Cybertypes

In Lisa Nakamura’s article on the identity of an individual online is called “Cyber types”. She discusses way race is discussed online due to the anonymity of the Internet. She shows how some people believed that the Internet would be a “utopia” because there would be no physical evidence of race or gender. Responding to this she says that we can never get rid of gender and race despite the Internet’s anonymity. She shows how race is shown online through advertisements. These advertisements are put on sites according to the target audience. These audiences are then advertised to by attracting them due to the individual’s race, gender, and ethnicity.
These advertisements embody different characteristics based on the stereotypes of a certain group. These stereotypes promote race in every facet of or life, and not being able to see an individual did not stop race, gender, and ethnicity from crossing over to the Internet. Media has a large part of stereotypes that are embodied in television, advertising, and motion pictures and can now be seen in the Internet. On sites that display rap albums or music have advertisements are shown directed towards an African-American audience due to stereotypes that mainly blacks listen to rap. This is done likewise on other sites.
Corporations will always advertise their products in a medium that their target audience will likely view. This is something that corporations will use stereotypes to accomplish. At this point there will never be a day we live with out race affecting us, and to think that this would not involve the Internet is absurd. Until we eliminate racism, sexism, and other means of discrimination from our society we will never be able to erase race from our culture. While this is present we will always see stereotypes in our means of communication.
So is advertising the only way race is present online? Anonymity creates a situation in which the user conveys who they are through themselves. Race can be inferred however through talking to someone online. As long as the individual is not out to deceive others you can pick up clues about the person through a variety of ways. These ways include the screen name of an individual or the way the type. The words used can show the ethnicity, race, or gender of an individual through certain dialect and dialogue.

Why Everyone Should Hate Abercrombie and Fitch

In the article “Why I Hate Abercrombie and Fitch” Dwight McBride discusses why the store Abercrombie and Fitch markets to white homosexual men. He does this by first by examining the history of the company. The store began as an outdoor clothing company focused towards white males in higher classes. The outdoor lifestyle was one that mainly upper class white men could afford to partake in. This lead to today’s age’s attitude held by Abercrombie and Fitch and can be seen in their “Look Book” in which only two African-Americans are pictured. Furthermore, Abercrombie and Fitch advertise to homosexual white males through their hiring and employment opportunities.
Like the models, employees are almost entirely white and display what McBride calls the “A&F Look”. This look consists of a good-looking male, clean-shaven, and white, which the company is now pending lawsuits because of. This style of looking perfect accented by Abercrombie and Fitch clothing and demonstrates white privilege. This has become adapted by white homosexual men, who wish to classify themselves in this privilege group, in order to avoid being seen underprivileged. Being homosexual classifies these men in a category that makes some people view them in an in superior view.
Abercrombie and Fitch’s requirements for employment are wrong and unjustified. When an individual goes to apply for a position at a business they should be given the same opportunity to acquire the job. It does not surprise me that these actions have brought on lawsuits. What does surprise me is that these actions have not been called out long ago. I have often noticed the similarities between employees at Abercrombie and Fitch but didn’t know why the problem was there. Abercrombie and Fitch deliberately hires those according to the gender, race, and how attractive an individual is.
So why do homosexual men feel the need to attach themselves to an organization that discriminates against other races, if someone is attractive, and what gender someone is? The reason homosexual men cling to this mentality in order to avoid being underprivileged themselves. Being gay in America is hard and comes with many prejudices from those considering themselves privileged in our society. Homosexuals use the label of Abercrombie and Fitch in order to cancel out their underprivileged. This is a hypocritical action because they are using discrimination to make people forget about the discrimination they themselves encounter. Though discriminating against homosexuals is wrong, when they do the same to others it is just as wrong. This is an inappropriate action on these individuals and the company that exploits them.

Erasing Race

Beth E. Kolko’s chapter entitled “Erasing @race: Going White in the (Inter) Face" discusses the effect the Internet is having on race and identity. When online an individual is given something that doesn’t occur in regular society, complete anonymity. The only information others online have on you is what you give them. Many sites allow a user to pick a screen name along with filling out some information about them. Rarely however, do these sites ask an individual to enter their race. These sites request information on your age, hobbies, interests, and gender but the topic of race is not asked.
Race is something society puts a great of emphasis on and is a touchy subject, which may be why these sites leave the question out. This essay points out that leaving race out of the online community is a negative thing. Race is a part of our identity and is something an individual should acknowledge and be proud of, not ignored. There are online ventures that include race such as some role playing games in which a user picks a character to use. These characters have different abilities and talents and if someone wishes to be their race they must use those characteristics.
A person’s race is part of their culture and heritage and is not something that should be ignored. It should embrace no matter what background an individual comes from. Some online users use their anonymity to harm other races in prejudice websites but the solution is not to ignore the fact that we have differences, but to accept each other’s cultures and each other. The subject of race is touchy and people are often overly careful not to offend each other when we should be acknowledging but respecting differences.
So why do sites leave out the question of race? Race can be seen immediately in the real world upon meeting someone, so why not online? Makers of sites who ask questions, which should include race, may not include the question so not to offend others. The subject of race has become such a touchy subject that many people claim ‘not to see race”. Ignoring the differences between us is not right. We are different and those differences are what make us unique. Our individuality separates us from the crowd and people who ridicule others for their race creates a problem in society that can be corrected with acceptance.

Neo-Confederates

In Tara McPherson’s chapter entitled I’ll Take My Stand in Dixie-Net: White Guys, the South, and Cyberspace she discusses a specific online group called Neo-Confederates. Neo-Confederates are a group of people who still cling to the vision of the South before the rebels where defeated in the civil war. They believe the South should succeed from the United States and that the white man should be superior to minorities, particularly blacks. These communities are decorated with Confederate flags and have manifesto statements about what the group wishes to accomplish. These people believe white Southerners should form their own country where they can live amongst only whites.
Neo-Confederates believe in bringing back and preserving Southern heritage. Web pages talk about how these Southerners can reclaim their history. Neo-Confederates pride themselves on being white, masculine males that resemble old Southern leaders like Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. These men where heroes to Southern men during the Civil War, and in many cases are still heroes to the South. Many of these communities separate themselves from the racism involved with Southern Confederates by putting anti-Klan logos on their web pages. Though many of these groups put this appearance on their web page, their all white members often believe in the separation of races.
I think it is a disgrace that people in this country feel the need to cling to a time period where racism and slavery started a war amongst a country. To think that people in this day in age are still bitter about the freedom of human beings hundreds of years ago. Sites like this set out to gain members and intimidate those of different color that may come across their website. They may post anti-Klan logos on their sites, but their focus on an all white male membership clearly shows the presence of racism, something that should have been stopped long ago.
So, are Neo-Confederates racist or just focused on keeping their Southern Heritage? The answer is both. In keeping their Southern Heritage they are keeping the racism and oppression that started the Civil War so long ago. This is a group of people that idolizes men that waged war on our country to oppress African Americans. This is a group of people that is made up entirely white members who are male. This is a group of people who believe that they are the dominant race and that they should be separated from the others. If all this is true how can this group possibly considered being without racism.

Takaki chapter 12

In Takaki’s chapter 12 entitled El Notre: The Borderland of Chicano America he tackles the migration to America from yet another ethnicity, Mexicans. Crossing the Mexican-American border was extremely easy, border officials only requested your name, place of birth, and where you were headed. Not to mention the many people who skipped the officials and crossed the Rio Grande. In Mexico workers were streaming into urban areas seeking work but so many did so that unemployment became huge. Workers were forced to become tenant farmers or sharecroppers which left them without money or food. The owners of these farms took the entire crop creating starvation through much of Mexico.
This starvation created hostility and lead to The Mexican Revolution, in which Francisco Madero took control in 1911. Soon after however he was over thrown by General Victoriano Huerta until he was pushed into exile. This left the Mexican government in chaos and left many citizens dead. Many Mexicans decided to wait out the brutal revolution in America, but it went on for an extremely long time. Though these citizens wished to eventually return to their homeland but to return would mean to chance being able to find land and the factories and mines in Mexico where shut down.
Like the Irish, many Mexicans came to America to escape starvation. However, unlike the Irish potatoes famine, the starvation in Mexico came from tenant farmers working for nothing and the revolution that came from it. Mexicans were forced to escape the war in order to ensure their safety, and what better place than the melting pot just north. The close proximity and the ease of entry to the United States resulted in large numbers of immigration to the US from Mexico. Since America is so close to Mexico and so easy to enter that Mexicans would come to America temporarily but became trapped when their land as no longer available.
So why didn’t citizens focus on changing their own government instead of escaping to the north? The answer is that the citizens did try to change the country, which is why the revolution started. The oppressed Mexican citizens rose up and took power attempting to change the starvation that hit the nation. However, their leader Francisco Madero was quickly over thrown unable to make changes. What happened actually created more problems adding the blood shed of war to the negative aspects of living in Mexico on top of the starvation and unemployment already occurring.

Takaki ch 6

In Takaki’s chapter entitled Emigrants from Erin: Ethnicity and Class within White America he discusses the hardships the Irish endured. In Ireland there was a deadly disease for potatoes that took Ireland’s cash crop out of existent. In order to stay alive the Irish were forced to immigrate. At the beginning of 1855 around one million people had died from the famine due to lack of food and disease. The “Market Revolution” in America attracted these Irishmen to come join the work force in the states.
The Irish were regarded in America as a great working class group of people. They were compared to Chinese and were put into competition against them in order to increase production. The Chinese were set as role models for the Irish community but the Irish did much more than hard laborers. The Irish were responsible for building one of the most important waterways in New York’s Erie Canal. The Irish were used by those in power to work on many of the needed industrial era. Much like the Chinese and other immigrating ethnicities.
When the Irish were forced out of their homeland, which was plagued with a potatoes famine, they entered America as another ethnicity that would strive to be successful in America. Like the other incoming races, religions, and ethnicities America had seen in this era, the Irish were taken advantage of by the privilege whites. During this time the Chinese was being used to complete railroads, which whites had them doing through putting Chinese into competition with other races and countries such as Japan, Korea, and Puerto Rico? When The Irish entered American they were pinned against the Chinese, who were whites wished them to see as a role model. This resulted in the hard work of a group of people and gave the privilege what they wanted, whites as upper class and minorities working for them.
So why did whites use their privilege to make groups like he Irish into a working class. They did this in order to keep their status as "privileged" and keep any threatening races working for them. Whites were able to make money on the hard work of the Irish just like they did with the Chinese. When whites used their privilege to make the Chinese work for them they had great success, explaining why they chose to repeat this action. By taking advantage of minorities, privilege whites became richer and gained more power, and each time a new minority entered Americas working force whites had another chance to do just that. By putting different minorities against each other whites were able to keep their privilege, which still exists to this day.

Brodkin Jewish

Karen Brodkin’s article titled “How Jews Became White Folks: and What That Says about Race in America” tells the story of how people of Jewish decent went from living in an anti-Semitism America in the 1920’s and 1930’s to now when Jewish people are considered white. Back in the! 920’s and 30’s people like Madison Grant published books like his “The Passing of the Great Race”, which described Jews and other races inferior to whites. However, members of the Jewish community were continually taking prestigious positions in the community but where limited and confined to just a few middle class occupations.
Eventually Jews became more and more prominent until they where associated with being white. After World War II there were countless jobs available enabling the Jewish community to climb the social ladder and accomplish a feat that many minority groups strive to do? That is social mobility or changing social class. Jewish people are a community that pride themselves on hard work and showed this work in their ability to reach a higher social class. As Jews became a higher class they slipped into the white category.
It is wrong for people of other races to be treated so horribly in this country that believes in equality and freedom. To live in a country where there were constant bombardments of against your race, gender, or in this case religion is something that shouldn’t happen. Books were constantly being published to keep other minority groups down and keep whites privileged but the Jewish community rose up and beat the system. They turned their social status around and became prominent leaders in May communities.
Why did whites feel the need to label Jews as a group unworthy of their presence and lesser of a person? During this time many immigrants were coming in from Europe and were all looking to fit into society and make money. It’s the American dream right? But when these people reached America they faced racial and religious hatred by a group of privileged individuals that felt threatened by the new company. That is why once Jews made their mark they became accepted in America’s society.

A Challenge to Democracy

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and brought America into World War II, all Japanese people in and near California where suspect of spying in the eyes of the U.S. government. This fear of espionage and a repeat of what had happened on December 7th, 1941 the American government evacuated all Japanese families to relocation camps. In the video “A Challenge to Democracy” shows what happened when a group of innocent people was imprisoned based solely on their race. While confined to this camp Japanese people formed their own community while in the abnormal and unjust situation they were forced into.
In their community the Japanese strived to make the camp seem as much like home as they could. Japanese men acquired jobs made available by the government but where given little money. The money they received was used to purchase items that weren’t provided by the government. They set up groups and organizations inside the camps like the Red Cross, Parent Teacher Association, and the Girl Scouts. The relocation camps had a school system, which taught Mathematics, English, and History to children and vocational training for high school students. A community government is present, which consists of evacuees who were voted in by those in the camp. A court system also exists which is headed by Caucasian men.
The films title “A Challenge to Democracy” as well as the films introduction and conclusion suggest that this film would be a criticism of the U.S. government during their unfair imprisonment of Japanese people in relocation camps. In reality this video only touches on the injustices and hardships the Japanese went through in these camps. The video focused more on the ways Japanese coped with the imprisonment, but did so in a way that made the camps seem like just another American community. It discuses the jobs and training Japanese men received that would help them when they would re enter the real world. It shows parades and foot ball games showing the Japanese people in these camps as happy. What it doesn’t show is the harsh effect it had on all those confined to these camps.
Why does this film claim to be a video about the injustices of a race of innocent people being confined and isolated in a camp? Why doesn’t the film mention the devastation that these people were put through when they were evacuated from their homes and lives? One possibility is because of the time it was made in. The film was made in 1944 when we were still fighting the Japanese in World War II. The film was produced by an organization associated with the government and by showing just how bad the Japanese were treated could have negative effects on moral towards the war. Whatever the reason the video should have shown the whole truth, with out the sugar coated reason of why this was wrong.

Takaki ch 10

In the chapter “Pacific Crossings: Seeking the Land of Money Trees” Takaki discusses the immigration of Asian countries. Japanese immigrants came to America to escape the high taxes due to Japan’s attempt to establish a military that could compete with Americas. America offered much more money than Japan did and many woman, men, and families chose to move from Japan. Women from Japan whose customs called for arranged marriage would move to America to meet a husband they had only seen pictures of. They were called “picture brides” and would end up doing large amounts of work in the New World.
Many Japanese workers dominated companies working class and when conditions where unfair they often voiced their opinion. Workers got frustrated with the uprisings and strikes that Japanese workers would bond together to accomplish. Planters began to bring over other nationalities in order to diversify their workers. They to their laborers created competition between races in order to stop the employees from banding together and form strikes. By pinning Filipinos, Chinese, and Koreans against each other they created “race pride” which increased productivity as different races wished to show how good they were and how much better they were than other countries.
The way Americans used other nationalities as pawns in their game of commerce shows how privilege was established in favor of whites over those with a different color skin. Planters used these people to make money with out considering the humanity of these people. Races where forced to compete against each other, which made them work hard for their country. The harder these people worked the more money the white man made, and these nationalities were seldom offered a chance to become in a better possession. Whites could be promoted while they were forced to stay in the working class.
Why did American planters feel the need to keep other nationalities as a working class? White planters wanted to keep power in the hands of their own race. Whites had shown this need for power in past experiences with those of color when dealing with the Indians and Africans. In recognition of the link between power and money whites kept Koreans, Asians, Puerto Ricans, and many others in working class status. This kept them working to make money for their white bosses who remained rich and getting richer, while many immigrants were forced to struggle to get by. This is just another example of why whites established privilege over those of color.

The Ethics of Living Jim Crow

In “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow: An Autobiographical Sketch” is a chapter writer about the author’s life growing up in the segregated south. This author was Richard Wright and he recalls what his mother tells him about the differences between whites and blacks. His mother teaches her son not to fight the white man and beat her son when a broken milk bottle, thrown by a white kid, hit him. She taught him that blacks belonged in their place and whites had their own, informing him that he did not mix with the whites. From here on out Richard Wright lived in fear of the whites and he would soon learn why his mother wished him to feel this way.
When Richard went to get a job he remembered his mothers word and talked to his white boss with the utmost respect using “yessirs” and “nosirs”. Despite his respectfulness to the white man, his boss chastised him for wanting to learn and asked him if he thought he was white. Richard witnesses countless “Jim Crow” racism throughout his life all so the white man could feel superior to him and his race. At one point he witnesses his boss and twelve year old son beat a black woman and when she ran to a white cop he accused her of being drunk. Richard was searched for being in a white neighborhood, cursed for looking at an attractive white woman, and was forced to forge a white mans signature to receive books from the library.
Nowadays if someone’s mother tells him or her at an early age that they are unequal to others because you look different could scar that person for life. Those words could screw up someone’s self esteem and mental state that they would be in and out psychologist’s offices for a very long time. However, in this case Richard Wright’s mother telling him that he was unequal to whites probably saved his life. Before he knew this he would partake in fights with white kids throwing black cinders as they returned fire with bottles. When he got hit with one of these bottles and told his mother of the happened she beat him for fighting with whites. Though terrible this was an important lesson for young Richard who would encounter racism for the rest of his life, racism that if he didn’t listen to his mother could have got him killed.
What if more black mothers taught their sons and daughters to fight back against oppression? Could they have mad a difference? Possibly, but southern whites would do all they could in order to keep blacks as their inferiors. Though eventually blacks did take this stand it took them along time to end segregation and receive more rights. Maybe if boys like Richard were taught to fight they could have changed things earlier, but this would not come without consequences. Groups like the KKK would murder many blacks and without the significance of media to open the eyes of many white in the north it would be an extreme struggle.

Ethnic Nations

In the film Ethnic Nations videos are shown of racism both before and after the civil war. Before the civil war films and cartoons stereotyped blacks with certain characters and characteristics. The mammy was pictured as a large woman who was always willing and wanting to serve her masters. Aunts and Uncles frequently had no teeth, enjoyed dancing around, and loved to laugh loudly and for long amounts of time. The Zambo was a stereotyped black man who was extremely lazy and only wishes to listen to music and laugh. This was followed by a theater act in which a white man covered his face black, wore tattered clothes, and exaggerated a black dance and his name was called Jim Crow.
The main difference between before and after the civil war and the freeing of slaves was that before the civil war blacks were shown as docile, happy, and content to serve their master in slavery. After the civil war the slaves were free so whites altered the stereotype to a brutal savage figure. In films like The Birth of a Nation scenes of white men painted to be black can be seen assaulting white girls to show their savage nature. Black children where continually shown as animals in the wild pictured with alligators and tigers. Older blacks were shown to dislike freedom and long for the “good ole days” of slavery.
The way blacks were shown in films was a way of propaganda for white privilege. Whites used their control of the media to force
Stereotypes on those who may not come into contact blacks. Many
People in the north during this period were not use to blacks as well as never saw them. That is outside the context of these films. The fact that this northerner where put under the impression that blacks where happy in slavery as well as savages out of it is wrong.
So why would whites want to portray blacks in these ways? By showing blacks as content in slavery helped persuade those who thought slavery was wrong that it was for their own good. When slavery was ended blacks were shown as savages to show that they could not live in a society with whites, and if they did all that would come from it is assaults on whites.

Ethnic Nations

In the film Ethnic Nations videos are shown of racism both before and after the civil war. Before the civil war films and cartoons stereotyped blacks with certain characters and characteristics. The mammy was pictured as a large woman who was always willing and wanting to serve her masters. Aunts and Uncles frequently had no teeth, enjoyed dancing around, and loved to laugh loudly and for long amounts of time. The Zambo was a stereotyped black man who was extremely lazy and only wishes to listen to music and laugh. This was followed by a theater act in which a white man covered his face black, wore tattered clothes, and exaggerated a black dance and his name was called Jim Crow.
The main difference between before and after the civil war and the freeing of slaves was that before the civil war blacks were shown as docile, happy, and content to serve their master in slavery. After the civil war the slaves were free so whites altered the stereotype to a brutal savage figure. In films like The Birth of a Nation scenes of white men painted to be black can be seen assaulting white girls to show their savage nature. Black children where continually shown as animals in the wild pictured with alligators and tigers. Older blacks were shown to dislike freedom and long for the “good ole days” of slavery.
The way blacks were shown in films was a way of propaganda for white privilege. Whites used their control of the media to force
Stereotypes on those who may not come into contact blacks. Many
People in the north during this period were not use to blacks as well as never saw them. That is outside the context of these films. The fact that this northerner where put under the impression that blacks where happy in slavery as well as savages out of it is wrong.
So why would whites want to portray blacks in these ways? By showing blacks as content in slavery helped persuade those who thought slavery was wrong that it was for their own good. When slavery was ended blacks were shown as savages to show that they could not live in a society with whites, and if they did all that would come from it is assaults on whites.

Takaki

When white Europeans began to encounter black Africans they did not know what to think of these people. Their conclusion was a dangerous one because it would prove to be the reasoning for those who wished to enslave Africans. They called Africans “dark and deadly” and where savage and inferior to the “civilized” whites of Europe deemed. Africans were seen as animals, not the humans that they were, and where compared to primates, and because blacks weren’t seen as human their enslavement was generally accepted.
This all started with the selling of twenty African men who were taken to the New World. Blacks weren’t the only ones shipped over to the New World to be forced into servitude. The whites who were outcasts in Europe who have committed crimes or just been exiled by the community were shipped to work in servitude. There was a huge difference in how whites in servitude and blacks were treated. Blacks were forced to work until their death with no money. Though whites were not given money for their service, they weren’t forced to work forever. Often these people of servitude came together to form inter racial relationships, something not accepted by society. Many people were jailed or even beaten if
taking place in these relationships.
The first signs of a rascism that still exists today came because a culture was mis understodd as lessers than Whites. Blacks were treated like animals as well as sold that way. This kind of treatment is unexcusable and if the actions of these ignorant men had not happened our world could be extremely different today. Blacks and whites would live togethor without one feeling superior to the other and with mutual respect.
It shocked me to learn that whites wer put into servitude as well as blacks. By taking what the Europeans thought to be the trash of their society they added insult to injury for both these Blacks and Whites that were enslaved. It bothers me that even two races who were enslaved had racial biased with them. The punishments for disobeying orders or interracial relationships were much harder on blacks. On top of that whites had the possibility to get out of their servitude while blacks were enslavd until they ran away or died.

Zinn Ch 2

Howard Zinn’s chapter “Drawing the Color Line” shows how racism began and how it became such a huge problem in America. When setting up civilization in America the settlers found the conditions harsh, and struggled greatly to farm crops needed to stay alive. Many of the settlers died and they decided help was needed. This help didn’t come voluntarily however and a race would be oppressed into slavery. Black slaves were captured in African and were shipped to America. These slave ships were covered with the blood of Africans and blacks were packed in to harsh conditions. Conditions that were so bad they left one out of every three Africans dead some of which chose suicide by drowning.
The troubles of this race would continue off the boats as they were forced to obey the rule of their white masters. Africans were treated terribly by the whites that wished to cement their superiority they needed to keep the blacks oppressed. This is where the racism we still see today stemmed from. Some slaves chose to fight back against the belief that blacks were inferior and not a true human being. Some slaves did this unnoticed by doing things like slowing down production while others fought with actual violence. Some Africans ran off together in groups and formed small villages in the wilderness while others ran off alone and tried to pass as free.
When this country was founded it was on the basis that hard work and freedom will result in success and it is on their own shoulders to work their way to the top. Yet when colonizing America settlers ran into troubles they captured others and forced them to do their work for the new colonists. The slavery of a race due to a difference in color is far for the ideas of freedom, and hard work aren’t suppose to consist of another working for you. The people responsible for the slavery of Africans are also responsible for the racism these people are subjected to hundreds of years later today. The treatment blacks received was no less than torture from the way they were shipped to America, the way they were treated in America, or the fact they were enslaved.
In the reading Zinn states some whites joined the black in uprisings but none were very successful and many were squashed by betrayal amongst the group. Maybe if more people stood up for what was right and saw these men as human beings not slaves then the racism we know today wouldn’t exist. We wouldn’t have been subjected to hate groups like the KKK or segregation. Racism is a problem that should have been stopper a long time ago and this many years later still needs a solution.

Extra Credit

In the video Race: The Power of An Illusion the reason people discriminate against others is investigation. In the first episode “The Difference Between Us” college students take a class to study the differences between races. The students included a variety of different races and are all given DNA tests to see if there is a difference in the biology when comparing different races. All the students were asked whom their DNA would be most similar to. Naturally the students each said they would have the most similar DNA to the people they looked most alike. When the results came out race had nothing to do with biology.
Similarly people believe that African Americans have something in their biology that allows them to be better athletes. When blacks began to dominate track events they were labeled as excellent athletes but as far as intelligence was concerted they were still perceived as inferior. In the video athletes at a track event were asked if race had anything to do with athletics. Many of the athletes said that African Americans had an advantage any time they lined up against a white athlete.
It amazed me to see how DNA and biology have nothing to do with race. It proves that the only difference between races is the color of our skin, not the unfair stereotypes people are assigned. Furthermore, the video showed that there is more of a difference in DNA between two completely similar fruit flies than two completely different looking human beings. The experiment shocked the students taking part and proved that discriminating against others is superficial and hurtful for no reason.
The fact that some privileged whites used the success of black athletes to claim that they were uncivilized and unintelligent. Some people said the only reason African Americans were so good at running and athletic activities is because just a few years ago they were running for their live in the jungle. It amazes me that some people can use anything to establish power, privilege, and dominance to a group of people who have a minor difference between others. We are all different and can’t discriminate against those who have differences that society say are inferior.

Chapter 8

In chapter 8 Allan Johnson’s book Privilege, Power and Difference, a point about society’s problems is addressed. Johnson addresses the problem of inequalities between groups of people based on characteristics such as race, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, and ethnicity. He writes this chapter encouraging people to stand up for underprivileged people. The less powerful people do not have the access to change their position and Johnson says that they need help from the powerful and the prestigious. This chapter is a call to action for the powerful. People from powerful classifications make excuses why they don’t help people who are less prestigious, and that gets rid of the possibility for these groups to equalize. The examples that Johnson gives are how powerful people blame the victim, rename the power struggle, claim that people like it this way, claim that they are joking it shouldn’t be taken seriously, and claim they are one of the good people in their social standings. He then goes on to show that people claim they hear about racism every time they turn on the television. The person speaking to Johnson says he is sick of all the news reports about racism and thinks it is an topic that is discussed too often. The man speaking to Johnson claims he gets uncomfortable when the topic arises.
I slightly agree with Johnson on this chapter because I have noticed both myself and other people around me making excuses about why they haven’t did their part in ending power struggles among men and women, different races, different sexual interests, different age levels, and whether they are fully able or have slight to major disabilities in some way. Some evidence that may disprove his excuse theory would be that the excuses may be true. In a culture with a history of racism, people have grown to live life by them without thinking, even if everyone decided not to be racist, there would still be a high percentage of racist people. To get rid of racism, one would have to go through several generations of socializing children into a non-racist society. This opinion conflicts with Johnson’s because he thinks racism and other power struggles can be solved overnight and frankly that’s very improbable if not impossible. Overall, the chapter was well written and it can be used as a great reading for people who want to learn more about the division of power among different kinds of people.

Chapter 2

Chapter two talks about how Americans are in trouble due to their actions between one another. Johnson talks about how people use privilege to feel better about them and be more accepted amongst those we look up to. In order to feel superior a privilege group will often show violence or discrimination towards a group of people they think they are better than. Johnson states that in order to change the current situation is to acknowledge the problem at hand on both sides of the issue. If the privileged group never admits to their being a problem the under privileged will stay that way.
By social construction the message can get across to the privileged and help to end what we experience today. Once the problem is acknowledged then a solution can be acknowledged as well. In order to demonstrate his point he showed comparisons of privileged to unprivileged groups. The groups showed handicapped with non- handicapped, homosexual and heterosexual, whites to blacks, and males and females. All the underprivileged groups, homosexual, blacks, non-handicapped, and women were found to be less likely to get a price on a car.
Privilege is a problem and needs to be taken care or our society will continue to suffer. Johnson brings up a valid point that each sides needs to recognize the differences between us and why that results in a privileged group? If both sides come together the fabric of our society will remain intact and we will be able to live together with out hatred. The fact that one person can feel dominant to another sickens me and needs to strike everyone as wrong. Though I do not believe we will see this happen in our lifetime if an effort was made America could become truly unified. We have progressed, slowly but surely, and in time the color of skin or gender may some day be irrelevant.
Johnson’s writing in Chapter two showed information the presence of discrimination and the effects it has on society. It showed that homosexuals, blacks, non-handicapped, and women were all subjected to being harassed far more than there counter part privileged group. There is no way it can be acceptable for a group of people o be unsure if they can take the subway without encountering attacks. There is no way someone should fear what may be said at work. There is absolutely no way we should tolerate discrimination of any kind in our society.

Chapter 3

The goal of Chapter 3 was for Johnson to identify what difference and what it means. Johnson states that we should not live in fear or act with hatred with those that are different. He says differences between people are fine until one group of people decides they are better than another. This creates a privileged group, something that encourages discrimination by classify others based on color, sex, race, or even being disabled. In this chapter Johnson assigns a point system to show what some people feel are traits that are better than others. This gave each dominant characteristic one point and the weaker gene negative one points. These traits are the very things I talked about early that people of privilege discriminate against.
Johnson believes that racism was formed when capitalism was introduced into society. This created a racism in which whites felt they were superior to blacks. The racism that was created stemmed not from the color of skin but the power of money in the hands of one race. Capitalism relies on classes and the difference between a rich upper class is far from the poverty stricken low class. With their money behind them rich, white males bullied the poor class, which happen to include most blacks. Blacks were the most obvious targets for these men because they were poor and different.
Johnson raises a very valid point when stating that it is not difference that destroys us, but when a difference is decided to be inferior is when discrimination and racism can take over. Johnson’s numbering system seemed eerie but accurate to what people of privilege see when they look at person. The points are given or taken away depending on your gender, race, sex, sexuality, or if your disabled. These traits are shallow superficial views of how people are viewed through the eyes of someone he believes they are superior to others.
I think it is very interesting that Johnson brings up the point that capitalism created a new form of racism. It is an interesting point, and accurate because with Capitalism came a wealthily upper class consisting of white, slave owning, aristocratic males who used their money to establish dominance over an entire race. This dominance allowed white males to force a race into slavery that had virtually no money. This is also a factor in why even today whites enjoy much more luxuries due to holding the amount of money that a wealthy class enjoys, and blacks still remain much more poor.

Savagery among Settlers

Throughout history civilizations have considered themselves superior to others and deemed certain civilizations as savages. These savages were often given this label due to a difference in cultures such as religion, how they dressed, or what weapons they carried. England did this with their neighbors the Irish mainly because of their lack of religion. Europe did the same thing in America when they decided the native who lived there where savage and unworthy of living with them. They stole the native’s children and tried to convert them to Christianity and tortured them in various ways. Shakespeare predated this in his play The Tempest he depicts the savage as dark skinned and with freckled showing the radicalization of savagery.
When describing savages the white settlers falsely labeled them with many stereotypes. The Indians were far from what these settlers called savage and in fact demonstrated many of the very characteristics the natives were accused of. Even Columbus, who murdered and took many natives as slaves, described them as kind people who loved their neighbors. When the settlers were experiencing a harsh winter and were starving from the cold local Indians delivered food to the colony and in doing so kept them alive. Meanwhile the settlers were digging up graves to eat the flesh of fellow settlers and murdering family members and children to provide food for them. They then replayed the native by attacking their villages in order to steal their food. When the white settlers described the natives they depicted them as savages who were ruthless cannibals. In reality the cannibals were the white settlers who demonstrated actions far more savage like behavior than the kind natives.
Soon the cultural differences took a toll on the far more primitive natives whose bow and arrows were no matches for the gun power of the settlers. The settlers began to attempt to convert the Indians to Christianity by any means necessary. A war was aged on this civilization nod the white settlers, though in a new land, clearly had the upper hand. They raided villages destroying homes and killing all men, women, and children that stand in their way. That, however, wasn’t enough for the vicious settlers. They also tricked the Indians through trades and treaties. On one occasion a white settler lead others into a village to purpose a peace treaty between the two civilizations. Upon completion of the treaty he had the Indians toast to the occasion but the wine in their glasses were poisoned and the settlers viciously murdered the villagers who were not killed by the poison.
To call these natives savages is inaccurate and wrong. The cultural differences between the two civilizations should be respected and acknowledge which would allow these civilizations to learn from each other. Instead one civilization decided to take over the other by marking them as ruthless savages. In reality it was the “civilized” settlers who acted ruthless and deserved to be labeled as savage. The natives provided the settlers of food when they needed it sacrificing food during a harsh winter. One of the biggest problems the settlers had with these natives was their lack of Christianity. Though this civilization didn’t follow Christ they lived with love for their neighbors, a commandment for Christians to follow, while the settlers attacked their neighbors

Framework Essay

Differences between us have throughout history resulted in discrimination of others. Whether that discrimination is towards a race, sex, or sexual preferences it can tear people apart and create hatred and sometimes even violence. This hatred can be seen in American cinema and media and though through time our culture has made progress we still have a way to go.

Racism in media can be seen in the early 1900’s when D.W. Griffith made a movie titled The Birth of a Nation. The movie portrayed the KKK, as heroic and lead to a rise in the group, which committed many violent, hate crimes against black Americans. The murderous group killed many and gained the support of many Southern leaders who had the power to look away from the crimes. This movie was given full support by President Woodrow Wilson who was actually quoted in the movie. There are also many movies that attack these issues and fight for equality. Cinema has been a large contributor to the advancement of issues of sexism, racism, and homosexuality. One of the earliest of these movies was a landmark movie that was based on the book To Kill a Mockingbird. To Kill a Mockingbird is the story of a poor black man who is wrongfully accused of raping a white woman. A white lawyer, Gregory Peck, decides to take the mans case despite the communities effort to intimidate him and his family.

Though many movies still promote racial, sexual, and sexual preference stereotypes many directors have created movies to fight this. There still is a lot of hatred towards various groups of people in America but we are going in the right direction. Though there will never be complete acceptance amongst all people who reside in our country, and around the world for that matter, media can help to steer us towards equality. Media has a huge influence on Americans and can be used to either help minority group’s progress towards equality or send us the wrong way all together. Hopefully the leaders of our media will help these social struggles and we can take equality to the next level.

Columbus

History books have been documented the events of the past through the eyes of those in power at that time period. When these people have something to be embarrassed or ashamed of they can shape and twist history books to reflect how they wish to be viewed. A prime example of this is the way Christopher Columbus is portrayed in textbooks to this day.

When you think of Columbus the words that come to mind are explorer, hero, and voyager. A voyager who has been given a national holiday for his effort in discovering a new world, which became home to a land that represents freedom and opportunity. However, in his effort to discover this new world different words like greed, power hungry, and murder are much more appropriate. Columbus took advantage of a civilization that could not defend themselves from the deadly and more advanced weapons carried by Columbus and his men. What Columbus did to these Indians can only be described as genocide. He looked at this civilization and saw an opportunity to cash in on the land, gold, and slaves these Indians offered. Offered not willingly but forcefully by the greed driven men who felt they were far superior to the point that these Indians were not men but just pawns that Columbus could take advantage of.

The fact that these important details were left out of history books is a grave injustice towards those men that were taken advantage of so many years ago. The misinformation provided in these history books lead to a holiday given to a man whose sole motivation was greed and viciously killed in order to achieve it. We should no longer be given the false impression that Columbus is an upright and decent man when killing a civilization and turning the rest into slaves only achieved his achievements.

Hi Alex,
Glad you got your blog going. Try to get caught up by posting your introduction and making a post on Zinn and one for next week. Let me know if you have any questions about the assignments or syllabus.
HAve a great weekend,
Melissa