Empty Assistance

The usage of intersectional analysis helps illustrate core issues in understanding the phenomenon of domestic violence. Intersectional analysis exposes the “empty” gestures of help from shelters to the public and brings awareness to the public audiences of what must and needs to be done to fix the structural system that is intended to help victims of domestic violence. Issues of domestic violence commonly are surrounded around women whom are mentally/physically harmed by their male companion. Intersectional analysis shows that the issue of domestic violence goes beyond the extent of the battered and batterer, but it is important to recognize that domestic violence is not limited to only male battering their female companion. One issue that is rarely recognize in regards of domestic violence that needs to be address that intersectional analysis points out, men may also be the victim and women in turn are the batterer. Furthermore, in my opinion the major concern that must be address is the limitation of assistance for victims of color. Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color by Kimberle Chenshaw illustrates the issue of the heartless consideration for domestic violence victims of color. The article gave a true heart-breaking story about a Latina woman along with her young child who went to seek help at a woman’s shelter; an attempt to leave her violent husband whom threatens her life, but sadly was turned away by the shelter leaving her exposed to more violence. She was left frightened to roam the street with her child by her side; she made several attempts to seek help but was left helpless and mugged in the emotionless night twice! After heavily pressure from outside sources and a long agonizing wait the misfortunate mother and child finally have a light of hope, the shelter finally made an exception to accept them, but they are now nowhere to be found. The reason why the shelter at first and firmly would not accept the mother and child was because the victim spoke limited English. There were no translator available and the shelter wouldn’t allow her son to help translate. There was no consideration for this woman/mother/victim safety, the shelter rejected solely on the basis on her inability to communicate in English. It was extremely shocking to hear that woman’s shelter are selective when deciding who they assist, and denied to help because of a language barrier. I believe we do not hear more examples of such infraction because the view of domestic violence is narrowly viewed and there are no consideration given to people of color who are exposed such hardship. The example given in Chenshaw article demonstrates why we are not more informed because these women like the Latina mother and child, they just disappear. The first thing that I would recommend to help improve domestic violence services is to reanalyze the structural standard that is used to accept women in the shelter. There are many issues that need to be address, such as the language barrier preventing communication and reevaluating the differences of domestic violence among different discourse communities. Reassessing the standards and differences among people of color will help bring awareness of the need for change that must be done in regards of domestic violence services to better serve the public, but more awareness is only one step of many that needs to be taken to help improve the service.

-564 W 

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