YOU'RE "RACIST"

In my opinion and from understanding, racism still exists regardless an individual identify or acknowledge himself or herself as a racist. I believe there is racism within everyone, to a degree. There is a misconception in my opinion how individuals identify what racism may be; the act of antagonistic discrimination towards a person of color is definitely racism, but unfortunately this is only one form of racism. The many who identify themselves as a non-racist has a narrow grasp of what racism and being a racist is because there are many forms of racism. A person who might not act in any form of hostilely to another person of color, but instead are capable to appreciate different privileges on the basis of skin color knowingly or not, they are systematically a racist. Racism continues to exist because there still is a hierarchy of power and a difference in privileges scattered among the populations on the basis of pigmentation. Although individuals may not identify themselves as a racist in any form or shape, there will always be systematic order of power and discrimination building silent animosity; racism exist because of this concept not whether a person identify or associate themselves as a racist.

Commentators’ speculated and think that race does not matter in the United States anymore because of the election of Obama. The election of President Obama is undoubtedly a huge accomplished milestone in America’s history, but it does not mean that we are now in an era of post-racial. The reason that commentators claimed we are now post-racial is because President Obama, a person of African decent has been for the first time elected for presidency. Commentators used the election of Obama as an example of post-racial stating now, “Race is important but not a barrier” in the United States. Dr. Apollon argues that the election of President Obama does not mean racism is dead, I agree with him. Dr. Apollon points out that President Obama won the election despite the racial attack and fear, and built a massive Grassroots movement changing disastrous rule. President Obama was able to overcome visual bigotries but there is more to do until the United States truly become post-racial.

If I was to being conversing with a friend of mine in regards of the class discussion involving white privilege and they were to say, “Oh, I don’t see color, I just see people individually.” I would honestly tell them, “get real the only way a person doesn’t see color is if they are color blind.”

      

-422W 

White Lies

I believe that the artist illustrated an intentional sarcasm of Caucasians reasoning to defend white privileges; along with the play on words with the title, White Lies. The statement made by the cartoon characters are “lies” because their statements are made from a single point of view that have masked the subtle dominance of white supremacy. The characters are exploiting the common justification of Caucasians reasoning to defend that there is no advantage or difference among whites and other race and/or ethnicity. It clear, there’s a hierarchy of power with a stratified distribution of advantages and privileges among the population on the basis of being “different.” Since the white characters did not acknowledge that there’s a difference in equality among the populations; they’re telling “white lies” that have been used to mask and deflect criticism among Caucasians.   

McIntosh argues that "...obliviousness about white advantage, like obliviousness about male advantage it kept strongly acculturated in the United States so as to maintain the myth of meritocracy, the myth that democratic choice is equally available to all. Keeping most people unaware of the freedom of confident action is there for just a small number of people props up those in power, and serves to keep power in the hands of the same groups that have most of it already" (298). I agree with McIntosh, to my understanding that there are differences in advantages among different populations. Although this concept may be obvious, if the recognition of white privilege/advantage is acknowledged in the United States it would shatter the ideology of meritocracy. The myth of meritocracy, in a more simplified way, states that regardless of race and ethnicity every individual should have equal opportunity for success in the U.S., with hard work and determination of course. Exposing the myth of meritocracy to the unaware population may cause a revolution to challenge the systemic hierarchy and complication for the government.   

Jon Scalzi’s analogy “game of life” is useful to help understand the concept of reverse racism. The analogy explains how each individual regardless of race or ethnicity will go through the same process in life, but illuminates that there is a difference in difficulty in the experience of life.

-370W

DIFFERENTIATING

According to the article, Ethnicity & the boundaries of race: rereading Directive 15, Hattam suggests, “ I think we should remove the formal distinction between race and ethnicity from the federal classification system, but we must also remain alert to, and seek to change, the complex ways in which ethnic privilege has long been secured by defining ethnicity against race.” I agree with Hattam suggestion. In the article, she discusses the issues of Directive 15 of standardizing racial and ethnic categories in the Census conducted for the government statistics. In my opinion, Hattam believes that we should eliminate the sharp distinction of what may be considered as a race and ethnicity, but we have to do more than just eliminate the distinction of the two terms. We also must acknowledge and recognize the complexity of the different degrees of privileges among groups-to-groups on basis of race and ethnicity in society. Then we should evaluate the situation as whole and find an alternative way to help bring equality of privilege that is not on basis of where within the system you are categorized in.

In the reading, The Latino Imaginary, there were three approaches that were suggested to understanding the Latino community. First, the demographic approach suggests that the establishment of the people existence is on the basis of numerical counting. Measuring the diversity of community as one, “count them, therefore they are”. The second approach is the analytical view; it recognizes the multiplicity of Latino community and tires to differentiating with correct terms of labeling. Lastly the imaginary view, it is how an individual self-identify themselves regardless of others perspective/belief. It is important to understand and look at the community with these three methods. Although each method alone does not give us an accurate account of the Latino community it may help enlighten the limitation and issues of each viewpoint. More importantly, aside from the seeing the limitation and issues, the three approaches shines a light in understanding the Latino community of how there are misrepresentation of the community as a whole. Also, the three methods illustrate that there is no one single approach that is will help define and understand the Latino community indefinitely; instead we must view the community from an array of approaches.

 -367W

The Differences

            I made my own personal list of what I consider as major ethnicities and major races in the United States; I compared my list to the U.S. Census. There were slight differences between the two lists; I noticed that I had dramatically more ethnicities and races listed as an option for individuals to associate with. The major difference between my list of ethnicities and races compared to the Census was that I did not have an “Other Asian” category for individuals to check mark and fill in their ethnicity below in given space available. I listed each respected ethnicity and/or race separately instead of bundling different population into one single option, to be labeled as “OTHER of…” I believe the reason why there are differences between my list of race and ethnicity compared to the U.S. Census is because we have different opinions and views of recognizing the diverse races and ethnicities that exist, and because of the different perspectives the acknowledgement and recognition of the “other” population list will vary between people.

            When I was asked to fill out the U.S. Census, I marked first on the list, “No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.” Then I selected “Other Asian” and filled in at bottom given space Cambodian. It wasn’t really difficult for me to fill out.

            I personally believe that the Census has a huge influence on the racial and ethnic categories that we use on an everyday basis. The Census shows the populations who are acknowledge as a race or ethnicity and the population has no other options given but to accept or omitting the survey. If your ethnicity or race is not listed as an option to check off, than you have to accept that you are just “some other race” and then you are to pencil in the declare ethnicity or race you identify with.  With the general population filling out the Census, we collectively accept the Census list of acknowledged/recognized races and ethnicities and ignore those are not listed as “others”. The influence that the Census has on ethnic categories that we used everyday is by giving us only a select amount of options of acknowledged races and ethnic group and labeling those that are not others.