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?
(2)
I believe that some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated for a number of reasons such as stereotyping, being looked on as a minority group and racial profiling. If people consider themselves of a certain class that’s on another level than others then they might not want to interact with those in lower classes, this can set up segregation in various places. Also races tend to stick with their own which is why sometimes you tend to see a certain set of people together.
(4)
I do not believe that people today should be held accountable for past discrimination because each person today is responsible for himself/herself. Each person should be aware of the consequences of discrimination based on the decision that each individual makes.
2. I believe neighborhoods, schools and workplaces are still segregated because of racial segregation based on location. For example, an individual living in Midtown Manhattan, an area of reputable infrastructure, skyscrapers soaring high, with people in suits roaming the streets cannot be put on the same class scale as some places like the Bronx or Brooklyn. This difference in location typically says much about social status of individuals. Rent is typically more expensive, schools are more reputable, and there are better paying jobs in Manhattan than in areas that are mostly ruled by the minority demographic. This tells us that people in certain areas can have better education and jobs than others. I don’t know why this is exactly, but I believe ethnic groups tend to remain in the same areas and there is somewhat of a similarity within the individuals in these communities. But for some reason, we are all segregated because of social class.
4. People today should not be held accountable for past discrimination because time is very different now. Discrimination was stemmed from ignorance and following that path of logic now is absurd because no matter where people come from, everyone can achieve whatever they want. No “race” is better than any other. We all have the same ability to achieve and succeed.
Liz Cardenas
May 1, 2016
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways? I donât feel that race has affected my life in anyway although I have seen other people suffered from it for example Mexican immigrants in which I do get emotional due to the fact that they are treated unfair. So even though I havenât face any racism myself I do get upset when others go through this.
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from? Asians are excellent in math ! or Black Americans are less educated , Mexicans have a lots of children and so on. I think they are made up by people based on what they see on media such as TV news , friends, or family members.
2) Yes there are some neighborhoods, schools and workplaces that are still segregated. I think today the segregation in America will be most likely in the workplace or in healthcare where whites and Blacks are treated differently. In the past there was segregation where only Whites were allowed to ride the buses or sit and Blacks were only allowed to either go sit at the very back of the bus or werenât allowed in the bus. They were segregated. I donât see that this extremism exists at the moment however, there are still places like workplace where there will be people that are not benefited or called for an interview based on their racial category. Also, there are instances today that if itâs Brooklyn then itâs most likely that Blacks live there and regarded as if itâs their area or if itâs Queens then itâs the area of people of color or if itâs in the city then itâs the area of mostly likely Americans. I think based on these specific areas are also the requirements of the jobs and the job preferences for example language can be preference of the specific area. Nevertheless, thatâs how I believe we are still somehow segregated based on neighborhoods and workplace.
4) Yes I think people should be held accountable for past discrimination. This is because I believe that it was totally wrong to judge the people by their color or appearance. I think all humans have same feelings, same blood color so they should have the same rights. If people were treated or discriminated the same way they discriminated others then they would have understood how it would have been like to be one of them so I believe it is important to be held accountable.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Currently race does affect my life, specifically in my work place. All of my coworkers there have tanned skin and black hair and the manager there assumes that because we have these traits we are all Mexican. He treats us unfairly. He assumes that because we are “tanned wet backs” that we should work extremely hard and long hours and do everything he pleases. This is insulting because we should not be treated unfairly we are all human. I am an American girl raised by Mexican parents, and this gets me extremely angry because I am seeing first hand what most if not all Mexican immigrants go through.
> What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
I have heard many stereotypes. My own manager says that all Mexican women have 10 kids and all Mexican men are disgusting because they sleep with prostitutes. I have heard from many people that Ecuadorians have big noses and they are all cheap. I have heard a lot of white people refer to the entire Latino community as Mexicans. I believe that many people think it is okay to repeat these stereotypes because it is all over social media. Most stereotypes are insulting.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Race does not affect my life but there has been several times that people would look and treat me differently. For example, going to Bloomingdales sales persons would not give me the same attention in comparison to a white person. I don’t take it personal and it doesn’t affect my life but it is unfair how people can be mistreated by their appearance.
> Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
I don’t think anyone should be held accountable for past discrimination because the past should remain in the past and there is no need to blame people for what they believed was right back then. One person started discriminating and the rest followed, everyone is responsible for what they believe, hear, and see
1) Yes, race does affect our lives. Even now, 2016 we still have to put in our race for college applications, job applications and we still ask people what nationality they are from. And by asking these questions we judge people. We say that this certain racial group is smart, or not trustworthy, poor, and much more. Basically, this is the same as judging a book by its cover, we stereotype everyone based on their racial group and it’s not fair.
3) As I’ve mentioned in my previous answer, there is soo many different stereotypes about different racial groups, such as Asians are smart, Hispanics have too many children, blacks are bad and poor, Jewish people are rich and selfish and Muslims are terrorists. These stereotypes come from people who are unaware of people and uneducated on this matter. because we judge people by generalizing which is not fair because everyone is different and has a different story.
Race has affected my life. Working in retail watching people trying to push their preconceived notations on my appearance is hilarious. When I played soccer and would spend countless hours in the sun my skin was much better darker and I would get mistaken for Guyanese. During the winter when the tan fads away I get middle eastern, Hawaiian, Somoan, Spanish and now with the beard I usually get middle eastern. So instead of just taking whatever stereotype that just Hispanic or Latino Americans would get I get a little bit of everything.
I think accountability is leaning towards the harsher side. I think that nothing should be sugar coated and there should be respect of things that have transpired in our nation but at the same time the white population walking around today were not around for slavery. So what I would ask for is acknowledgment and growth. Accountability sounds like a punishment needs to hashed out and an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. Since we were the creatures that we’re giving the ability to think beyond what we are I expect this growth as a nation and for us to move forward together rather than point fingers and continue arguments.
2) 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 the neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces are segregated because of a race, discrimination, and religion. There are still people living in the world that do not want to change their culture and way of life style they living in. For example, letâs take an example of Jewish I know areas near my work place where 99% of majority are Jewish. They have their own school, neighborhood, and even the grocery stores. You have to be rich to own a house on that area, and taxes are high. Same thing can be seen with different minority groups such as Asians or several others. Some people feel comfortable with their own group of people because of language, food and culture etc.
4) Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
People today should not be held accountable for past discrimination. The world we are living in now are totally different than the past. People are more educated, they know the difference between humanity and inhumanity. There is an interesting âFive fingers are not equalâ which means not everybody is the same as their ancestors. People today should only be responsible for their own deeds. Everybody is equal and should be treated equally, no matter what races they are belong to. If people today are being treated based on their past then there will be no peace in this world. There will be fights between every racial groups. To prevent form these things to occur we must no treat and judge others based on their past discrimination.
Q.1 Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Yes, race has an effect on my life in many ways. Race is defined as âbroad division of people based on their biological characteristic such as skin color, color of hair and facial features.â In todayâs society, humans are constantly judged by their appearances. We tend to give importance to a person of certain age, hair, skin color and height.
Race plays a role in our daily lives, whether itâs looking for a job or simply making friends. Humans gravitate towards those who have similar background as us. For instance, when I first came to the United States, I went to flushing with my family and I noticed that the only people I saw there were Asians, which made me think if someone is Chinese, they will feel more comfortable with Chinese friends than any other race. A big reason behind this is that most of the time they have a language barrier which might hold them back. People from China prefer to live in flushing since their community people have been living there for many years. In addition, I feel that those of similar background to me tend to approach me more in a friendly way. For instance, the place where I work, when any customer comes who belongs to India, Pakistan, they feel more comfortable asking for help rather than going to someone else who doesnât look me. Recently there was one person who was not able to communicate in English as a result, my manager called me on the mic in order for me to assist him since I can speak his language too.
Q.4 Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
An individual should not be held accountable for past discrimination, because people change according to present. For example, in the early 1990s, being gay was taboo and society would look down on an individual. Now in the present day society is more open to individuals that are gay and even the one that where criticizing individuals that where gay they are the same on that are giving and open arms. Not because someone was ignorant in the being does not mean that they cannot change therefore I donât think that one should be charged for past discrimination they were just ignorant about the situation in the time being.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Racial discrimination is something that has been going on in this country for as long as it has come into existence. People tend to treat others differently based on who they are, their background, their mother tongue and the way they look. America is known as the melting pot of cultures yet we see segregated communities and injustice against the minorities. People in America are in a constant state of Xenophobia. The fear of the unknown is so overpowering that we seek comfort in stereotypes and use them as a base to discriminate against a certain race. A race is something that affects people in daily lives whether it’s in school or at a job. People tend to gravitate towards their own people as it is easier to understand their point of view which makes them feel comfortable. When I first came to America and started high school, my eyes instantly looked to see if there were people from my own country. The idea of having someone who shares the same values as you make it easier to build a connection and it also makes it easier for you to trust them.
Do you think people today should be held accountable for past discrimination? Why or why not?
People today have come a long way from their past therefore, they should not be held accountable for past discrimination. Everyone has their own say and nobody else should be blamed for the actions of the others. In the past, people were ignorant and uneducated about the matter, therefore, they believed whatever they were feed but in today’s world people are well aware of these stereotypes. Some people still stick to those stereotypes but they are just living in the past. I believe people should be held accountable for what they not and not for what their ancestors did.
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, and the color of your skin. People always ask me about my race, ethnicity, religion… As a white person, when I tell people I’m 100% African they look at me at a confused way. ” How can you be African and white?!”. Also, people get surprised when they find out I’m Muslim. However, I don’t really get offended. My answer is always “Africa is a place not a color, and Islam is a faith not an appearance”
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, they should not be blamed for it. It is not fair to make someone be held accountable for something they had no control of.
1.Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I do believe race affects my life for the fact that because of race I am treated and looked a different way. In the society we live people can only see “race” as in skin color, eye color, hair and facial features and assume you are from a certain place and treat you different. For example there was one time I went with my mom to get our health insurances, we had to get certain paper work sign and were stuck in a certain portion of the paper work, I remember asking for help and a certain person who work there was not paying attention to me but helped the next person who was white. Finally after bothering until they actually helped us. It felt i wasn’t even there. That just prove that certain races have to work harder because it unfair how people can be discriminate and mistreated over race.
3.What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
I have heard and seen stereotypes about different racial groups. I’ve have seen people say it under their breathe certain stereotypes, I’ve heard that Asian are good at math, Mexicans are lazy and come to America illegally, All Jews are greedy and African Americans are good basketball. These stereotypes come people who judge people, without getting to know them and are not educated so assume what they think about people are right. This is injustice because these stereotypes are categorizing racial groups and making people believe there true, which is wrong because we are all created equally and should not be judge or stereotype over race.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Yes and No. I was brought up to treat everyone with the same respect no matter what the color of their skin. My family is a mixed family with more than 1 culture. But race does affect my life on how other people treat me who are from a different culture. People has a tendency to judge you because of your race and not your personality. With the job market some people do not get the chance for an interview because of their name. You can not name yourself and it is unfair to judge especially if you meet all the requirements.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
Stereotypes comes from a person seeing 1 type of race during an act and assuming everyone of the race does it as well. Stereotypes is a form of a rumor going bad. Example: A Stereotype of African American people is that every black person likes to eat Fried Chicken and Watermelon. I am a African American and I dislike Watermelon. Every stereotype I have ever heard was from word of mouth from other people. with Stereotypes it is funny to actually see the race act out the rumor but that is with anybody. I know plenty of other races who like Watermelon not only African Americans. Another Stereotype I have heard was Mexicans are alcoholics. Every culture celebrate holidays differently and just because they drink does not make them a drunk.
2) Although segregation legally ended, many people remained where they were. Despite declaring discrimination was illegal, there were few opportunities for people of color to find high paying jobs. Since there was almost no economic equality, certain races remained in their segregated neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces. Furthermore people wanted to remain in their cultural neighborhoods, stay close to family and friends.
Â
4) No, I do not believe people should be held accountable for past discrimination. People who have been historically discriminated against have received fewer opportunities in life. Although it would be hard to hold privileged people accountable, instead we can give more opportunities to those who are not privileged. I feel my generation is moving forward with eliminating discrimination. If we try to hold people today accountable for older generations mistakes, instead of going forward we would be turning backwards as a society.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
In my opinion race can affect not only my life, but everyone else as well because we all have a difference of opinion on the racial groups. For example, there are some races that get more job opportunities than others, races that get paid more than others, and races that are seen as getting better education than others. There is always that preconceived notion that people have about other races.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
Some of which are that all white folks are good people, wealthy. Asians are good academically, specifically math and science. Blacks are poor and not trustworthy. This is just a circle of incorrect knowledge.
Question 1: Yes, I believe race affects my life and also those around me. Being a Muslim here in the United States, it had been rather tough ever since the 9/11 attacks. Discrimination against the Muslim people have increased since then. The fear of terror attacks has been instilled in the minds of all Americans. Every time there is a terror threat and bombings, immediately people think of Muslims. Terrorism means threats made to the country not only Muslims yet our country portrays Muslims as the prime definition as a terrorist.
Question 4: I donât think people should be held accountable for past discrimination. I do oppose racial discrimination but times have changed and people have changed. Before society was less strict against racism and it allowed a lot to occur. Since they are stricter now, I believe its fair to hold people accountable today for their racial slur and actions. People flow with society and how things are systemized. Racism was everywhere before and now itâs punishable. Racism is wrong all the time whether its past or present but our society has a big effect on that. For example slavery has been abolished, and so is segregation. Society thinks positive and equality and there should be no excuse for people to be a racist.
1. Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
I think by living in a country whose history is fraught with racism, it does affect my life in ways that sometimes I don’t even realize. There will always be inequality if existing policies are antiquated, or if the general public is not informed that these instances are actually happening. Not until this class did I become aware about the inequity in the healthcare industry, education, and now, in housing (this last one seems very apparent, but becoming aware of it in a very detailed level is a revelation).
2. What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
Eleven years ago, I remember coming into this country and becoming exposed to stereotyping, and from what I see, the racism that the Asian community experiences is more on things that they can do, instead of things that they cannot do. I have always been a good student, but upon coming here, somehow Asians are viewed as those who took studying really seriously, that we are labelled as ‘people to sit next to during exams’, or worse, ‘nerds’ (Honestly, up until now, I do not understand this negative impression towards studying). And also, (this is what I hate) why does some people think that everyone with small, chinky eyes is related to Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan? Or that we can do kungfu or the dragon dance?
1) In my opinion, yes, race affect our life and even in United Stated is more stronger than other countries. First of all, During the creation of the constitution of America, inequality, social race, labor force, and many more created upon those words that United stated stand for. So many years have pass, and in actuality we continue having like similar problems not as before, that it was slave taking place etc. And now we have little, for example in expensive places in Manhattan, that are only white and when they see Latino or African America or Asia, they tend to avoid them, even the hostess and people that work in those place, they don’t offer a good service instead are rude and and with bad manners.
2) In the second question, I also agree with the concept that there is still segregation places between social race, and discrimination. Maybe we don’t see it because we haven’t realize it yet, most of the time are scheme that in not detected very easily, in school they send specially in Manhattan there are places that only white American kids assist, there is not other racial, or even in neighborhood there are places that only white American can live, or job position that only white American can perform etc.
Does race affect your life? Why or why not? If so, in what ways?
Yes, i do think race affect my life because it also affects the peopleand society. For example someone might treat me differently in the hospital or in some type of working offices because of my race. This also applies to other races as well. I seen how someone talked to me one way, then when they see someone of similar race they talk to them totally differently, i also do that as well.
What stereotypes have you heard or seen about different racial groups? Where do they come from?
Some stereotypes i heard about different racial groups is that asians are good in math. I think this statement came from how non-asians see asians as hard working and how asians parents always emphasize math plays an important role in our life. Another stereotype i heard about and seen is that black people like to eat fried chicken. I notice how they always used a black family in all the fried chicken commercials i see on TV. I think it came from the social media.