Before viewing Episode Three: The House We Live In, please answer TWO of the following questions below:
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
> Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
> Define âracial preferences.â List a couple of current examples. Do the preferences you see in practice today tend to most benefit whites, Blacks, or others?
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I believe race affects peopleâs lives whether they know it or not. People are constantly judged by their appearances. Even things as subjective as whether theyâre attractive or not, their size, their age, their height, their hair. Race is just another criteria of that, their skin, their color, their accent. It is unfortunate but sometimes people are treated based on their looks and race. It may affect them when theyâre looking for a job or when theyâre simply making friends. I think we all do it. We naturally gravitate towards those who are more like us. The misconception is that those who look the most like us are the most similar. Even internally, I think that race affects us. For example, not too long ago I went to a rooftop lounge and 95% of the patrons were white. I never imagined that I would feel inferior as I’m generally an open minded person, however, I actually felt a little uncomfortable as though my status wasn’t high enough or I wasn’t rich enough or that OTHER people were judging me based on the fact that I wasn’t like them. But in fact, I was judging myself. Who knows if they really cared or not, but I made myself feel lesser.
> Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
I think that some places are still segregated because the idea of race has been so ingrained into society that people have somewhat accepted it. Internally, people have segregated themselves. They build communities of their own races and everyone thinks âmy race is better, my race is best.â Some people just find it easier to be in a community made of their race so that they donât have to face racism or discrimination on a daily basis. It could also be because of language and cultural reasons. Some people like and prefer to be in places where thereâs only or mostly their race. We almost unconsciously do it.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
No, I do not think that people today should be held accountable for past discrimination. They were not the ones that were discriminating therefore should not be blamed for it. It is not fair to make someone be held accountable for something they had no control of. On the other hand I think people are now responsible that they do not discriminate and do not let other discriminate.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race does affect my life. I constantly get asked what my race because people are not sure because I am mixed. People see i’m not that dark but i’m also not that light. It does not offend me but the question gets old after awhile. It also seems that society has assigned certain races to be involved or engaged in certain activities, so when I engage in one thing people say i’m “being white” but if it’s something else i’m “being black”. I realize that your race has nothing to do with what your preferences are or what activities you enjoy, but people seem to think so and I am guilty of doing this myself.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I don’t think race affect me in life no more because i got use to it. The reason why it don’t affect me because i feel when people judge me or something i would think it positive. Also I always think of my self as the same position as the others because we are all human begin.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
No I don’t think people should be held accountable for the pass discrimination because sometime they do not mean to discriminate others. Also I think we should blame the society because everyone just follows what other do because it would make them fit in.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Absolutely. It affects the way people see me. And to be honest, it probably affects the way I think about myself, even if I don’t realize it. I have had great interactions with some people that probably wouldn’t have spoken to me if I wasn’t latino. I’m sure it works the other way around as well. Even with one of my groups of friends, I am the “token spanish friend,” which they say totally in jest (and it’s funny to me), but it definitely wouldn’t be said if I was white. Thankfully, I haven’t been openly discriminated against.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I am 50/50 on this. Sometimes I think about slaves being promised to be able to keep the land they worked on. “40 Acres and a Mule.” And how they were never given the land. And for the slaves that did get land, it was given back to the slave owners subsequently. So, when it comes to “reparations” for slavery, I do think to an extent someone should be held accountable.
There is a lot of resentment for what happened in the past. And it has affected how we treat each other, even now. So in a way, everyone is accountable for the misdeeds of the past through how they treat each other in regards to racial bias. Hopefully, it is a chapter in history that can be laid to rest so we can move on from the topic of race and how it defines your present and future. I really believe, decades from now, when kids read history books, they’d think of us as ridiculous and primitive for using race as an excuse to hate on one another.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race definitely affects my life, in so many ways. People who are not of my race, has all these assumptions made to you just based on how you look and what color of your skin is. Such as, they see me as an Asian woman, oh easy, let’s just pick on her and tell her what to do because we are portrayed throughout history that we are not to say a single word if we are being told to do something, and to just do it. All these assumptions just makes people all asses to you. I don’t encounter it at school or at a professional environment, but in New York City itself, it is the most depressing city to live in. Every little thing is taken into consideration and by words of mouth, one will hate another race due to that individual’s opinion. For instance, Asians talking too loud on the train. So why must this be the problem? There are many other races that talks loudly on the train. Just cause they are speaking in another language loudly just annoys you? There are many more examples I can give of just how NYC peeps gets annoyed of one thing and then next thing you know that person’s opinion travelled to their family, then friends, and so forth.
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
There are too many stereotypes that I have heard about different racial groups. They mainly come from my family and friends. The good ol’ MTA has the best front row seats to seeing racial remarks done to others not of their own race, degrading and derogatory remarks made to another gender, and oh my favorite of all, those sexual wolf-whistling just cause a female, such as myself, decides to wear something super nice because I have a date with someone. Those are usually so fun. (Insert sarcasm).
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I know race affects my life on a daily basis. Because of my race if feel like I have to have this hard exterior to protect myself from discrimination. Do i encounter discrimination on a daily basis..no I do not but I feel like to deal with the eventuality of discrimination I need to always be on guard.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I do think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination because they have not learned from the mistakes of the past. If we learned from our past then racism would have been irradiated from our society.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
People often say that America is a land of opportunity and anyone can make it through hard work. I doubt that this saying is true because how hard you work, how much you sacrifice, the concept or race and its implications will always be on your way to prevent you from reaching your goals and achieving the highest aspirations which is really frustrating. Being said, race impacts people’s daily life in one way or another. Race affects negatively our daily life in a variety of domains: education, employment, access to healthcare needs and limits our social, economic and political power. Just because of the color of you skin , you are denied the least basic needs of a society. Because your name sound black, you are denied employment or others privileges such as elite colleges. I still remember being denied a promotion after I passed a test with the highest average just because
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
People often say that America is a land of opportunity and anyone can make it through hard work. I doubt that this saying is true because how hard you work, how much sacrifices you do, the concept or race and its implications will always be on your way to prevent you from reaching your goals and achieving you highest aspirations which is really frustrating. Being said, race impacts peopleâs daily life in one way or another. Race affects negatively our daily life in a variety of domains: education, employment, access to healthcare needs and limits our social, economic and political power. Just because of the color of you skin , you are denied the least basic needs of a society. Because your name sound black, you are denied what is called equal employment opportunity or others privileges such as elite colleges. I still remember being denied a promotion after I passed a test with the highest average just because the manager wanted another girl from her race to be considered for the position, so the pretext of denying me the promotion was that I was pregnant and was probably going to maternity leave anytime, which was still not making sense at all. Race does really impacts our daily life, but it will never stop me from pursuing my goals, because after all, we are all coming from the same ancestors, from the same roots.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
As long as race is going to be around, we are always going to hear stereotypes of the kind white are intelligent, rich, clean, superior and people of color are poor, dirty, not smart, burglars, drug dealers, criminals, etc… Unfortunately, media come to play a negative influence by portraying for example most of the main positive characters in movies and TV shows as being white and people of color are very often cast in low roles such as maid, gardener, gangster.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I’m fortunate to live in such a diverse city that discrimination isn’t something that is constantly present and experience in my life. My race isn’t something that I’m constantly aware of because of the way people act and respond towards me. However my race affect my life because it’s a main element of my identity and the person that I am. My race doesn’t negatively affect my life, I would say that it positively affects my life. I’m able to combine two cultures and create a life that is uniquely mine. My race defiantly affects my life because it’s the first thing that people see when they look at me. My race is something that could be seen in the food that I eat and the music that I listen to.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I believe that people should be held accountable for past discrimination if the are still expressing those discriminations today. If they themselves previously express discrimination in the pass, then they should also be held accountable. A person expressing discrimination doesn’t serve no good, it only prevents society in growing and advancing as a whole. Expressing discrimination only serves to counting a never ending cycle of hatred and negatively.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not?
If so, in what ways?
I cannot say it doesn’t affect my life because I have experienced discrimination in college. The professor treated me differently. I assigned all assignments and projects but the feedback was such a shame. I noticed I was the only Asian in class and throughout the semester I was mortified.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable
for past discrimination? Why or why not?
Realistically, people shouldn’t be held accountable for past discrimination because they are not the one who are responsible for past discrimination. It’s important how we perceive today’s racism.
>Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I think race affects everyone whether they show it or not. It can sometimes lead to stress like we saw in ‘When The Bough Breaks’ which can cause complications during pregnancy. I personally feel affected when I go to shop at certain stores that are mainly for white people, they look at me differently or even follow me around the store. This really affects me because although I am Hispanic, I do not fulfill the stereotype of being a thief. It really makes you feel bad about yourself and no one should feel that way.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I don’t think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination because maybe they weren’t as educated about race as people are today. We now know that there really is no genetic difference between races. So maybe we should encourage people to try and stop change the perception that race has created for each racial group.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I believe Race affects everyone’s life whether they are aware or not. Race does affect my life on a daily basis. I am Asian, born in the United States but don’t speak my native language. There are a few times I get ask for direction from other Asians because I am expected to speak the same language. The environment we grow up in and how we are raise are also attributed to race.
> Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
I believe some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated because they’ll not feel relieved if they are with other people of another race. They may also be looking for a stronger bond in a community and less confrontation with others. They’ll be able to relate more to those of the same race and less conflicts.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race does affect my life and I believe it affect everyone’s lives weather they know it or not. I can sometimes tell it affects the way some people look at me. Sometimes race can come into play when looking for a job or anything of that nature. Usually when people pronounce my name they usually think I’m some dude who probably doesn’t speak the language very well and are surprise when they hear me speak, Ive had this happen to me couple of times.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
Absolutely not, I believe that you should be held accountable for something that was seen as being normal hundreds of years ago. Most people were taught to discriminate from their parents and their parents were taught to discriminate from their parents. In society after seeing something repeatedly done over and over, after a while it becomes ingrained in our heads that this is seen as being normal and it only results from simply not being taught that just because you are sometimes taught certain things does not make it right. I truly believe that if we held every single person who has ever discriminated accountable then we would not be able to move forward as a society because it’s easier to point the finger and bring someone down instead of explaining why something is wrong.
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
One stereotype I have heard many times in my life is that because I am white I am rich. In high school I would hear that a lot and when I worked at Macy’s I would hear it a lot as well. Coworkers would ask me “why are you working here, you’re white so you must be rich.” And while I wish that I was in fact rich that is not the case at all. I think this stereotype comes from the fact that in the past the wealthy in this country were predominantly white.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
No, I do not think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination. I think that people should only be held accountable for their actions, not the actions of others. For example if someone’s ancestors were at one time slave holders that person should not be held responsible for their ancestors discrimination. They had no control over their ancestors actions and most likely never met these ancestors that held slaves. A person’s current beliefs should be what they are held accountable for, not for the beliefs and actions of those in their family or in their past.
Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
Some neighborhoods are still segregated mostly because people who believe they are the same race will try to stick together. They will rent or buy in the same area, go to the same schools, work in the same buildings and go to the same churches. There is also the notion of people raising rent prices so that disadvantaged people and minorities cannot afford to live there, forcing them out or somewhere else.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I do not think people under a certain age should be held accountable for past discrimination. They grow up completely different than people did 50 or 60 years ago, with different laws, and social standards. If this was the case todays German youth would still be trying to atone for the Holocaust, aparthied in south africa and we would still be atoning for slavery. But the younger generation had nothing to do with it, no choice in that it happened and no way to go back in time and prevent it. Instead of making amends we have the social responsibility to make sure it doesn’t happen again, and to eradicate the way of thinking that allowed it.
Yes race does impact your life on a daily basis. Race is all around and it is used to pre-judge and steriotype all individuals. People assume because you have a certain skin color or are associated with a certain ethnicity you act or are supposed to be a certain way. I worked for the state department of correction and the exposure to the ignorance of racism was disgusting. I had to train with and defend people who felt like because I was African American I would have a nasty attitude, they felt like I shouldn’t have been there because they thought I wouldn’t be able to handle the work some even made jokes openly about how all black people eat chicken and drink grape soda. I think the worst was I came in for an assignment and the Sergent had the nerve to ask me if I was sure my last name was mine. I believe some individuals also use race when they are offering jobs and in the hiring process and it sometimes discourages me from applying to jobs if I see the environment isn’t mixed I feel like I have a lesser chance of being hired.
> Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
I think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated because it is more comfortable to be with their own group. After the Civil Rights Act groups of individuals were still facing racial discrimination and I think that is the reason for the segregation to continue. They wouldnât have to worry about facing discrimination.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination. They need to learn from their past in order to move forward and not repeat their past. It is the hates in society that fuel the constant discrimination and being held accountable is a good place to start in preventing more discrimination.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race does affect my life, the way It does is more subtle because I think that It could be for the worse.
I think an example I can remember where race has affected my life was when I used to apply for scholarships, a lot of times I would lose a scholarship simply because I was Hispanic and there wouldnât be many opportunities to fulfill the requirements. If you look now a days there a very few economic opportunities for Hispanic people, it is very difficult for someone to progress in a society which looks at you one way but also speaks itself the other way. Why do is say that the reason I say it is because I have also been segregated from growing in a Company simply because I was Hispanic. Iâve worked with Jewish people, so for example I wouldnât be a part of their community and even though I had great talent, there was no opportunity for job growth. That is one of the reasons why I left and found a better job.
Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
Today, technically no one can deny you education in a place which is open to the public. However, we can still see schools and neighborhoods where the majority of people have divided themselves into their own culture. I think today schools continue to be segregated simply because the cost of education is high and also because acceptance to these schools is difficult if you are not of a certain culture. Now, since a lot of neighborhoods are also rich where new businesses thrive, the majority of people also choose to avoid renting real state if the neighborhood is high on crime. Technically, they automatically segregate a whole community because of the mistakes of a few; and so now days you can find cheap apartments, and cheap houses where the crime rate is high.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
There are many stereotype about my race such as “All Asians look alike” and “Youâre Asian! You got to be a Math genius” I believe it came from being ignorant and making prejudgment.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I don’t think people today should not be held accountable for past discrimination because past sins should not carry over to new generation. Past people are not open minded like we are now and less educated. So, people should only be held accountable for the action they commit now.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Yes race does affect my life. The color of my skin is not light enough, my hair is not blond, I am not thin enough, my English is not fluent enough, the food that I eat is not American. I am judged by the way that I look, the way that I carry about myself. I feel that I am never good enough to be identified as a person, an individual. I think some people are always laughing at me because I don’t fit in. My husband was not promoted, does not get the pay, is not respected by the way he speaks and made to think he does not know very much even though he has the education for that particular job. He was passed for a promotion which was given to a lighter person in color and less educated.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
No the person who did the crime should do the time. Although the way those people thought at the time has been taught to their children and grand kids. I think most people are more aware what was done years ago. I think we should keep reminding them of the damage that was done in our lives. I think people who were treated unfairly or racially discriminated against need to be recompensed for the effect, hurt, pain and damage in their lives. Today we have a black president, who made history, we have come a long way. President Obama would not be president if some white people did not vote for him. We need to consider that not all white people think the same today as was in those times. We need to remember that President Kennedy died also for the black people and he was white. But the people who ill treated, hurt and cause pain to people of color should be tried for their crimes and pay the price legally. We have to remember that one reason some people came to America was for religious freedom. I strongly believe in God and Justice.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
not really since i grew up here you can say i’m more Americanized and i believe people who grew up here more diverse than the traditional ones. People who immigrated to recently or been here for not too long would think differently.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
well there is a bunch stereotypes i hear all the time even now in classes. for one…everyone thinks Asians like math and are very good in math…thats not true because i dislike math i rather learn about history than deal with numbers and i know a lot of my other Asian friends who dislike math as well.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
yes, in some type of ways especially when i go to a place that is dominantly white, like in the neighborhood where i live. In the stores or supermarkets people in there mostly pay attention to me because i am black. they might think that i’m a theft but that does not affect me. I remember where i used to live in GA, i worked in a hospital any time i spoke to a white folk the first answer was “what “because of my accent but for me their accent is awkward as well.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
many like white people are smart ,rich, good people . Asians are good in math , they look alike , respectful. black are pedophile , burglar, not respectful, poor , not trustworthy. like recently there is an hospital in Auckland county upstate NY , there are opportunities for doctors, nurses, housekeeping, accountant stated that all nations can apply except Haitian. even someone in the group can stereotype against the same group. I have seen black that don’t want to rent their home to a black because they don’t pay rent. It’ s all over.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race does affect my life. It appears mostly during the workplace where judgments about black people are usually stereotypical and driven towards me. Itâs usually a cultural stereotype such as the fried-chicken, or watermelons, or that black people are never on time. Being on time is an issue most people have to deal with, and it shouldnât be just limited to black people. If not at work it subtly happens when Iâm in crowded areas or tight spaces where white people will clutch their belongings a little tighter. They make it very obvious and it hurts a little on the inside.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I donât think people should be held for past discrimination but I do feel that the past should never be forgotten. It should be used as a reminder as to where to go in the future and how we should treat other people equally. The people living now canât and shouldnât be held accountable for the decisions of their ancestors, but they can recognize what they did and make changes now so that future generations will benefit.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Yes race affects everyoneâs life in different ways. People will always focus on the way you look the language you speak if you are short tall and the color of your skin. People always ask me where I am from some say that I look Spanish but from two Spanish countries. Based on my race I see a lot of people that ask me if I was born here when I tell them no they get surprise and say I look like a Mexican American. I am very offended because they think a immigrant should have a darker skin complexion and should not be in college and should be working in low paid jobs doing a lot of maintenance work.
Define âracial preferences.â List a couple of current examples. Do the preferences you see in practice today tend to most benefit whites, Blacks, or others?
Racial preferences are still present today in society. I am actually going through a situation where I am starting to see this. My new assistant general manager is new at my job and he is white. We currently need more people to work the front desk; so far all the new hired employees are all white. Itâs been three weeks and we need a front desk manager for the morning, I applied and so did another co-worker who is from a Spanish background. We havenât heard back from the AGM but he did say that he would like one of the new white girls that he hired to be the front desk manager. Not only did he prefer them but every time they do something wrong or come late to work or call out of work on the same day he doesnât really make it a big deal. I see a lot of preference towards these girl by the AGM based on their race. They are white like him. In the company that I work for you see white people in suits from corporate coming to work out, the maintenance team in all clubs are Spanish. They are always looked down and always treated bad. My AGM is used to this and he feels like Spanish should stay at that level and not continue growing in the business, based on the preferences I see that he prefers white people working for him in the front desk and Spanish people should stay at a certain low level. It is unfair how people think this way we are all human and we have great capacity in achieving our goals and its unfair that based on what people usually see our race do they think we should all stay at that level and not succeed like the âwhite raceâ.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race works in the background and can affect your life without you knowing. I believe it affects my life without me knowing because i have not directly been a victim in a situation that i can recall, but maybe it has stopped me from getting a job that i wanted.
> Forty years ago, the Civil Rights Act declared that forced racial segregation was illegal. In light of this, why do you think some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated?
Racial segregation became illegal, but that doesn’t stop the value of these places from decreasing when non-white people are included. Even though people may not hate or dislike non whites, they love money more and would do anything to not lose money. Many believe the values of neighborhoods, school, and workplaces to stay the same or increase when they are fully white which is one of the reasons these places are still segregated. Its not a direct factor of racism for most, but it still contributes to the race umbrella.
> Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
– I believe that race can effect your life because many people still have there own thoughts about racial groups. There are races that get more job opportunities than others, races that get paid more that others, races that are seen as getting better education then others. There will always be people who have there preconceived notion of other races based on what they’ve learned from others.
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
– Some racial stereotypes I’ve heard are that blacks are better at basketball, Asians are better at everything academically, especially math, Hispanics are hard workers. These just come from people teaching others how to judge different races, its a circle of incorrect knowledge.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
Personally, I do not think that people should be held accountable for past discrimination. The main reason for this is because many of the people being blamed in society for racism are being held accountable for an atrocity that hey did not commit. In my life there have ben plenty of times where people have accused me of racism simply because I do not fit into any minority when the truth of the fact is that I do not discriminate against anyone. It is unfair that people are being blamed for the sins of their forefathers.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
i have heard people say that African american people cant swim, i think stereotypes comes from what some one saw at one moment in time and then they label it for everyone that looks or have similar skin tone to the original person.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
yes, race affects my life because sometimes you cant do one thing with out someone mentioning something negative about a race.