Society's Ills and the 204 Prescription
This coming week in class we will be talking about what's wrong with, and in, society. Some subtopics that we will cover in one way or the other are the following:
- closed-minded people
- racism
- a lack of acceptance
- raising a nation of closed-minded people
- sexism
- deliberate (and enjoyed) ignorance
To get us started thinking about it, I would like you to pick one of those beasts, or come up with a different one and talk about your experiences (or lack of, which is just as good of a story because the perspective is different) with it. But, since we aren't a bunch of weepy, whiny weasels and we actually want to DO something (or at least enter the conversation which is in fact DOING something), talk about what you think can be done to either:
a) raise awareness of the issue
and/or
b) change the perception ABOUT the issue
and/or
and/or
c) fix the issue
Because, if not us--then who?
If you ask people “what’s wrong with society?” a majority will tell you that there’s too much racism, gender inequality, lack of acceptance,etc. These are major topics that many people know are huge issues and people have already begun to spread awareness on them. I agree those are flaws in society, but I feel like having closed-minded people is a major flaw in society and I believe that because we have closed-minded people, we have racism, gender inequality or any other issues. Maybe the reason I believe this is because I live with a bunch of people who are closed-minded and I’m from a country where most people are closed-minded and ignorant. I usually stay in my room all day long or avoid conversations where I know I’ll get mad if someone says something ignorant. Let me tell you a conversation I’ve had where I’ve gotten mad because of my parents saying something narrow minded. We were having a discussion on how many children I want and I said “2 or 3” and my mom said “What if whoever you marry only wants 1?” I replied “I guess we going to have to talk about it” and my dad said “It’s not really your decision, you HAVE to do what he says.” So to those of you who don’t know, most Indians believe that when a girl is married, her duty is to treat her husband like a God. You have to do all the things females are known for doing like cook,clean,take care of their children,and serve their husband in order for you to be a “good wife.” In some cases, you can be beaten as a wife and you’re still forced to stay with your husband because him and his family are now your family and if you go back to your parents, you’re shamed along with your parents so sometimes parents don’t even allow their daughter back. This is all because some people have yet to forward to modern times. Some people think women are inferior to men and without a man there’s no chance of having a happy life, both of which is false because women are capable of doing almost anything men are capable of doing and there are plenty of successful,smart, and independent women in the world doing amazing things. Realistically, I don’t think this issue can completely vanish because some people will never change their mindset either because this is what they have been taught is right or because they fear thinking differently will make people judge him/her. I do think you can some someones perception if different types of people talk stuff they’ve been through because you can never judge a person based off their gender,race,religion,etc.
ReplyDeleteOn Sundays, my white side of the family all gather at my grandmother's house for whatever tired meal and to catch up. My grandmother the head of the table, to her right my grandfather and to his sit my aunts and uncles. Next to them sit a second generation of kids of all ages surrounding the table. My mom has five children, her first three black and white and her last two as caucasian as can be. My closest cousins are white and Puerto Rican; the rest, much younger than I, aren’t biracial. Sunday Dinners usually aren't pleasant for us minorities, not only is the food bland, but every once in awhile something “just a little racist” comes from my grandmom’s mouth. My sisters and I stare amongst each other thinking things like “did this old Trump supporting lady just say that” and attempting to ignore it. My cousins usually just nonchalantly finishing their food and go to another room. Of course attempting to correct her or let her know that what she says is offensive would turn everyone's head, including our parents who will never understand just how rude they can be. They’ll then question why we turn everything into a “race thing” and try to tell us we’re racist because we pointed out the slight of word. The people I look up to aren’t open to the fact that I am a black woman, and their other children and grandchildren are black and Hispanic, and mindlessly make comments about people just like me. It leads to me think if they think this about others, they must think the same of me. Racism is a huge drawback, but what's worse than that is a narrow minded person. People just like my grandmother who aren’t cognizant of the changing world or accepting of POC, and who don’t think they should change their way of thinking because that's how they're brought up. Close-minded people don't change if they aren't willing to, and being stubborn about your beliefs and not open to new ideas doesn’t help the situation. Challenging a narrow minded persons beliefs could change more of today's problems, like racism.
ReplyDeleteTo me, deliberate and enjoyed ignorance is one of the worst things. Hearing comments in a classroom or side conversations that happen in stores, it is easy to detect when someone is ignorant. There are so many opportunities surrounding us, and it is a shame for people to not want to know more about what is out there and live trapped in their own stupidity.
ReplyDeleteI study hard, and it is not only because my mom pushed me every single day of my life since the third grade, but because I am determined to learn as much as I possibly can. I realized that being ignorant is something that I did not want to be when I was fairly young. I understood the importance of knowledge and skill, and I am still learning many new things everyday. This is why intelligence is so important to me.
In order to change the perception about the issue, the majority of people should be educated on this matter, so that the people that are ignorant will get the hint that it is not “cool” to be or act that way anymore. Knowledge is such a beautiful thing, especially when you know things that other people do not. It is like you and a limited amount of other people know this one thing, but no one else does.
Growing up as a women, I have several vivid memories of being the victim of sexism. Whether it be a teacher asking a boy to help carry boxes or my peers making it clear I cannot/should not do something, my sex is always being discriminated or stereotyped. Just like what every other woman out there may say, it is hard growing up in a society where we are constantly reminded of why we can't do something. As an aspiring doctor, I find it unfair and unacceptable that women are payed less for doing the same job as men. This alone is a perfect example of how society is screwed up. The fact that women are being paid less despite performing the same job as a male needs to be fixed, but I honestly don't know what will fix the issue of sexism. I feel as if the damage is done; for too long, society has been taught from a young age that women are of less value than men. I think naturally people assume and believe that, without giving women a chance. I think that maybe the first step to fixing this issue is that we all have to agree that a woman can do anything that a man can do. Along with agreeing, society needs to start giving us women more chances to prove that. Instead of automatically assuming that a male is the best pick for helping to carry heavy stuff, let a woman assist with the task. People are so quick to judge women based on their strength and ability. It is not hard to promote gender equality, and the issue will not be resolved unless society as a whole accepts that women may be different, but they are still capable.
ReplyDeleteI am a firm believer in that everything connects. All the major problems that are in this country go back to people and how they act. Whether it's racism, ignorance, a lack of acceptance of a certain group of people, or sexism, where does all that stem? From people and their closed mindedness. Having a closed mind means you are not accepting of new things around you or maybe just things in general. People in general. Take for example Charlottesville. Do you really think that a group of young, white supremacists who are dressed up not in KKK cloaks, but in regular everyday Hollister clothing, care about others who don't look like them? Because they don't look like them, because they don't share the same beliefs or have the same political views, they automatically assume that's a problem. They think that everyone who is colored is different and somebody needs to do something about it. And KKK members, and white supremacists galor think this way. Why? Because nine times out of ten, they probably grew up thinking that's alright. Not thinking that others have feelings, regardless of their skin color or belief or whatever. But that is the complete opposite. Everybody deserves a sense of feeling safe in the US. It hasn't felt like that since a certain president took office last January. And I'm not saying the US was perfect before Trump became president, but it sure as hell wasn't as divided as it is now. Closed minded people voted for Trump, and closed minded people are what's going to bring this country to its knees. And that just can't happen. Before we as a nation can come together to eliminate all the evil that is in our world, we must learn to understand the people around us and what they are dealing with. Put yourself in their shoes and understand what they're going through. Learn forgiveness, mercy and rise from the pessimists of the world. Then and only then will we improve as a nation.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I can go on about what is right in society, I can also go on about what needs to be fixed, one of those things being accusations of racism. Let me explain. Rewind to my sophomore year, where I was walking in the hallway to gym. Not aware that people were behind me, I opened the gym doors and let them go as I walked through them. It wasn’t until both of my feet were in the gym when I heard a bunch of voices behind me saying “you couldn’t hold the door? Must be because you’re racist”… Mind you, I am the farthest thing from racist, but to be accused of having that mindset was hurtful. There have been several other incidents in my lifetime where I’ve been a fly on the wall witnessing others disagree, in which the argument ends in something about racism. I do not think that this is acceptable because racism is a very serious thing, yet people are being labeled as racist for innocent actions like not holding a door open. I understand that it takes more than one person to fix this issue, so if anything I think that awareness should be raised. We as a whole need to understand the difference between actual racism and unintentional actions. And this applies to all races. In regards to a school setting, I feel as though most of us are supportive and accepting towards all people. Oakcrest is known for having students with strong connections. We treat each other like family. Now that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some people who think their race is superior than others; I’m very aware that there are very racist people in this world, but accidentally letting a door shut on someone of a different race doesn’t mean that one is racist, and assuming that they are doesn't make the situation any better.
ReplyDeleteI believe most of the issues being discussed are linked to each other. You can describe someone being racist as one who was raised close minded. Ignorance and defence lead to hate and violence. Racism is the definition of superiority of one race over another which blantaly incorporates lack of acceptance of another people. Sexism stems from the idea of how women were treated up until recent history. It merges lack of acceptance and the youth of the nation being stuck in old ways. People whose ideology that branches from the influence of any of these topics, are blind and need to see how they are affecting their children's future. In my experience, I grew up in neighborhoods that were not that great. When going through school I have had friends from these neighborhoods initially in my classes from about first through third grade. As we got older, I moved into higher educational classes and they were put in classes together that weren't as high pace. At first I thought of this as a benefit for both of us. They would get the treatment and speed that fit them and so would I, a win-win situation. Maturing and seeing how environments affect the condition of you as a person, really opened my eyes when looking at my opportunities compared to kids where I came from. The classes that I believed benefited them, actually held them back. The class majorly held other students of the same behavior as them, just ruining everyone in that classes education. Teachers argue with students, students argue with each other, no one pays attention, and nothing gets done. Kids move throughout their school career obtaining nothing of value to help them pursue their dreams. And, as soon as the student realises he has nothing to follow, is when you truly lost them forever. Meanwhile the children that are not disruptive and have the drive to contest their abilities in an academic setting are gifted with the chance to set in stone the rest of their lives. You can probably assume the racial difference in each of the classes. White privilege is also another link in that chain of what's wrong with the world. There are so many uncharted talents left to waste because they mold into their environment. If given the chance to grow as a person and experience the knowledge through a healthy setting, any child of any race would pull so much more out of the situation. The learning shouldn’t just stop in school though, parents are the reason of incidents of children's outrageous behaviors. You need to teach your children how to not hate, and not be overbearing on other people's beliefs and morals. I want all of what I say to happen and the world change in a magical ray of sunshine and a wish upon a star, but we all know miracles only happen in fairytales. I guess, in the real world it just comes down to survival; and it has been the way that it will always be, the same cycle.
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are many things wrong with society today. One of them being racism. Racism has been the most consistent and crucial problems that I've heard about. Although I've heard of it, I've never had too many experiences of it. I know it sounds surprising for a black women in America. At 17 years old I just now started to experience it but don't get me wrong, I've always been aware of it. That's not to say that it doesn't hurt me to see people just like me experience hatred simply because they were born with melanin. If anything, it makes me more scared than ever because I never know when it'll be my turn. I see people like Sandra Bland on the cover of a news paper just because someone couldn't look past the color of her skin. I see people like Trayvon Martin on the front cover of a news paper just because someone couldn't accept the fact that people with a darker skin tone abide and live in this world. I fear for my brothers and sisters and not just the ones that are considered my blood. I grew up in a family where I was born on the foundation of accepting myself and including the color of my skin. That's why this recent experience caught me by surprise because I've never really been exposed to it until now. Basically the event that took place was that here at school a very close teacher of mine wanted to develop a group that was for African Americans and of course living in the world that we live in today it was turned down. These weren't the exact words that were said but basically it was turned down because it might be offensive to other people. Since when was being black offensive? This is not to bash the school I attend but to bring awareness of the fact that racism still exist and sometimes it occurs in the places you least expect it. Its not fair that Latinos can have a group that celebrates their culture while blacks have to stay silenced and can't assemble their selves in a school setting with a title on it. In cases like this, we usually say we'll raise awareness by letting our voice be heard, and not to say that in some cases it does help, however, if that was the case in this situation we would have a group that acknowledges blacks. I think that if anything would help it would be showing our school that we deserve the ability to be talked about just like any other race by showing them how much we are an attribute to this school. I think every cultural should have the ability to assemble a group that celebrates and acknowledges them if they desire to do so. Culture and race is a precious gift that has a story behind it and should be talked about.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to see two sides of things and being able to relate and accept the other side is a great trait to have. I have seen to many times on the news or on twitter people that are just so heavy one way that if the other side even speaks in opposition they are labeled crazy hateful and unnecessary words. A close minded person, also happens to be the most uneducated. they are usually quick to insults and unrelated facts that only support there side when opposed with a question. Close minded people are what is keeping this country so divided. Yes there is racism, qmisogny, sexism, etc. but when you have close minded people on the subject there is absolutely no way that anyone can agree and come together and fight it. The main trait that close minded people lack is listening. They are so quick to hear something and block out all other reasons for the discussion at hand. For example, the Collin Kaepernick signing (or lack there of). People are so quick to assume the ravens organization as racists because they don't want to sign Kaepernick to play while go Flacco was out. But what a lot of people don't realize is that it is much more than that. The team evaluated the condition that Joe was in and made and executive decision that he would be out for maybe week 1 (which he was not), and Ryan Mallet would get the start. Also, the organization came out with a very logical statement that Kaepernick's condition to play was not his top priority and instead would bring a negative attitude that is surrounded by media, which would affect his play. People need to start looking at both sides. Although I don't disagree with Kaep's protests, i do agree with teams not signing him. Not because I'm racist, not because I hate Collin Kaepernick, not because I don't agree with him sitting out of the national anthem, I purely focus on the stake of what he can do for the Baltimore Ravens. A way to fix close minded people is to listen. Read up on the subject and get to know both sides before just eliminating the other sides points. Once we do that, I believe people will begin to come together again.
ReplyDeleteAs we all know there are way too many problems that go on in our world today and they are the reason that we are so divided. Sexism, racism, and ignorance are very big problems, but what I think causes this is closed minded people which also leads to lack of acceptance. So many people in this world are closed minded and will never listen to other people’s opinions, this leads to disagreements in everything and a divided nation. Being closed minded is a terrible way to look at things because that means that nothing is going to change and everything will stay the same and we obviously need changes. Being closed minded and lack of acceptance go hand in hand because if you don’t accept somebody for whatever reason, then your opinion on them will never be swayed no matter what people say to you. This is bad because everyone should be accepted for who they are and if you have an open mind you can accept people easier. Even if you think your opinions are right, you can still listen to other people and hear what they have to say because there are valid reasons for everything. Being closed minded makes you impossible to talk to because you think you’re always right and never look at both sides before sticking to your opinion and never changing it. People like this really frustrate me and I find them very hard to take serious because there statements have no validity when they are all opinion based with no research. What we need to do as people is make it more clear that everyone should be accepted and that we should always keep an open mind and look at all sides before we come to conclusions. This should be taught by parents and teachers because that is going to be the most influential people in a kid’s life. From a young age, kids need to learn that keeping an open mind is the best way to go in life. It’s not right to discriminate based on race, religion, sex, sexuality, or anything and that needs to be taught before it’s too late. Being closed minded will only lead to problems and hate so it is really a bad thing that unfortunately many people are for some reason or another and this needs to be changed.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to whats wrong with the world, its extremely hard to pick just one. The world is a sick and twisted place but if I had to choose something that stands out above the rest I would say racism. Racism is a terrible terrible thing that has been around for forever. Many people are killed and tortured just because of their skin tone. Racism is every where and its unavoidable. When it comes to fixing racism the harsh reality is that it can't be fixed. Racism is a virus that has spread around the world infecting everyone. Its made people do unspeakable things. Racism is in everyone. Racism is in everyone but not everyone is intentionally racist. Racism is learned. Racism is picked up in the things our parents say or the things we read in our history books. There are stereotypes for every single race and some are worse than others. For example many black kids are stereotyped as not being as smart as white kids or having lesser chance at success. A black NFL quarter back was criticized because he has a white girlfriend and went to Baylor. He was considered "not black enough". What the hell does that even mean? How is one not black enough? Its like there is a default list of rules for being black.. The thing about racism is that every race is supposed to be exactly like the stereotypes. All Asians are supposed to suck at driving, all white people are supposed to be perfect, all black people are supposed to be in a gang. The world is corrupt and the biggest problem is racism. The worst part is that racism will be around long after I'm dead or my grandchildren or my grandchildren's children. Racism is here to stay and its a hard pill to swallow but it cant be fixed. Maybe once racism is completely out of everyone's lives we'll be that much closer to world peace but for now we will have riots and murders and wars. All this because of one little word... Racism.
ReplyDeleteAs I sit here and express my concerns of the world on this blog regarding the issues that plague our nation, one fact that makes me uneasy is that by this time next year, we young individuals are expected to jump into this society in the midst of all of them. This is even more alarming to me, a 17-year-old daughter of African immigrants and most likely as equally alarming and harder to other minorities because, well, the world is a crazy place for us.
ReplyDeleteThere are a plethora of issues that plague society. I will list some main ones with examples since I really need to discuss how I feel.
Racism.
We all know this is still a big problem.
Though not always directed at me, it still affects me when I see this injustice. For instance, just last week, I simply went shoe-shopping at Boscov’s with my mom. As we were driving on the parkway to return home, I saw a black, chevy truck with not just one, not just two, but three large confederate flags attached to it, all three freely waving in the wind. Go ahead and debate with me about the confederate flag being “history” or how America is entitled to “freedom of speech” or whatever if you’re thinking “How is that racist?”, but in 2017 unless you are a close-minded person (which is probably the sole rationale in anyone believing this is still acceptable which I will discuss later), this action is indeed undeniably racist.
Sexism: Still plagues the nation.
I can give a boatload of examples of male privilege and sexism in this society (like feminine products being taxed or the gender pay gap), but I will give a simple, recent one. Last week, I was offended by hearing my own father criticize my brother’s losing soccer team by saying “They kick like girls!” To my sister and I’s even further disgust as we spoke out against it, both my brother and my father defended themselves, my brother responding, “Why are you people so offended by it, seriously? What kind of bad feminists are you? Chill.” “Kicking like girls” is essentially implying girls are weak , which is funny because I can name girls, many who I know taking this course, who all play soccer way better than what I witnessed at my brother’s soccer game last Thursday. That response, however, made me feel silenced.
Wealth.
Socioeconomic background basically serves as a level in society whether you live a decent life or not.To people who are not rich as Trump, they understand that college and healthcare are rights that deserve to be affordable to all. Many attend college with society’s expectation to succeed to get higher-paying jobs globally. With paying college debt as well as taxes and bills, which some take advantage of not paying (no shade--well, maybe), it is more difficult for those who never struggled financially to comprehend the issue of paying these things. It’s funny how the issues on affording both is still fought over.
Which brings me to my next point: Divisiveness.
No one can agree on anything these days: politically or non-politically. Politically, congress is split in half: Democrats and Republicans, and now Trump-supporters and Non-Trump supporters. Society puts labels on too many things, so if anyone were to disagree with me, they would do so and label me with “liberal views”, dismiss my beliefs, and listen to everything else with bias (like most news stations). Why can’t it be whatever legislations benefit all of society’s marginalized groups? As I have once said, many seem unable to agree and find solutions to push the country forward without attacking, offending, dismissing, or misconstruing others.
And here is my final question/ final points of this blog:
DeleteWhat is the main, common issue at the root of all of these aforementioned problems?
The answer is ignorance due to close-mindedness.
Close-mindedness is the fact that I cannot make one see the other side to an issue because they are ignorant to that experience. Close-mindedness is the reason why divisiveness in this society prevails. Close-mindedness is the fact that the people who continue problems lack the skills of compromise, education, and respect needed to reside in a society to benefit all. Close- mindedness is linked to hate. Why is this significant? Because of the crap you hear everyday on the news. Right now, it seems easier said than done. If there are any means, however, that society’s ills can be collectively solved (which many say our generation will fix), it is if we first begin by promoting open-mindedness, respect, listening to each other, understanding each other, and trying to compromise. This begins by the nation instilling these values at an early age, since most of these problems are taught.If the majority of people are open-minded, we can have many issues solved quicker and less bickering over decade-old issues. By raising open-minded people who are knowledgeable of compromise, only then can we move forward.
The number one issue within society is greed. I believe that a majority of this world's problems stem from this particular one. The leader of our free country is a fine example of someone more concerned with money and power rather than positively effecting youth and changing the selfish mindset of our people. We are accustomed to the saying "too much money isn't enough money". Wealthy people rush out to purchase lottery tickets with hopes of obtaining more money than they actually need. Many will take it to the next level of lying and stealing just to fill their selfish greedy need for more. We cant grow as a country if no one has a single care for their neighbor, we will stay the same. In the USA our culture is to value expensive possessions regardless of how they were attained. This is the sole reason why we have drug dealers and strippers- because they are willing to sell their soul and destroy their own communities to get more things. Self worth is based on character, virtue or morals, it is not based on having money. In order to resolve this problem it is our job to inform our youth of this downfall in society so the next generation can make a change.
ReplyDeleteIf you've ever watched the news at least a day in your life or payed attention to what has been going on in America lately you probably have heard about events that have involved racism and the lack of acceptence of those races. Racism is something that is just as common today as it was back in the 1960's. It's virtually everywhere! As a senior at Oakcrest high school I have witnessed numerous accounts of racism and even sometimes on a daily basis. I have witnessed people saying derogatory terms to other people that have regarded their race. I have heard adults around me making jokes about the matter which just makes no sense to me. All it is is the amount of melanin in the skin which determines a person's skin color. So what's the big deal?
ReplyDeleteAnother big thing in America right now is the lack of acceptance of other races. These include African Americans, Middle easterns, but the big topic being latinos. Since president Donald Trump would like to build a so called "wall" to keep Mexicans from "stealing" American jobs a lot of turmoil has been built up because of this. Americans are starting to dislike these groups of people just because a guy with some power is saying so. I have witnessed people saying that certain races of people can't do something just because of their skin color and the stereotypes that people say about them.
Both of these issues are wide known in society but yet no one cares enough to say anything about them because people have come to accept this behavior. If I had to say anything about these matters I would raise awareness for both of them. To accomplish this I would start an awareness campaign to tell everyone that these issues are wrong. People of all races should be treated with the same amount of respect and thats all there is to it.
One of my biggest regrets in life dealt with a lack of acceptance. When I was young, I went to a smaller private school, and being small means we had smaller classes. Not having many kids meant you had to make friends with the kids that were there, or else you had no friends! Fitting in was crucial. Fortunately I was fine, and with my sense of humor I was cool with pretty much everyone. However, as a kid I failed to do something about the outright bullying that a few kids experienced. Thankfully I was still sensitive as a youngin’, but my righteous bully busting attitude had not yet kicked in, and someone who just sits back and watches is just as bad as the bully. The two kids in mind that were bullied did nothing wrong either, they were just a little different. One of them, who considered me a friend liked the same things as I did, yet no one in the class except me and maybe two others (NO girls, poor guy) would really talk to him. No one really tried to befriend or empathize with him. The pain he shared with me was real, and I can’t even imagine what it must be like having almost no friends and being lonely. Looking back at it, I really was that fake friend in every book/Tv show. I think as we mature, this becomes less of an issue, but bullying will always remain an issue. There are already so many ads and campaigns against bullying, but I think parents need to play a bigger role in it. Kids only really listen to people that are important to them. Good role models are essential to fixing this problem, as well as the personal effort to empathize.
ReplyDeleteWell first things first to actually improve as a country on conquering racism and ignorance, we must first actually address the issue. Many U.S. citizens tend to look the other way or do not get involved with the topic at hand. Trying to avoid the conversation or think that not talking about it will make it go away will not work., feelings must be expressed and actions must take place. Standing up for what you believe in is one of the fundamentals this country was proudly built on. I feel we have fallen off that track. It seems that people in society tend not to be as vocal unless they have something negative to say. The growing danger of racism becoming culturally shown without any disgrace is a problem. Few decades ago KKK members and other racist groups or individuals used to hide their face because of a sense of danger for their own lives, now racism is shown with no mask and no second thought, this is a growing problem. Not enough people are standing up to say "this is wrong and this needs to put be put to rest." We have leaders taken action and groups rising up, but the fact of the matter is not ENOUGH individuals are speaking up to add to the group. This country needs to stand up together against all those who are out to put down another race in any fashion. Voices must be heard and that starts by me and you declaring we are not going to stand for this any more. Feet must be put down and voices must be heard from all not just the influences of the world, any ordinary joe shmo should make their voice heard in any form. We are blessed with tools such as twitter and facebook to express our feelings without even getting off our couch. There is no reason why those looking for or in favor of equality should not let that feeling be known to the masses.
ReplyDeleteOne of the society's biggest ills and the one that I see happening every day is racism towards black people. I have never personally experienced racism. That being said I still see it every day, my best friend is mixed and every time we go out with her parents there are always looked at. A black man and white women, nothing makes a racist- close minded person anymore uncomfortable. Aside from my own life, I see racism every day I turn on the news channel. Recently a biracial boy in New Hampshire was pushed off a picnic bench with a roped tied around his neck, which seemed like an attempt to lynch. This attack left the boy with injuries that had caused him to go to the hospital. The police have only said to local new stations that the investigation is ongoing and gave no other details. It is hard for me to say how to end racism due to the fact of how alive and world spread it is. But I believe that people of privilege need to start standing up and using their power. If a white man is racist chances are he will not take anybody he is racist toward serious when explaining the issues of racism.Which is why we need all people of privilege to help spread awareness.
ReplyDeleteI’m not the type of person that judges a person through the gender or their race. Being a person of color in red, blue, and WHITE America has caused a sense of need to know why racism exists. I believe that many of our country’s lack of tolerance for others is a direct causation of closed-minded people. Being an Asian American is hard to explain. I’m a minority in some situations while I’m a part of the majority in others.
ReplyDeleteThe one benefit of being an Asian POC is that we aren’t near the level of discrimination to other POC. In the early 1900s, Asians were considered the same as African Americans or Hispanics however as time progressed, Asians have climbed the social ladder to eventually close the gender gap. The general public doesn’t consider Asians as threatening now. Although this is all true, it does not mean racism towards Asians has decreased. Stereotypes in the Asian community certainly still do exist. I cannot count the amount of times someone has considered my math skills to be above average because of my skin color. I cannot count the amount of times someone asked me if I ate dog. Here I’d like to stress that correlation and causation don’t always math up. I’ve been called everything from egg roll to chopstick and I find it offending.
Although racism towards Asian is alive and well I cannot ignore the fact that many Asians are racist. My parents do not like it when I have friends of a darker skin tone and always assume that they’ll steal things when they’re near me. Asians have tried so hard to fit in that they abandon their fellow POCs and become racist.
We need to raise awareness by advertising why racism is so bad. In the 5th grade people were racist to me and I reported them to no avail and only found out that a “couple of comments doesn’t really matter”. Racism and its effects need to be exposed in order to unite all POC instead of separating them. That’s the way racism will die by unification.
So so so many things are wrong with the world today but one of the things that bother me the most is when people victimize themselves. Now I do understand that in some cases life hits you like a wall and there is nothing you can do about it but at the same time people always try to find a way to make themselves look like the victim. For instance a girl will sit there and beat up on a guy over and over and over again hitting him and smacking him and hurting the guy but the second that he defends himself and pushes you away or hits the girl back she starts screaming and makes a scenes as if he just came up and beat on her without reason. Side note (Now again I do not agree or codon men beating up girls but at the same time if a guy feels as though he is in danger he has the right to hit back.). People will do 100 things to get themselves into a situation but then they will try to act as though they did not do anything to get in the situation they are currently in. People need to start taking responsibility for their actions and should fix their problems rather than just acting like they can not control their situation.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to just chose one topic to write about. There are many things wrong with the world. The one that stands out to me the most is racism. I don't think you just grow on to it, you are taught to be racist from the day you are born. People fail to see past a skin color. The world is filled with hatred. Society is so quick to blame someone just based off their skin color. It just bugs me that not everyone can just be nice and stop being so quick to point fingers. In my opinion I believe everyone is equal and everyone should be treated the same way. No one is superior to the other. Racism grows more and more everyday. Going out places with my boyfriend, yes people stare like they've never seen an interracial couple before or as if it's wrong. If I'm happy i'm going show that i'm happy. I don't care about anyone opinions that has to do with that. Everyone is well aware with the issue, but some see nothing wrong with the mindset.
ReplyDeleteAll the topics listed are horrid. But for me, the two big 'beasts' in our community these days are racism and sexism. Racism is prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism against someone of a different race based on the belief that their own race is superior. Example including (not to be rude - just examples) a colored kid beating up a caucasian in the bathroom just because he's caucasian. Sexism is prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, on the basis of sex. So an example of this would be a guy teasing a girl just because she's a girl. I feel as if the two are equally diteriating on a physical, mental, and emotional level. My personal experience with both racism and sexism are very miniscule because I've only had little bits of each attack me. I've never been criticized on a racist level unless it was a kid joking with me and for sexism I haven't had any personal experiences with it. However, I have seen others dealing with both in a very serious matter. I don't believe the problems can be fixed but I do believe we can raise awareness for them as well as help change the perspective or both. They should both be frowned upon even more than they already are instead of encouraging people to be that way. We, as a community, can stand up to racism and sexism by defending people facing the situation and letting people live their lives withput being criticized for 5 seconds. The world would be 5000 times better if racism and sexism didn't exist.
ReplyDeleteI believe the biggest problem in society is a lack of morality. If everyone had a higher sense of morality, people would treat each other fairly, give to charity, stop wrongs, greed, and numerous other things. A lot less corruption and evil acts would occur, and as we know this world is filled with them.
ReplyDeleteSexism. Sexism is something that is buried into the very nature of our way of living. Everywhere you go you will see sexism, no matter how small the case. It can go from kids playing with toys to who's running for president. If there are 2 teenagers, both play sports and both are the same age, but you happen to have a large box that you need to have carried up stairs who do you ask? Almost everyone would pick the boy. Because it is genetically wired to our heads that boys should be the ones to carry big stuff, or to do hard labor work. That perception of how everyone looks at that was already built for us a long time ago. Everyday we come closer to changing that perception.
ReplyDeleteRacism is a huge issue especially in america if you look around you may think that it diverse but it is not. There is a division between us you have family members who do not want you to marry outside of your racial because it is "tradition" for whatever that culture is. I have spoken to someone who could relate to an issue that goes on in my family. That is like say if a filaphino and an japanese wanted to get married the family will smile at you and act like they like you. They will act like they are nice but deep down inside they hate your guts. Racism is a very big issue i have very racist people in my family and I hate the fact that they are like that but all I can do is try to promote positivty and anti- racism.
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