrounds and I’ll take a hit and they take one back, that’s just how we are. But that’s not what I’m talking about, to me that’s not raciest. Being the one Spanish person along with 20 White people to get laid off and saying that you got laid off because you’re Spanish even though 20 white guys got let go too; uh… no! Another thing that bothers me is in school when administration or students classify ‘levels’ as racism. I think that every classroom should be structured to allow the students to succeed in whatever it is they plan on doing. If you work hard you will be in higher classes, if not, I can tell you this: you didn’t fail because of your skin tone.
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ReplyDeleteRacism is not confined to one race, and it is not possible to get rid of it. The feelings, ideas, and thoughts that go through a person’s mind when that person makes any type of contact with someone else that is different from that person are what make up racism. These impressions may turn into actions or stay within the confines of the brain. Being neither sinister nor benign, they go unquestioned in a person’s mind and eventually become truths. “Asians are good at math,” “Black people play basketball and eat watermelon,” “White people run toward gunfire because they are curious,” and “Hispanic people are really good at soccer,” are all examples of racist comments. In my eyes, racism is very broad and not problematic until the thoughts become actions.
ReplyDeleteSeparation from racism is impossible because once you have an idea in your head about someone that is different from you, it is hard to break that idea, especially when there are so many instances when assumptions occur. Even if you are confined to a set number of people that are just like you, it is even more shocking when you see someone different for the first time. “See that person with that feature on their face that is completely different than mine?” “Wow those people are really different. Why are they here?” Those questions probably will pop up when someone that has never seen anyone else other than people of the same race before (I can’t be certain because I’ve never experienced that before because I go to Oakcrest). If these questions make it into words, their friends, family members, etc. would respond with answers like, “Oh, I heard they were really smart,” “Oh, I heard they liked fried chicken” (Which is totally not just about black people. Fried chicken is one of my favorite foods. I’m just using it as an example of a racist comment.), or “Oh, I heard they do really well on standardized tests. Well, at least better than us.” Basically racism spreads because people communicate with people.
Growing up where different cultures and races live together has probably gave me different views on races other than mine, but NOT being exposed to them would not have changed the fact that there are other races and they are different than me. Rather than using my own experiences, I would use the experiences of others to get my viewpoints on each race. Yet, of course, since I have experienced the different races, I have seen differences between people that are white and people that are not white; there is no way around it. However, these differences are not defined in their culture. Each race is equal to all others, and any stereotype that forms is most likely able to be applied to people in each race (For example, fried chicken).
Some people think that if they are of a certain race, they have rights to do or say things that could be offensive to other people. Race is often blamed for certain actions, but race usually has nothing to do with it.
Every type of class (AP, CP, etc.) does not prevent any race from taking the course, only motivation can drive the nail into the plank. The only reason kids don’t take the harder courses is because of a focus on sports, a pleasure in low-stress nights watching TV, or don’t feel that they are smart enough to take the course. All-in-all, race is not a big issue for me because I don’t project any feelings about anybody or any race, and I don’t bring any up in the first place. Unfortunately, not everybody views other races as equals and racism prevails to dominate people’s opinions about others.
Racism, it isn’t black and white. I define racism as any discrimination towards a person or group of people due to their skin color. Yes, this definition is as broad as the day is long. Using this definition, any positive stereotype for a race is still considered racism. If somebody stereotypes a race to be smart, then they imply that all other races are inferior to that race in intelligence. Of course this means that almost every single person has thought a racist thought in their life. I have too, it’s how the cookie crumbles. What I can’t stand though is when people are deliberately racist to the point that it affects another person’s well being.
ReplyDeleteI honestly can’t say if someone who does not know about racism can feel racist ideas. It all depends on the scenario. It IS human nature to feel superior to another person. However, if someone grow up as a white person in a town where there are only white people and you have NEVER heard of any other race, well then I guess that racism couldn’t form. People will still look upon each other as inferior individuals, but skin color won’t play a factor in this system. Perhaps eye color or size will be the distinguishing factor then. Contrariwise, if that person grows up under the same circumstances, but DOES knows about other races, there will be some form of a racist thought that passes their mind. There is no escaping this fact, no matter how sad it is.
Those who have never been exposed to a multicultural environment are the reason why racism still exists. One main reason why we build stereotypes about others is because we are afraid. Those who haven’t learned to understand other cultures are doomed to be afraid of them, the largest fear in the world is the fear of the unknown. However, in this day and age, I don’t believe that culture has much to do with race. Different cultures form due to traditions that belong to one’s ethnicity, that person’s religion, and where they currently live. I could go out and adopt a kid who is Indian when I’m older and he would still grow up lighting the Menorah on Hanukah and eating the 7 fishes on Christmas. Guess what? Race had nothing to do with that situation!
This part may make others feel a bit awkward, so don’t say I didn’t give you all a warning! Obviously, people hide behind their “cultural differences” to excuse obnoxious behavior. There is no denying that. Heck, I hide behind being Jewish whenever I’m making jokes about money. What I feel to be more important, is the annoying fact that there are people who blame OTHER people’s rude remarks on their cultures. I can’t stand that if my sister is dating a black guy, that my parents feel the need to warn her about things that people of “that culture” do. This really annoys me because there are plenty of white people who act the same way, and plenty of black people who do not act that way in the least bit. Obviously everyone can tell that I don’t mind interracial marriage. People should love who they love for what is on the inside. (Man was that line CORNY!!!!!)
Please yell at me for being a fence sitter right now. I can’t really decide if class levels help to create a racial divide or not. People within each grade class seem to have a little more respect for other races within that grade class but not in other classes. I like to say that I have a somewhat diverse group of friends who all act polite and are fun to be around. When I walk through the halls though, I seem to run into a lot of people of all races who just don’t care about school and are just extremely obnoxious towards their teachers and peers. Mind you, I’m talking about all races being that way. However, there is a somewhat obvious divide of race for the most part in the different classes that I’m not really going to point out. That to me just seems frivolous. It doesn’t happen because of race per say, rather because of how each kid is brought up and in what environment. My parents actually had time when I was younger to get involved with my life and schoolwork, other people have parents who work multiple jobs and never see their parents. Reasons like that are why the classes are divided up, I wish there was a way to break THAT barrier.
ReplyDeleteTo Cole: I agree with you a lot there buddy, but I just want you to know that Mays Landing is filled with a bunch of racists, they aren't flaunting themselves around like a showboater, but they are all over. Most of them are parents, they call our generation the loving generation because races seem to get along more, but heck, even my parents can accidentally drop a slightly racial comment every now and then and they are clowns!
ReplyDeleteTo Ashley: I have to agree with you a lot in there. The only thing I disagree with you about is with the classes. Sure it IS about hard work, but that type of ethic needs to be built early on for most people in order for them to actually have a shot at being an AP student. There are always exceptions, but backround plays a large factor in that.
To Olivia: I absolutely love that you compare ignorance to fear, I pretty much agree with a lot of what you said, I especially agree with what you said about using cultural differences as an excuse. I find it ridiculous that if someone says something derogatory about their race it is okay, but if another person does it is terrible.
To Olivia: I agree that ignorance and fear play a huge role in racism and that racism is mandset. If people were aware and could work on living their own lives than we wouldn't be writing on racism right now. My opinion however is that racism isn't expressed as hate from nature as much as influence. Yes, nature is somewhere in there but I believe the environment that person grows up in severly affects ones views and choices. I also disagree that people don't know better. If you have ever walked into a school in your life I think you know that racism is wrong, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're not going to be racist.
ReplyDeleteTo George: In my opinion, having an effort towards demeaning someone is being racist however someone doesn't need effort to be racist. I think that if you even have repeated thoughts of hatred or discrimination against a certin 'type' of person that you are a racist. Thinking doesn't really take that much effort. I like your Alaska analogy though. I don't think that way, but a lot of people do and I agree that that in itself is a form of racism. I also agree with you and Cole about the culture divide, not all people in one 'race' per say have the same cultures all over the place.
ReplyDeleteTo Michael G: I love the paragraph you wrote about people feeling superior by nature. I agree that there will always be some sort of distinguishing factor among people making them inferior or superior. This isn't racism, but another form of discrimination. Going back to your intro, you mention how at some point or another everyone thinks a racist feeling. I feel that this is accurate, but I don't think that saying or thinking one racist thought defines you as racist. I would venture to say that repeated thoughts or statements or actions against another group qualifies someone as racist.
ReplyDeleteDefining racism is not a simple task, as I tend to believe that racism comes in many forms, and that it is displayed in various fashions. Overall I would characterize racism as the mistreatment and belief of inferiority of one or more racial groups by one or more people of another racial group or groups. Mistreatment in this case could be defined as a lack of kindness or consideration towards another racial group, deliberate physical or emotional assault on another racial group, or general exclusion and discrimination of people in another racial group.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so you’re a white person in an ALL white settlement, town, whatever. You eventually meander outside of the place you call home. You travel to another town or city and this place displays much diversity. You see people of another skin color, of another culture, of another means of life. What will you think? I tend to believe that this person is going to be ultimately confused and generally indifferent towards the people of another persuasion. Their reaction to this scenario depends on the type of person they are. If the society they were raised in tended to be tolerable and kind then I would suppose they would have similar qualities, and would welcome these different people despite the oddity that might be present in this person’s mind. If they are raised in a generally stubborn and unchanging society that tends to be aggressive, one can assume the likely outcome. Some form of racism. So does ignorance of racism prevent it from becoming an ideology? It’s a yes and no response that depends on so many variables that could be discussed in detail; books could be written. Additionally, it’s kind of difficult in today’s times especially for some society to be completely free of any racial diversity or intolerance. So this question is almost more of a hypothetical analysis, where trials could infinitely be performed. Overall, intolerance or racism can never truly be dismissed in any society.
Based on my previous response, one can conclude that I do believe that there are cultural differences in race and that somebody not exposed to diversity on a certain level will ultimately be more attuned to the differences. How can one not be? There is no way that after living in a predominately singular race society; one wouldn’t view a person of different attributes as somewhat of an alien. But just because one may view another differently, and there are differences, doesn’t mean we should treat them with a lack of respect, or exile them and create a social warfare against them. Again, how one reacts in this situation is multifaceted, and depends on so many factors that range from intelligence and attitude to up-bringing and social conditions. Now, what exactly are these differences? Since the migration of man, people have been evolving different traits and cultures that are strikingly different. Cultural differences that come with race may stem out to: language/linguistics, behavior, ability to do certain tasks, music, ideology, and much more. Eventually, these cultures mix and clash to collectively form what some may call the melting pot. In some cases these cultures will have a harmonious relationship, in others, not so much.
Moving on to the question of whether or not people hide behind the definition of cultural differences to excuse crude and inappropriate behavior that should be inexcusable. My response: absolutely, are you kidding me? Is it not right there in one’s eyes every day? I see people acting rather inappropriate and grotesque and “explain” that they are of every right because of their “culture”. Well, culture is supposed to be something special, something sacred even, and unique, something to overall find pride in, not something to be used as a weapon or tool to excuse poor behavior. What type of reflection in one’s race is one putting out by one acting in such ways? Perhaps some of the largest perpetuators of stereotypes that excite racism are the people of a respective race that are too arrogant to provide a decent reputation of their people. Inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteFinally, in response to the question prompted about whether class divisions create a racial divide, I will say that this is yet again another yes and no answer. Overall I would say ‘no’ for the most part. I tend to perceive that establishing oneself in a higher level course depends on the vigor and drive of that person to succeed. Some may argue that others of race are inferior when it comes to academia, which in response I would say is BS. The motivation of a person is more likely affected by said person’s surroundings and economic status growing up rather than race. Now, I will say that because of some aspects that plague certain races, (not by their doing), there might be a divide in course/class level that might establish a minor racial divide in classes. Conclusively, racism is a delicate topic and a term that can be widely interpreted and prompts different analysis from different people.
Janel- I completely agree with what you said about people say "its because i'm black" or "its because in spanish" because I think that especially now a days so much effort is put into equalizing things that saying things like this creates a "one step forward 2 steps back" situation. And in defense of those people who are "all the same", if i were to honestly look at myself and my life i would probably have to place myself into a group with them. Most of my friends are noticeably like me but i'm not friends with them because they're white or because we shop at the same places. Im friends with them because we have common interests, and I don't know if this is your case but i wouldn't be that surprised if you are friends with the people you are because u have as many similarities as differences.
ReplyDeleteThomas- i really like your "thoughts become actions" comment and i definitely agree, racism really only becomes a noticeable problem when the thoughts that people have become words and actions. (this is in reaction to something in Thomas' comment) I think a big problem with perpetuating racism is using all of this "us" and "them" because it makes, what i feel like, is a huge divide between people who might otherwise get along very well.
Michael- I have to disagree with your comment "It IS human nature to feel superior to another person.", because I don't think thats true in most cases, for example there are some people in our classes that I would not for a half a second think that I was superior to. However if noticing the differences between people is grouped with ignorance I do see how that may be the attitude some people have.
To me, racism simply is the blatant disregard one group of people has for another’s customs and (more often than not) appearances. Over the years, this disregard has evolved into judgment, hatefulness, and condescension. Where one man got the idea that he was better than another based solely off the fact that they looked different, is entirely beyond me.
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard to argue that completely ignoring the mere existence of racism prevents it altogether. Even being raised in a predominantly white or predominantly black or predominantly Asian area, media will reach the youth and media will influence their thinking and media will destroy the deliberate overlook of racism. Personally, I live in a primarily white area. Most of my friends, neighbors, and classmates are white, though I am exposed to a multiethnic environment. I do see evidence of racism, tons of it. More often than not, it’s spilling out of my one friend’s mouth, making snide comments and pointing out little things that one black person does to annoy her, and then making broad stereotypes about all black people. More than once, I’ve said something to her about that, but it’s the way she was raised – her parents are the same way. It’s most likely because her dad is a warden and brings what he sees at work home, thus planting a seed of hatred in his kids’ minds. It’s that overexposure of a multiethnic environment that brings on the hatred, but the underexposure is what brings on the confusion of “why do we look different?” Clearly, there is such a thing as a cultural difference. People believe different things, act different ways, live in different environments. But, not all black people have to follow one set of rules and white people another. In today’s world, the difference in culture isn’t the main reason for the hatred. It’s more because of different ethnicities and the stereotypes that go along with them.
I think more people make cultural differences an excuse for judging someone than an excuse for hiding behind. I’ve never personally heard someone say, “I’m only doing this because I’m Indian,” but I have heard, “they’re only doing that because they’re Indian.”
It’s pretty obvious that the different levels of classes promote a racial, and socioeconomic, divide in schools. The kids who aren’t that financially secure tend to be – as much as I hate to say it – the black and Spanish kids. Now, that’s not always the case, because there are white kids who are in the same boat, but in the typical AP or Honors class, it’s mostly all white kids with the exception of three or four.
I was raised never to hate or judge someone simply because of their ethnicity, and for the most part, I stay true to that value. Like everyone else, I’ll make a judgment or point out someone adhering to a stereotype, but when it gets to the point where the people around me are so full of hatred towards another based solely on the color of the skin, it sickens me.
To Cole: I completely agree with your definition of racism and I think your analogy of switching from plain to everything pizza except with people is spot on when discussing the transition from a mostly singular race society to a diverse one. Additionally your comments about hiding behind culture with the Nazi example I thought made the whole point clear that some people are just unaware and think that what they are doing is perfectly justified. And of course there are a lot of people who just simply are arrogant enough to take advantage of their culture to do inexcusable things.
ReplyDeleteTo George: I enjoyed what you said about people’s socioeconomic status contributing to a divide in the classroom environment, and that is what most likely could be attributed to the difference in racial groups across certain class levels. Furthermore, I agree with your response to the ignorance question, and that it is inevitable that some will most likely deem their race superior to any other if they live in a single race environment. But is this true all the time? I would probably think not, as there are many factors that affect a person’s state of mind on the topic of racism.
To Michael G: You attribute the existence of racism today chiefly on the basis of people not being exposed to a multicultural environment. I would say that this is for the most part correct and inevitable. I can’t yell at you for being a fence sitter on the subject of class divides, as I am too, because simply there is no black and white answer when it comes to this topic, (Get it? Black and White). But seriously, there are many factors that contribute to the obvious imbalance in race in class levels. There is the socioeconomics problem that affects certain race groups more than others, and many other variables. Additionally, it is difficult to qualify racism as many are afraid of stepping on some feet to get a straightforward answer.
To Ashley: "Think-what would happen if you threw that person into a room filled with people from different ethnic backgrounds?" The person would not start judging the other people at all. For racist thoughts to form, I believe that a person needs other people to verify them. Since the person had never seen people that looked like them before, what could the person possibly think other than, "Hm... Why do they look so weird?" The racist thoughts begin to form when all the different kinds of people begin interacting.
ReplyDeleteTo Olivia: Racism doesn't need to be only disdainful thoughts. For example, "Asian people are good at math," is a racist statement because it is singling out a race and making a broad assumption about it (assuming you know a little about Asian people).
To Mikey: "if someone grow up as a white person in a town where there are only white people and you have NEVER heard of any other race, well then I guess that racism couldn’t form." This is very true, but it is impossible to happen. There are too many ways to learn about other races. One can find out about other races by several ways like being told about other races, people of other races moving to his area and interacting with them, or even reading about them.
To Cole: I agree with most of what you were saying, especially the "Friendly Town" really being "Friendly to Whites Only Town" analogy. But, the Nazis weren't hiding behind the Aryan race as an excuse for killing all those people. They basically came outright and said, "Hey, you're Jewish, I don't like you." Which is an issue of religion, not race, anyhow. I don't feel like people SERIOUSLY hide behind their race as an excuse for acting a certain way. I feel like it's more often a joke.
ReplyDeleteTo Tom: It's interesting that you say that racism exists because "people communicate with people." I mean, I don't completely disagree, but I don't completely agree either. I suppose if a non-racist were exposed to an extremely racist environment, like a KKK meeting or something, that they may be swayed and take whatever points they may have into consideration and completely change their thinking. On the other hand, I think that someone could be the biggest racist in the world and hate EVERYONE of a different race, but keep it to him/herself (possibly) in fear. It's just an interesting thought that I hadn't considered.
To Janel: I love your post. That is all.
No, I'm just kidding, but seriously, I was inspired reading that. You have a very distinct opinion and express it effectively. Kudos on that. :) Though I don't necessarily agree that cultural differences are fading. There are many, many, many people like you who embrace who they are - background and all. I know there are quite a few people that are ashamed of stuff like that, but for the most part, I feel like people can accept themselves easier than they can accept others.
My definition of racism is when a certain race of people believe other races are inferior to theirs. It is making harsh judgments and criticizing others because they are a certain race.
ReplyDeleteNo one should be ignorant or unaware of racism. Unfortunately, ignorance does promote it to becoming an ideology. If you are raised in a predominantly white area, obviously you don’t see much racism, prejudice, or stereotyping going on. There is definitely a greater chance that person is more likely to be racist or have racist thoughts when they are exposed to different cultures than someone who is a minority. The white person may not even realize they’re doing it. It is possible for anyone to feel superior to others, but the feeling of superiority increases by a lot if you live in a place with a single race or culture. If you are exposed to more races and cultures, the less ignorant you become to other people’s races and cultures. If people accept you for who you are, why can’t you accept others?
If you are never exposed to a multicultural environment, you probably won’t be much aware of the cultural differences. There are a lot cultural differences in society. The place where I’m from is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City. There are numerous ethnic groups that there including people of Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and African American ancestry. So I am quite exposed to many different cultures. After moving down here to New Jersey (which mostly has white people), I clearly see how much my family differs than a white family does here. That includes how we act, talk, eat, celebrate holidays, etc. Sometimes, I really do feel more comfortable when I am around people who are of the same race as me. After all, we do express similar behaviors and interests. But I love all my friends. I’m friends with people of all different backgrounds. We do poke fun at each other because of our differences. But since we are all aware of our differences and accept them, it doesn’t offend anyone. I don’t believe that’s racism.
People of different races behave differently, but that is NO excuse for inappropriate or obnoxious behavior. So that really bothers me. If you say, “I’m (Insert race here) so it’s all good.” How do you think people will perceive you now? You’re only contributing to the stereotype. Also when you say something about a person and they respond with “Is it because I’m___?” No, of course not. No one was making an attack against your race. It’s just your behavior. It’s either acceptable or its not.
I wouldn’t say class levels directly promotes a racial divide. I really always saw it as the effort you put into the work. That determines your fate and whether you should be put in AP, Honors, CP, etc. However, I do notice that there are much less minorities in AP and Honors courses. It really depends on your socioeconomic status and the environment in which you were raised. It may not be impartial, but unfortunately, the outcomes are inevitable.
Racism is when a person dislikes, harasses, or discriminates against an individual or group of people due to their race.
ReplyDeleteRacism is an ideology fueled by ignorance. People who aren’t exposed to a multicultural environment are more likely to be racist than those who are. I have a Muslim friend who lives in a very non-diverse town in Georgia. He hates it there and the racism and ignorance he faces is one of the main reasons why. In fact, he desperately wants to move back to where he grew up, the very diverse New York City, where he faced far less discrimination. My friend faced less racism in New York City because those who are brought up in a multicultural environment are less likely to be racist because they have experienced being with people of different races, and have learned how to treat them correctly. It’s pretty much common sense. Who would you trust more to take care of your cat, someone who grew up around many cats, or someone who has never seen a cat before? Obviously, the first person would probably be more trustworthy, as they’ve dealt with cats before. In the same way, people who have dealt with people of many different races are more likely to know how to treat people of different races, and are less likely to be racist.
There are definitely cultural differences between people, and there’s no denying it. Culture differences include peoples’ values and can affect a person’s interests. However, race is not the only contributing factor to culture. Culture is affected by all kinds of things, like a person’s area of residence and economic status.
There definitely are people who hide behind their race to excuse their bad behavior, as I’ve witnessed it happen before. One time, someone said something very ignorant to me, and then they shrugged off their ignorance by saying to me, “I’m white.” (What an idiot.) I think such behavior is silly, and the only thing such people accomplish is put down their own race. Luckily, not all people act this way.
I hate to say it, but I do think that the division of class “levels” promotes a racial divide. But this isn’t because people of certain races are stupid, while people of other races are naturally smart. As I said before, race (and ethnicity) plays a part in peoples’ culture. And culture affects peoples’ ways of thinking, which in return affects peoples’ goals, economic status, and how hard they work.
To Ashley: I wanted to use a more drastic example that would make a point, and Nazis came to mind. Also, about class division, I think that race will sometimes factor into the equation. It might be very indirect though. When George mentioned socioeconomic status, I thought about some studies that have proven a link between race and socioeconomic status, even though that link doesn’t necessarily affect every single member of every race. In the end it comes down to ability and willingness to do work, but those are vulnerable to other factors.
ReplyDeleteTo Olivia: When you talked about cultural differences, you mentioned how culture can also be different for families, along with races. That was a really good idea. It takes the cultural differences even further, noting that culture doesn’t stop at just a large group of people. Of course, people share culture among others that are similar, but no one shares the exact same culture.
To Ted: Your opinion on culture stood out to me. In the end, I’m not sure if it’ll ever be considered sacred, but special it is. It governs certain actions and behaviors, rituals, language, and all of the other things you mentioned. I’d rather not be redundant. I also agree that it shouldn’t be used as a tool to excuse rude behavior. Can you imagine having a culture race, where instead of amassing nuclear weapons we gather up the most culture to excuse rude behavior? On second thought, that sounds ridiculous.
Reading, (by which I mean 'skimming'), some of the opening comments, my definition of racism might be a little different from what I've heard so far. For me, racism is judging/making assumptions of another race, or judging/making assumptions about another person because of their race. Any assumption made on the basis of race is racist. Period. Colon, semicolon, exclamation mark, ampersand, solidus, so on and so forth.
ReplyDeleteFor example, if I go around saying 'Man, those dumb Mexicans are always so lazy...' pretty much everyone from everywhere would be able to verify that as a racist statement. But if I said 'He is black, he'll be awesome at basketball!' then in my opinion I would also be making a racist statement, because I am judging an ability of his based solely on his race. Now, could it be true that he's much better at sports than me? I'm not very hard to beat, but still, basically, can racism be true? Can you say that 'because he is race x, I can assume y?'
Now, there are two sides to this. On the one hand I will say that I believe that different races have different cultures, and that can lead to differences between the races themselves, even if looking upon such differences is, essentially, racist. I have made generalizations about different cultures myself, so I am a racist, but I don’t think I’ve always been wrong about it. Now, on the other hand, you have different opinions: is racism merely a social institution? Do we see differences between blacks and whites only because we are taught to? Am I being part of the problem for suspecting cultural divides? Meh, I don’t know for sure. The fact that this is such ‘sacred ground’ I walk on whenever it gets discussed doesn’t help. Maybe racism will never be solved, and everyone will be jerks to each other for all eternity. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Do people hide behind race to excuse obnoxious behavior? My gut screams yes, but I can’t really think of any specific examples, though I’m sure I’ve seen some. It’s probably because I would suspect anyone of using anything to get the edge, and if using race as an excuse to be a total jerkass works, you’ll be seeing a lot of it.
Lastly, class divisions. This is gonna sound obnoxious, but I really wouldn’t want to take my classes with CP or whatever students. I already take Health with them and just… nobody cares. People of all races and creeds, not caring together. It was touching. But there’s your problem right there. NOBODY CARES. If you want to do well in school that’s the unwritten prerequisite, that you’ll have to actually try first. I don’t think anyone’s race provides such an insurmountable barrier to that end that they shouldn’t be able to overcome it. But, perhaps I’m just so swaddled in my AP classes that I just don’t know what to say about people outside it. Probably a little of both.
And that’s all.
Cole: You do see the thing with certain races grouped together in certain class levels, but maybe it’s just cause they all see the other people of their race in that class and figure they’d rather hang out with friends than work hard, or that they ‘automatically’ belong there or something. I myself don’t agree with the second one much, but I’ve always thought it was an interesting idea, how society affects that kind of stuff.
ReplyDeleteGeorge: I saw the thing about how different cultures interpret different behavior different, and I’m sure that plays a huge role in this kind of stuff. Something we may do every day and look upon favorably may be neglected by another race/culture, causing us to look down on them, while the opposite example can also often be true.
Emily: I don’t entirely think racism is fueled by ‘ignorance’ so much as a sense of xenophobia that is nurtured into a bloom by society/the family. I think everyone grows up with an innate distrust of outsiders, like when you go to the supermarket when you’re five and hold your mom’s hand the whole time, and that it’s too easy to take that distrust of strangers and morph it into a hatred for different races. Someone completely ignorant to race, I think, wouldn’t hate someone just for different skin color.
Racism is the inexcusable stereotyping and furthermore judgment of people based solely on what race they were born into. It’s not necessarily the immediate judgment that comes to mind when a certain hue of skin is noticed, but it’s the belief that those stereotypes are true. My perception of a person’s character isn’t the first thought comes to mind in a situation, but it’s how a person responds to that thought. I believe that first thoughts come more from word association and what kind of environment you’ve been raised in more than your personality. I’ll admit, I think a lot of judgmental things in my head but then I usually curse myself out in my head for thinking like that. I don’t like being judgmental. You’re not racist if a stereotype comes to mind here and there. You’re racist if you believe those stereotypes to be true and discriminate because of them. Whether or not they are true, you’re racist if you believe a person acts that way because of their race as opposed to that’s just who they are personally.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was little I led a very sheltered life and even now I do. My parents never said anything to me about a lot of things. They never talked about cursing, religion, murder, or really anything. The most I ever heard was, “Don’t talk to strangers,” and it was baffling. It was the most shocking thing in the world to believe anybody would hurt anybody else. Growing up in this kind of ignorance, I never had any kind of reason to judge people. It was kind of beautiful. Why would I judge somebody based on the color of their skin if I was never told there was a reason behind color? For all I knew somebody just popped out any which color. There was no difference whatsoever. Ignorance in this one situation may be good. If you’re ignorant that anybody anywhere feels there is a separation between skin colors, what reason on Earth could you possibly decide that one color is better than another? Of course, the second racism is introduced it does have to be shot down. There just isn’t any reason to bring up the subject to young children unnecessarily. Children aren’t going to judge based on color unless they have any sort of reason to believe that it means something.
That being said, I don’t know if living in a predominantly white neighborhood would really be beneficial at avoiding racism at all. If you’re always around people who look like you, that definitely will conceive the highly unnecessary observation that somebody looks different than you. I suppose you’d be less likely to notice racism because in theory there would be less people to be racist against, however, if there was racism existent I think it would only perpetuate it. If you’re a part of the majority group in a race, you may be less likely to notice simply because you would never experience the feeling of somebody discriminating against you. However, if you did perhaps notice it, being a part of the majority group could lead to feelings of superiority. It’d be much better to grow up in such a multicultural area like this one. If I hadn’t grown up in such a mixed area, I don’t think I’d be so attuned to cultural differences. Honestly, the cultural differences are slight. Pretty much everybody around here has a very American kind of culture. And in truth American culture seems to be more having every type of person and ideology and it not seeming weird at all. We’re all different but yet as a country we tend to act much the same. The only people who seem to be culturally different, which is quite beautiful; are the people who maybe haven’t grown up in America. Just the slightest things are different. Maybe it’s just a certain style of clothing, maybe a different cadence in speech, maybe a certain food dish of choice, or even maybe just a unique perspective on something. Where you grow up does have an effect on your persona, but race doesn’t. Either way, it’s wrong to assume somebody is a certain way because of where they’re from. Don’t assume and don’t judge.
ReplyDeletePeople definitely hide behind cultural differences to justify poor behavior. There’s rarely an excuse for any kind of poor behavior, so cultural differences are invalid. I don’t have much to say on this topic. People should just be who they are regardless of where they came from or what ethnicity they are. The only real excuse is that it’s your choice of who you are. And that’s a pretty poor excuse in itself. Also, levels within schools do tend to promote a racial divide. Resentment seems to be a product. It’s unfortunate that certain races seem to make out better economically. It shouldn’t be that way, but currently, there being such a divide in classes makes it almost like an unsaid racial divide. I’m not going to lie; these last two questions make me uncomfortable. I feel uncomfortable trying to give any sort of reason why people act certain ways or why classes are certain ways. I don’t want to make any kind of broad generalizations about people, because everybody is different. Regardless, though it is hardly necessary to say, racism is absurd and utterly awful. From experience I’ve seen it break up families and severely hurt some of my closest friends.
Ashley H: I know this is impossible, but don’t you think that in a way if nobody was ever taught that there was any sort of difference in color or any reason to feel that there was a difference, racism could go away? Maybe it was just me personally, but I never knew it was possible to discriminate on somebody based on color before I was taught about stereotypes. It’s probably just me.
ReplyDeleteOlivia R: I completely agree about growing up in an area with only your own race would promote racism. And I like what you said about fear. People do feel better by putting other people down because it helps them feel good about themselves.
Janel G: What you said about the 20 kids who all look alike I have to sadly agree with. I actually don’t like walking with all white people or blonde people because I just feel racist when I do it. I think I conform too much and it’s sad. I admire your belief in individuality and agree with you when you say cultural differences are fading away. I would like to celebrate some of my family’s Slovak holidays, but unfortunately nobody seems to want to celebrate anything. My grandmother is 100% Ukrainian and her parents were off the boat but nothing. When they came here they wouldn’t even let her speak Ukrainian because they wanted their children to be American. You’re very lucky to have retained to your Polish roots.
Janel: When you see a group of 20 kids that are exactly the same, I don’t think it’s because they aren’t accepting cultural differences. It may just be because they all are the same culture and have similar behavior and interests. Let’s just say they’re all Spanish. They could still all go home, speak Spanish, eat Spanish food, celebrate Spanish holidays, etc. That’s just how I interpret the situation.
ReplyDeleteMichael: I love what you said about interracial marriage. I’m pretty sure almost every adult in my family is against interracial marriage. Especially, the oldest generation. My aunt is engaged to a white guy and her mom was pissed when she found out. She didn’t even give him a chance. I completely agree with your corny statement and how we should love what’s on the inside.
Thomas: Who doesn’t love fried chicken? I know I do. But anyways, I like what you said about racism spreading around and communication between people. I’m pretty sure everyone has heard about certain stereotypes about races. And unfortunately, we spread these ideas around all the time. We get all the wrong ideas about people. This is probably what leads to true hate and racism.
Amber answering Janel: I don't really see the same kind of sadness you (and by extension Janel, you're awesome Janel!) experience with your twenty look-alike kids or your failure to celebrate Ukrainian holidays. Even in losing Ukrainian roots, haven't your great grandparents essentially succeeded in forging a new 'American' identity, the one you have now? I think there's just as much wonder to be found in any new culture that's created as there is in one that's lost. Even today, as we've lost the Aztec tradition of cutting people's hearts out and sacrificing them to the gods, we've gained other, more modern traditions that are just as significant and, as a bonus, much less deadly. So I guess I'd stop to appreciate what's been created rather than what's been lost, I guess. Also, to Janel, I agree with Amanda's opinion of those 20 kids: I wouldn't just assume they're ignorant of anything just because they look alike/have similar interests. I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of if my friend portfolio isn't the 'It's a Small World After All' attraction or anything, I hang out with people who's company I enjoy, whoever that might be, and I've never been ashamed of it.
ReplyDeleteMy definition of racism is the deprecation of another race or group. It is not always rational and sometimes a mindset of hate towards another group of people for no logical reason. Racism does not stop at only races to me though; it could very well be racism of any different type of group including religious beliefs and so forth.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of racism promotes racism because it is not instilled in the mindset that it is wrong to feel superior to another race. Everyone is created equal and has the ability to receive equal rights and lifestyles. Ignorance could prevent racism, in a perfect world, because if you are unaware of the fact that racism exists you do not know how to be racist.
If you were raised in an area that is predominantly white and you are white, you probably do not see much evidence that it exists, because another race or group of people is not around you for you to feel indifferent about. Time plays a factor in this case too. In our life time, meaning so far in our lives, we have been vaguely taught that everyone is equal. If this case scenario is true, there is still not completely ignorance to racism because in history classes we learn about slaves and slave trade, Martin Luther King and so forth. Verifying the fact that it is almost impossible to be completely ignorant to racism.
If someone has never been exposed to a multicultural environment, they mostly likely would not be attuned to its differences. If they decided to move to or visit a multicultural they’d obviously be surprised. Leading to the next question. I do think there are some cultural differences.
Differences in cultures could be huge or barely noticeable. Depending on location really. The most noticeable is probably behavior. Unfair behavioral stereotypes have been set for each race or group of people, because of ignorance. Every person in the world has a different behavior than everyone else, it should not be categorized by the color of your skin or your beliefs. Even though it doesn’t have to be, most races stay together. We’re all obviously mixed together in school or neighborhoods and such, but still. This means each group doesn’t stray from what is known to be “acceptable”. If groups of people were even more willing to intermix than they are now, more would be known and there wouldn’t be such an unnecessary divide. This doesn’t just go for races; it could mean smart kids and not so smart kids. Everyone is afraid to stray from their “norm”.
I definitely think that people hide behind their cultural differences to excuse behavior. (I read this blog when it was posted Sunday, and this part really made me think. In my lunch and in route to my classes in the past two days I’ve heard things like “Is it because I’m black? Or “Get out of my way white girl, I need to get somewhere” or “Ick, people these days. Need to go somewhere else.” Around 30 times.) Things like this are masks to cultural differences, and prove the point that everyone whether they are white, black, Asian, or Hispanic hide behind their differences, maybe unintentionally or intentionally.
In all honesty, I don’t think classes (AP, Honors, CP, Non CP) have anything to do with racism. These class divisions were made, in my mind, so that everyone could be in a class that challenges and meets their learning requirements. The divisions are not meant to be racial dividers.
Cole: I really like your use of background examples to assist your points. The example about a plain pizza and a pizza with everything on it was a nice way to lighten up such a serious topic. I also really like your mentioning of the Nazis (not because I think what they did was cool) but it was an exceptional example to show that racism does not just mean prejudice of race, but interracial as well.
ReplyDeleteMike G: Your second paragraph is very honest. I like your point that if you are ignorant to what racism is, that it’s not quite fair to have racial ideas. Your blog is very well put together. I admire your flow and easy on words.
Teddy: Your honesty is inspiring. I love that you did not hold back at all. Your thoughts on whether or not people hide behind their cultural differences are powerful, because of your honesty. It although I did not agree with the fact that class level is a racial divider, I respect your ideas that it may be due to other factors not pertaining to actually academic level itself. Very well said.
This is a reply to everyone (most of you) assuming that motivation and hard work skills are a choice and a selected trait.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading the comments, I only found 3 people to go against this idea, most of you are alluding to. Cole mentioned that race can be a factor in motivation which I appreciated very much. However, he then also stated "The kids who want to put in the effort will be put into a class that will make the most of their effort." Which then immediately lost my approval.
Another person who shed light onto the assumption was Rebecca, who claimed “The kids who aren’t that financially secure tend to be – as much as I hate to say it – the black and Spanish kids”. With most of you (or probably all) coming from finically well off families, you have a complete ignorance of the economic effects on learning. It is very hard to be taking AP classes when you aren't sure where you might be living in a month or even a week, not mentioning no computer access whatsoever. I know you might think that your laptop being a year old might be inhibiting your abilities, but try imagining having no computers at all. Also think about this. How hard would you be trying in high school right now if the only college you knew you might be able to afford is ACCC?
The other person not making assumptions about the origin of hard work is Emily. Emily pointed out that races plays an immense role in culture (especially for minorities). She then went on to state “And culture affects peoples’ ways of thinking, which in return affects peoples’ goals, economic status, and how hard they work.” She was the only person that I could find to make this connection. When your race (and therefore culture) expects you to be in CP classes, it an influence that rubs off on you. I would have to assume that if all of your parents were proud of you getting A’s in CP classes, and discouraged you from going higher, at least half of you wouldn’t be here in this class. If your culture didn’t encourage high learning, most of you wouldn’t be in the classes you are now.
I don’t mean to be an Affirmative Action advocate, but most of you should stop being so ignorant to the hardships minorities have to becoming well educated. The excuses “I really always saw it as the effort you put into the work.” and “If you work hard you will be in higher classes, if not, I can tell you this: you didn’t fail because of your skin tone.” (not mentioning any names) are missing some key points in their arguments.
Racism, to me, is when you see a group of people as inferior beings. Its when you see hatred in the eyes of those who are not of common race. Racism is when you look past all the human features that a person may have and simply see the differences in what you are and what the other person may be, and don't understand why they are different. Racism is simply a bunch of BS.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the ignorance of racism, promotes the ideal to become an ideology. In addition, it is through stereotypes in which we inherit this ignorance. We deal with stereotypes each an everyday and have become accustom to them. Because we're so use to them we barely notice that we are in fact on a path that may lead us to become racist. Most stereotypes categorize people into groups and that's the first mistake we make as people. When you start to place people into groups, you don't see them as individuals anymore, you see them as a collective. This in essence diminishes an individuals appeal and forces a label upon that person, even though they have their own individual personality. For example most stereotypes I hear are “Blacks are loud, Mexicans are lazy, Asians are super smart.” Most of these have a negative appeal to them, which causes a polar relationship between groups of people, because they find these traits unattractive, which inevitably causes a cycle of hatred. If we are to get categorized should we not get labeled “human”? Would this not stop all the hatred between the different races if we were seen as “One”?
In addition, if we have never been in a situation in which we are surrounded by multicultural people, we will never know that racism ever existed. It would be like introducing technology to the Amish. They know its there but they may have never seen it for themselves. Thus, when we are thrust into a situation we have never been in before. We may freak out and want things back to to the way they use to be therefore becoming a racist before you ever knew it.
If I, myself, were never thrust into an environment, at a young age, in which everybody is of a different culture, I would probably know no better, and disrespect every culture that I may come into contact with. ( luckily that didn’t happen) As I stated before, its like giving technology to the Amish, you don't know any better, your only accustomed to what your use too. Fortunately, I’ve learned from the past and I have been in contact with most cultures all my life, that I know better to respect each and everyone of them because I know everyone has there differences. Each person was raised a certain way and who am I to put someone elses culture down, just because I don’t understand.
Cultural differences can definitely exist in the world however, they are hard to notice at times. For example, an African American male, and a Caucasian male may put education on a different priority level however, that may be due to personality not culture. I like to think of myself as an example to this. I try my hardest and push myself to the limit not because my culture says too but because my personality fits in more with those who work hard . In comparison, sometimes the class levels of (AP, honors, Cp and Non CP) are not of a racial divide yet, more of a motivational barrier. In my own class there are varieties of cultures mixed into my AP classes, and they are all full of people who worked hard to get there. They weren’t in that class based on there culture but of how hard they worked (myself included). However its a very convoluted situation, because there are certain races of people in the lower levels rather than the higher levels because sometimes they just aren't that motivated. Yet in the end, I think it comes down to an individuals motivation.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately what happens sometimes people do obviously hide there own rudeness behind cultural differences, to excuse there own behavior. I can't tell you how many time I heard “ Oh you like watermelon, it must be because your black” or “ Oh your Chinese but you don’t eat Chinese food, whats up with that.” Its because of the ignorance of racism that this happens frequently. If we wise up about the races around us, actually get to know and respect one another, and stop labeling each other as “those black kids, those white girls, that Asian dude” we might actually stop hating one another and there would be no less hatred in the world.
If I were never exposed to a multicultural environment, I would be less attuned to the cultural differences between people. Culture consists of aspects such as religion, art, literature, education, and social interaction. Cultural differences come from family, and the actual nationality of a person and their family. Therefore even the same skin colors are also going to have cultural differences. Just because someone is considered “white”, “black”, or “Asian”, doesn’t mean they ALL have the same culture. There are many different countries that have people of the same skin color, but the culture is very different.
ReplyDeletePeople most definitely hide behind these “cultural differences” to excuse their ridiculously rude behavior. I have heard people defend this rude behavior with “You can’t get mad at me because that’s what I believe. I have my own mind and I can believe what I want. It’s how I was raised.” Newsflash! That isn’t an excuse for being unnecessarily rude! It’s fine to have an opinion, but have a legitimate reason to back it up.
Finally, I do believe that the class levels in school promote a sense inferiority, but not necessarily racism. However, it is obvious that there is a divide between races in class levels. As I look around my AP courses, there is a very small amount of minority students. A class level in school is based on how intelligent you are combined with how available resources are to you and how driven you are. A lot of this divide has to do with your family and your socioeconomic background. If a student has parents who don’t care about their success in school and if the parents didn’t do well in school, chances are the student won’t do well either. There is a lack of drive and ambition in the household. Also, if you are in a low socioeconomic class, your available resources are limited. It’s not impossible to overcome these odds, however it is very difficult. Since there is not a complete multicultural environment on each level of class in school, this promotes some students to feel inferior to another type of race of students.
Janel: I really do like reading your posts every week (: Anyways, when you said “I joke around with my friends all the time about race but we are best friends and we’re all different races and come from different backgrounds and I’ll take a hit and they take one back, that’s just how we are.” I immediately thought about how I do that too. I hear people joking around about it all the time, making fun of the different stereotypes themselves even. The whole “black people like fried chicken, watermelon, and kool-aid” is so over said that it pretty much qualifies either an eye roll or a laugh at how stupid it is. What I can’t decide is whether that counts as (for lack of a better word) beating racism, or if we’re all just downplaying it.
ReplyDeleteMikey G: I get what you’re saying, it’s sort of what we talked about with Costal last year. But at the same time, if they are willing to do the work then anyone CAN be in Honors/AP, but I know a lot of kids who stick to CP not because they think they couldn’t do the work in higher level classes, but because they are too lazy and don’t feel like doing the work.
The concept of racism doesn’t just include the refusal of an individual or group to seek understanding of other races, cultures and creeds, resulting in “superiority.” Racism has a deeper effect on individuals; it creates physical, mental and emotional anguish that only those subject to racist acts can genuinely understand. In today’s society, racism is often swept under the carpet. But once the carpet is lifted, the pile of grime is revealed; only this time it’s filthier than before. Pretending racism is nonexistent or being unaware of it, just feeds the beast, allowing it to become more prevalent.
ReplyDeleteIt’s obvious that Mays Landing has a majority of white inhabitants; a walk down Oakcrest High School is enough validation for that statement. Though, I am not aware of all the cultural aspects of my fellow white classmates, it’s obvious that many have never been exposed to racial exploitations and thus cannot fully comprehend it. Personally, I’ve had my fair share of racist comments. What I’ve realized is that the comments that are filled with bigotry often come from those who don’t know a thing about my culture. It’s hilarious to mock someone just because their different, or don’t come from around here. At first, these comments would resonate in my ears, constantly eating at me. I would become irate just thinking about them. But then I realized I can’t blame people for being insufferable assholes. I actually feel bad that they’ll have to live the rest of their lives making asinine statements.
If one lives their whole life without being exposed to a multicultural environment, they are going to experience a culture “shock.” Many people who have never been in contact with someone who has a different culture don’t really know how to react. This is something that hinders society greatly. Those who aren’t exposed to other cultures, miss out on a variety of perspectives on life. Without the flow of different perspectives, new ideas or thoughts are rarely formed for the people around them all have the same outlook.
Cultural differences are so vast ranging from language to cuisine to fashion to whether or not direct eye contact is allowed. Culture, though it is affected by many different things, always boils down to how and where you were raised as well as who you were raised by. These differences amongst groups of people are often used as an excuse for offensive behavior. Very little people take the time out to explore other’s cultural differences. Most people automatically recognize when someone acts different from them and stop themselves there without attempting to learn more. Take discrimination in America for example. Many people who discriminated African-Americans during the civil rights period didn’t use the cultural differences amongst them as an excuse. They genuinely believed themselves to be the worthier group. In my opinion, I don’t think people wake up thinking, “Today I’m going to be racist!” Racism is a learned whether it is from parents or the community one lives in.
The class levels in our school create a racial divide, but not intentionally. This has nothing to do with the classes themselves, but with the way people are brought up. Education is valued more amongst certain cultures than others. Depending on how a student was raised factors into how much drive and motivation they have to excel in school. Sadly, in Oakcrest along with many other schools, races are not dispersed evenly amongst the levels. If one were to count the non-white students in our AP classes, the divide is apparent. White students make up the majority of AP and Honors classes, while minority groups fill the CP and non-CP classes. As a result, races are not exposed to one another with just accounts for more racial tension.
In the end, I think trying to solve racism is like trying to solve cancer. It will happen one day, but it’s probably going to take a while until the problem is fully resolved.
Becca: I didn’t even realize we had almost the same definition of racism after I posted my comment! Also, I appreciated your last paragraph about how it’s hard to ignore when someone of a specific race is adhering to a stereotype. I agree completely. I don’t make immediate judgments based on race, nor do I ever hate someone because of race, but it is difficult to ignore when some adheres to a popular stereotype. I appreciate the fact that you had the guts to admit this, because so many people know they do it, but never admit it out loud.
ReplyDeleteGeorge: I really enjoyed your reply about how what class level you are in school depends on hard work. I feel the same way you do about this specific topic. I’m not necessarily an advocate for affirmative action either, because I do feel some people overstep their boundaries when it comes to affirmative action. However, a lot of people are ignorant of how hard it is to overcome these hardships. Like I said in my comment before, a lot of it comes from the ambition you have in your households and your socioeconomic class. If there is no one’s expectations you feel like you have to live up to, and no money to do it, the chance of you achieving high marks in school is very, very low.
Schuyler: Though I wouldn't agree in saying that I wouldn't want to take classes with CP kids, I do agree with you that a majority of them don't care. But some of them, actually do care, but school is just hard for them. Health class freshmen year really opened my eyes as to the drive and motivation of students, so I can understand where you're coming from. All in all, I like you have made some generalizations that have come off as extremely racist. Something I'm not too proud about :P
ReplyDeleteAmber Kell: When you said " I’ll admit, I think a lot of judgmental things in my head but then I usually curse myself out in my head for thinking like that." I laughed a little bit, not because I take pleasure in you cursing at yourself to stop yourself from being judgmental, but because I do the same thing. I mean the 1st impression is when you usually make up you mind to how a person is however, i don't know why we think like that when a 1st impression could only be 5 seconds and we have the audacity to think we know everything about that person in that time. In addition, when you said "Children aren't going to judge based on color unless they have any sort of reason to believe that it means something" my mind was magically brought back to Mr. Costals room when we watched that thing on racism when children with blue eyes are better.
ReplyDeleteSchuyler: I like how somehow you turned this blog into a Algebra problem. "Can you say that 'because he is race x, I can assume y?'" Anyway if I was to answer that question, of course the answer would be "NO". But, I dislike how people try and make that answer a "yes" Usually in a algebra problem you may use different methods to get your answer but your final result should be the same as everybody else's and I just don't see why people can't seem to find the correct answer.
Amanda: Your comment on how you sometimes feel more comfortable with people who are the same culture to you is something I wish I could feel. Sometimes I’m just lost and don’t know where exactly I fit in. Sometimes I feel as if I fit in with the majority of my white friends, and then other times I just sit there thinking, “Do I really belong?” But, I think you should really love and embrace your culture, because it does make you unique.
ReplyDeleteCole: I have to say I appreciated the examples you gave. I always knew that there was a divider in cultures even with the same skin tone, but when you used the example of the people in Alabama and New Jersey it really struck me how different we really are.
ReplyDeleteEmily D: Where where you when I needed help with the question "do you think that the division of class "levels" within schools?" Haha. I struggled desperately trying to come up with a clear answer but I just couldn't do it and became a fence sitter. Your last paragraph says everything I would have said if I could have clearly explain like you did.
ReplyDeleteTed;
ReplyDeleteI’m kind of confused on how you say race doesn’t have a factor in academia. I mean, I believe it does play a role even if it’s finite. There have been extensive studies on it. It’s obvious that economic status and motivation ha a huge impact on it, but so does race. In certain regions, races are still held back when it comes to academia. Still today, not everyone is given an equal opportunity to excel at school. Maybe I’m just seeing this from a different perspective, but I would not go out and say “ Some may argue that others of race are inferior when it comes to academia, which in response I would say is BS,” because I’m pretty certain others' would take offense.
"I don’t mean to be an Affirmative Action advocate, but most of you should stop being so ignorant to the hardships minorities have to becoming well educated. The excuses “I really always saw it as the effort you put into the work.” and “If you work hard you will be in higher classes, if not, I can tell you this: you didn’t fail because of your skin tone.” (not mentioning any names) are missing some key points in their arguments."
ReplyDeleteThank you George! You said it way better than I could. I was beginning to think that no one understood what I was trying to get at.
I'm certainly not pro-Affirmative Action, but I do understand (or try to understand) the hardships of others.
Racism is the willful and conscious decision to treat someone poorly, discriminate against them, or consider them inferior based solely on their ethnic or racial group. Yes, that’s a very literal definition, but I like to look at things in a literal perspective.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of racism does prevent racism from becoming an ideology in that, if someone were not exposed to races other than their own, they would have no one to be racist towards. However, this only holds true when using the highly literal definition of racism I postulated earlier. If people were to be raised in such an environment, with one single race, they would quickly find new differences between themselves to pick apart. More and more trivial things would form dividing differences between the people of this single race community, from nose size to hair color. While this is not by definition racism, it is still not an ethical or civilized way to act. Really, the flaw here is that racism is not an ideology, because ideology implies ideas, and ideas imply thought. Racism is something that happens in the absence of rational thought. Regardless of whether racism is an inherent behavior, a an unavoidable learned one, to consider oneself better than another merely because the other is different in some way, shape or form is something that only happens when thought and reasoning are removed from the equation entirely.
Of course there are cultural differences in society, but the failing part of most thought about cultural differences is that they should always be viewed with respect to race. Of course, many cultures are importantly tied to race, and in some cases, to a history of racism, but the beauty of existing in a society is that any culture can be loved and experienced by anyone. Hip-hop and rap aren’t just for Black people, not all Hispanics dance exclusively to the “Mexican hat Dance” and as weird as you may find anime or manga or whatever, when different cultures are mixed (which is pretty much all the time thanks to the internet) anyone can enjoy any culture, regardless of ethnicity. However, when someone is raised without exposure to a multicultural environment, it certainly doesn’t make, upon exposure, the paintings of a Dutch master look anything more like an Indian representation of the elephant god Ganesha. What is not present, though, are the racial identifications most would place on those particular works. Instead of, “Indian god” and “Dutch man” this culturally unexposed person would think “Many-armed elephant” and “Man with wooden shoes standing next to windmill.”
(cont.)
ReplyDeleteOf course people use their racial identification as an excuse, and not just for rude and obnoxious behavior, but for entire lives. A lot of minorities in this country are incredibly disadvantaged, and to succeed is incredibly difficult for this all too large number of people. However, I don’t think it’s uncommon for disadvantaged minorities to rule out an education and a high level job as an option for their life because of their race. This isn’t to say anything that it is the fault of minorities for thinking this way, or for being disadvantaged. It is the fault of our broken society, that continues to make race an issue. Race is an issue solely because it is made into an issue. Whether someone is white, black or polka-dotted shouldn’t affect the amount of opportunities that they have in life, but it does because many minorities feel like they don’t have options because of they group they were born into. In addition, there are a great deal of whites who feel that they are entitled to some success in their life because of their race. They are not. Everything should be earned, and nothing granted freely, as long as everyone has an equal opportunity.
Ideally, the division between AP, Honors and CP would reflect the willingness to work and learning ability of the students in those classes. In reality, though, the biggest three motivators are parental involvement, what class level the student was early in life and a third thing that definitely thought of when I said that there where three big motivators. The idea that after a few short years in education, incidentally the years where the smallest amount of actual learning goes on, students can be sorted out into advanced classes is indeed a laughable thought. Some students present early special needs, and those need to be attended to, but in reality, the designation between advanced and not-advanced that is made in early elementary school seems almost arbitrary. Also, the kids not put on those classes are, for lack of a better term, royally screwed. Not being designated “advanced” early on makes taking higher classes in the future all that more difficult because the student never really thinks of themselves as a “smart kid.” So in reality, all that happens when this selection takes place is that a class of students designated as “advanced” receives a better education, and a better mindset towards their own proficiency to learn. The only other way a student can really “move up” to the advanced level is by parental request, which for some latchkey kids with uninvolved parents, isn’t remotely an option.
Humans are born with the capacity to hate. We are frightened of differences, therefore we abhor the different, we find justification for our own disgraces within others. Racism is a way for the perpetrators to free themselves from guilt, it’s a learned trait passed down in a family or social group, it’s hatred for the sake of hatred, it’s ignorance of history, it’s false presumptions about others based on race.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of racism does not prevent it. Being surrounded by members of your particular ethnic group can often create problems. Less racial integration causes stereotypes to be the predominating factor in judging a member of a different ethnic group. The more racial integration there is, the less likely racism will be to occur. If you’re used to being surrounded by a wide range of ethnic diversity, you’re more than likely to assimilate well with members of different ethnic groups. However, there are exceptions to the rules. Family has more of an immense impact on how a person’s views of a particular group are shaped. If you come from a racist family, damn right you’re beliefs will somehow be affected by theirs.
The beauty of culture permeates and seeps from the melting pot of our country. Cultural differences do in fact exist in our society, and not only do they exist, they thrive. Of course, these differences can be attributed to a multitude of things. Location, environment, family, tradition, and personal experiences all contribute to how a person acts. Not skin color. I repeat, not skin color. You can stereotype every race, and fit people into any neat little groups, but sure as hell, you’re wrong. Judging people by skin color is an atrocity. Race is no excuse for generally obnoxious or rude behavior. However, cultural differences are patterns of values and traditions that can be observed throughout groups on the larger scale.
Tomorrow in Lang, look around you. You’ll likely observe a sea of white. I wish I could give you an exact percentage of non-white members of our class, it’s probably somewhere around 15%. The percentage of non-white students in our school is 42%. There is a clear dichotomy here, a dichotomy that needs to change. The division of levels in our classes simply promotes this divide. If non-white students see AP classes as generally white institutions, it immediately creates the idea that they do not belong. This is not the case. Something needs to be done to balance the class levels out. Bluntly, non-white students are clearly at a disadvantage at Oakcrest. Does that mean that white students are more intelligent or better? Hell no. What it does mean is no student should be at an emotional or economical disadvantage in our school based on their culture.
This is kind of random and strange, but I was having a really bad and stressful night and the comments about my passage made me feel better and want to continue working rather than just give up :) Thanks guys!
ReplyDeleteJames: I completely and utterly, wholeheartedly agree with you on the fact that race is an issue solely because we make it one. Race should not be a dividing factor in society, however, it is. I hate how often we agree on things. I'd like to argue with you sometime soon.
ReplyDeleteGeorge: Thank you, thank you. There are many aspects of culture people forget to consider when they say how performance is based solely on work ethic. Although work ethic may be an extremely important factor, the drive to do well is influenced by your culture as well as your family. Where you start in life has a huge impact on where you finish.
Tom: You mention that some students don't feel that they are smart enough to take the course. However, you leave that statement up to interpretation. It is easily refuted that the reason that people don't feel smart enough to take AP classes is because they are indoctrinated to believe that by the beliefs of others. You fail to take into account any factors that truly push kids away from AP classes. Parents, tradition, and others all have an affect on what classes you take.
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ReplyDeleteGeorge- I agree with you on so many levels it’s not remotely funny. The term disadvantaged minorities is considered by many to refer to an economic disadvantage. A real disadvantaged minority, has little money, constantly working parents (or parent), or very likely a nonworking parent, and who probably have to start working help support their family at a young age. For a lot of these kids, they don’t see a way out of the cycle of poverty, and for all of them, the path to higher education is one that probably involves trying to balance a job, and college level work. The ridiculous cost of college, and the insane way our tax systems and social programs are devised, provide little real help to the people who need it, while the rich continue to make more money than they can spend.
ReplyDeleteSchuyler- I feel like you’re confusing stereotypes and racism. In my opinion, there are some relatively benign stereotypes, but many are not remotely playful. The real difference though, is in the intention behind the usage of the stereotype. Many people talk about stereotypes for the mere purpose of making fun of the fact that they exist, especially some of the more ridiculous ones. What you’re dead on about though is the “he is race x, I can assume y” when a person uses stereotypes to define another solely based on race. That’s when stereotypes can become harmful and detrimental. But to limit your definition of racism to what I consider stereotypes is to ignore the hatred and self-deceit that causes the worst kinds of racism.
Matt- I wanted to say something with regards to your comment, but all I can really come up with is a lot of drivel about how I agree with every word of it. What I do have to ask though, is with your suggestion that the dichotomy between the fraction of minorities in and out of AP classes. How do we fix it? Affirmative action on the high school level feels like the wrong approach. In my opinion, it would take a cultural change. One that altered the way that the entire educational system worked, and the way we think about race. I used the term, “disadvantaged minority” a lot in my posts, I think that the term shouldn’t exist. Someone’s disadvantages should be unrelated to their race, and I think the permeating thought process that higher education is harder to achieve for low economic status minorities, which is entirely correct in our current system, has to change as well.
Racism is holding a negative stereotype to someone based on their racial background. A racist person cannot wrap their brains around the fact that we are all people, regardless of our gender, color, etc.
ReplyDeleteI believe living in a predominately white location would only make its residents more “racist” or judgmental. An invisible hierarchy is created based on the unawareness that feeds on stereotype. All in all, racism IS ignorance, so as long as prejudice lives on in any form, racism does as well.
I’d think that not living in a multicultural society would make you somewhat out of tune with the cultural differences in society. But at the same time, you aren’t living in a bubble and there are ways to understand, from traveling, to the output of media. There are many different outcomes that could result for someone who has never experienced a multicultural society; they could be completely free of prejudice and discrimination, or they could have acquired some radical views on different people.
Cultural differences clearly exist; it really just has to do with how you were raised, and the environment in which you grew up. A girl who is taught all her life to believe she must cover her skin and maintain strict moral values is obviously much different from another girl, wearing/doing what she pleases, and exercising that ability generously.
There isn’t a day when I don’t go through school hearing “it’s ‘cause I’m (insert race here) isn’t it?” at least once. People use that line for a more humorous affect, but it’s apparent that people wouldn’t have to say it at all if there wasn’t some kind of prejudice/racism in the world. It isn’t as often that I hear people excusing themselves for something because of their race, I doubt they’d put themselves down like that.
I cannot necessarily say whether or not a racial divide exists. It is obvious; however, that what has continued over the years is a consistency in the people I’ve been in classes with. I wouldn’t say it is race that is holding people back, but intimidation. Many kids, who never received that initial push into a more challenging echelon, proceeded to linger with their current classmates and never made that extra effort (or were never aware that they could!). Eventually, to them, it was too late to try. The classes looked harder, sounded harder, and those so-called “smart kids” had been solely with each other for years. I don’t know how valid a racial divide could be, I’d say it comes down to how far the students are pushed and their willingness to be challenged further.
To Nyamekye: I don't think you interpreted what I wrote correctly. What I said was that people thinking others are inferior in academics because of race is a bunch of BS. I wasn't saying at all that people aren't under circumstances that hinder academic ability as a trickle down effect of race. I also noted that there are some circumstances such as socioeconomics that affect a certain race more so than others and that contributes to a racial divide. Sorry, if you thought I was coming off as disrespectful in anyway, but I assure you that my response was in absolutely no means intended to offend any people. That's not what I wrote. I submitted that the racial divide was a yes and no question because of those variabled that you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteTo Janel: I never knew your family was so cultural. That’s actually really cool! I find it kind of sad when people forget about their culture and become simply “American.” I’m guilty of letting my culture fade myself, seeing as my knowledge of Cantonese (my native language) is now pretty poor. I hope that you pass down your Polish traditions to your descendants and force them to keep those traditions alive!
ReplyDeleteTo George: Thanks for the mention! As I was reading everybody’s posts, the same thoughts came to my mind. I must say, your post was great and I agree with absolutely everything. Many are saying a variation of “Those who put in the effort are able to be in higher classes. People are in CP classes because they don’t try.” If only it was this simple. Yes, all the AP students are hard workers and effort can go a long way. But people need to analyze WHY they put in the effort they do before they start criticizing the CP kids. Culture definitely affects how people think, and what types of goals and expectations parents have for their children.
To Schuyler: That did sound obnoxious. (Kidding!) But I dislike how a lot of the AP kids feel like they’re too cool and smart to even associate themselves with the CP kids. After the bad experiences I had in 6th grade while in all CP classes, I thought I would never want to be with people like that ever again. But last year, I was around practically all CP kids in art class. And hey, I actually loved it and became friends with some awesome people. Yeah, so some people don’t try much in school. But just because their lives are a lot different than yours, doesn’t mean you should avoid talking to them.
Racism for me is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture, and using certain jokes and stereotypes to relegate other cultures status and feelings. I find it hard to believe that racism is actually ignored and that people really do not know it exists. It’s seen throughout the world, in places you may not ever think of, however it is not ignored, even in places like the gold coast and Algeria. Even if you’re in a neighborhood chiefly of one ethnicity/culture, you know it exists, it’s seen on TV, it’s on the internet, throughout school, news etc. you cannot go through your childhood without actually noticing its affects.
ReplyDeleteMy ideology mirrors that of Sigmund Freud and Melanie Klein, they believed that the unconscious dominates our key theories of life and that we develop these ideologies at our childhood. The truth is that if you are not exposed to a more multicultural environment AT childhood, you are more likely to build certain emotions towards different cultures and ethnicities. You would most likely think of certain rituals as mundane and peculiar, and you would be more attuned to say racist or prejudice remarks at a certain culture and you might be scared or angry at such type of displays. However if you were used to that culture since you were a child, you would converse without fear. The world is full of different cultures, and each are completely diverse. Certain traditions, foods, beliefs and arts really do determine the differences, I for one am not a very cultural person and do not follow my parents’ traditions and beliefs.
People completely hide behind their skin tone and the cultural differences. They think that just because their color skin is one color that they could say certain remarks to one another. We see it throughout school and life, and it just sad.
Class level, does it promote racial divide? The answer is yes, yes and YES. Motivation for most really doesn’t cut it, yes people want to be motivated, but where are they going to get that motivation, if their parents are never home (because of work) and they don’t have the resources to do it? While if somebody does get the motivation, where are they going to get the notebooks, money, TIME? And even if they do make it there, financially they are not going to afford any sort of higher education. This system is completely corrupt, just for a question how many people do you think will go far in life if they can’t go outside, because the neighborhood is dangerous, don’t have the money to buy a laptop or computer, and when they do start school, their knowledge of the basic language is wrong, and their cries for help are usually left to the parents that only nod yes, and really don’t have the time to take care of the problem?
To Cole, by far my favorite statement is “What were the Nazis trying to attain? Besides the perfect Aryan race of course. It’s not that they hid behind their race but it’s that they thought this perfect race was worth all of the terrible things that they did. And in that way they used their race to excuse this more-than-inappropriate behavior.” Completely agree, most people that think on racial factors are not because of just being racist but for favoring more of their own race. I also think that this could be closely tied to patriotism, and how many people would do anything for their country (absurd).
To Michael, yes it is human nature; however I feel that we should really get out of that instinct to be above everyone else. To want one to be superior is completely wrong and this is what makes our race (humans) a very nasty race.
To Schuyler, I certainly believe that in some form we are all racists, and we are the only ones that could truthfully judge that. That we all think and do something that’s racist, most don’t really act on it. However its still a problem.
George: I agreed with your lengthy rebuttal for a lot of people's arguments but how can you completely dismiss the fact that effort equals result? It doesn't matter if you have the funds to utilize a thousand computers, or barely enough to afford paper. If you have enough passion for educating yourself and wishing to be out of a negative financial situation, you will do whatever it takes to get there.
ReplyDeleteNyamekye: I liked how you included that racism and hateful qualities are “learned” from the people closest to you. Unfortunately, I feel that it is beyond that and even children who are taught young to never discriminate will see the prevalence of it in schools and jobs.
Schuyler: I enjoyed reading your post…until the end! Health isn’t even considered a CP class, it’s mandatory! And I can’t name anybody who walked into their health class with the utmost desire to do anything but sleep through the slide shows. I understand where you’re coming from at some angles; it is refreshing to be in our AP classes where mostly everybody has the decency to be respectful and polite, but give people some more people the benefit of the doubt!
Ted;
ReplyDeleteOkay, yes, I see where I misinterpreted what you said. Thanks for clearing that up. :)
I’ve experienced the hate of racism all my life. I see the unfortunate looks I get when I’m holding hands with my boyfriend (who by the way is from a different race). I here the disgusting comments under people’s breathe. Not even just people, my own flesh and blood. I can’t even go home without hearing a disturbing discussion about a certain racial group. It’s seriously disgusting. But that is exactly what racism is. A disgusting habit of hatred towards a group of people based off their ethnicity.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of racism could both easily promote and prevent it from becoming an ideology. Not realizing it exists around you could simply mean you’ve sadly just become accustomed to it. It’s apart of your everyday life and you could see nothing wrong about it because it’s all you’ve ever known. However on the bright side if you don’t know it exists that could also mean those around you don’t demonstrate it and hopefully that passes on. Now if you are raised in an area with only one race you are probably less prone to racism because everyone is the same. You’re not going to pick on someone for being purple if you yourself are purple as well.
Thus if you were never exposed to a multicultural environment you are obviously less attuned to the cultural differences that exists in society because all you know is what you ever been taught. Culture is a way of life in every aspect; including religion, morals, education, etc. So there’s clearly cultural differences in society, not everyone has the same morals or values and follows the same religion or education system.
Despite the many cultural differences I don’t think people do or can hide behind them. There is no excuse for rude, inappropriate or obnoxious behavior. I don’t think you’ll find disrespect or annoyance apart of someone’s culture; there is simply never an excuse for it.
I strongly believe the division of class levels has nothing to do with racial division. Yes, it promotes a social division but race has nothing to do with it. Your class level comes from your educational and social background. It is also derived from personal motivation a specific student possesses.
Just for future reference, who is Everyblogconv?
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ReplyDeleteBecca A, that me Jhon, however something really bad happened, so i had to change many things, tomorrow im going to redue everything so it makes sense im sorry for the not well written blog, i have not felt well since around 6/7. by not well i mean i have a huge headache.
ReplyDeleteRacism is the philosophy that you and those of your similar ethnicity are better than all others. Due to all of the different people in the world, this philosophy has been around since humans could differentiate between each other.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of the concept of racism definitely prevents the belief of it from fully being understood, along with how it shouldn’t be something that is practiced, especially in a country like ours. I think the lack of knowledge about racism just creates generations of people who are not so much “racist,” but more indifferent about how we put ourselves in certain groups because of our ethnic backgrounds. Regardless, being indifferent doesn’t really help to prevent it. For example, I went to a private Christian school for the first five years of my schooling life. Most of the people in that school were white. I could, if needed be, probably count the other kids that were not white that I went to school with, on my fingers. There are not many ways I could put this to be less harsh, but the first time I heard fried chicken and watermelon associated with African Americans, was after coming to Davies for a year. I can remember the day. And I was so confused why those two things would be related to them. I went home and had to have it explained to me.
Growing up in a multicultural setting, you indubitably are more attuned to cultural differences, right off the bat. I think that an environment such as this is the best to raise a child. It is necessary to expose children to what the world is all about, so it doesn’t jump at them all once when they are traveling quickly on the road to becoming an adult. There are clearly cultural differences in society, especially in this country. Differences are what separate cultures to be unique to themselves; they are what makes people proud to be a part of. For instance, let’s compare the coming of ages in different cultures. In Spanish culture, they celebrate being a woman with a celebration at fifteen. In a Jewish culture, they celebrate being a man with a party at thirteen. In American culture, if you want to call it that, we make merry the becoming a woman at sixteen.
People most certainly hide behind particular definitions of cultural differences as excuses for certain things. I think is ridiculously asinine, but it’s something that happens. I can see how it can be an easy way to live if you let yourself not care what people may say, and just go with the fact that you’re African American: “because people already think that my kind of people curse a lot, and are obnoxious, I might as well act like it too.” That’s pretty much saying you’re giving up, and that doesn’t help anyone, especially yourself.
I think the concept of the division of classes in terms of intelligence levels slightly promotes a racial divide. Slightly, because lower classes can be used as an excuse. Besides that point, what types of levels of classes you take is all up to you. When it comes down to it, you are the one and only person who can take on the challenge of advanced classes. If you want it. Parents can have their say, and so can your skin color, but everyone has to work for what they want. Equally.
Matt: I absolutely loved your first sentence!! I thought it was a great opening statement and it really caught my attention. It was very striking and made me want to read more. I couldn't have said it better!
ReplyDeleteMy definition of racism is simple. I identify racism as any sort of discrimination or hate against anyone of a different race or color. Everyone’s capable of having their own opinion. That being said, I think the concept of racism becoming an ideology to any person is a mixture of their own personal beliefs, and the environment they were exposed to growing up.
ReplyDeleteIt makes sense to me that someone who grew up in a racist family, without any other influence of equality or acceptance of other races, will become, at one point or another, racist. But sometimes, it takes personal discovery and a bit of wisdom and living as an individual to overcome that, and I believe everyone is capable of it.
Personally, I grew up with an African-American cousin who I was very close to, and I never, for one second, viewed her any differently. She was my equal, in every sense of the word. So it‘s quite logical that I would grow up to be the open-minded person I am today. My parents always taught me to be my own person, and to accept everyone else for who they were as well.
Certain people are adapted for certain environments. Yes, there are differences in culture and ethnicity, but I like to think we all form one race- the human race. When I look at someone, I don’t judge their character by the color of their skin. I see them as an individual human being, with a soul, just like everyone else in the world. They are my equal. And yes, it is sad to say that people sometimes blame an individual’s behavior on their appearance. And a part of their appearance is their skin color.
People need a scapegoat. Sometimes, members of society act inappropriately, but it’s important that we blame this on the individual’s own actions, and not on their race. Needless to say, this is a very racist and hateful society we live in. It seems possible to me that people of different races and ethnicities feel that they are not good enough, or can’t measure up because of the way society treats and judges them. Therefore, they may not have the necessary drive that is required to survive in a higher level class. But, I also think it's all a matter of personal ambition, and I know that anyone, no matter what their race or background may tell you, is capable of succeeding in this world.
To Dom: Okay, to begin with I like your step by step analysis of racism. However I have to disagree with you when you say a child will most likely be racist if their parent is racist. In first hand experiences I’ve seen a lot of my friends, and cousins simply ignore their parents in this situation. I have also been that “child” and although it puts a strain on the relationship with the parent you can’t help but disagree with them when they start to make those racist slurs. I see where you’re coming from though. It only makes sense for you to be a certain type of way if that is how your parents raised you. But that simply isn’t as true as it may have been in the past. We’re a different society today and children for the most part will make their own moral decisions when they’ve seen and learned more then what their parents tell them.
ReplyDeleteTo Connie: I really enjoyed your blog; you had several points that after I read just made me sit and think. For example, “racism IS ignorance”. And your spot on with this statement. It’s ignorance in every way. Ignorance meaning lack of knowledge, your lack of knowledge of the many cultures in society which leads you to make ignorant comments or judgments of a certain race. The idea of intimidation and not race holding you back caught my eye as well.
To Matt: I told myself that I would comment on three different blogs as much as possible; however yours immediately drew me in, again. I agree with your insight on a human’s capacity to hate, and to easily be frightened by differences. This is probably what racism derives from. However it was your concluding paragraph that lit up my emotions. In my response I stated that class levels absolutely have nothing to do with race, but after reading your statistics I think that’s just what I’d like to believe. And there is a huge difference from that and reality. It’s a shame that the class levels give off the notion that non-whites don’t belong in AP. It seriously infuriates me and I feel like there’s nothing we can do to change this.
The definition of racism, purely and simply, is the opinion that one’s own race is deservedly superior to someone else’s race. No one would adhere to stereotypes and biases if they didn’t have a reason to believe in them. For some, that reason stems from family values. For others, it stems from ignorance. For whatever reason a person chooses to be racist, one thing will always be true: Prejudice is always learned, never innate.
ReplyDeleteThe theory that people raised in a non-diverse community will not be racist is false. If someone is isolated – sheltered, as it were – from diversity, they become unable to accept new ideas into their everyday lives. People like this would never be able to get over their preference for the familiar, and their prejudice towards the strange would never wane; soon enough, violence may come into play. Sadly, especially in situations involving religion, people like this exist. However, everyone is prejudiced to a degree, which makes it easier to make excuses for discomfort in diverse environments.
I’m going to choose my next words extremely carefully. I, like every other human being, judge people (to a degree) on their appearance. You can tell a lot about a person by the way they dress, the kind of language they use, the fashion with which they carry themselves, and even by seemingly mundane details like the shape of their face, the pitch of their voice, and sometimes (SOMETIMES.) the color of their skin.
In general, I like people. I would never overtly express disdain towards someone who hasn’t harmed me personally. I think everyone, no matter their background, no matter their level of intelligence, and no matter their race, creed, or lifestyle, has something positive to contribute to this world. That being said, there are some cultures and subcultures that exist in places from sprawling urban centers to Oakcrest High School that make me…well, nervous to be around.
I don’t intimidate people. I don’t make myself seem bigger than I really am. I’m upfront but sensitive with people, I exercise empathy, I appreciate my blessings, and I never, ever complain about small things. Let it be known that I know people who have NONE of these attributes. These people come in all colors, but it seems (this is only an observation, folks) that minorities tend to be more aggressive, both to members of their own race and to members of other races.
And when I say “member,” I don’t mean like a member of an exclusive club, meant to be isolated from anyone unlucky enough to not inherit a certain trait. I mean an average human being who just happens to have a tone to their skin. That’s all we are. We’re all human beings, Homo sapiens, who just happen to come in different colors. Our most important quantifiable attribute is the way we interact with people – that’s my outlook on life. And while statistics may seem to say otherwise, we all choose our personality, no matter what kind of shell it’s wrapped in.
In my mind, racism is when you hate an entire race for nothing other than the fact that they aren't the same as you. I don't believe that ignorance of the subject will prevent racism because you can be a racist without even knowing you are, therefore ignorance toward racism doesn't really promote it or prevent it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that if you are white and you grow up in a predominantly white town, you'll never really experience racism because you're around a bunch of other white people. When there is nobody who isn't just like you in your town, there's definitely not going to be a sign of racism. Now don't get me wrong, just because it isn't called racism in a mostly Caucasian town, doesn't mean similar acts don't go on. Bullying, harassment, and hate crimes still exist in these areas. As much as someone could say it isn't the same as racism, it is. If you hate any person for any reason it's just the same as hating another person for the color of their skin. Hatred is hatred, no matter what the reasoning is.
If i lived in one of these mostly Caucasian towns, I know I would be completely unaware of the cultural differences that go on around me, when everybody does almost the same thing as me, there's no way I would get how other people lived their lives. If I have never personally experienced someone else's culture, there's no way of me understanding it. There is no doubt in my mind that cultural differences exist. Just from house to house there are differences, let alone culture to culture. There are differences from religions, eating habits, manners, educational styles, disciplinary styles, ways you dress, and even ways you wear your hair.
Yes! I do believe people abuse the fact that it's something "they do" (referring to something that anybody would say about their own race) to cover something that if anybody else did, they wouldn't approve. I particularly hate the use of the N word, by anybody! I don't think it should be used by white people to black people, I don't think that black people should refer to other black people by it; I just don't think it should be used at all by anybody. If one person says it to another person, you give off the perception that it's okay for anybody to call anybody else that, and it's not okay! A line from Mean Girls once stated something along the lines of "but you all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores. It just makes it ok for guys to call you sluts and whores". Well this applies here, don't call eachother something you wouldn't want another person calling you, and this applies to all names in all situations!
I believe that the different levels in school don't promote or prevent anybody from being in any class. I'm not being a fence-sitter here either. I really believe that anybody can be in any class they want to at any level no matter what race they are! I'm pretty sure the scantron doesn't have a section in the box where you write your name for "race" because it doesn't matter, it spits out your grade, no matter what race you are. There is no difference!
Kendall: I'm not saying that all children end up being racist because that's a generalization that's obviously not always true. I'm just saying that there's a much greater chance of a child becoming racist if that's all they hear, but there are going to be exceptions. There are always exceptions to a general statement. I really believe that who you grow up with has a great impact on how you end up. You either become like them in some instances, or do the exact opposite of what they would do because it's someone you don't want to become. That's all I'm saying.
ReplyDeleteAmber: I like how you pointed out that being in America, we really don’t truly see a whole bunch of cultural differences, due to the fact that once you live in America, and raise your kids in America, you lose what you used to be part of. Maybe not all the way, but like you said, the only people who are culturally different, are those who don’t grow up here. America ruins the handprint of everyone’s homeland on them, to replace it with its own.
ReplyDeleteMichael G: I agree with your point of how it is part of being a human to feel superior over another person. But then, I feel like that’s saying if we’re trying to fight racism, we’re never going to win. Because with most people, human nature always seems to come out on top when it comes to comparing what we can’t control verses kindness. Although, I believe kindness is a part of human nature to…so basically, I think racism being part of human nature is quite debatable.
Emily: I like how you, while talking about how the division of class levels promotes racial divides, mentioned how the ethnicity and culture of people sometimes gets in the way of how people think; I think especially about themselves. I agree with that, and how if people, especially kids, didn’t let that get in the way, I think our low numbers of minorities in higher level classes would be noticeably higher.
Nick Murphy- If someone is raised in a non-diverse culture, how is it possible they "become racist" they may have no experiences with someone other than their race and have no reason to hate them or for that matter have any opinion at all of them. Being a racist is somebody's personal(yet wrong) decision and I don't think you can make any decision without knowing what you're talking about. That applies to anything but especially here because without an experience to make them see another race as inferior, I don't believe racism will exist there.
ReplyDeleteKendall- I like your example the best because it really allows people who have never experienced racism towards them into what you're feeling. I know people who think that interracial couples are weird or disturbing or it shouldn't be that way, but I never got why people thought that. You like somebody for who they are and the way they make you feel, not if they have a similar skin color to you. So thanks for sharing that experience with everyone, definitely helped some people understand this topic on more of a personal level.
Connie- Even though I didn't agree with you when it came to the racial divide in the classes topic, I think you made the most convincing argument of the blogs I read. You make all good points and as much as you make me believe you, I'm sticking with what I put. There isn't a difference in educational motivation based on your skin color. Anybody can be in any class if they push themselves hard enough. It all comes down to motivation, but has nothing to with someone's skin color.
Well...I thought I was too cool to copy my post into Word, so a series of events happened, and when i submitted my comment, it deleted itself, so now I have to write it over....
ReplyDeleteRacism to me is any type of discrimination against any group of people because they are different.
Like Cole said, I doubt that ignorance prevents it from becoming an ideology. In many regions of the country where whites are a minority, they are discriminated against, and vice versa. If you do live in an area where your race is the majority, I don't think the thought of racism ever crosses anyone's mind. It's the same way that poverty is never thought upon in a wealthy community.
As previously stated, if you don't live in a multicultural environment, you're not used to people being different, and you're not used to change. The only option then, is to feel hatred towards a minority group.
A little off-topic, but, I dislike the idea of a hate crime. Unless the guilty party clearly says that the crime was committed because the other person is a different race, then obviously, it can be considered a hate crime. But, if it's considered a hate crime because two different races were involved, then it's not exactly fair to either party.
Every day people hide behind excuses of cultural indifference to allow themselves to be rude or inappropriate. It happens all the time in school.
Without a doubt I think that school is racially divided by the level of difficulty a class is. As Connie said, most of us have been in the same classes for a few years now. Each year, there are less than 3 "new" kids that take an honors/AP class a year. Most kids believe that they aren't smart enough to take these classes so it rules out any possibility of them even trying to be successful in one of these classes.
To Connie: I know exactly what you're talking about when you said you hear people constantly saying "It's because I'm ___ isn't it?". Most people use it for humorous effects, but, discrimination of any kind isn't a joke.
To Schuyler: I also believe that stereotyping is a form of racism. Tom's statement about math was spot on.
To Matt: I think it's a bit too late for the racial balancing of classes. High school is nearly over, and in college there's a pretty diverse population. Balancing the classes should've been done years ago when we were in elementary school. They first started to separate the classes at Hess. Like Mr. Costal said, if everyone was given that piece of paper saying that they are smart, they'll try as hard as they can to keep up that reputation
To Michael G: I agree with you that we have all thought a racist thought before, it's inevitable. Their are distinctions in certain cultures, and at some point we all must recognize them. And I think interracial marriages are beautiful. As I've said before, we are a racist society, and we use to live in times when marrying someone of a different race was an absolutely disgusting idea. It's admirable that we have at least developed into a society where loving someone of a different color is acceptable.
ReplyDeleteTo Schuyler: I agree with you that any judgement of another race, whether it be good OR bad, can be considered racist. And I also agree with you in the sense that I don't really much give a crap about people in other classes, I'm too swept up in the AP world to really give anyone else a thought. All I know is, the people in my classes are just that- people. I don't really think about whether they're black or white, Asian or Latino. They're just people. And everyone else in all the other classes are people as well. They just lack the drive to take a higher level class, and that's really all there is to it.
To Janel G: I respect that you pick up on the differences of other people and you enjoy them. I'm exactly the same way. Instead of hating on people for being different, I admire them. My circle of friends also varies in sexuality, race, and ethnicity. And I really love that about them. I think our society views other cultures in the wrong light. Instead of discriminating against them for being, God forbid, anything different from ourselves, we should appreciate them for their differences, and learn from them as well.
Racism is the discrimination of a race. It’s hatred to another person different than you. Comparing yourself to another person or thinking you’re better or worse just because of race or a belief is racism. You can be racist and not even know it. This is especially true for people who grow up in families that joke a lot about other people of different skin tone, not intending to be cruel to that race. I must admit my friends and I do it all the time. We will make a joke about he is Asian so he likes rice or he is black so he must be good at basketball. We are all friends so it doesn’t bother us but if someone else would over hear it they would assume we are racist. We aren’t though! I just think that is how kids of our generation interact with each other. Is it right? I don’t know but that’s how it is.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance is the fuel for racism. If you take the time to get to know someone you will see that the color of their skin doesn’t make the person. There are people out there that are cruel and treat others as if they aren’t even human. That was not the case for me growing up. I grew up in a multicultural neighborhood and we all got along. I was one of the only “white” children in my preschool. We all played and had fun together without even caring the color of our skin or that fact we all came from different back rounds. When I was 4, my aunt was in a bad car accident. She was airlifted to Cooper hospital. We would visit her almost every day. One day, we brought one of her good friends Shavawn and she was “black”. The nurse told us that only family was allowed, so my grandpa said she was his daughter because to us she was family. I think that if more people were able to grow up like I did there would be less racist ignorant people in this world.
I think people are afraid of things that they don’t understand and refuse to take the time to get to know a person or their culture. When I was growing up we were good friends with our neighbor who happened to be a black family. We would have barbeques and parties at each other’s house. Both of our families were introduced to other kinds of foods. I think you just have to have an open mind. It’s funny because just recently, my best friend Dez talked with my aunt about different foods. Dez is “black” but was raised by a white mother. He was never really exposed to his own culture and my aunt started to tell him some of the things that are typically known as “black” food. She told him that she was blacker than him because he never heard of a lot of it. So he tried it and liked it. He is excited to come back over to try new things. With an open mind all things are possible.
I do not believe that the division of class “levels” within schools promotes a racial divide. In CP classes everyone is mixed together, nobody cares for race. I think it’s just a coincidence that the majority of students in our AP classes are white. Nobody can say motivation and work level is based on race because that is bull. You choose if you want to be challenged or not and want to learn and saying it’s because of your race that you don’t try is just showing how cruel you are to your own race.
ReplyDeleteDon’t get me wrong I know racism is still a problem but I see all the time people using racism when it just isn’t the case. There are some people that are of other races that use it to cover up bad behavior. Like they do something that is clearly wrong and when they get in trouble for it the first thing they want to say is “oh it’s because I’m black” or “Mexican” or whatever race they may be. They don’t take into consideration the fact they did something they shouldn’t have done and got caught. It happens in school also if someone gets a bad grade on a test. “It’s because I’m black” No it’s because you didn’t study that night and didn’t do well. I have also heard it said when the teacher is of a different race. “I’m white so s/he doesn’t like me.” If everyone wants to be treated the same as everyone else your race can’t be pulled out when it’s convenient to do so. Everyone should be treated on how they behave and who they are. I don’t care what color a person skin is a person is a person and should be treated like such.
THIS IS DANIEL HECKMANN'S BLOG POST.
ReplyDeleteMy personal definition of racism, from my own perspective, is the deprecation or inferior views of a certain group, which is distinguished by skin color. There’s not much more to what racism is other than people thinking of a race as inferior.
I wouldn’t say that the ignorance of racism prevents it from becoming an ideology. Ignoring racism will only allow it to grow and prosper. Last year I watched a video in Mr. Costal’s class called A Class Divided, which was about teaching children the effects of racism through practice while they were completely unaware of the test. This was a noble approach to exploit the realities and presence of racism. Whether the exact goal was to prevent racism or not was unclear to me, but it certainly didn’t promote racism.
As a white male who happens to be protestant, I am supposedly among the highest social class in our society. Of course this has made much less of a difference in recent decades, especially in politics. But none of this really applies to me because I believe in equality, whether the matter is racial or religious. The last time I was told the racial composition of Oakcrest, I think it was about fifty-two percent Caucasian. All of my family and most of my friends are white, so I don’t see a whole lot of evidence that racism exists. But I don’t need to see evidence to recognize racism: I know it’s there.
I think it’s safe to say that if you were never exposed to a multicultural environment you would find it difficult getting used to other cultures when exposed to them. On the contrary, you would also have the easiest time distinguishing between the different cultures that exist in society. As this individual, of course I believe there are cultural differences. Some of the cultural differences include the types of music we listen to, the way we talk, and even the foods we eat. Jazz has roots from some of the first African Americans, while classical has been traditionally written and performed by white musicians.
THIS IS DANIEL HECKMANN'S BLOG POST (CONTINUED)
ReplyDeleteSome people do hide behind cultural differences to excuse their behavior so that they may argue that their behavior should be tolerated or accepted. Some things we do normally may seem rude somewhere else, like finishing a dish in a restaurant in China because it hints to the chef that the meal wasn’t satisfying enough. Despite this being a minor case of rude behavior, cultural differences do not explain why some people act immoral and blame it on their background.
The division of class levels presents an obvious division in motivation or intelligence in the student population. There are white, black, Asian, Hispanic, and every other race in every class level. The only difference is that there are more of some races in the AP and Honors classes than the others, and the same applies to CP. According to the facts and statistics, some races are generally smarter than others in the school system. White students may be more motivated than black students, and Asian students may be more motivated than both white and black students. The class divisions definitely do nothing to prevent a racial divide, but I don’t think the division itself promotes a racial divide.
To Cole: Your opinion on the class division is quite similar to mine. It’s all about the motivation. We sure have a lot of motivation with the number of AP classes we took, right? We’re willing to do the work, while the kids in CP are not. I agree that race can be a factor in motivation, but I don’t think the division itself brings about a racial divide.
To Tom: I laughed at your example of a racist comment for white people that “white people run toward gunfire because they are curious.” I’ve never heard that before, and the very reason I never heard that before may be because I’m white. This leads to another aspect of racism you explained that I agree with, which is the spread of racism through communication. Those who we communicate with can profoundly affect our opinions of others, especially with stereotypes.
To Michael: I loved your first line, “Racism, it isn’t black and white” because of its humor about a rather serious subject. I also like how you used the emotion of fear to explain the existence of racism, and fear is something that can is often overlooked in this circumstance. Finally, people love each other based on personality, and race should never be a reason for two people not to be together. Oh and your last line was definitely corny.
This one is for Bobby Kelly- Once again, I'm probably the last to post on the blog. May I say what an great topic. Racism has been a part of our country for almost its entire existence. George gave a pretty straight forward definition, however mine is more off the top of my head and what I believe it to be. Racism to me would be the belief that one or multiple races are inferior to another. However, I believe there are many different forms of racism. There could be subtle racism (when some people don't even realize they're being racist) and then there's obvious racism (such as the KKK).
ReplyDeleteYou brought up a good point about growing up in an all white neighborhood. It, to me anyway, promotes racism because the children don't know any better. Say you were to see a green man at Oakcrest tomorrow. There's a very good chance we would all chastise him for being different. It's the same thing in this case. People get used to seeing one thing and when they see something different, they get thrown off. Personally, I believe 90% of racism is accidental, and you just do it because of human nature.
Cultural differences are huge in the big racism argument as well. We stereotype races to all being the same way. If you're white, you're a scholarly person. (I'm not giving many more examples for the sake of being castigated). People hide behind cultural differences all the time as well. People find it ok to use race as an excuse to why they do things. People now-a-days will use any excuse they're given, and that's a big one.
Finally, I think the best question to the blog this week would be the classes question. We discriminate against other class levels all the time; teachers included. How many times do you hear, "Oh, you're the AP kids, I know you do your homework." or "You're an AP kid, you should know better." It's all over the halls of Oakcrest and any other school out there. The oposite end of the spectrum is when people expect the kids in CP and remedial classes to be the ones to break the rules. And going back to stereotypes, people always seem to see the white kid with glasses to be the AP nerd and then see the other races in CP.
Also for Bobby Kelly- As to what Garret said: You bring up such a great point with the N word. I hate to get into this argument and all, but if it's for the sake of my grade, then it's necessary. We always see a certain group of people who find it acceptable to use this word, while no other races can. To me, the word is not racist to that group of people; I feel that group of people uses it as an excuse to be racist against others. As soon as another race uses it, they are being racist, plain and simple. But if a person of that group uses it, it's perfectly acceptable in society. I find this completely wrong (for lack of a better word.)
ReplyDeleteDominique: You have a great point with the greater chance of a child becoming a racist if that's all they hear point. Because, truly, what they hear is what they know. There is such a great chance that if your dad is racist, and his dad is racist, and so on, you're bound to be racist. There's nothing that's wrong with that per-say, its just how they cope with it after they realize it's wrong. If they continue to be a racist, that's on them. If they stop, then obviously it was just because of their upbringing. That just brings up another point with culture. If your culture at home shows racism towards another group, it's bound to rub off on you.
And to Juliana: I think it's great that you grew up with a family member of another race. That just goes to show that if you grow up around someone and get used to it, there's such a less chance of people being racist. If you are used to it, then there is nothing to judge. People discriminate, it's just part of nature. However, if you can learn that it's wrong and try to control it, that's what truly makes you racist and not racist. If you can control it, then in my eyes, you are not a racist. If you choose not to control it, then you are. By growing up around someone of a different race, you learned early that you can't judge a person by the color of their skin, and that is what makes you not racist today. You learned not to (because I'm sure there was question at some point or another) and now you know.
P.S. Sorry again for being so late. Don't kill me for the late night text!
Juliana: I agree with you with most of it, except the "everybody has a soul" part. Gingers don't have souls, everybody knows that. ;) I never view any of my friends of another race different from anyone else. I joke around but thats about it. I don't actually mean what I say.
ReplyDeleteJhon: I don't know what you're talking about, your blog is great. It was really interesting. I agree that if you weren't exposed to a multicultural enviroment at childhood you will begin to gain fear and judge other races. My blog explains the opposite of yours on the part about the class divide.
Amber: As I read your blog all I could think of is how we called Patrick burnt toast in Pre-Calc last year. We weren't doing it to be mean or racist, even though it was a racist nickname. I agree with the part where you say you are who you are and theres no excuse to why you behave like that. You can't blame your behavior on race, period.
Racism is the unfair treatment toward another person due to their ethnic background or color. It’s a sort of hatred that one race shows to another because they feel superior to them.
ReplyDeleteI think that ignoring racism definitely promotes it to become an ideology. If we do not face the truth that racism does exist and is around us, we are just encouraging it. If society was more educated about racism then we could be one step closer to actually preventing it. if you were raised in an area that is predominantly white and you're white, then yes odds are will not notice racism as much as a person raised in a multicultural area. But a person who has never been presented to a multicultural environment will usually be racist. Only because they are so accustomed to their own race, any other race would just seem wrong or unusual.
If I was never exposed to a multicultural society, I would definitely be less attuned to the cultural differences that exist in society. I would only see what my culture seemed like and be completely ignorant to every other culture that existed around me. But that was never the case for me because I did grow up in a multicultural environment. Because I lived in Atlantic City, I met people of many different races and cultures. So At a young age, I had already realized that people are different and have different races and cultures. I saw many cultural differences around me as I was growing up, so yes I do believe that they do exist. The way a person talks, or eats, or even dresses can tell you how culturally diverse they are. Cultural differences should never be an excuse for Obnoxious or inappropriate behavior. But people still do use it as a way to exempt themselves when they do something wrong. White person acts a certain way, they are excused because…oh well they are white. Or when a black person acts a certain way, that’s okay because…well they are black. It shouldn’t be that way; a cultural difference should not give you an excuse to be rude or inappropriate.
Honestly I never thought that division of class levels promoted a racial divide. Where you are in school is decided by YOU. Not your race. If anyone really wanted, they could be in the class of their choice. It all really depends on how hard you’re willing to work, and what kind of student you are. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with race.
Racism exists within each of us. It is merely a manifestation of ignorance and fear, governed by society’s twisted standards. We use racism as a tool to find faults in the differences in those around us. We hate differences. Therefore, we discriminate. This discrimination is a method of justifying our hatred. Thus, the cycle of racism spins endlessly.
ReplyDeleteIgnorance of race does not prevent it from becoming an ideology. In fact, nothing prevents racism from becoming an ideology. If racism springs from ignorance of another’s culture, then how would more ignorance prevent racism? Racism can never be truly destroyed within a society, only diminished, and the best way to diminish racism is to eliminate the ignorance. The more people know about each other, the more they will appreciate each other. Understanding is the true cure of the racist mind. When people learn, they understand, and when they understand, they stop judging. Being raised in any environment where nothing is known of the people outside that environment is psychologically unhealthy.
Differences among people exist between cultures, not between skin colors. If a group of people is “different” from another group, it is only because of their environment, not because of their race.
Many people hide behind their race, even in a light-hearted way. Through the hallways of Oakcrest, for example, I hear racial slurs on a minutely basis. Any of these slurs are directed at the same people from whose mouths they originate. Children and teenagers often use racist remarks in a comedic or nonchalant way. This further promotes the idea of racism because it makes racism seem unimportant.
Racism, oh racism! How this topic bothers me. When I was told about the topic for this week concerning the blog my first thoughts were, I must talk to my parents about this. They actually gave me a lot of great insightful messages and thoughts that pertained specifically to this subject, but of course my thoughts differed and I found that surprising. Well, my personal definition of racism would be when a group of people or person discriminates against another group of people or person because of the simple fact of having ethnic differences (most clearly displayed by skin color). Racism includes judgmental thoughts and in my opinion a huge factor in racism includes oppression.
ReplyDeleteI don’t necessarily think that ignorance of racism prevents it. I totally agree with everyone who said racism can be to a degree natural. As in the example, if you were raised in an area that is predominately white and you’re white, odds are, you don’t see much evidence that racism exists. I agree, but not knowing and then later encountering people of a different race could be a very interesting, shocking learning experience for you and racism still is not exactly prevented. A person was born into a neighborhood full of different cultures and backgrounds are more likely to be less ignorant towards people not like themselves than a person who knows and only sees their own kind. Racism is very close friends with hatred, anger, and fear. I’m so grateful that I live in a place that has several people of all different beautiful colors, culturally and personality wise. Yes, people of the same race may have similar interests and backgrounds, but the idea of being different and learning about everyone’s differences is amazing to me. If someone never gets the chance to be exposed to a multicultural environment, they wouldn’t know anything but their own, so of course I believe that the person would be less attuned to the cultural differences that exist in society. Among cultural differences there lies behavior, languages, traditions, and even simple things in households like foods and everyday routines.
Sometimes I do believe that people hide behind the definition of cultural differences to excuse certain inexcusable behavior. Cole brought up a great example about the Nazis. Be accountable for all of your actions! I hate when people have excuses especially for things that they know they shouldn’t have done. People just need to accept the cultural differences and accept themselves and there wouldn’t be a problem.
Now the division of class “levels” within schools…ohh geesz! This question has no simple answer, and at times I’m unsure. Being one of the only African American students in my class basically all my life has been something that I’ve learned to get used to like anything else. Do I believe the division promotes a racial divide? Yes I do. As many of my classmates stated, academic success comes from motivation and the drive to be able to handle working at a certain level. But the problem with that statement is race can be a factor in motivation and a lot of people don’t realize that. The motivation and care that many of our parents at home have for us is absent in the lives of the students who don’t know anything other than maybe non-college prep classes. Racism and any personal ideology, I believe comes from the environment which people are raised and who they were raised by. It’s sad to not see more of the minority students in AP classes it really is. But what can we do about it? Nothing.
Ashley H. – I totally agree with you, when they do something wrong some people always excuse themselves by saying “oh its because I’m ___”. It’s actually really annoying sometimes and also makes no sense.
ReplyDeleteCole:
ReplyDeleteI like your point about how white people in New Jersey are different from white people in Alabama. People should be focusing on the differences among different geographic groups rather than racial groups.
Tom:
I agree with your idea about how racism is impossible to eliminate. We can beat it down, but it will always find a way to get up. As long as we are human, we are racists.
Schuyler:
I too am conflicted about wanting CP kids in AP classes. When it comes down to it, my intellectual selfishness forces me to believe that diversity isn't nearly as important as hard work being the deciding factor in the issue of classes.
To Dom: I understand, it's a good/valid point.
ReplyDeleteTo Garret: Thanks! I appreciated that comment.
Cole- I love your pizza analogy, it really made me laugh. But I agree with what you meant about how changing from something your were so familar with to something so different isnt easy.
ReplyDeleteBecca- I hate when parents pass on their racist beliefs to their children. It just ruins the mind set of the next generations.
I'm sorry to hear that Jhon. :( Feel better!
ReplyDelete