Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Impact of Racism, Prejudice, and Privilege
These forces are continuously present in our daily lives and communities. I have personally experienced prejudice on a daily basis, and sadly enough, so have countless others. Prejudice at work is commonplace. As a part time cashier, it would be reasonable to assume I am on the same standing as that of other part time cashiers. Evidently, this is not true due to my age and gender. When a customer is confronted between asking for the help of me or an older associate of the same gender, a customer will inevitably choose the older associate, or go even farther to reject the both of us, and seek a male’s advice. This person, though meaning no insult to me, or my coworker, has used personal prejudice to create inaccurate depictions and judgments of people they have not met.
Another example of my personal experience of prejudice extends itself not just with the workplace, but with recreation as well. I became involved with a local Tae Kwon Do dojang, or a martial arts training hall. The dojang consisted of me, a young female, and about twenty to thirty males, ranging in age from teens to late 50s. The only other female present was middle age women who did not train in normal classes, but rather worked as a sort of secretary for the dojang. Being the only female, it was difficult to command respect. In addition to this, I was the shortest and lightest person. My skills were often excused to pure luck, or the inability of my partner. Regardless of this prejudice, I steadily gained in rank. When I rose to the ranking to be an instructor, I still encountered the same problem. Despite the fact that I was in an authority position, I was still disrespected, because I was the only female in an instructor position. I could not complain because of my position, and because of the fact that complaints are often seen as excuses, and therefore, weak. This system made it impossible for me to be respected, because if I was disrespected, I could not address the issue.
I am sure similar situations have been experienced by a large number of people, even in our own communities. Because of white privilege, it has become impossible to do everyday tasks, or even recreation without encountering racism or prejudice. It is seen in the sports world, the media, business and economy, politics, and just about every institution in our culture. In order to end discrimination, we must first acknowledge the presence of white privilege, and then but into effect regulations in order to avoid it. However, this alone cannot entirely end it. It is up to the minds of the people to make the decision to take action against, and ultimately end, racism, prejudice, and privilege.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Tactics of Social Movements
Tactics of the Civil Rights Movement
Just as any other political group, the Civil Rights Movement had numerous branches. As civil rights activism spread, it became evident that its different branches had completely opposing viewpoints. For example, the branch lead by Martin Luther King Jr. stressed the employment of nonviolence, and the methods of direct action. As one of the most famous activities of the Civil Rights Movement, direct action can be defined as an activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social or political channels. In Martin Luther King’s own words in ,Letters from Birmingham Jail, “The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed, that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation”. King’s tactic for reform created a crisis, but in a nonviolent way. King’s tactic of direct action was indeed heavily debated. Many raised the question as to why King didn’t simply negotiate, instead of using sit-ins, and marches. He simply responded that negotiation was a goal, but must be achieved by creating a situation that could not be ignored.
Another branch of the Civil Rights Movement was lead by Malcom X, and favored black nationalism. Black nationalism can be defined as a group of militant African American people who urge separatism from white people and the establishment of self-governing African American communities. Malcom X did not always favor King’s idea of nonviolence by taking up the slogan, “the ballot or the bullet”. Malcom X was criticized by the nonviolent group as being counter-productive towards their cause. Black nationalism urged that the present was the time for civil rights action, and its delay would mean its very end.
Tactics of the Chicano movement
The Chicano movement observed the techniques of the black power movement, and linked themselves to African American protests with the common goal of empowerment. It established racial identity as the principle means of self-conception and group empowerment. An example of would be the land grant movement, where mass occupations occurred, and the more violent tactic, of attempting to make citizens arrest for unruly and abusive government officials.
Tactics of the Native American Movement
A prime example of Native American tactics would be fish-ins. The term fish-in itself stemmed from the terminology used by African American protests, A fish-in was where illegal fishing occurred, in bodies of water that were legally restricted or banned for native Americans. This tactic harnessed the media as a way of publicly showing the Native American movements. Another tactic were occupations of famous sites such as the area of wounded knee, as well as land that was declared unfit for use, such as the island of Alcatraz. Finally, the American Indian Movement, (AID) provided a symbolic as well as organizational point for the Red Power movement to gather. It encouraged the news media, and voiced Native American social concerns. AIM hosted the event of the “Trail of broken treaties”, a caravan-like march that ended in Washington D.C, where there was a final occupation of government buildings.
Just as any other political group, the Civil Rights Movement had numerous branches. As civil rights activism spread, it became evident that its different branches had completely opposing viewpoints. For example, the branch lead by Martin Luther King Jr. stressed the employment of nonviolence, and the methods of direct action. As one of the most famous activities of the Civil Rights Movement, direct action can be defined as an activity undertaken by individuals, groups, or governments to achieve political, economic, or social goals outside of normal social or political channels. In Martin Luther King’s own words in ,Letters from Birmingham Jail, “The purpose of our direct action program is to create a situation so crisis packed, that it will inevitably open the door to negotiation”. King’s tactic for reform created a crisis, but in a nonviolent way. King’s tactic of direct action was indeed heavily debated. Many raised the question as to why King didn’t simply negotiate, instead of using sit-ins, and marches. He simply responded that negotiation was a goal, but must be achieved by creating a situation that could not be ignored.
Another branch of the Civil Rights Movement was lead by Malcom X, and favored black nationalism. Black nationalism can be defined as a group of militant African American people who urge separatism from white people and the establishment of self-governing African American communities. Malcom X did not always favor King’s idea of nonviolence by taking up the slogan, “the ballot or the bullet”. Malcom X was criticized by the nonviolent group as being counter-productive towards their cause. Black nationalism urged that the present was the time for civil rights action, and its delay would mean its very end.
Tactics of the Chicano movement
The Chicano movement observed the techniques of the black power movement, and linked themselves to African American protests with the common goal of empowerment. It established racial identity as the principle means of self-conception and group empowerment. An example of would be the land grant movement, where mass occupations occurred, and the more violent tactic, of attempting to make citizens arrest for unruly and abusive government officials.
Tactics of the Native American Movement
A prime example of Native American tactics would be fish-ins. The term fish-in itself stemmed from the terminology used by African American protests, A fish-in was where illegal fishing occurred, in bodies of water that were legally restricted or banned for native Americans. This tactic harnessed the media as a way of publicly showing the Native American movements. Another tactic were occupations of famous sites such as the area of wounded knee, as well as land that was declared unfit for use, such as the island of Alcatraz. Finally, the American Indian Movement, (AID) provided a symbolic as well as organizational point for the Red Power movement to gather. It encouraged the news media, and voiced Native American social concerns. AIM hosted the event of the “Trail of broken treaties”, a caravan-like march that ended in Washington D.C, where there was a final occupation of government buildings.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Events of The Civil Rights Movement
There was an astonishing number of events and movements of the pre-World War II decades that led to the Civil Rights Movement. A prime example would be the amount of lynchings that occurred during this time. In The Negro Holocaust, Robert Gibson states, “the lynching of black people in the southern sates became an institutionalized method used by whites to terrorize blacks and maintain white supremacy. The brutal acts of violence of lynchings helped to awaken several civil rights causes, including the NAACP. Much of their work was credited for the end of lynchings.
Another example of an event that led to the Civil Rights Movement would be the widespread race riots that seized the nation. Large scale interracial violence became an epidemic, as increased numbers of blacks migrated towards northern cities. The widespread violence created a black response that would change the nation. The African American community responded to white mob violence with organized non-violent protest. The protests created new civil rights groups, and furthermore, created a morally justifiable response to violence and oppression.
World War II also influenced and furthered the struggle for African American freedom even after its end. During the war, millions of men and women from different racial and ethnic minorities challenged America’s contradiction of the color lines. They labored earnestly during the war, and expected their labors to be recognized and rewarded by America. Instead, they found on their return, that America was still a place of segregation, and prejudice. It was this finding, that impelled African Americans to action against discrimination.
In addition, after World War II occurred, Americans were forced to look critically at the color lines of their own society, when compared with Hitler’s Nazism, and its ideology of Aryan racial supremacy. Gunnar Mydral’s An American Dilemma states, “Americans must apply the principle of democracy more explicitly towards race. Fascism and Nazism are based on a racial superiority dogma-not unlike the old hackneyed American caste theory-and they came to power by means of persecution and oppression. Therefore, Americans must stand before the whole world in support of racial tolerance and equality”. The famous case of Brown v. The Board of Education, ruled that separate educational facilities were inherently equal. While integration remained largely a court ruling on paper, segregation persisted as a reality in society. African Americans realized that change should be shifted towards the courts of their own communities. Just a short year after the Brown case, one of the most momentous stirrings for racial justice began on December 1, 1955, when a women by the name of Rosa Parks began her activism in civil rights protests. Her ultimate arrest was the cause of an explosive protest- The Montgomery bus boycott. A new generation was faced with its own struggle for liberation. It was what gave rise for the need of African Americans to stand and to take the responsibility of liberation into their own hands.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Nativism
The American Dictionary defines nativism as, “policy of favoring indigenous inhabitants: a policy, especially in the United States, of favoring the interests of the indigenous inhabitants of a country over those of immigrants”. Immigrant groups, were they European, Asian, Native American, or Mexican, all suffered various forms of Nativism, be it economic, political, or even cultural.
European immigrants
Economic nativism severely effected Irish Immigrants. The Irish were seen as disposable workers. They often were employed for hazardous jobs, because the death rate was so high that “Yankees” refused to do it. They were constantly exploited, and what is more, they were pit against other races. Nativism effected Irish immigrants in the form of politics, as white business owners pursued a strategy of divide-and-control between Irish and Chinese immigrants. For example, the Chinese were brought to work in competition with the Irish in the shoemaking industry. The two groups were set against one another in the interest of creating animosity and hatred between them. In addition, Irish Immigrants were set apart by their language and religion. Originally speaking Gaelic, they were set apart from whites as they had thick, and easily identifiable accents. Whites made the stereotype that thick accents was essentially equal to not maintaining the capacity for higher knowledge and learning. Furthermore, the religion of Irish immigrants, being primarily Catholicism, was used as a stigma to alienate the religion as barbarous, or savage, as it severely differs in principle from other branches of Christianity.
The second group of people that were influenced by nativism were the Jewish immigrants. Before their immigration to America, Jews had a long history of being set apart form European society, and being the target of social frustrations and brutal violence. Their persecution was continued in America. They were judged by their clother especially, which marked them as “greenhorns”. To dress as American people became a necessity to get a job. A political form of nativism came with colleges increasing their restrictions on Jewish enrollment, saying the “drove away the Gentiles”.
Mexican Immigrants
Nativism also effected Mexican Immigrants. Politically, they held the land of Texas, and regardless, white settlers came and began living there, while defying Mexican laws. Many settlers were slaveholders, and they were determined to defy the Mexican laws abolishing slavery. Settlers were encouraged to continue their efforts, in order to “Americanize” the territory, and gain the land underneath the United States. An anti vagrancy act was passed, with the basis being nativism, became known as, “The Greaser Act”. It defined vagrants as all persons who were commonly known as greasers, or the issue of Spanish or Indian blood, who were armed and not peaceable. It set apart Anglos from other ethnicities, as it specifically targeted those of Mexican descent. Culturally, Mexicans were unfamiliar with the English language, and because of this, fell prey to Anglo lawyers. This lead to their land claims being incredibly expensive, if indeed, they were verified, and lawyers then required that Mexicans pay up to a quarter of their land.
Chinese Immigrants
A political demonstration of nativism occurred with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Chinese workers became the targets of white labor resentment. This “ethnic antagonism” forced thousands of Chinese into self-employment. Nativism was used a tool to discriminate against the Chinese culturally. Political cartoons, featuring the Chinese style of dress, and the popular hairstyle of the Queue were used as reasons to mock the Chinese as uncivilized in the sense that they did not share the American sense of civilization.
Japanese Immigrants
Nativism influenced Japanese immigrants by the way of education. Even though Japanese Americans became very educated, they were rarely given opportunities for careers that had better pay, or required a large amount of education. An example of political nativism caem in the form of the Alien Land Law, which prohibited land ownership to “aliens ineligible for natural citizenship”.
Native Americans
Nativism was involved politically with the Native Americans, with the massacre at wounded knee. Native Americans were identified by their “ghost shirts“ , muslin clothes, decorated with religious symbols. Vastly different from their Caucasian counterparts, people assumed these ghost shirts were an act of rebellion, and of imminent violence. The ghost dancers were struck down because of their cultural dress and religion. Another example of political nativism came form the social engineering policies set up for the Native Americans. The government set up policies interfering with the managing of the welfare of their society. They strictly controlled the Indians, while giving more leniency with Caucasians.
European immigrants
Economic nativism severely effected Irish Immigrants. The Irish were seen as disposable workers. They often were employed for hazardous jobs, because the death rate was so high that “Yankees” refused to do it. They were constantly exploited, and what is more, they were pit against other races. Nativism effected Irish immigrants in the form of politics, as white business owners pursued a strategy of divide-and-control between Irish and Chinese immigrants. For example, the Chinese were brought to work in competition with the Irish in the shoemaking industry. The two groups were set against one another in the interest of creating animosity and hatred between them. In addition, Irish Immigrants were set apart by their language and religion. Originally speaking Gaelic, they were set apart from whites as they had thick, and easily identifiable accents. Whites made the stereotype that thick accents was essentially equal to not maintaining the capacity for higher knowledge and learning. Furthermore, the religion of Irish immigrants, being primarily Catholicism, was used as a stigma to alienate the religion as barbarous, or savage, as it severely differs in principle from other branches of Christianity.
The second group of people that were influenced by nativism were the Jewish immigrants. Before their immigration to America, Jews had a long history of being set apart form European society, and being the target of social frustrations and brutal violence. Their persecution was continued in America. They were judged by their clother especially, which marked them as “greenhorns”. To dress as American people became a necessity to get a job. A political form of nativism came with colleges increasing their restrictions on Jewish enrollment, saying the “drove away the Gentiles”.
Mexican Immigrants
Nativism also effected Mexican Immigrants. Politically, they held the land of Texas, and regardless, white settlers came and began living there, while defying Mexican laws. Many settlers were slaveholders, and they were determined to defy the Mexican laws abolishing slavery. Settlers were encouraged to continue their efforts, in order to “Americanize” the territory, and gain the land underneath the United States. An anti vagrancy act was passed, with the basis being nativism, became known as, “The Greaser Act”. It defined vagrants as all persons who were commonly known as greasers, or the issue of Spanish or Indian blood, who were armed and not peaceable. It set apart Anglos from other ethnicities, as it specifically targeted those of Mexican descent. Culturally, Mexicans were unfamiliar with the English language, and because of this, fell prey to Anglo lawyers. This lead to their land claims being incredibly expensive, if indeed, they were verified, and lawyers then required that Mexicans pay up to a quarter of their land.
Chinese Immigrants
A political demonstration of nativism occurred with the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Chinese workers became the targets of white labor resentment. This “ethnic antagonism” forced thousands of Chinese into self-employment. Nativism was used a tool to discriminate against the Chinese culturally. Political cartoons, featuring the Chinese style of dress, and the popular hairstyle of the Queue were used as reasons to mock the Chinese as uncivilized in the sense that they did not share the American sense of civilization.
Japanese Immigrants
Nativism influenced Japanese immigrants by the way of education. Even though Japanese Americans became very educated, they were rarely given opportunities for careers that had better pay, or required a large amount of education. An example of political nativism caem in the form of the Alien Land Law, which prohibited land ownership to “aliens ineligible for natural citizenship”.
Native Americans
Nativism was involved politically with the Native Americans, with the massacre at wounded knee. Native Americans were identified by their “ghost shirts“ , muslin clothes, decorated with religious symbols. Vastly different from their Caucasian counterparts, people assumed these ghost shirts were an act of rebellion, and of imminent violence. The ghost dancers were struck down because of their cultural dress and religion. Another example of political nativism came form the social engineering policies set up for the Native Americans. The government set up policies interfering with the managing of the welfare of their society. They strictly controlled the Indians, while giving more leniency with Caucasians.
Friday, July 9, 2010
The Formation of Race
Between 1600 and 1800 British settlers and Americans established belief and behavioral systems that separated people based on their place of origin and their phenotype. These systems were by no means created by chance or accident. Various texts, such as A Different Mirror, and Racial Formations clarify as to how those barriers and socially-constructed systems came into place.
The motivations for creating racial divisions are clearly defined in Takaki’s, A Different Mirror. As Takakai describes, “Although whites and blacks came from different shores, they shared the common feelings of fear and hostility at the egregious mistreatment they received”. It was by these shared feelings that they were united, in order to create a rebellion. After brutal fighting, the rebellion was eventually extinguished. However, the reality of class revolution had become painfully evident to the elite landholders. Their order of class would be in danger, as long as they relied on white labor.
It was the realization of additional imminent insurrections, and the fact that landholders were losing their economic advantages over white and black workers alike, that prompted them to organize society by class in addition to race. After Bacon’s rebellion, blacks were singled out as a cheaper labor source than whites. By isolating a workforce with legislation, the terms “white” and “black” became more defined in the eyes of the people as a cultural phenomena, rather than its true essence as a way for the greedy power elite to manipulate the lower class.
Yet another example, found in A Different Mirror, describes a cultural practice that legitimizes the creation of racial barriers. Culturally, the practice of viewing Native Americans as sub-human became a norm. In this belief, it was held that Native Americans simply were not fit to assimilate into society. This practice contributed to how Andrew Jackson and his troops rationalized the slaughter of the Creek tribe as “advancing civilization and progress”. It was these views that gave them a sense of moral justification for their brutality and created a sense of racialization for Native Americans.
The text of Racial Formations describes the legal codes put into place in order to create racial distinctions. In such a description, it is stated, “With slavery, a racially-based understanding of society was set in motion which resulted in the shaping of a specific racial identity not only for the slaves, but for the European settlers as well” This is evident in the legislation that was passed that addressed the “one-drop” rule, and banned interracial union. The one-drop rule states that mulattoes were classified as black, and therefore slaves, regardless of being fathered or mothered by whites. Racial identity in this case, was used to specify free, or slave, The ban on interracial union became a cultural taboo, that was said to separate and clarify racial ambiguity. However, in reality, it only served as a cultural police for furthering oppression and setting a “clear” example of what race was supposed to be. An example, that didn’t even exist in the times of indentured servitude, and was therefore created with the sole purpose of malicious intentions.
As proof that these barriers and distinctions of race are mere works of fiction, the very existence or acknowledgement of its definition did not exist in 1600. That alone is proof enough that their principles had to be thought of, and then put into practice, meaning, thought up by human beings in order to assert power over one another. The socio-historical meaning of race has evolved from its creation, its sum being legal codes, social and cultural practices, and the (even if brief) involvement of every single institution since.
The motivations for creating racial divisions are clearly defined in Takaki’s, A Different Mirror. As Takakai describes, “Although whites and blacks came from different shores, they shared the common feelings of fear and hostility at the egregious mistreatment they received”. It was by these shared feelings that they were united, in order to create a rebellion. After brutal fighting, the rebellion was eventually extinguished. However, the reality of class revolution had become painfully evident to the elite landholders. Their order of class would be in danger, as long as they relied on white labor.
It was the realization of additional imminent insurrections, and the fact that landholders were losing their economic advantages over white and black workers alike, that prompted them to organize society by class in addition to race. After Bacon’s rebellion, blacks were singled out as a cheaper labor source than whites. By isolating a workforce with legislation, the terms “white” and “black” became more defined in the eyes of the people as a cultural phenomena, rather than its true essence as a way for the greedy power elite to manipulate the lower class.
Yet another example, found in A Different Mirror, describes a cultural practice that legitimizes the creation of racial barriers. Culturally, the practice of viewing Native Americans as sub-human became a norm. In this belief, it was held that Native Americans simply were not fit to assimilate into society. This practice contributed to how Andrew Jackson and his troops rationalized the slaughter of the Creek tribe as “advancing civilization and progress”. It was these views that gave them a sense of moral justification for their brutality and created a sense of racialization for Native Americans.
The text of Racial Formations describes the legal codes put into place in order to create racial distinctions. In such a description, it is stated, “With slavery, a racially-based understanding of society was set in motion which resulted in the shaping of a specific racial identity not only for the slaves, but for the European settlers as well” This is evident in the legislation that was passed that addressed the “one-drop” rule, and banned interracial union. The one-drop rule states that mulattoes were classified as black, and therefore slaves, regardless of being fathered or mothered by whites. Racial identity in this case, was used to specify free, or slave, The ban on interracial union became a cultural taboo, that was said to separate and clarify racial ambiguity. However, in reality, it only served as a cultural police for furthering oppression and setting a “clear” example of what race was supposed to be. An example, that didn’t even exist in the times of indentured servitude, and was therefore created with the sole purpose of malicious intentions.
As proof that these barriers and distinctions of race are mere works of fiction, the very existence or acknowledgement of its definition did not exist in 1600. That alone is proof enough that their principles had to be thought of, and then put into practice, meaning, thought up by human beings in order to assert power over one another. The socio-historical meaning of race has evolved from its creation, its sum being legal codes, social and cultural practices, and the (even if brief) involvement of every single institution since.
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